Ryogoku Nigiwai Festival

Last Updated on March 27, 2025

Event Overview

Ryogoku, a district situated within the Sumida ward of Tokyo, is renowned primarily for housing the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium and the impressive Edo-Tokyo Museum.

During the transition from late April to early May each year, the Ryogoku community engages in a vibrant street festival, presenting a multitude of sights and experiences.

The festival encompasses several distinct locations in proximity to the JR Ryogoku Station, and exploring each of these is highly recommended.

The Kokugikan Stadium is accessible to the public during the festival, and visitors can even venture down to the area where the sumo ring is located.

For those who have not previously entered the stadium or who have not had the opportunity to witness a sumo tournament from ringside seats, this festival provides an exceptional and unmissable opportunity.

Visitors can also encounter and interact with the sumo mascots as they move about the stadium, or purchase chankonabe (a type of hotpot consumed daily by sumo wrestlers) prepared and served by sumo wrestlers.

Another component of the festival unfolds along the main street adjacent to the JR Station, where numerous stalls offer chankonabe, businesses conduct prize giveaways, and a stage features various performances, including taiko drumming and singers adorned in a traditional kimono.

At the street’s end, Ekoin Temple hosts additional performers, including a group of elderly women dressed in colorful attire, demonstrating their skills with interconnected sticks, creating diverse shapes.

Visitors can also enter the temple and observe monks conducting services accompanied by drumming and chanting. For those unfamiliar with the tea ceremony, participation is also offered within the temple grounds. While exploring the temple grounds, visitors are encouraged to seek out the monuments dedicated to children and pets.

Adjacent to the temple, another stage presents dancers, magicians, and jugglers, offering a spectacle that can be appreciated without linguistic comprehension.

Additional points of interest are also available, making it advisable to obtain a festival program for comprehensive navigation. If you are present in Tokyo during the initial weekend of Golden Week, a visit to Ryogoku is strongly encouraged to partake in this remarkable community festival, which offers a wealth of sights and entertainment.