Yokozuna (sumo)

, or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers ('' rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.

This is the only division that is featured on NHK's standard live coverage of sumo tournaments. The lower divisions are shown on their satellite coverage, with only the ''makuuchi'' broadcast having bilingual English commentary.

''Makuuchi'' literally means "inside the curtain", a reference to the early period of professional sumo, when there was a curtained-off area reserved for the top ranked wrestlers, to sit before appearing for their bouts.

Wrestlers are considered for promotion or demotion in rank before each grand tournament according to their performance in the one previous. Generally, a greater number of wins than losses ('' kachi-koshi'') results in a promotion, and the reverse ('' make-koshi'') results in demotion. There are stricter criteria for promotion to the top two ranks, which are also privileged when considered for demotion.

Overview

At the top fixed positions of the division are the, "titleholder" or '' san'yaku'' ranks of ''yokozuna'', ''ōzeki'', ''sekiwake'' and ''komusubi''. There are typically 8–12 ''san'yaku'' wrestlers, with the remainder, called ''maegashira'', ranked in numerical order from 1 downwards.

literally means "the three ranks", even though it actually comprises four ranks. The discrepancy arose because the ''yokozuna'' was traditionally regarded as an ''ōzeki'' with a special license to wear a particular rope around his waist and perform a distinctive ring entry ceremony. In modern use ''san'yaku'' has a somewhat flexible definition. This is largely because the top two ranks of ''yokozuna'' and ''ōzeki'' have distinctive differences from the lower two ranks and from each other. Therefore, a reference to ''san'yaku'' can sometimes mean only the bottom three ranks, or in other cases only ''sekiwake'' and ''komusubi''.

There must be at least one ''sekiwake'' and ''komusubi'' on each side of the ''banzuke'', normally two total, but there may be more. Although there is usually a ''yokozuna'' there is no requirement for one, and it has sometimes happened that no active ''yokozuna'' or no ''ōzeki'' were listed in the ranks. If there is more than one ''yokozuna'' but only one ''ōzeki'', the lower rank will be filled out by designating one of the ''yokozuna'' as ''yokozuna-ōzeki''. There is no recorded instance of there being fewer than two ''yokozuna'' and ''ōzeki'' in total.

There are a number of privileges and responsibilities associated with the ''san'yaku'' ranks. Any wrestler who reaches one of them is entitled to purchase one of the membership shares in the Japan Sumo Association, regardless of the total number of tournaments they have spent in the top ''makuuchi'' division. They may be called on to represent all sumo wrestlers on certain occasions. For example, when the president of the Sumo Association makes a formal speech on the opening and closing days of a tournament, he is flanked by all the ''san'yaku'' wrestlers in their '' mawashi''. Similarly they may be called to assist in welcoming a VIP, such as the Emperor, to the arena.

The ''san'yaku'' can be split into two groups: The senior ''yokozuna'' and ''ōzeki'', and junior ''sekiwake'' and ''komusubi''.

The former group have special promotion criteria and higher salaries, and have additional perks such as a higher number of junior wrestlers to assist them, an entitlement to park in the Sumo Association compound and voting rights in the election for Association directors. Senior ''yokozuna'' and ''ōzeki'' also have added responsibilities. They are expected to represent wrestler views to the Association, assist in advertising events and meet event sponsors.

The latter group, ''sekiwake'' and ''komusubi'', have lesser responsibilities and are still eligible for one of the three special prizes, or '' sanshō'' that are awarded for exceptional performance at the end of each tournament.

''Yokozuna''

is the highest rank in sumo. The name literally means "horizontal rope" and comes from the most visible symbol of their rank, the worn around the waist. The rope is similar to the ''shimenawa'' used to mark off sacred areas in Shinto, and like the ''shimenawa'' it serves to purify and mark off its content. The rope, which may weigh up to , is not used during the matches themselves, but is worn during the ''yokozuna'' ''dohyō-iri'' ring entrance ceremony.

As the sport's biggest stars, ''yokozuna'' are in many ways the grandmasters and the public face of sumo. As such, the way they conduct themselves is highly scrutinized, as it is seen as reflecting on the image of sumo as a whole. As of July 2021, a total of 73 sumo wrestlers have earned the rank of ''yokozuna.''

History

The birth of the rank of ''yokozuna'' is unclear, and there are two competing legends. According to one, a 9th-century wrestler named Hajikami tied a ''shimenawa'' around his waist as a handicap and dared any to touch it, creating sumo as it is now known in the process. According to the other, legendary wrestler Akashi Shiganosuke tied the ''shimenawa'' around his waist in 1630 as a sign of respect when visiting the Emperor, and was posthumously awarded the title for the first time. There is little supporting evidence for either theory—in fact, it is not even certain that Akashi actually existed—but it is known that by November 1789, ''yokozuna'' starting from the fourth ''yokozuna'', Tanikaze Kajinosuke, and the fifth ''yokozuna'', Onogawa Kisaburō, were depicted in ukiyo-e prints as wearing the ''shimenawa''. These two wrestlers were both awarded ''yokozuna'' licences by the prominent Yoshida family.

Before the Meiji Era, the title ''yokozuna'' was conferred on ''ōzeki'' who performed sumo in front of the ''shōgun''. This privilege was more often determined by a wrestler's patron having sufficient influence rather than purely on the ability and dignity of the wrestler. Thus there are a number of early wrestlers who were, by modern standards, ''yokozuna'' in name only. In these early days ''yokozuna'' was also not regarded as a separate rank in the listings, but as an ''ōzeki'' with special dispensation to perform his own ring entering ceremony.

At first, the Yoshida family and a rival family, Gojo, fought for the right to award a wrestler a ''yokozuna'' licence. The Yoshida family won this dispute, because the 15th ''yokozuna'' Umegatani Tōtarō I, one of the strongest wrestlers, expressed his wish that he be awarded a licence by the Yoshida family in February 1884, and Gojo licences are no longer recognized officially.

In May 1890, the name ''yokozuna'' was written on the ''banzuke'' for the first time due to the 16th ''yokozuna'' Nishinoumi Kajirō I's insistence that his ''yokozuna'' status be recorded. In February 1909, during the reigns of the 19th ''yokozuna'', Hitachiyama Taniemon, and the 20th, Umegatani Tōtarō II, it was officially recognized as the highest rank. Since the establishment of the on 21 April 1950, wrestlers have been promoted to ''yokozuna'' by the Japan Sumo Association. The first ''yokozuna'' promoted by the Sumo Association was the 41st ''yokozuna'' Chiyonoyama Masanobu.

Criteria for promotion

In modern sumo, the qualifications that an ''ōzeki'' must satisfy to be promoted are that he has enough power, skill and dignity/grace (品格 ''hinkaku'') to qualify. There are no absolute criteria, nor is there a set quota: there have been periods with no wrestlers at ''yokozuna'' rank, and there have been periods with as many as four simultaneously.

The power and skill aspects are usually considered with reference to recent tournament performance. The ''de facto'' standard is to win two consecutive championships as ''ōzeki'' or an equivalent performance. In the case where the "equivalent performance" criterion is used the wrestler's record over the previous three tournaments is taken into account with an expectation of at least one tournament victory and one runner-up performances, with none of the three records falling below twelve wins. Thus a consistent high level of performance is required. Winning two tournaments with a poor performance between them is not usually sufficient. Also achieving runner-up performance in three consecutive tournaments is not sufficient, with example being Ozeki Kisenosato in 2013 and 2016. The rules are not set in stone and hence in reaching their conclusion the Yokozuna Deliberation Council and Sumo Association can interpret the criteria more leniently or strictly and also take into account other factors, such as total number of tournament victories, the quality of the wins and whether the losses show any serious vulnerabilities.

The issue of ''hinkaku'' (dignity and grace) is more contentious, as it is essentially a subjective issue. For example, Hawaiian-born ''ōzeki'' Konishiki, in particular, was felt by many to be unfairly kept from ''yokozuna'' status due to his non-Japanese origin, and many Sumo Association members even openly said that foreigners (''gaijin'') could never achieve the ''hinkaku'' needed to be a ''yokozuna''. In the case of Konishiki, other issues such as his weight were also cited. The debate concerning foreigners having the dignity to be a ''yokozuna'' was finally laid to rest on 27 January 1993, when Hawaiian-born ''ōzeki'' Akebono was formally promoted to ''yokozuna'' after only eight months as an ''ōzeki''. Since then, the issue of whether foreigners have the necessary dignity has become a moot point as six of the nine wrestlers to achieve sumo's ultimate rank following Akebono in 1993 were not born in Japan: Musashimaru in the United States and Asashōryū, Hakuhō, Harumafuji, Kakuryū, and Terunofuji all in Mongolia.

Other wrestlers have also been held back. For example, Chiyonoyama in the 1950s was not immediately promoted due to his relative youth despite winning consecutive tournaments, although he later achieved the top rank. On the other hand, Futahaguro was given the title of ''yokozuna'' in 1986, despite immaturity being cited in opposition to his promotion. After being promoted, he was involved in several misbehaviors that embarrassed the Sumo Association such as hitting one of his ''tsukebito'' (manservant or personal assistant) over a trivial matter in a scandal that had six of his seven ''tsukebito'' decide to leave him. The promotion again proved to be a fiasco when it was later revealed that he had a heated argument with his stable boss, Tatsunami, and stormed out of the ''heya'', allegedly striking Tatsunami's wife on the way. Futahaguro eventually retired after only one and a half years at the top rank and became the only ''yokozuna'' in sumo history ever to retire without having won at least one top division championship.

Becoming

Elevation to ''yokozuna'' rank is a multi-stage process. After a tournament, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, a body of lay people (that is, not former sumo wrestlers) who are appointed by the Japan Sumo Association to provide an independent quality control on ''yokozuna'' promotion, meet and discuss the performance of the top-ranked wrestlers. Usually at the instigation of the Japan Sumo Association they can make a recommendation that a particular '' ōzeki''-ranked wrestler has the necessary attributes to be promoted. Their recommendation is then passed to the Judging division and then the Board of Directors of the Sumo Association who make the final decision.

If a wrestler is deemed to have met the criteria then he will be visited in his training stable by a member of the Sumo Association Board of Directors who will formally give him the news. In the following days a ''tsuna'' or ceremonial rope will then be made in his stable and he will practice the ring entrance ceremony with advice from a previous or current ''yokozuna''. Finally, he will have his inaugural ceremonial ring entry ceremony held at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, which is usually completed within a couple of weeks of the tournament end.

Retiring

As opposed to all other sumo ranks, a ''yokozuna'' cannot be demoted. However, during tournaments, expectations are very high for ''yokozuna''. A ''yokozuna'' is expected to win or at least be a serious contender for championships on a regular basis. A ''yokozuna'' is expected to retire if he can no longer compete at the peak of the sport, or in some cases (such as Futahaguro or Harumafuji) is deemed to have not upheld the dignity of the rank. Expectations are so high that, even in the course of one tournament, a ''yokozuna'' who early on appears to be headed for a losing tournament will feel the pressure to retire. It is common and expected for a ''yokozuna'' to withdraw from a tournament with a real or imagined injury to avoid a ''make-koshi'' (a losing record) and the expectation to retire. These expectations are a large part of the reason that the promotion criteria for ''yokozuna'' are so strict in the first place.

Notices

In extremely rare instances the Yokozuna Deliberation Council can, with over two-thirds of the members in favor, issue notices to ''yokozuna'' whose performance as well as poise and character are contrary to what is expected of the rank. These notices are, in increasing level of severity:

*
*
*

Notices have been issued three times since the council's inception in 1950:

* January 2010: Recommendation to Retire issued to Asashōryū.
The recommendation was issued following allegations that Asashōryū punched and injured an acquaintance in a drunken brawl at a nightclub during the January 2010 tournament. It has been suggested in the media that Asashōryū chose to retire before the Sumo Association could follow through on the council's recommendation.
* November 2018: Encouragement issued to Kisenosato.
Kisenosato lost his first five matches in the November 2018 tournament before withdrawing. Prior to that, he had withdrawn (either partially or fully) without a winning record in eight out of ten tournaments as ''yokozuna''. The withdrawals were due in part to injuries suffered at the end of his winning tournament run in March 2017. He eventually retired from the sport after three consecutive defeats in the January 2019 ''basho''.
* November 2020: Warning issued to two ''yokozuna'', Hakuhō and Kakuryū.
According to the council, both wrestlers did not perform to the level required of the ''yokozuna'' rank between November 2019 and November 2020. In that timeframe, Hakuhō sufficiently performed three times (''yūshō'' in November 2019 and March 2020, plus a 10-win performance in July 2020) while Kakuryū sufficiently performed just once (runner-up in March 2020 with 12 wins). Both of them sat out of the September 2020 and November 2020 tournaments due to injury.
The warning to Hakuhō and Kakuryū was upheld in March 2021. Kakuryū sat out for two additional tournaments since the warning was first issued, eventually retiring during the March 2021 ''basho''. After sitting out of the January 2021 tournament due to COVID-19, Hakuhō won two matches in March before withdrawing when doctors told him that he would require kneecap surgery.

''Yokozuna'' ceremonies and traditions

The formal birth of the rank from Tanikaze's time appears to have in part come from a desire to let the very best have a separate ring entry ceremony (''dohyō-iri'') from the remaining top division wrestlers. The ''dohyō-iri'' is a ceremonial presentation of all the top division wrestlers which is held before the competitive bouts of the day. The normal ceremony for top division wrestlers is to be introduced and form a circle around the wrestling ring (''dohyō'') wearing specially decorated heavy silk "aprons", called ''keshō-mawashi''. A brief symbolic "dance" is carried out before filing off to change into their fighting '' mawashi'' and prepare for their bouts.

A ''yokozuna'', however, is introduced after the lower ranked wrestlers and is flanked by two other top division wrestler "assistants". The "dewsweeper" or ''tsuyuharai'' precedes the ''yokozuna'', while the "sword bearer" or ''tachimochi'' follows him into the arena. The sword is a Japanese katana and symbolises the samurai status of the yokozuna. The ''tachimochi'' will always be the more highly ranked of the assisting wrestlers. As indicated above, during the ceremony the ''yokozuna'' will wear his ''tsuna'' around his waist. The ceremonial aprons of all three form a matching set.

Once in the ring the ''yokozuna'' takes centre stage and performs a much more complex ritual dance. The dance can take one of two forms, one of which the ''yokozuna'' usually chooses when he is first promoted. In addition to the slightly different routine the choice of the ''yokozunas ritual can also be determined by the knot used to tie the rope around his waist: the "Unryū" style has only one loop at the back, while the "Shiranui" style has two. The styles are named after 10th ''yokozuna'' Unryū Kyūkichi and 11th ''yokozuna'' Shiranui Kōemon of the Edo period, although there is no historical proof that they actually carried out the dances that have been attributed to them. Indeed there are some scholars who believe that in fact the two concerned have had their ring entering rituals mixed up by earlier historians.

When a former ''yokozuna'' reaches the age of 60, he usually performs a special ring-entering ceremony known as ''kanreki dohyō-iri'', wearing a red ''tsuna'', in celebration of his longevity. This ceremony first started with the former ''yokozuna'' Tachiyama in 1937.

As of July 2021, there have been a total of 73 ''yokozuna'', although formal record keeping only started with Tanikaze and Onogawa in 1789.

Active ''yokozuna''

*Terunofuji, the 73rd ''yokozuna'', from Mongolia, promoted July 2021.

''Ōzeki''

The ''ōzeki'' , or champion rank, is immediately below ''yokozuna'' in the ranking system. Until the ''yokozuna'' rank was introduced, ''ōzeki'' was the highest rank attainable. Technically there must always be a minimum of two ''ōzeki'' on the ''banzuke'', one on the east side and one on the west. If there are fewer than two regular ''ōzeki'' in practice, then one or more ''yokozuna'' will be designated "''yokozuna-ōzeki''". This was seen for five tournaments from May 1981 to January 1982, when three ''yokozuna'' ( Wakanohana, Chiyonofuji and Kitanoumi) fulfilled this role at various times. The designation would not be used again until the March 2020 ''banzuke'', when only Takakeishō held the ''ōzeki'' rank and Kakuryū was designated ''yokozuna-ōzeki''. In January 2023 Takakeishō again was the only ''ōzeki'' and the ''yokozuna-ōzeki'' designation was given to Terunofuji. There is no limit to the number of ''ōzeki''. In 2012 there were six ''ōzeki'' in the May, July, and September tournaments.

Promotion to ''ōzeki''

The promotion of a wrestler to ''ōzeki'' is a multi-tournament process. A wrestler at the rank of ''sekiwake'' will be considered for promotion if he has achieved a total of at least 33 wins over the three most recent tournaments, including ten or more wins in the tournament just completed. Promotion is discretionary and there are no hard-and-fast rules, though a three-tournament record of 33 wins is considered a near-guarantee. Other factors toward promotion will include tangibles such as winning a tournament or defeating ''yokozuna'', as well as the wrestler's overall consistency, prowess, and quality of sumo—for example, a record of illegal maneuvers or reliance on certain dodging techniques would count against the dignity expected of an ''ōzeki''.

Promotions are recommended by the Judging Division to the Board of Directors of the Japan Sumo Association. If it is a first promotion to the rank a member of the Board of Directors will formally visit the wrestler's stable to inform the new ''ōzeki'' of his promotion. The ''ōzeki'' will usually make a speech on this occasion, promising to do his best to uphold the dignity of the rank.

During the Edo period, wrestlers often made their debuts as ''ōzeki'' based on size alone, though their real competitiveness had not been tested. The system was called "guest ōzeki" (). Most of these vanished from the ''banzuke'' soon after, but a few wrestlers, notably Tanikaze Kajinosuke, remained as real wrestlers.

Demotion from ''ōzeki''

Like the other ''san'yaku'' ranks, but unlike a ''yokozuna'', an ''ōzeki'' may be relegated. For an ''ōzeki'', relegation is a two-step procedure. First, the ''ōzeki'' must have a losing record in a tournament (7-8 or worse), known as a ''make-koshi''. At this point, the ''ōzeki'' is called ''kadoban''. If he makes a winning record (8-7 or better) in the next tournament (which is called '' kachi-koshi''), he is restored to regular ''ōzeki'' status. If, on the other hand, he suffers another losing record in the next tournament while ''kadoban'', he is relegated to ''sekiwake'' in the following tournament. (No matter how badly he does, he will not fall lower than ''sekiwake''.)

If he wins ten or more bouts in this tournament, he is restored to ''ōzeki'' for the following tournament. However, if he fails to win ten or more bouts, he is treated just like any other wrestler in any further attempts at being promoted back to ''ōzeki''. This system has been in place since the Nagoya Tournament of 1969. Since that time, six wrestlers have managed an immediate return to ''ōzeki'': Mienoumi, Takanonami, Musōyama, Tochiazuma (who managed it on two occasions), Tochinoshin and Takakeishō.

Mitakeumi is the only wrestler to be demoted from ''ōzeki'' after three consecutive losing records instead of two. He entered the July 2022 ''basho'' at ''kadoban'' status, but withdrew in the middle of the tournament after a stablemate tested positive for COVID-19. Under the Sumo Association's COVID protocols at the time, Mitakeumi's ''ōzeki'' rank and ''kadoban'' status were extended to the following tournament in September, where he sustained another losing record and was subsequently demoted.

Benefits of being an ''ōzeki''

In addition to a salary increase, there are a number of perks associated with reaching ''ōzeki'' rank:
*He is guaranteed a higher rank in the Sumo Association when he first retires.
*He will be given a three-year temporary membership of the Sumo Association on his retirement if he does not yet own a share.
*He will receive a special merit payment on his retirement (the amount decided by his strength and longevity as an ''ōzeki'').
*He is given a parking space at the Sumo Association headquarters.
*He can vote in the election of the Sumo Association directors.
*Normally he will receive additional support from his stable in terms of junior wrestlers to act as his manservants.
*He can wear purple fringed ceremonial aprons (''keshō-mawashi'')
*He may be called on to represent the wrestlers on formal occasions such as when VIPs visit a sumo tournament, or on formal visits to Shinto shrines.

List of active ''ōzeki''

* Takakeishō, since November 2019

''Sekiwake''

is the third-highest rank in professional sumo wrestling, and is one of the ''san'yaku'' ranks. The term is believed to derive from guarding the '' ōzeki'' (大関 or 関) at his side (脇).

It represents the highest rank a wrestler can achieve by continuously making a '' kachi-koshi'' (a winning record in the tournament) in tournaments. Promotion to ''sekiwake'' depends on either a space being available, which is quite common, or having a record in the previous tournament that is very convincing. Typically 11–4 or better as a ''komusubi'' is sufficient for promotion to ''sekiwake'' even with no normal space available; lower ranks need progressively more wins. There are special promotion criteria, typically a minimum of 33 wins over three tournaments, for advancement from ''sekiwake'' to ''ōzeki''; merely recording consecutive winning records while at the ''sekiwake'' rank is not enough to advance. In the 1980s, Sakahoko stayed at ''sekiwake'' for nine consecutive tournaments without even getting close to ''ōzeki'' consideration, and Gōeidō was stuck at the rank for fourteen consecutive tournaments, a modern-day record, between May 2012 and July 2014, before being promoted to ''ōzeki'' in September 2014.

Unlike the higher ranks of ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna'', a wrestler will nearly always lose the rank immediately after having a ''make-koshi'' tournament (a losing record during a tournament). Very occasionally, however, a lucky ''sekiwake'' might keep his rank even with a 7–8 record if there are no obvious candidates to replace him, as when the ''komusubi'' and the upper ''maegashira'' have also had losing records. This has happened five times since the six-tournaments-a-year era began in 1958, most recently with Gōeidō in July 2013. In each case the wrestler was merely moved from the ''sekiwake'' East rank to the less prestigious West side.

For many purposes ''sekiwake'' and the ''komusubi'' rank are treated together as the junior ''san'yaku'' ranks, as opposed to ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna''. For example, records of number of tournaments ranked in junior ''san'yaku'' are often referred to in sumo publications.

For wrestlers reaching this rank the benefits are similar to that for a ''komusubi''. The salary is higher than for a ''maegashira'' and also the wrestler is usually called to appear to flank the chairman of the Sumo Association during the speeches he makes on opening and closing days of the 15-day tournaments that are held six times a year. He may also be called on to represent the wrestlers on behalf of the Sumo Association at other events, especially if the number of ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna'' is low. If this is the highest rank a wrestler reaches, even if it is only for one tournament, he will always be referred to as "former sekiwake (ring name)" after his retirement, an indicator of a successful sumo career, even if not achieving the exceptional standards of the two highest ranks.

At any time there must be a minimum of two wrestlers ranked at ''sekiwake''. If circumstances require, this can rise typically to three or four. The minimum of two requirement means that a certain amount of luck can lead to wrestlers achieving this rank on occasion, if the performance of other wrestlers leaves no obvious candidates to fill the rank. This luck factor is less common than it is for ''komusubi'' promotions.

List of active ''sekiwake''

* Wakatakakage, since March 2022 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 1)
* Hōshōryū, since September 2022 (previous rank: ''komusubi'')
* Takayasu, since January 2023 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 1)
* Shōdai, since January 2023 (previous rank: ''ōzeki'')

Wrestlers with most ''sekiwake'' appearances in history

''Names in bold indicate a still active wrestler.''

''Komusubi''

literally means "the little knot", the knot referring to the match-up between two wrestlers. It is the fourth highest rank in sumo wrestling and is the lowest of the so-called titleholder ranks, or ''san'yaku''.

At ''komusubi'', achieving a '' kachi-koshi'' (winning record in a tournament) is not sufficient to guarantee promotion to a higher rank. Promotion to the next highest rank, ''sekiwake'', depends on either a space being available, which is quite common, or having at least 11 wins in the previous tournament if no normal ''sekiwake'' slot is available. This general requirement can be seen by the promotion of Tochiōzan to a third ''sekiwake'' slot for March 2014 with 11 wins when the other two ''sekiwake'' had winning records, while Tochinoshin was not promoted with 10 wins for November 2015 in a similar situation.

For many purposes this and the ''sekiwake'' rank are treated together as the junior ''san'yaku'' ranks, as opposed to ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna'', where extremely stringent promotion criteria exist. Records of number of tournaments ranked in junior ''san'yaku'' are often referred to in sumo publications because these two ranks are so difficult to retain.

For wrestlers reaching this rank the benefits are a salary increase and also appearing to flank the chairman of the Sumo Association during the speeches he makes on opening and closing days of the official tournaments, held six times a year. He may also be called on to represent the wrestlers on behalf of the Sumo Association at other events, especially if the number of ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna'' are low. If this is the highest rank a wrestler reaches, even if it is only for one tournament, he will always be referred to as "former ''komusubi'' (ring name)" after his retirement, which is an indicator of a fairly successful sumo career.

At any time there must be a minimum of two wrestlers ranked as ''komusubi''. If circumstances require this can rise to three or four, for example if both ''komusubi'' have winning records and an upper ''maegashira'' produces such a good score that he cannot reasonably be denied a promotion. However, this is relatively rare. The minimum of two requirement means that a certain amount of luck can lead to wrestlers achieving this rank on occasion, if the performance of other wrestlers leaves no obvious candidates to fill the rank.

''Komusubi'' is widely regarded as a difficult rank to maintain, as wrestlers at this rank are likely to face all the ''ōzeki'' and'' yokozuna'' in the first week of a tournament, with a ''yokozuna'' normally scheduled for the opening day. ''Komusubi'' face mainly ''maegashira'' in the second week, but often wrestlers new to the rank are so demoralised by this point that they lose these matches too. Few men making their ''komusubi'' debut return a '' kachi-koshi'' or winning record in the ensuing tournament.

Before World War II, when there were fewer tournaments per year and more weight was placed on the performance at each tournament, there were several instances of ''komusubi'' immediately advancing to ''ōzeki'' after nearly winning a tournament, but there have been no instances of this since then.

List of active ''komusubi''

* Kiribayama, since September 2022 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 1)
* Kotonowaka, since January 2023 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 1)
* Meisei, since January 2023 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 2)
* Wakamotoharu, since January 2023 (previous rank: ''maegashira'' 4)

Wrestlers with most ''komusubi'' appearances in history

''Names in bold indicate a still active wrestler.''

''Maegashira''

''Maegashira'' (前頭) is the lowest of five ranks in the top ''makuuchi'' division.

All the ''makuuchi'' wrestlers who are not ranked in ''san'yaku'' are ranked as ''maegashira'', numbered from one at the top downwards. In each rank there are two wrestlers, the higher ranked is designated as "east" and the lower as "west", so No. 1 east is treated as a higher rank than No. 1 west, and so on.

The number of wrestlers in ''makuuchi'' is fixed (at 42 since 2004) but the number in ''san'yaku'' is not. Thus the number of ''maegashira'' ranks can vary, but is typically between 15 and 17. (This gives a ''makuuchi'' division split of around 10 ''san'yaku'' and 32 ''maegashira'').

Movement within the ''maegashira'' ranks can be minor or extreme, depending on a wrestler's score in the previous 15-bout tournament. For example, a ''maegashira'' 2 who has an 8–7 record might only be promoted one level to ''maegashira'' 1 for the next tournament. Conversely, a ''maegashira'' 14 who wins the division championship could be promoted as high as ''komusubi''. Indeed, this happened in March 2000 when Takatōriki of the Futagoyama stable won the championship with a 13–2 record.

''Maegashira'' ranked five or below are likely to only fight amongst themselves (unless their winning record in the middle of a tournament prompts their scheduling with higher-ranked wrestlers) while those ranked ''maegashira'' four or above are likely to have several matches against ''san'yaku'' wrestlers, including ''ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna''. Wrestlers at ''maegashira'' 1 and 2 will usually face everybody in the ''san'yaku'' (with the exception that you cannot face someone from your own stable), and these are therefore considered very difficult ranks to maintain. If a lower-ranked ''maegashira'' has a score which puts them in contention for the title in the second week of the tournament, it is not uncommon for them to be matched against higher-ranked opponents later in the ''basho''; for instance, in January 2020, the lowest-ranked wrestler in the tournament, ''maegashira'' 17 Tokushōryū, was in contention for the title having only faced opponents in the lower half of the ''banzuke'' and was matched against ''ōzeki''
Takakeisho, the highest-ranked ''rikishi'' participating in the tournament, on the final day, clinching the ''basho'' with his victory.

When a ''maegashira'' defeats a ''yokozuna'', it is called a gold star or ''kinboshi'' and he is rewarded monetarily for the victory for the remainder of his career. A bout where a wrestler earns a ''kinboshi'' defeat of a ''yokozuna'' generally causes great excitement at a sumo venue and it is common and expected for audience members to throw their seat cushions into the ring (and onto the wrestlers) after such a bout, though this is technically prohibited.

Wrestlers with most ''maegashira'' appearances without a ''san'yaku'' title

''Names in bold indicate a still active wrestler.''

See also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of sumo record holders
*List of sumo tournament top division champions
*Professional sumo divisions
*List of active sumo wrestlers

References

{{reflist

External links

Japan Sumo Association

Sumo terminology