JAPAN – Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo // You Only Live Twice (1967)
Sumo is an important sport in Japan – and rich in tradition. You won’t be able to visit the real sumo hall from “You Only Live Twice” anymore. But we know some tricks to give you the proper sumo feeling.
Why Bond was here
How do you meet a spy? You go to a crowded sports event! That’s the case for James Bond (Sean Connery) when he comes to Japan. To investigate the hijacking of space rockets he needs the help of the Japanese secret service – and wanders Tokyo’s party district Ginza to head out to a sumo wrestling event. There he first meets Sadanoyama, a famous Yokozuna, and then his contact Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), a Japanese spy.
How you gonna get there
Easy answer: You won’t. “You Only Live Twice” was filmed at the Kuramae Kokugikan, a sumo hall opened in 1954 that was to replace the former, bomb-damaged Ryōgoku Kokugikan. But Kuramae Kokugikan closed its doors in 1984 and was torn down. Since then, sporting events take place at a second, newly-built Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The hall still looks a lot like the one from the movie – so if you want to experience an original sumo event, this is your place to go. Next to some other hidden placed in Tokyo.
The Ryōgoku Kokugikan is located in the Yokoami neighborhood of Sumida next to the impressive Edo-Tokyo-Museum. You may use the Oedo subway line to “Ryogoku” and take a short stroll to the west along the museum. Or you use the JR Line to the other “Ryogoku” station – then the sumo hall is right next to it.
Good to know
Sumo is a traditional and very spiritual sport in Japan, the ring symbolizes a temple. Thus, you wont be able to see it as kind of a folkloristic tourist trap anywhere – but you have to be around for one of the annual tournaments. In Tokyo there are each one in January, May and September. Then there is each one in Osaka in March, in Nagoa in July and in Fukuoka in November. Check out the official vendor or buysumotickets.com for tickets.
Not around during the tournament? Fear not. The Ryōgoku Kokugikan has an little adjoining Sumo Museum, that gives you a good impression.
But what about seeing sumo wrestlers off-season? Check out Arashio-beya!
As sumo is a very serious sport in Japan, sumo stables are more than a training ground. The wrestlers live and train here together and follow a strict training order. Practice is every morning during early hours – and some allow you to visit the training. There are about forty stables in Tokyo, some tour guides offer pricy entry tickets. An easier – but early-birdy – way is to come by and hope for a spot inside or at a window. The Arashio-beya sumo stable is probably your best shot, and always crowded. So come before sunrise and be patient. At the end of training, the wrestlers often come outside for a meet and greet.
We had to push our luck to see some sumo in Tokyo: No tournaments during our visit and the Kokugikan closed for a special event. Marc got up early to see the training at Arashio-beya and together we later tried to see the sumo hall from the outside. We still were able to get to see a sumo ring: at the JR station next to the hall. Inside the station is the Edo Noren hall, that hosts some small restaurants and a circular Dohyō, the traditional sumo ring.
© 2025 Huntingbond (1,3,gallery), © 1967 Danjaq S.A. (2)