UPCOMING
Nagoya Basho
2027
IG Arena · 11-25 Jul · Nagoya
Starts in ~10 months
Banzuke pending
The official banzuke (ranking sheet) for this tournament is published roughly two weeks before the opening day. Leaderboard and rikishi pages will populate automatically once the data lands.The venue
Hosts Nagoya
Japan's fourth-largest city sits halfway between Tokyo and Kyoto and is often skipped by visitors, which is their loss. Strong industrial identity (Toyota's headquarters are nearby), excellent food culture, and a distinctive dialect. The Nagoya basho moved to the brand-new IG Arena in 2025 - it replaces the long-time home, the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium adjacent to Nagoya Castle. July sumo is brutally humid; the building's air-conditioning is non-negotiable.
Near the arena
- Nagoya Castle↗ - Reconstructed keep with golden shachihoko on the roof. Interior reconstruction ongoing.
- Atsuta Shrine↗ - One of Shintō's holiest sites - traditionally home to the legendary Kusanagi sword.
- Sakae district↗ - Shopping, nightlife, and the iconic Mirai Tower in Hisaya-Ōdōri Park.
- Tokugawa Art Museum↗ - Treasures of the Owari Tokugawa clan - the Tale of Genji scrolls live here.
- Nagoya City Science Museum↗ - Houses the world's largest planetarium dome at 35m.
Local specialties
- Hitsumabushi↗ひつまぶし - Grilled eel over rice, eaten three ways: plain, with garnishes, then as ochazuke.
- Miso katsu↗味噌カツ - Pork cutlet drowned in dark Aichi red-miso sauce. Polarising but defining.
- Tebasaki↗手羽先 - Sweet-spicy fried chicken wings, a Nagoya invention (Sekai-no-Yamachan is the chain to try).
- Kishimen↗きしめん - Flat, wide udon noodles - a Nagoya speciality.
- Ankake spaghetti↗あんかけスパゲッティ - Thick, peppery starch-based sauce over spaghetti. Unique to Nagoya.
Getting there: Subway to Shiyakusho Station (Meijō line) - the new IG Arena is a short walk. Bring a portable fan in July.