The following is a list of events in professional sumo in 1988. Six

honbasho A is an official professional sumo tournament. The number of ''honbasho'' every year has varied along the years; since 1958 there are six tournaments every year. Only ''honbasho'' results matter in determining promotion and relegation for ''riki ...

or official tournaments are held each year.

Tournaments

*Hatsu basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan,

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

, 10 – 24 January *Haru basho,

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Namba, Osaka, Japan. It first opened in 1952 and the current building was constructed in 1987. It is the venue of a professional sumo tournament ( honbasho) held in March every year. The capacity of the ...

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

, 13 – 27 March *Natsu basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 – 22 May *Nagoya basho,

Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium , also known as , is a multi-purpose gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, built in 1964. Overview Located on the site of the secondary enclosure of Nagoya Castle, it is host to numerous concerts and events. The gymnasium has 4,375 fixed seats, and can ...

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

, 3 – 17 July *Aki basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 – 25 September *Kyushu basho,

Fukuoka International Centre in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan is a collection of three separate buildings operated by the Fukuoka Convention Center Foundation. Fukuoka Kokusai Center The Fukuoka Kokusai Center opened in . A Sumo Tournament is held here every November. Many ...

, Kyushu, 13 – 27 November

News

January

*At the opening tournament of the year, new

ozeki Ozeki or Ōzeki may refer to: * Ōzeki, a rank in ''Makuuchi'', the top division of professional sumo ** List of ōzeki * Ōzeki station (disambiguation), the name of two railway stations in Japan * Ōzeki Masutoshi (1849–1905), 16th daimyō o ...

Asahifuji is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Aomori. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top '' makuuchi'' division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of '' ōzeki'' in 1987 and became the 63rd '' yo ...

wins his first yusho or tournament championship, defeating his nemesis Chiyonofuji on the final day for only the second time in 22 meetings. Asahifuji finishes on 14–1, one win ahead of fellow ozeki

Konishiki Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e (born December 31, 1963), professionally known as is an American former sumo wrestler. Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' He was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach '' ōzeki'', the secon ...

. Asahifuji's title is the first yusho for his group of stables, the Tatsunami-Isegahama

ichimon The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

, for nearly 19 years – the last was

Kiyokuni Kiyokuni Katsuo (born 20 November 1941 as Tadao Sato) is a former sumo wrestler from Ogachi, Akita, Japan. His highest rank was '' ōzeki'', which he held from 1969 to 1974. He won one top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championship and was ...

's in July 1969. Chiyonofuji can manage only third place on 12–3, alongside

maegashira , 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 o ...

Kotogaume Kotogaume Tsuyoshi (born 5 October 1963 as Satoru Kitayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Yatsuo, Nei District, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He joined sumo in 1979 and made the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1985. His highest rank was ''sekiwake,'' ...

who wins the Fighting Spirit Prize.

Sakahoko Sakahoko Nobushige (born Yoshiaki Fukuzono; 18 June 1961 – 16 September 2019) was a Japanese sumo wrestler. The son of Tsurugamine, he made his professional debut in 1978, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1982. His highest rank w ...

wins the Outstanding Performance Award for his defeat of Chiyonofuji. Veteran former sekiwake Dewanohana announces his retirement, as does his stablemate, former komusubi Onishiki. And the oldest man in sumo, 40-year-old Oshio, ends his 26-year professional career after a losing record in the

makushita Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. Fo ...

division.

March

*The Osaka tournament is won by Onokuni, who captures his first yusho as a

yokozuna , 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 on ...

by defeating

Hokutoumi is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō. He was the sport's 61st ''yokozuna'' and won eight top division championships. He wrestled for Kokonoe stable, as did Chiyonofuji, and the two were the first ''yokozuna'' stablemat ...

twice on the final day, once in regulation and once in a playoff. Chiyonofuji misses the tournament through injury. Veteran Kirinji, the oldest man in the top division, wins his fourth Fighting Spirit prize. Wakasegawa wins the juryo championship and earns promotion back to makuuchi.

May

*Chiyonofuji wins the May tournament with a 14–1 record. His only defeat is to sekiwake

, who earns the Outstanding Performance award. Veteran

Daijuyama Daijuyama Tadaaki (太寿山忠明, born 8 April 1959 as ) is a former sumo wrestler from Niitsu, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1975, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1980. He was ranked in makuuchi for 64 to ...

, making his first

sanyaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

appearance in over five years, wins the Fighting Spirit prize. Hidenohana wins the juryo championship at his first attempt. Lower down the divisions, Oginohana wins the

yusho and Wakahanada the

jonokuchi Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...

title.

July

*Chiyonofuji wins the July tournament with a perfect 15–0 record.

misses the tournament with a back injury.

September

*Chiyonofuji wins his third tournament in a row, and once again emerges undefeated. His winning streak reaches 39 matches, a postwar record second only to Taiho's 45.

November

*All eyes are on Chiyonofuji, who continues his winning run, equalling Taiho's mark on Day 6 with a win over Jingaku and surpassing it the next day by beating

Hananokuni Hananokuni Akihiro (born 15 October 1959 as Akihiro Noguchi) is a former sumo wrestler from Fujiidera, Osaka, Japan. Career He made his professional debut in March 1975, joining Hanakago stable. He joined Hanaregoma stable when Hanakago was woun ...

. Speculation that he might go on and challenge

Futabayama was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Oita Prefecture. Entering sumo in 1927, he was the sport's 35th ''yokozuna'' from 1937 until his retirement in 1945. He won twelve ''yūshō'' or top division championships and had a winning streak ...

's all-time record of 69 is ended, however, after he is beaten on the last day by Onokuni. His streak stops at 53, but he still finishes with his 26th championship and a 14–1 record.

Deaths

*29 October: the 46th Yokozuna

Asashio Taro III Asashio, meaning "morning tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orb ...

, also Takasago Oyakata, of a stroke aged 58.

References

{{Years in sumo Sumo by year Sumo