Chanko is the hearty hot pot that sumo wrestlers eat to build strength, and this weekend it takes over Roppongi Hills Arena. Hot Staff Chanko Fes 2026 (ホットスタッフのちゃんこフェス2026) runs on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026. Getting in costs nothing; you only pay for what you eat and drink.
Below is what you can eat, who is on stage each day, and how to pick up the two freebies at the venue: a prize draw where every spin wins and a 500-yen voucher for chanko.
- Dates: Sat Oct 17, 11:00–20:00 / Sun Oct 18, 11:00–17:00
- Venue: Roppongi Hills Arena (6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
- Admission: free (food and drink are paid)
- Chanko: 1,100 yen per full serving, 700 yen for a half serving (tax included)
- Freebies: prize draw and 500-yen chanko voucher, both at the Hot Staff booth
Dates, venue and admission
The festival is held outdoors at Roppongi Hills Arena. Saturday runs late into the evening, while Sunday wraps up at 17:00, so plan accordingly if you want to eat after work.
| Event | Hot Staff Chanko Fes 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | Sat Oct 17, 2026, 11:00–20:00 Sun Oct 18, 2026, 11:00–17:00 |
| Venue | Roppongi Hills Arena (六本木ヒルズアリーナ) 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
| Admission | Free (food and drink at the venue are paid) |
| Chanko price | 1,100 yen per serving / 700 yen half size (tax included) |
| Organizer | Hot Staff Co., Ltd. (株式会社ホットスタッフ) |
| Special cooperation | Mizkan Co., Ltd. |
| Sponsors | Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing, Kirin Brewery, NH Foods (Nippon Ham) |
| Cooperation | Kodomo Gochimeshi (NPO Kids Future Passport) |
| Run by | Hot Staff Chanko Fes 2026 Executive Committee (operated by Kanjinmoto LLC) |
| Official site | chanko-sumo.com |
Whether the festival goes ahead in bad weather will be announced on the official site and official social media accounts.
The five chanko pots and prices
All five pots are built on a special broth that Mizkan developed just for this festival, so you will not find these exact recipes anywhere else. The lineup runs from a classic sumo-stable style pot to a tingly Sichuan-pepper mala version.
| What it is | Japanese menu name |
|---|---|
| Rich soy milk chanko with creamy yuba and toasted sesame | とろ湯葉と香ばしごまの濃厚豆乳ちゃんこ |
| Seafood yuzu chanko scented with grilled flying fish (ago) | 焼きあご香る海鮮ゆずちゃんこ |
| Classic yose chanko finished with grated yam (tororo) | とろろ仕立て 王道ごちそう寄せちゃんこ |
| Garlicky pork belly tonkotsu miso chanko | にんにく濃厚豚バラ豚骨みそちゃんこ |
| Numbing and spicy mala chanko with Sichuan pepper | 花椒しびれる痺れ旨辛 麻辣ちゃんこ |
A full serving is 1,100 yen and a half serving is 700 yen (both tax included). The half size is there so you can try several flavors in one visit.
Stage program for each day
Both days are packed with sumo on the stage. The tables below list only the parts of the program announced so far, not the running order. Only two start times have been published: the press conference at 13:00 and the Kodomo Gochimeshi talk at 16:00, both on Saturday.
Saturday, October 17
| Program | Who / what |
|---|---|
| Chanko tasting and talk | Wrestler Midorifuji (翠富士) and Kawamura Emiko of the comedy duo Tanpopo taste and review chanko from the venue |
| Japan–Thailand sumo press conference (13:00) | Details in the next section |
| Sumo mini quiz and talk | Wrestler Namatame (生田目) runs a quiz the audience can join |
| Kodomo Gochimeshi talk (16:00) | Music producer Imai Ryosuke introduces the children’s meal program |
| Special live | Imai Ryosuke and TEE (appearance still being arranged), Teranaka Tomomasa, and an idol live |
Sunday, October 18
| Program | Who / what |
|---|---|
| Chanko tasting and talk | Shibatayama oyakata (芝田山親方), the former yokozuna Onokuni, also known for his love of sweets |
| Food education talk | Chanko from a food-education angle (speakers still being confirmed) |
| Roppongi Hills sumo exhibition (tentative name), about 45 minutes | Sumo health exercises, bouts by wrestlers, a practice session for children, a hairdressing demonstration and the bow-twirling ceremony (yumitori-shiki) |
| Talk | Kitajin oyakata (北陣親方), the former komusubi Endo, on his career and life as a stablemaster |
Performers and the schedule may change. Check the official site or the festival accounts on X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest.
Japan–Thailand sumo announcement on Saturday
To mark 140 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Thailand, grand sumo will hold a tour in Bangkok at One Bangkok Forum from Friday, June 11 to Sunday, June 13, 2027. A delegation from the Japan Sumo Association already presented the tour in Bangkok in early October, and the festival is the first official announcement of it inside Japan.
The press conference starts on Saturday, October 17 at 13:00 on the festival stage. Speakers announced so far are Takasaki oyakata from the Japan Sumo Association, wrestlers Midorifuji (Isegahama stable) and Namatame (Futagoyama stable), and people from the Royal Thai Embassy in Japan. The program includes the first screening of a promo video for the tour, an outline of the event, and interviews. Speakers may change.
The conference ends with a kagami-biraki, the ceremonial breaking open of a sake barrel, using a barrel from Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing. About 10 visitors chosen through a rock-paper-scissors game are served the sake on stage and get a photo with the wrestlers. Sake is also handed out to the general audience.
The sake is only for people aged 20 or over and the amount is limited. It will not be served to anyone who came by car or bicycle.
Freebies: prize draw and 500-yen voucher
Both freebies are handled at the Hot Staff booth inside the venue. Doing both takes a few minutes on your phone and can bring down the cost of your chanko.
Prize draw where every spin wins
Follow the Instagram account of Hot-ken (ホット犬), the Hot Staff mascot that placed fourth at the Yuruverse 2026 mascot contest, and you can spin the gara-pon lottery drum once. There are no blanks.
| Prize tier | Prize |
|---|---|
| Top prize | Voucher for one free bowl of chanko |
| Special prize | Hot-ken plush toy |
| 1st prize | Hot-ken puffy sticker (sumo-only design) |
| 2nd prize | Hot-ken charm |
| 3rd prize | Grand sumo clear file folder |
| 4th prize | Wet wipes |
One spin per person. Prizes are limited and the draw ends when they run out.
500-yen chanko voucher
- Complete a short survey.
- Post on Instagram or X with the hashtag #ホットスタッフのちゃんこフェス2026.
- Show the post on your phone to staff at the Hot Staff booth and receive the voucher on the spot.
The voucher is worth 500 yen (tax included) and can be used to buy chanko at the venue.
Chanko for children through Kodomo Gochimeshi
The festival supports Kodomo Gochimeshi (こどもごちめし), run by the NPO Kids Future Passport. The program lets local restaurants act as children’s cafeterias, using digital tickets so children who need support can get a meal. It has delivered more than 300,000 meals in the three years since it started.
As part of this, the festival is providing 100 servings of chanko to children registered with the program. On Saturday at 16:00, its founder, music producer Imai Ryosuke, will talk about the activity and what is happening at the venue.
About the organizer, Hot Staff
Hot Staff is a staffing company founded in 1999 and based in Okazaki, Aichi. It handles temporary staffing, temp-to-hire placements and paid job placement through 135 branches across Japan. More on the company is on the Hot Staff website and its sports page.
Tips before you go
- Get the voucher first. If you plan to post on Instagram or X anyway, stop at the Hot Staff booth before buying chanko so the 500-yen voucher goes toward your first bowl.
- Order half sizes to compare. With five flavors, the 700-yen half serving is the easiest way to try more than one.
- Pick your day by program. Saturday has the press conference, the sake barrel ceremony and live music. Sunday has the 45-minute sumo exhibition and the talks by two former top wrestlers.
- Check the official accounts on the day. The schedule may change, and bad-weather decisions are posted on the official site and social media.
- Leave the car at home if you want the sake. Free sake after the Saturday ceremony is not served to anyone who arrived by car or bicycle.
Looking for more free things to do around Tokyo this autumn? See our guides to the Musashino Art University festival and the Shibaura Canal Festival with free canal cruises. For a weekend outing on a budget, the Asoview campaign with discounts on attractions is worth a look, and ramen fans can read about the Taiyo no Tomato Men free ramen coupon festival.
FAQ
- Is entry free?
- Yes. Admission to the festival at Roppongi Hills Arena is free; you pay for the chanko and any other food or drink you order.
- How much is a bowl of chanko?
- A full serving is 1,100 yen and a half serving is 700 yen, both tax included.
- How do I get the 500-yen chanko voucher?
- Answer the survey, post on Instagram or X with the hashtag #ホットスタッフのちゃんこフェス2026, then show the post to staff at the Hot Staff booth. The voucher is handed over on the spot and can be used for chanko at the venue.
- Who can join the prize draw?
- Anyone who follows the Instagram account of Hot-ken, the Hot Staff mascot, can spin the gara-pon once. Every spin wins something, but prizes are limited and the draw ends when they run out.
- What happens if the weather is bad?
- Whether the festival goes ahead in bad weather is announced on the official website and official social media accounts, so check them before you leave.
- When is the sumo exhibition?
- The roughly 45-minute sumo program with bouts by wrestlers, a practice session for children, a hairdressing demonstration and the bow-twirling ceremony is on Sunday, October 18. No exact start time has been published, so check the official website.