Ryogoku and the Edo Tokyo Museum
Ryogoku, is known as a small district or town in the city of Tokyo where the Ryogoku Kokugikan, or Sumo Arena is located. In Ryogoku, there are many Sumo Beya ( training facilitates and adjoining a accommodation) for Sumo wrestlers. You might have a chance to run across Sumo wrestlers walking around Kokugikan, it is so exciting to see these big Sumo wresters, even for Japanese :-) These wrestlers are part of traditional Japanese culture dating back centuries, from a sport created by the ruling Shogunate.Ryogoku is not only famous for Sumo, there is another major tourist attraction worthy of your time and I want to highly recommend you visit the Edo-Tokyo Museum.
When you arrive at the JR Ryogoku Station by train, you will see two large buildings. One in a imposing modern style and the other in Japanese style. The Japanese style building is the sumo arena called Ryogoku Kokugikan and the other remarkable, very large modern building is the Edo-Tokyo Museum.
The Edo-Tokyo Museum has many amazing exhibits showing the history and culture of the Edo period - the former name of Tokyo for over 400 years. The major feature of this museum is that it displays both original crafts and full-sized replicas of buildings and other structures. These replicas are especially unique, some are actual life-sized bridge structures and buildings. A full Kabukiu theater stage is displayed and other scaled down, or miniatures, of Samurai houses. There are so many interesting exhibits that will entertain and educate both adults and kids.
Ryogoku is known as a town of Sumo wrestlers. Around the JR Ryogoku Station, at various locations, there are many Chanko-nabe (stew-like meal prepared by Sumo wrestlers) restaurants.
Ryogoku Kokugikan (Sumo arena) The Tokyo Sumo Tournaments are held in January, May and September. If you visit Tokyo around this time, you can witness a traditional Sumo wrestling match. For dates and tecket information see here...
The Edo-Tokyo Museum. The building has a very modern appearance contrasting with the historic cultural exhibitions There is many facilities inside, such as exhibition halls, library, cafe, restaurants and video rooms. The immense scale of the interiors of the Edo-Tokyo Museum contains full size, to scale, buildings!
Worth a visit! Visit their website here...
