Chanko Nabe: The Power Food of Sumo Wrestlers

Ryogoku, in the historic east side of Tokyo, is a place like no other. It’s where Japanese traditional sumo wrestling comes alive at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the epicenter of this ancient sport. With Tokyo Skytree towering behind it and the serene Sumida River flowing nearby, this city is a sight to behold. It’s home to numerous sumo stables where sumo wrestlers, rikishi, practice daily. You’ll also find restaurants serving chanko nabe, a traditional hot pot dish passed down in sumo stables. Its ingredients include meat, fish, and vegetables, and it is seasoned with miso or soy sauce and other condiments. Chanko nabe is a special dish, and there’s one important rule to follow: it has to be made by a rikishi.

One of the popular chanko nabe restaurants in Ryogoku is Chanko Kirishima, which was opened by a former sumo wrestler. Team Musubi had the great opportunity to visit Chanko Kirishima to explore the incredible world of chanko nabe that is now enjoyed by many people. Our epicurean adventure began when we hopped off the JR Yamanote Line at Ryogoku Station, just a stone's throw from Akihabara.

Chanko nabe is a dish made and eaten by sumo wrestlers, both former and current. Those who are ranked below makushita, the third highest of the six divisions, take turns preparing meals on a rotation system.

The talented rikishi who masterfully prepares the meals is known as chanko ban, and in fact, every meal crafted by the chanko ban is considered "chanko." This applies not only to hot pots but also to dishes like French cuisine or ramen, which become "chanko French," and "chanko ramen."

You might wonder where the word “chanko” came from. There are several interesting stories about the term’s origin. The most common explanation is that it combines the names of the sumo stable's master, oyakata, commonly known as chan (meaning “father”), and his apprentices, ko (meaning “child”), who are looked after in the stable until they master the skills and techniques. The master and his apprentices eat together like a family, symbolizing their close-knit bond.

Another story suggests that the name came from the Chinese sheet-metal pot chan guo, which was used to cook seafood for the rikishi during a sumo regional tour of Nagasaki.

Chanko nabe traces its origins to the late Meiji era (1868–1912 CE), a time marked by culinary innovation and exploration.

Here’s a quick look back at the history of sumo wrestling itself. Dating back over 1500 years, sumo wrestling originated as a sacred ritual that was held in shrines to honor the gods and pray for a bountiful harvest. Later, it burst onto the scene as a professional sport during the Edo period (1603–1868 CE), marking a form of entertainment for the common people that was on par with Kabuki.

Before 1903, each rikishi was served a meal individually. But as the stable of Dewanoumi where the famous 19th Yokozuna Hitachiyama belonged, became popular and inundated with new recruits, the stable began preparing hot pot dishes in order to cut down food costs and reduce the time needed to serve young apprentices.

What’s more, they thought eating food together over a hot pot could be helpful to foster a sense of camaraderie among the rikishi. Also, the master's guidance in overseeing his apprentices' meals would help them stay in top shape.

Sumo wrestlers had to fuel their bodies with the right nutrition and build weight to win matches, so chanko nabe, packed with plenty of good proteins from chicken, fish, and tofu, as well as vitamins from vegetables, was the perfect meal.

This new style of hot pot dining spread to other stables, and eventually chanko nabe became a staple dish across sumo stables, with each stable developing and passing down its own secret recipe.

This food culture has remained unchanged in stables and is now a necessity for rikishi. They eat chanko nabe with huge bowls of rice after morning practice, evening practice, or sometimes both. After eating, they often take a nap, which helps them gain weight. Eating is an essential part of their training regimen.

Each sumo stable has its own chanko nabe flavor. There are currently forty-five stables (as of June 2025), each with its own unique charm. The flavor is basically based on either miso, soy sauce, or salt. The possibilities are endless with this dish, as the ingredients can include anything from fresh vegetables, seafood, meat, and tofu. In the past, sumo wrestlers would avoid eating meat with four legs, such as pork and beef. The reason for this is related to the rules of sumo wrestling: if you touch your hands and end up on all fours, you lose a match. This led to the belief that consuming meat with four legs would bring bad luck.

Sumo stables have recently updated their beloved tradition of chanko nabe to include a wider variety of ingredients, including beef and pork, as well as new flavors of soup, such as cheese, tomato, and curry.

Ryogoku is lined with incredible chanko nabe restaurants, each one with its distinct style and flavors. The restaurant's owner is often a former rikishi of the sekitori rank. Sekitori are the top wrestlers in the makuuchi and juryo divisions. Some retired chanko ban take the helm as both owner and chef. In either case, the restaurant is often named after the shikona (a rikishi’s ring name) of the current or retired rikishi.

Chanko Kirishima is owned by a former ozeki (rank just below yokozuna within the top makuuchi division). We found it easily thanks to a large photo panel featuring the owner, former ozeki Kirishima. The frame displayed on the panel comes from one of his victories.

Advancing to the ozeki rank is extremely tough. It requires maintaining high performance successively at three championship tournaments and winning over thirty-three matches over three tournaments. As of the November tournament in 2025, there are only two yokozuna and one ozeki among around 600 sumo wrestlers on the official ranking list. It's a momentous occasion when someone becomes an ozeki, and it's a tremendous achievement.

Ozeki Kirishima was a star player, known far and wide for his incredible techniques. He had a legendary reputation for building his body like a tank, and he remains a favorite among sumo fans even after his retirement. The restaurant opened in 1995, just before the former ozeki retired from active competition, and as of 2025, it marks its 31st anniversary.

Floor manager Kuroi Koichi kindly gave us a tour through each floor of the eighth-floor building. It was quite entertaining to see the different interiors of each room decorated with photos of Kirishima from his active days, his handprints, and illustrations of sumo stables covering the walls. There's even a precious "large ginkgo" topknot from Kirishima’s retirement, along with a photo of the hair-cutting ceremony, where Kirishima’s master cut his topknot in front of onlookers, displayed on the wall. That's not all, as there is also a floor where footage of Kirishima's matches from his active days is shown, allowing customers to immerse themselves in sumo while waiting for a hotpot to be served.

We were introduced to a cozy private room and ordered the restaurant's specialty, an original mixed-style soup made with white miso, soy sauce, and salt, which was created by former Ozeki Kirishima. Kuroi explains the soup as follows:

"Initially, there were separate menus, but oyakata Mutsu (the name was changed when Kirishima took over Mutsu Stable and became the oyakata) is originally from Kirishima City, Kagoshima, in the southern part of Japan, and Kagoshima has a food culture of eating very rich pork bone soup. He came up with the idea of combining three Japanese seasonings to create a robust pork bone soup, which is what gave birth to our very own creation. It's a taste that's been passed down to us by the esteemed Mutsu Stable."

Many sumo stables use only chicken bones for the good luck charm of "not getting your hands on a sumo ring." A typical chanko nabe is served in two classic variations: chicken broth or seafood broth. The restaurant is breaking with tradition and creating a new style of soup broth by simmering chicken bones, pork bones, kelp, and vegetable scraps for about seven hours. It also adds grated ginger, garlic, and yuzu kosho, a Japanese seasoning made from yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit full of aroma and flavor. These secret ingredients create a thick and rich soup with a spicy kick that hits you right at the end.

The special soup, known as "Kirishima flavor," contains a wide variety of ingredients, including fish cake balls filled with scallops, shrimp, and octopus, red fish, thigh meat, minced chicken meatballs, pork belly, tofu, fried tofu, kudzu noodles, bean sprouts, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. It's made with a variety of ingredients that add depth to it. Some restaurants separate the meat and fish, calling them "meat chanko" and "fish chanko," but here they use both, as they believe that mixing both creates a more tasteful broth.

A brass pot filled with the soup and all the ingredients, along with a gas stove, was brought to our room as a set, ready for us to cook up a storm! As we sat and watched the soup simmer in front of us, we couldn't help but hold back our appetites, eager to see what culinary delight awaited us next. In just 15 minutes, we'll be enjoying a delicious, flavorful soup with all the ingredients soaking up the umami.

The delicious ingredients will disappear in no time, but you can order more, and some of the popular items include gyoza dumplings, Kagoshima's specialty satsumaage (fried fish cakes), and white fish. And if you want to have a grand finale at the end, you can order rice, champon noodles (thick wheat noodles originating in Nagasaki), udon, or mochi (rice cakes) to add to the soup. Kuroi recommends the thick champon noodles, which go well with the rich soup. They also offer dishes such as deep-fried chicken wings, deep-fried lamb, sashimi, and other Japanese dishes.

Chanko Kirishima also offers a special chanko nabe made with local specialties each time the regional tournament season starts. In March, when the Osaka tournament is held, they offer a hot pot containing takoyaki. Takoyaki, small balls made from batter and filled with tender, juicy octopus, are soaked in the soup, tasting almost like dumplings and are a must-try! In July, when the Nagoya tournament is held, they offer Nagoya’s red bean miso-flavored hot pot, and in November, when the Hakata (located in Fukuoka Prefecture) tournament is held, they offer a Hakata specialty chicken hot pot with chicken broth, called mizutaki. It's a culinary adventure you don't want to miss!

They also offer delicious curry and tomato-flavored chanko nabe to help you stay cool during the summer heat. This unique dish has become a favorite in sumo stables. For lunch, you're in for a treat. You can enjoy a set menu of chanko nabe, udon noodles, and small side dishes at a reasonable price.

The restaurant is constantly bustling with a vibrant crowd, including enthusiastic fans of sumo who come to watch the thrilling tournaments and tourists who visit Ryogoku Kokugikan and the neighboring Edo-Tokyo Museum. On weekends, the restaurant sells more than 300 dishes in total per day.

Chanko nabe restaurants are a must-visit! Not only do they serve delicious food, but they also offer a unique opportunity to meet former sumo wrestlers.

Kuroi says, "When the oyakata had his sumo stable that was just behind the restaurant, he would often drop by. But after he retired, he closed the stable and took up a position in the Sumo Association, so now he only drops by occasionally. During tournaments, this area is filled with an incredible energy as wrestlers and former oyakata of famous wrestlers come and go. And sometimes, the excitement gets even better—famous former masters drop by the restaurant."

The Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament is a thrilling event held in January, May, and September, and Tokyo hosts three of the six tournaments held throughout Japan each year. Spectators come flocking here before and after the tournaments.

"Our business usually slows down after the September tournament is over, but this year is exceptional because of the cold weather. It's been busy since October," Kuroi exclaims with joy. 

He continued, sharing what makes chanko nabe so special. "The wonderful thing about chanko nabe is that you can add ingredients to create your own unique flavors. At home, you can't simmer pork bones for seven hours to make soup, so you can use ready-made soup or make your own soup using kelp or bonito flakes, add your favorite ingredients, and enjoy it with a large group of family and friends. The best part of chanko nabe is sharing the time together over the hot pot with people you want to get close to."

As the weather cools down, nothing beats a hot pot. The end-of-year party season in December is the perfect time to gather with friends and family over delicious food and drinks. And the fun doesn't stop there! Once the tournament kicks off on January 11th, it will keep the excitement going until January 25th. So, get ready for a thrilling ride as chanko nabe continues to be a highlight of the season. Chanko nabe is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day. Make it at home and enjoy!