Are you looking for a one-of-a-kind experience in Japan? Hoping to immerse yourself in the rich and beautiful Japanese culture? Look no further! Let me introduce you to an amazing tour that not only takes you through the hidden gems of Izumisano City but also gives you the chance to witness an unforgettable sumo wrestling experience.
Even after eight years of living in Japan, Izumisano City was completely new to me, and I was beyond excited to explore it and finding out about Sumo shows! Surprisingly, it turns out that this city is gaining popularity among tourists. Given its growing reputation and my blog post, you know what I’m about to share will be worth your while! 😉
This unique Ochiizumi sumo experience tour I went on is organized by the incredible Tourism Department of Izumisano, ICP (Izumisano City promotion Partnership). From what I understand, this will be a bookable tourist attraction directly offered by the city’s tourism department. Their tour is truly special, and you’ll definitely want to book through them for all the reasons I’ll mention below. Keep reading!
Our adventure began at the train station, where we all met before heading to the tourism department headquarters—just a short five-minute walk away.
After brief introductions and a rundown of the day’s itinerary, we hopped onto electric bikes and hit the road. Let me tell you, riding those bikes made me feel like I was in a Pokémon game! (If you’ve played the versions with Mach and Acro bikes, you know what I mean! 😂)
We cycled around the city and made our way to Rinku Town, which you might remember from my previous blog post.
A Rinku Town Adventure! Exploring Osaka’s Outlet Mall
Once we arrived, we headed to the one-of-a-kind sumo comedy show of Ochiizumi! 💪🏾
I don’t want to give away all the surprises, but here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect when you book this tour.
I felt like a princess! One of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to choose a haori (traditional Japanese jacket) from a selection of beautiful designs to keep us warm during the Ochiizumi show.
Ever wondered how sumo wrestlers bulk up? Well, wonder no more! You get to dine like a sumo wrestler while watching the show. The meal includes delicious veggies, meat, and noodles in what is called chanko! If you love hotpot, you’ll adore this! Just be careful not to eat too much, or you might start gaining sumo weight too!
The show kicked off with a fantastic host who introduced sumo wrestling history, rules, and traditions in an entertaining way. Then, we were introduced to our amazing sumo wrestlers, Nami and Joe.
To make things even more interactive, they held fun quizzes on what we learned, with the chance to win umaibo (a delicious Japanese snack I’m obsessed with). And don’t worry—even if you don’t know the answers, they sneakily help you so everyone wins! 😉
We also got to learn about sumo etiquette, techniques, and how matches work while enjoying our food. To make it even more immersive, they gave us fans in the colors of the sumo wrestlers’ belts to cheer them on and even beanbags to toss onto the stage as a way to show support—just like in a Ochiizumi real sumo match!
After the show, the host and wrestlers invited anyone brave enough to come on stage and challenge them in a sumo match. Of course, I eagerly jumped at the chance, put on a sumo suit, and got ready to battle.
(Hint: Of course it was me. Never mind that he let me win though.)
You all know how much I love taking pictures, so I was thrilled that the staff encouraged us to take photos and share them! Nami and Joe were incredibly kind and even posed with me in gyaru fashion! 🥰 Not to mention, they easily lifted me like a princess. My standards for sumo wrestlers have officially skyrocketed! 😂
Sure, you could explore these locations I’m about to mention on your own, but trust me—you’ll want to book through the Izumisano City Tourism Department for these key reasons:
Experiencing and learning from locals is essential for immersing yourself in Japan’s culture, and I cannot thank the wonderful tour guides enough for making this such a meaningful experience.
I’ve only shared a bit of what makes this tour so special—there are plenty more surprises waiting for you! To get the full experience, you just have to go for yourself.
I highly recommend going with a friend—trust me, you’ll want someone to laugh with and share in the fun! This is truly an experience like no other.
Stay warm this winter… by eating chanko nabe with a sumo wrestler! 🙂
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