-Famous grilled chicken skewers set of 5 (750 yen) -Draft beer (medium size) Kirin (550 yen) -Grape soft serve ice cream (400 yen) Visited on March 23 for a sumo wrestling match. It was the 9th day of the September tournament and the arena was full. Celebrated a holiday at 3:23 PM and there were about 50 people waiting in line. Finally made a purchase at 3:45 PM with around 35 people still waiting. The shumai and menchi-katsu were already sold out. It seemed that the peak time coincided with the break before the top division ring-entering ceremony at 3:40 PM. The famous grilled chicken skewers made on the basement floor of the Kokugikan consisted of 3 thigh skewers and 2 meatball skewers, and they were delicious even without reheating. However, I wished they had included shichimi spice. I was lured into buying the grape soft serve ice cream with a sign saying it was available only until the end of September. I watched the matches for the first time during the breaks and found them very entertaining with many interesting elements. I also look forward to trying the chanko hot pot and Kokugikan curry in the main hall on the basement floor next time.

I went to watch the sumo tournament on the seventh day of the September tournament with my senior colleagues from work. We entered around noon and the arena was still quite empty. We were able to purchase items from various stalls without having to wait. The menu included: - Draft beer (large) ¥800 - Famous grilled chicken skewers ¥750 - Shumai (steamed dumplings) ¥590 - Menchi katsu (breaded and deep-fried ground meat) ¥400 - Canned chu-hai (shochu highball) ¥440 In total, we spent ¥2980. The famous grilled chicken skewers were as good as they are known for, even when they cooled down. The Tsukune (chicken meatballs) were especially delicious. The shumai and menchi katsu were also very tasty. We enjoyed watching sumo matches while having drinks and snacks, going in and out to buy more. It was a lot of fun. By around 4 pm, the stalls started getting very crowded with long lines. We bought smoked squid, chicken cartilage skewers, canned sweet potato shochu, and plum chu-hai to add to our order... and we were feeling quite intoxicated.

Whenever I go to watch sumo wrestling in both countries, I always have ice cream here. I look forward to the seasonal limited flavors every time. This time, the seasonal limited flavor was matcha. After much deliberation, I decided to order the "anko-dama soft serve" instead of matcha. I topped it with a sumo wrestler cookie. They said you could choose a sumo wrestler to put on top... I chose the wrestler who was absent this time, Wakatakakage. Once again, it was delicious. Since there are no longer any entry restrictions, the shops and cafes are very crowded, so it's best to move quickly.

On January 19, 2023 (Thursday) around 2:00 PM, I arrived at Ryogoku Station on the Sobu Line after having lunch in Shin-Okubo. The Ryogoku Kokugikan, right next to the station, was bustling with sumo fans. Maosumo wrestlers arrived by car at the entrance, attracting a crowd of people. The atmosphere was filled with sumo spirit. Inside the Kokugikan, there were various shops surrounding the hall, with many foreign visitors as well. I purchased three Coffee Jelly Softs for 500 yen each using PayPay. We enjoyed the soft serve while stretching our backs, as we were seated in the masuseki area. The final match of the day between Takakeisho and Kiribayama was exciting, with lots of prizes adding to the excitement. It was my first time experiencing a sumo match, and it was a memorable day, although the masuseki seats were a bit cramped. I felt some discomfort in my legs, back, and waist the next day. I also discovered that there were other seating options available with more comfort. If I were to go again, I would consider choosing a seat with more space and comfort.

I bought anmitsu soft serve and nikuman as snacks when watching sumo at the Kokugikan. Around 3 pm, there was a long line. Other food stalls inside the Kokugikan also get crowded around this time, and bento boxes and katsu sandwiches tend to sell out. The anmitsu soft serve I got was really delicious. I hope the crowds will ease up a bit in the future.

It's been a while since I watched sumo wrestling! Watching live is really great! I had soft serve ice cream as a snack between matches. I chose matcha and vanilla flavors. For souvenirs, I got the classic yakitori! It sells out quickly. They make it in the basement of the Kokugikan. Both were delicious! Thank you for the meal!

When I come to the Kokugikan, I always have the Hiyo-chan yakitori or Hiyo-chan ice cream! Oh, Hiyo-chan is the official character of the Sumo Association, right? (laughs) I bought it and waited a bit before eating, so it's a bit cold (^^;) but it's still delicious (￣▽￣) The sweetness is just right, I think. Thank you for the meal. *I'm posting this for record purposes since I ate it (laughs)

At the Kokugikan during sumo tournaments, they sell a special type of imagawayaki called "nowayaki". A colleague bought some for me when they went to Ryogoku. The nowayaki features sumo wrestler characters, and some wrestlers even wear a badge with this design. Let's try it. It's soft and easy to eat. The sweet red bean filling is a bit moist, making the outer shell slightly chewy. While it looks cute, the taste is similar to regular imagawayaki or taiyaki. Nevertheless, it's a unique treat that you can only get here. If you have a sweet tooth, I recommend giving it a try.

I first watched sumo wrestling in September of the second year of Reiwa. At that time, food and drinks were not allowed inside the venue, and all the shops were closed. One year later, I attended my fourth sumo wrestling match. I could feel that sumo wrestling was being held while exploring.----- I visited during the Juryo division matches of the September tournament in the third year of Reiwa. I had to wait for about 5 people, and the "Hiyochan-yaki (red bean flavor)" and "Sumo curry bread" were sold out. During the break, suddenly a long line formed, and people started queuing up. I ordered: - Soft serve ice cream vanilla flavor for 350 yen - Soft serve ice cream mix of vanilla and Okayama white peach for 350 yen The flavor of the soft serve ice cream changes depending on the tournament, and this time it was supposed to be "Shine Muscat flavor," but it was sold out by the next day, so it was changed to Okayama white peach. I wasn't aiming for Shine Muscat, but the power of the word "Shine Muscat" is amazing, I thought... (Personally, I think Shine Muscat is delicious when eaten fresh, and Shine Muscat flavor is just white grape flavor). My intention was to get vanilla, but my child wanted it, so I ended up choosing the mix. Please note: - There are no cups - There are no spoons It's not suitable for those who want to eat soft serve ice cream slowly. Since you can't bring food and drinks to your seat, you can't eat slowly while watching sumo wrestling. I had to give up watching a match and eat in the designated eating area. There are quite a few benches around the Kokugikan Cafe, so it's not too much of a problem. I had vowed that vanilla is better than mix, but due to circumstances, I ordered mix after a long time. I helped my child with the vanilla soft serve ice cream, but still, soft serve ice cream is better with one flavor! - Hiyochan-yaki (red bean flavor) When my husband went to buy it separately, it was sold out, so he bought 3 and brought them home. When he bought it, it was hot... It's a Nowagashi with thick skin.----- As in the past reviews, the menu is not extensive. The menu that was prepared above the cash register has been removed, and there are only a few strips of paper attached to the vinyl sheet in front of the cash register. Menu items include "Menchi-katsu," "Katsu sandwich," "Butaman (quite large)," "Hiyochan-yaki," "Sumo red bean bread (also quite large)," "Sumo curry bread," "Soft serve ice cream vanilla, limited flavor mix," and "Iced coffee (no hot coffee available)." After attending four matches, my husband said he wants to see the final day, and my child said he wants to see from the masu seats next time. In fact, the ticket costs for sumo wrestling matches come out of my pocket, not the household budget! It's quite a expense for three people, but since I became a full-time employee from a part-time job, I can afford to treat everyone. This time, I finally bought a cheering towel for my favorite sumo wrestler and cheered for him! Next time, it's masu seats!

When you come to the Kokugikan, you have to try something related to "Hiyochan" (laughs). This time, I tried the "Hiyochan yaki" for 260 yen. This is my second time trying it. Last time, I bought the "Hiyochan ice cream" at the shop. It seems to be very popular because it was sold out after us. Lucky us, the kabo-cha couple (laughs). Also, I decided to try the curry bread for 150 yen because it caught my eye. Due to the new coronavirus, we couldn't eat at the seats, so we ate on the benches on the second floor. The Hiyochan yaki tasted like a normal Imagawayaki (or "oyaki" in Hokkaido dialect, laughs) with plenty of red bean paste, which made me happy. The curry bread had a slightly loose curry filling, and you could still see the shape of the ingredients. I tried to bite it without leaving a tooth mark, but you could still tell (laughs). It was just a delicious curry bread. Thank you for the meal!

The May tournament in the first year of Reiwa was very lively. It was a hot summer day outside, but the air conditioning was working well. As time passed and more people arrived, it started to get hot. There was a long line of about 10 people at the cafe, all waiting for soft serve ice cream, anmitsu with soft serve, or floats. I was drawn to the Satonishiki Soft Serve with a flag outside, so I lined up and paid first. I received a number tag and waited for a while before they served the soft serve. You can't carry more than two items in one order, so they put it in a holder for you. I chose a mix of vanilla and another flavor, and it was delicious. Even the cone was thin and crispy, making me realize how good cones can be after a long time.

Kokugikan! Watching sumo from the box seats is really powerful. There were some unexpected matches that had us tossing our zabuton cushions (laughs). At one point, I bought dessert! The coffee jelly soft serve for 450 yen... it melted quite a bit before I got back to my seat (^_^;) Oh! I invited a friend from Tokyo to watch with us, but three people in a box is a tight fit. The coffee jelly soft serve was a nice combination of bitter jelly and rich soft serve, a delicious dessert. Thank you for the meal! After that, we continued watching with beer (laughs) ↑Nonde bakari...

I went to watch the T-League playoff final at the Kokugikan and visited a cafe on the second floor. They were selling draft beer for 500 yen and lemon sour for 500 yen. It was just a regular shop inside the Kokugikan. There were small high tables available in the aisle. The seating area during the match was too dark, making it difficult for me with poor eyesight to walk around with my drink. The shop had half of its shutters down, so the selection of items may have been limited compared to when sumo matches are held.

This time, I purchased the strawberry smoothie at the Kokugikan Cafe shop. The Kokugikan Cafe & Bento shop sells light meals such as fried potatoes, hamburgers, bento boxes, coffee, cream soda, and more. The top 3 popular sweets at the Kokugikan Cafe are: 1st place - Soft serve ice cream (vanilla/mixed/seasonal fruit flavor) ¥350, 2nd place - Coffee jelly soft serve ¥450, 3rd place - Sumo anmitsu soft serve ¥750. If you feel like having something sweet while watching the matches, it might be worth a visit.

I enjoyed watching sumo wrestling in the September tournament of the 4th year of Reiwa. I had "Yonkoma Anko Dama Soft" and "Iced Coffee" as snacks, which were delicious and satisfying. I was able to pay with PayPay.

Delicious-looking muscat soft serve ice cream. I had it in the still hot September, in between sumo matches. I enjoyed it while gazing at the station. They also have monaka and other treats, so I often visit this shop.

This is a takeout-only shop located on the west side of the second floor of the Kokugikan. When you go up to the second floor from the front elevator, turn right (turning left will make it farther). The soft serve ice cream here is seriously high quality!! It's the reliable Japan Premium brand. The limited edition flavors change depending on the location. This is a must-visit shop for friends who are watching sumo for the first time. The nikuman (steamed meat buns) are from the famous nikuman shop "Goban" in Kagurazaka! The regular nikuman costs 300 yen. The limited edition Gomokuman (large) costs 600 yen. The filling is completely different, with the regular size nikuman having a typical filling like gyoza, while the Gomokuman, which is about the size of a child's face, is filled with quail eggs, bamboo shoots, and wood ear mushrooms, making you feel full with just one. If you think of it as a Gomokuman or nikuman, it may seem expensive, but if you think of it as a round bento, it is quite reasonable. However, there is a long line during the Makuuchi division entry time! The operation is not that great either, so the line doesn't move quickly. I always try to buy it during the relatively quiet morning hours until the Juryo division ring-entering ceremony (2:15 pm) to avoid missing watching sumo matches.

If you wait for the sumo wrestlers to enter, take a break at the Kokugikan Cafe. Here, I buy the "Hiyochan yaki" every time. Do you always buy it? It may sell out depending on the time. Definitely before 3 p.m., right? Oh, the Hiyochan yaki... It's a Nowayaki with a character named Hiyochan (laughs). I'll go back to my seat now. The bag is cute too (^o^). The slightly silly face is nice! Open! Anko... plenty of it ~(>_<) Thank you for the delicious meal! If I can come to the Kokugikan next time, I'll definitely buy it!!

This was my first time at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. It was also my first time watching sumo live. My main purpose was, of course, to watch sumo. And my second purpose was to try the food at the Kokugikan. There is a shop on the west side of the second floor where there are few people in the morning, but a line forms after noon. I ordered the "soft serve ice cream" and "soft serve ice cream & pancakes." Soft serve ice cream eaten at places like this is usually not very good, but the soft serve ice cream here was so rich and delicious that I wanted to have another one. The pancakes were also delicious. The sweets at the Kokugikan are a must-try here!

I am a resident of Yokozuna Yokochō! Hello... By the way, Ryōgoku Kokugikan is located in Yokowebi (Yokoami) Town. The Kokugikan Cafe is located on the second floor on the west side of Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Next to it is Niku-dokoro Raiten. On the east side of the second floor is Sushi-dokoro Raiten, and in front of the second floor is the dining and soba restaurant Raiten. The most popular item at the Kokugikan Cafe is soft serve ice cream. However, they didn't have Yubari Melon soft serve ice cream. Even though they sell it at the neighboring Niku-dokoro Raiten... So, I tried the Gombachi Mitarashi (300 yen). The Gombachi Mitarashi, shaped like a sumo referee's fan, was so soft that it couldn't even hold a skewer. It was very soft and made of rice cake. It had an elegant sweetness with a hint of saltiness. It's like the Kokuga Mitarashi version of Sōka Senbei Ikeda-ya's Sōka Mitarashi. It's a specialty of Kokugikan.