Sumo in February 2027 in Tokyo: NHK Charity Sumo, the Fuji TV Tournament and Morning Practice

There is no grand tournament (honbasho) in February, but you can still see real sumo in Tokyo. Two one-day exhibition events fill the Ryogoku Kokugikan on the first weekend of the month: NHK Fukushi Ozumo, the charity show, and Fuji TV’s Japan Ozumo Tournament, a knockout for every top-division wrestler. Both are expected on February 6 and 7, 2027. Top wrestlers throw beans at Setsubun on February 3, and stable morning practice runs until about February 20, when the stables leave for Osaka.

Last checked: October 25, 2026. Neither organizer had announced its 2027 date when we checked; both usually announce between late October and mid-November, and we update this page when they do. For the tournament the month before, see our January 2027 ticket guide.

The two exhibition days are sold in Japanese through Ticket Pia, and the charity show sold out in 2026. The sumo you can book in English for any February weekday is a morning practice visit at a Tokyo stable. The calendar below shows open dates for Tokyo: Watch sumo! with English Guide (from £71, 4.7/5 from 453 reviews), the most-reviewed practice tour on GetYourGuide; pick a weekday between February 1 and 19.

February 2027 sumo in Tokyo at a glance

• You can see sumo in Tokyo in February 2027, just not a 15-day tournament. The two big draws are NHK Fukushi Ozumo (charity sumo, expected Saturday, February 6) and Fuji TV’s knockout Japan Ozumo Tournament (expected Sunday, February 7). Neither 2027 date had been announced on October 25, 2026, but both have kept an early-February slot for more than 50 years.
• Tickets go on sale in November, in Japanese, mainly through Ticket Pia, and the charity show sells out. The 2026 NHK show was marked sold out with no same-day tickets, and Fuji TV’s standard seats were gone by January 6, 2026.
• Free or cheap sumo fills the rest of a February trip: Setsubun bean-throwing with wrestlers on February 3, morning practice until about February 20, the free Sumo Museum on weekdays, and the Haru Basho ticket sale on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Other sumo you can book in February

Exhibition tickets cover one weekend. For the rest of the month there is sumo you can book in English around your own dates: morning practice at a stable in Ryogoku or Nihonbashi, sumo shows with a chanko nabe dinner in Shinjuku and Asakusa, hands-on sumo lessons with former wrestlers, and a Ryogoku walking tour that pairs the Kokugikan with the plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin. The options below are bookable for February dates.

February 2027 sumo calendar

Endo’s ceremony is the day after the January tournament’s final weekend; our January 2027 guide has its door times. Check Ticket Pia for any chair seats left before you plan around it.

NHK Fukushi Ozumo: the charity show with singing wrestlers

What it is. A one-day charity exhibition (hanazumo) organized by NHK and the NHK Public Welfare Organization (NHK厚生文化事業団), with the Japan Sumo Association’s backing. It began on February 4, 1967 as “NHK Jizen Ozumo” at the old Kuramae Kokugikan, took its current name in 1975 and moved to the present Kokugikan in 1985. Ticket money buys welfare vehicles that go to care facilities for older people and people with disabilities across Japan.

Why we like it. This is sumo with its hair down. You get real top-division bouts plus things a tournament never shows: sumo jinku (rhythmic folk songs sung by wrestlers on the ring), shokkiri (a slapstick routine acting out sumo’s forbidden moves, from hair-pulling and kicking to a whack with a ladle), and the “Otanoshimi Utakurabe,” where star wrestlers sing duets with professional singers.

2026 program (58th edition, Saturday, February 7, 2026):

• Doors 12:10; show 13:00–17:30 (planned)
• Part 1: taiko drum demonstration, sumo jinku, and a makushita tournament for the lower-division wrestlers who stood out at the previous basho
• Part 2: fure-daiko drumming, shokkiri, a talk corner, and the handover of the welfare vehicle
• Part 3: Otanoshimi Utakurabe (2026 singers: Mashu Arai, Kokoa Umetani, STU48, Miyuki Kawanaka, Kaori Mizumori)
• Part 4: top-division and yokozuna ring-entering ceremonies, then top-division bouts

2026 prices (tax included), from the NHK Public Welfare Organization’s event page:

Any ticket except tamari could come with a bento voucher (¥1,850). Children under 2 go free if they don’t use a seat.

Tips for the day.

• The singing stage is on the west side, so pick east-side seats to face it.
• Photography and recording are banned except during Part 4 (the bouts).
• No re-entry, no same-day tickets, and no reissue of lost tickets.
• The TV version airs weeks later on NHK General (in 2026 on February 23, 16:30–17:59), so the show in the hall is longer and looser than the broadcast.

Sell-out risk: high. The organizer’s 2026 page carries the notice “完売しました” (sold out), and every Ticket Pia category showed “Sold Out.”

Japan Ozumo Tournament (Fuji TV): the most dramatic day of the winter

What it is. Fuji TV’s Nihon Ozumo Tournament (日本大相撲トーナメント), held since 1977, is a single-elimination knockout. Every top-division (makuuchi) wrestler on the January rankings takes part, so the winner has to win several bouts in one afternoon. Stablemates, who never meet in a regular basho, can be drawn against each other. A separate juryo tournament ends in a three-way playoff (tomoe-sen). The makuuchi winner takes ¥2.5 million; Jiji Press reported Hoshoryu’s “優勝賞金２５０万円” (¥2.5 million winner’s prize) in 2026.

Recent results.

• 2026 (50th edition, Sunday, February 8): yokozuna Hoshoryu won his second title, beating Abi by sukuinage in the final; Hiradoumi and Gonoyama shared third. Shonannoumi won the juryo tournament.
• 2025 (49th): Takayasu won his third title, beating the newly promoted yokozuna Hoshoryu in the quarterfinal and Wakamotoharu in the final. Fuji TV dropped the TV broadcast during its corporate scandal, but the event itself went ahead.

Timetable (2025 edition, subject to change): doors at 11:00, taiko at 12:00, juryo ring entry and the juryo tournament from about 12:10, demonstrations (sumo jinku, shokkiri and a yokozuna rope-tying demonstration) from about 13:55, the makuuchi and yokozuna ring entries from about 14:35, the makuuchi tournament from about 14:57, and the final at around 17:07. The 2026 edition listed doors at 11:00 and a 17:30 finish.

Prices. Fuji TV publishes the seat prices with each year’s announcement, and we could not confirm the 2026 list from an official page, so we don’t quote it here. The tournament sells tamari, four-person masu boxes, pair boxes and chair seats, but not the Masu S, Chair S or Chair D categories of a grand tournament. For the 2025 edition, the add-ons were a sumo bento set (¥3,300, with tea and the program) and a “chōi-nomi” set (¥5,000, adding a can of beer, yakitori and snacks). Ages 4 and up need a ticket.

Where tickets were sold (2026 edition): Ticket Pia (and 7-Eleven), Lawson Ticket (Loppi), e+ (FamilyMart), Seven Ticket, Rakuten Ticket, Sankei iD, Fuji TV Direct, Bunka Hoso Shopping, and the tournament office (bank transfer only). General sale opened November 8, 2025, at 10:00, about a week after the October 31 announcement.

Sell-out risk: medium to high. The organizer’s site reported standard seats sold out by January 6, 2026, and Ticket Pia showed every category as “No longer available” by the event. With two yokozuna on the rankings, expect the best boxes and the cheap chairs to go first.

How to buy NHK or Fuji TV tickets from abroad, step by step

These are domestic Japanese events, so there is no English sales channel like Ticket Oosumo for the grand tournaments. Here is how buying works in practice:

1. Watch for the announcement (late October to mid-November) on grandsumo.jp for Fuji TV and npwo.or.jp for NHK. We add the dates here when they appear.
2. Create a Ticket Pia account before sale day. Ticket Pia has an English interface (t.pia.jp/en), and the 2026 NHK show was listed there, but registration usually needs a Japanese mobile number for SMS verification. If you don’t have one, ask a friend in Japan or use a reputable ticket proxy.
3. Be online at 10:00 Japan time on sale day. Buying online lets you choose seats in the masu and chair categories.
4. Pay and collect. Ticket Pia usually issues paper tickets at 7-Eleven; whether a foreign credit card works depends on the event.
5. Already in Japan? Buy at a 7-Eleven multi-copy machine with the event’s P-code (no seat choice). For Fuji TV, Lawson’s Loppi (L-code) and FamilyMart (e+) machines work too.
6. Missed out? Japanese resale sites such as Ticket Ryutsu Center list seats, often well above face value: a 2026 NHK tamari seat appeared there at ¥22,000 against a ¥10,000 face value. You buy at your own risk, and our sold-out ticket guide explains the safer routes.

Neither exhibition is sold as a guided tour in English. If the sale goes badly, plan the weekend around a morning practice visit or a sumo show with dinner instead.

Setsubun, February 3, 2027: yokozuna throwing beans for free

Setsubun, the day before the start of spring on the old lunar calendar, falls on Wednesday, February 3, 2027. Temples invite celebrities and wrestlers to throw lucky beans from a stage while the crowd shouts “Fuku wa uchi!” (“Good luck in!”). For a sumo fan it’s the cheapest way to see top wrestlers up close all year.

Our tip: 2027 guest lists usually appear in January. Naritasan is the safest bet for a yokozuna; Ikegami Honmonji is the easiest from central Tokyo. Arrive at least an hour early and bring a bag for the beans.

Morning practice in February, week by week

After the January basho ends on January 24, 2027, the wrestlers rest, then practice restarts around the start of February. Most stables train in Tokyo until about February 20, when they move to temporary lodgings in and around Osaka for the March basho. Ōtori Taisha shrine in Sakai, which hosted Arashio stable for the 2024 Haru Basho, said practice at its lodgings would begin “2月下旬（20日以降）の予定” (late February, from the 20th onward). Our winter morning practice calendar rates every week from December to February.

Free option: Arashio-beya. In Nihonbashi-Hamacho (Toei Shinjuku Line, Hamacho Station, Exit A2), Arashio stable lets the public watch practice through its street-side windows from 7:30. The stable’s English page gives 7:30 to about 9:00, and the Chuo City Tourism Association’s correspondent blog quotes the stable’s own guide as “見学可能時間『AM7:30~AM9:30』… 部屋の中での見学はできません。外から全面窓越しにご覧ください” (viewing 7:30–9:30; no entry, watch through the windows only). There is no reservation and no seat, and it gets cold, so wear layers. Check the stable’s calendar at arashio.net the night before, because practice can be cancelled without notice. Chuo City’s official cycling program also runs occasional viewings inside Arashio stable, four or five times a year and often in February, April and June.

Guided tours inside a real stable. A tour gets you a seat inside, an English-speaking guide who explains what you’re watching, and usually a photo with a wrestler afterward. Two GetYourGuide tours run in February:

• Tokyo: Sumo Watching with journalist and walks (from $101, 4.9/5 from 308 reviews), run by Japan Shine Tour: a practice session guided by a sumo journalist and photographer, small groups, about three hours including a walk through Ryogoku.
• Tokyo: Watch sumo! with English Guide (from £71, 4.7/5 from 453 reviews), run by Air Choice: an English-speaking guide and a commemorative photo, with the stable confirmed by the operator. It has the most reviews of the practice tours.

Take the journalist tour if you want the bouts explained as they happen; take the Air Choice tour if your date is sold out on the first, since it costs about the same.

Etiquette: stay silent, no flash, no eating, don’t point your feet or stretch your legs toward the ring, and don’t leave mid-session. Many tours exclude young children.

Sumo shows and dinner, any day and in any weather

If the practice dates or exhibition tickets don’t line up, Tokyo’s sumo entertainment shows run year-round in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza and Asakusa. Retired wrestlers demonstrate moves, explain the rituals and often let someone from the audience try a bout, usually with chanko nabe hot pot. The bouts are staged, not competition, but the shows suit children and a sleety February evening. Tokyo: Shinjuku Sumo Show & Experience with Photo (from $65, 4.9/5 from 9,702 reviews) runs most evenings; for a lunch with a former wrestler and time in the ring yourself, Tokyo: Authentic Sumo Wrestling Experience with Lunch (from $166, 4.9/5 from 93 reviews) costs more and has fewer reviews. Our sumo dinner shows and chanko guide compares the Tokyo venues.

Haru Basho ticket sale: Saturday, February 6, 2027

The March 2027 tournament goes on sale while you’re in Tokyo

• Tournament: Haru Basho, March 14–28, 2027, EDION Arena Osaka
• General sale: Saturday, February 6, 2027, 10:00 Japan time, on Ticket Oosumo (the official site, with an English version); fan-club and lottery presales come before that
• Rankings (banzuke) released: Monday, March 1, 2027, three weeks after tickets go on sale
• The JSA published the 2027 Osaka prices on July 30, 2026 (updated October 1): chair seats run from ¥4,000 (Chair D) to ¥13,000 (Chair SS) per person, ringside tamari is ¥20,000, and a four-person box costs ¥38,000 (weekday Masu C) to ¥68,000 (Masu S). Our Haru Basho 2027 ticket guide has the full table. The English site adds a ¥2,000 service fee per ticket
• Weekend days and the March 20–22 long weekend sell out fastest
• Clash: the sale is expected on the same morning as NHK charity sumo, so buy on your phone over breakfast before the doors open.

Our guide to sumo in Osaka covers the venue and the March practice lodgings in Kansai, and our tournament tickets page explains how Ticket Oosumo works.

Our picks for February

• Best single day: the Fuji TV Japan Ozumo Tournament (expected Sunday, February 7). Every top-division wrestler, real competitive stakes, stablemates drawn against each other and a champion crowned in one afternoon. Pair it with a weekday morning practice tour.
• Budget pick: Setsubun, the Arashio window and the Sumo Museum. Bean-throwing on February 3, free practice viewing on a weekday morning, and the free Sumo Museum at the Kokugikan (weekdays 10:00–16:30). Total cost: your train fare. If you want a seat, NHK’s ¥1,500 second-floor Chair C was 2026’s cheapest ticket to see a yokozuna in action.
• Best with children: NHK Fukushi Ozumo. Comedy shokkiri, singing wrestlers and a cheerful charity-show atmosphere, with under-2s free. Add a sumo show with chanko for younger children who can’t join practice tours.
• Best for superfans: the whole first weekend. Morning practice on Thursday and Friday, NHK on Saturday (after buying Haru Basho tickets at 10:00), Fuji TV on Sunday. If a retirement ceremony is announced for early February, add it; Tochinoshin’s was on February 4, 2024.

Your February sumo options compared

Practical tips for February in Tokyo

• Weather: the Japan Meteorological Agency’s February normals for Tokyo are an average high of 10.9°C and a low of 2.1°C, with about 170 hours of sun, but snow happens: it snowed in Tokyo on February 8, 2026. Watching at the Arashio window means standing outside at 7:30 a.m., so bring gloves, a hat and a warm layer.
• Inside the Kokugikan: masu boxes are tight, and you sit cross-legged on cushions for hours. Leave big luggage in the lockers at Ryogoku Station. Our Ryogoku Kokugikan guide has the seating plan.
• Getting there: JR Sobu Line to Ryogoku (West Exit, a two-minute walk) or the Toei Oedo Line to Ryogoku (five minutes).
• Holidays: February 11 (National Foundation Day) and February 23 (Emperor’s Birthday). The Sumo Museum is closed on both, as it is every weekend.
• Plum blossoms peak in February; Kameido Tenjin and Yushima Tenjin are an easy add-on to a Ryogoku day.
• Watching on TV: the NHK charity show airs weeks later on NHK General, and NHK World-Japan carries sumo highlights and features in English.
• Heading to Osaka? From late February, follow the stables south; our Osaka guide covers practice viewing in Kansai. If you are in Japan in November instead, our Kyushu Basho guide covers Fukuoka.

FAQ

Is there a sumo tournament in February 2027?

No. The six grand tournaments are held in odd-numbered months. The nearest are the Hatsu Basho in Tokyo (January 10–24, 2027) and the Haru Basho in Osaka (March 14–28, 2027).

Can I see sumo in Tokyo in February?

Yes: at the NHK charity sumo and the Fuji TV tournament (first weekend of February), Setsubun bean-throwing on February 3, morning practice until about February 20, and the sumo dinner shows.

When is NHK Fukushi Ozumo 2027?

Not announced as of October 25, 2026. It’s held in early February every year, usually on a Saturday; we expect Saturday, February 6, 2027.

How do I buy NHK charity sumo tickets?

Through Ticket Pia (online or at 7-Eleven) from mid-November; in 2025 the sale opened on November 16 at 10:00 Japan time. Wheelchair seats are sold by phone through the NHK Public Welfare Organization (03-3476-5955).

How much are NHK charity sumo tickets?

In 2026: second-floor chairs ¥1,500–¥4,600, tamari ¥10,000, and four-person masu boxes ¥26,000–¥34,800.

Is there a same-day ticket for NHK charity sumo?

No. The organizer states there are no same-day tickets, and the 2026 edition sold out.

What is the Fuji TV sumo tournament?

The Japan Ozumo Tournament, a one-day single-elimination event for every top-division wrestler, held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on an early-February Sunday since 1977. The winner earns ¥2.5 million, as Jiji Press reported for Hoshoryu’s 2026 win.

When is the Fuji TV Japan Ozumo Tournament 2027?

Not announced yet. We expect Sunday, February 7, 2027, with tickets on sale in November; the 2026 edition went on sale on November 8, 2025.

Who won the 2026 Japan Ozumo Tournament?

Yokozuna Hoshoryu, beating Abi in the final. Shonannoumi won the juryo division.

Are the exhibition bouts real?

They are real bouts, but they don’t affect the rankings. The Fuji TV knockout is competitive because of the prize money; NHK’s bouts are more relaxed.

When do Haru Basho tickets go on sale?

Saturday, February 6, 2027, at 10:00 Japan time on Ticket Oosumo, with the rankings following on March 1.

Can I watch sumo practice in February?

Yes, from about February 1 to 20 in Tokyo. After that, most stables move to Osaka for the March tournament.

Do sumo wrestlers appear at Setsubun?

Yes. In 2026, yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato threw beans at Naritasan Shinshoji, and Gonoyama appeared at Ikegami Honmonji. It’s free.

Is the Sumo Museum open in February?

On weekdays, 10:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00), free. It’s closed at weekends, on February 11 and 23, and between exhibitions.

Are there any retirement ceremonies in February 2027?

None announced as of October 25, 2026. Endo’s ceremony is on January 30, 2027.

How we checked this

The 2027 tournament dates and the Haru Basho sale date come from Ticket Oosumo’s English site (sumo.pia.jp/en), and the 2026 Osaka prices and service fee from its March 2026 page. NHK Fukushi Ozumo’s 2026 date, program, prices, sale date and sold-out notice come from the NHK Public Welfare Organization’s event page; the Fuji TV 2026 date and sale date from grandsumo.jp and Ticket Pia, and its 2025 add-ons from e+ (Spice). The 2027 dates for both exhibitions and the Hakuho Cup are projections from the 2025–2026 pattern; the Hakuho Cup moved from the Kokugikan to TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO in 2026 and was free, and its 2027 plans are unknown. Arashio’s viewing hours differ between sources (7:30–9:00 on the stable’s English page, 7:30–9:30 in the Chuo City blog), so check arashio.net. Weather normals are from the Japan Meteorological Agency, and tour prices and ratings are GetYourGuide figures from October 2026, which change with currency and season.

Ready to Book?

For the January tournament, see our tournament tickets page and the January 2027 ticket guide. If the exhibition tickets sell out, morning practice runs on February weekdays and a sumo show runs on most nights.