2017 in sumo
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The following were the events in professional
sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
during 2017.


Tournaments


Hatsu basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan , also known as Ryōgoku Sumo Hall or Kokugikan Arena, is the name bestowed to two different indoor sporting arenas located in Tokyo. The fist ''Ryōgoku Kokugikan'' opened its doors in 1909 and was located on the lands of the Ekōin temple in Ry ...
,
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, 8 January – 22 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 a ...
,
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 2. ...
, 12 March – 26 March


Natsu basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 14 May – 28 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 pop ...
, 9 July – 23 July


Aki basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 September – 24 September


Kyushu basho

Fukuoka Kokusai Center 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. Man ...
,
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
, 12 November – 26 November


News


January

*6: The three Mongolian ''
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 ...
'' Hakuhō, Kakuryū and Harumafuji attend a New Year ceremony at the
Meiji Shrine , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. History Af ...
, and perform the ''
dohyo-iri The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
.'' *21: ''
Ōzeki 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 of ...
''
Kisenosato is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Ibaraki. He made his professional debut in 2002, and reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in 2004 at the age of just 18. After many years in the junior ''san'yaku'' ranks, he reached the sec ...
wins his first ''
yūshō is the term for a championship in Japanese. This article focuses on championships in the sport of professional sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual ''honbasho'' or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most bouts. ''Yūs ...
'' or top division championship, after seeing Hakuhō fall to ''
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 on ...
''
Takanoiwa Takanoiwa Yoshimori (born 26 February 1990 as Adiyagiin Baasandorj) is a retired sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He made his professional debut in January 2009. He has both a ''sandanme'' and a ''jūryō'' division championship. He reac ...
. Kisenosato, at 13–1, is two wins ahead of Hakuhō who drops to 11–3, with only one day to go. Kisenosato had been a runner-up on twelve previous occasions. *22: On the final day of the Hatsu basho, Kisenosato wraps up his first championship by defeating Hakuhō in the last bout of the day to finish with a 14–1 record. Hakuho, on 11–4, has gone four tournaments without winning a championship for the first time in his ten-year ''yokozuna'' career. The runner-up is rank-and-file ''maegashira'' Sokokurai on 12–3, who wins his first special prize (for Technique) at the age of 33. He shares the award with
Mitakeumi is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Agematsu, Nagano. He is in the Dewanoumi stable. He is a pusher thruster-type wrestler. A former amateur champion at Toyo University, he made his professional debut in March 2015, reaching the top '' ...
, whose 11–4 record gives him a strong case for promotion back to the ''
sanyaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' ranks. The Outstanding Performance Award goes to Takanoiwa (11–4) for his win over Hakuhō. Takayasu wins his fourth Fighting Spirit prize. ''Ōzeki''
Terunofuji , lead=yes), is a Mongolian-born naturalised-Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for the Isegahama stable, he entered professional sumo in January 2011 and took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his debut as a ''sekitori ...
and Kotoshōgiku both finish with poor 5–10 records. It is Kotoshōgiku's second losing score in a row and he will be demoted to ''
sekiwake , 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 ...
'' for the following tournament. The ''
jūryō 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 ...
'' division championship is won by Daieishō. *22: The process to promote Kisenosato to ''yokozuna'' begins as the
judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
s division of the
Japan Sumo Association The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active ...
asks chairman Hakkaku Oyakata to hold an extraordinary meeting of its directors, and he agrees. *23: Hakkaku asks the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
about whether Kisenosato is deserving of promotion to ''yokozuna''. The council decide that he is suitable. Speaking at a press conference, Kisenosato recalls the words of his late stablemaster
Takanosato , real name , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori. He was the sport's 59th ''yokozuna'' from 1983 to 1986 and won four top division tournament championships. After retirement he established Naruto stable which he ran fr ...
who was also a ''yokozuna''. "He said that 'being a yokozuna is lonely'. I don’t know its meaning yet. But I will make efforts so that I will be able to understand the meaning." *25: Kisenosato's ''yokozuna'' promotion is confirmed by the Sumo Association's board of directors in a unanimous decision. Kasugano and Takadagawa convey the message to Kisenosato and his stablemaster Tagonoura at a hotel in Tokyo's
Chiyoda ward is a special ward located in central Tokyo, Japan. It is known as Chiyoda City in English.Profile ...
. Kisenosato says "I am honoured to accept the decision. I will do my best not to tarnish the title of yokozuna." *27: Kisenosato performs the ''yokozuna'' ring-entering ceremony ''(
dohyo-iri The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
)'' for the first time in public in front of a crowd of 18000 at the
Meiji Shrine , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. History Af ...
. *31: Magaki Oyakata, former ''
komusubi , 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 ...
'' Tokitenkū, dies of
malignant lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enla ...
at the age of 37. He had retired only last August. His fellow Mongolian Hakuhō pays tribute by saying "I’m in my 30s too, it came too early. He was full of fight when I first faced him, I struggled to see eye to eye. I always had to be careful about his good footwork."


February

*3: Kisenosato and Hakuho throw soy beans at the
Narita-san Narita-san (成田山 "Narita mountain") Shinshō-ji ( 新勝寺 "New victory temple") is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in central Narita, Chiba, Japan. It was founded in 940 by Kanchō Daisōjō, a disciple of Kōbō Daishi. It is a lead tem ...
temple in
Narita, Chiba is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 131,852 in 63,098 households and a population density of 620 persons per km². The total area of the city is . It is the site of Narita International Airport, one o ...
Prefecture as part of the annual festival to celebrate
Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar, known as ; though previously referri ...
. *5: The 41st
Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
Grand Sumo Tournament takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. Yokozuna Kisenosato performs his ''dohyo-iri'' in the Kokugikan for the first time. The event is a knock-out format. In the ''makuuchi'' competition, the top eight men on the Hatsu tournament ''banzuke'' are seeded (except for Harumafuji and Goeido who are injured and do not take part) – Kakuryu (1), Hakuho (2), Kisenosato (3), Terunofuji (4), Kotoshogiku (5), Tamawashi (6), Shodai (7) and Takayasu (8). Kisenosato wins the tournament, defeating Takanoiwa in the final. The ''juryo'' tournament is won by Kyokutaisei who defeats Seiro. *11:The 50th
NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...
Charity Sumo Tournament takes place, also at the Kokugikan. This time Harumafuji attends along with the other three ''yokozuna''. Several wrestlers take part in a
singing Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
competition with partners or groups: Hakuho with
Rimi Natsukawa is a Japanese singer. She is best known for her 2001 single "Nada Sōsō." Childhood Natsukawa was born in Ishigaki, the largest city in the Yaeyama Islands chain. From a young age she enjoyed singing, and wanted to be a singer after hearin ...
, Harumafuji with
Natsuko Godai , (born 18 December 1961), of Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese enka singer. Career In 1982, under the alias "Hiromi Hoshi", she debuted with "Koi no Ienakiko" ('恋の家なき子'), released by New Century Records. In April 1985, she used the ...
, Kakuryu with Midori Oka, Terunofuji with
Team Syachihoko Team Shachi (stylized as TEAM SHACHI), formerly , is a Japanese female idol group consisting of four girls from the city of Nagoya. Overview Team Syachihoko is a sister group of two other girl groups managed by the Stardust Promotion talent ag ...
, Takayasu with Ai Nishida and Ikioi with
Yoshimi Tendo , better known as , is a Japanese enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form, which adopts a more traditional musical style in ...
. *27: The ''banzuke'' for the March tournament is released. Kisenosato is listed on the west side at ''yokozuna'' rank, the first Japanese born wrestler since Takanohana in 2003 to be yokozuna on the ''banzuke''. There are three ''sekiwake'' following Kotoshogiku's demotion from ''ozeki''. It is the first time since 1949 that there has been a promotion of a yokozuna and a demotion of an ozeki in the same tournament. The only newcomer to the top division is Ura. He is the first former student of
Kwansei Gakuin University , colloquially known as , is a private, non-denominational Christian coeducational university in Japan. The university offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees to around 25,000 students in almost 40 different disciplines across 11 u ...
to reach the top division. Making his ''juryo'' debut is
Takasago stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these ''kanji'' is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋". History The stable was establi ...
's
Asanoyama is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Toyama Prefecture. He wrestles for Takasago stable. He debuted in sumo in March 2016 and made his ''makuuchi'' debut in September 2017. His highest rank has been ''ōzeki''. He has earned six spec ...
, the first ''
sekitori A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a ''rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: ''makuuchi'' and ''jūryō''. The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fract ...
'' from
Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...
since
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,'' ...
in 1997. His promotion means Takasago stable has a ''sekitori'' again after they had none in the previous tournament for the first time in their history.


March

*12: The Osaka tournament begins with four ''yokozuna'' competing in a ''
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 ...
'' for the first time in 17 years. *17: Hakuho withdraws from the tournament because of toe and thigh injuries. *24: Having compiled a perfect 12–0 record thus far, Kisenosato loses for the first time as a ''yokozuna'' on Day 13, defeated by Harumafuji. He is injured during the match and leaves the arena with his arm in a sling, but does not withdraw from the tournament. *26: In a remarkable final day's action, Kisenosato comes from behind to win the tournament by defeating Terunofuji twice – once in their regulation match and again in a playoff. He finishes on 13–2, his only two defeats in the tournament being to his fellow ''yokozuna'' Harumafuji and Kakuryu (who both finish with mediocre 10–5 records). He is the first ''yokozuna'' to win his debut tournament since Takanohana in January 1995. Terunofuji, seemingly recovered from the knee problems that dogged him throughout 2016, not only saves his ''ozeki'' rank but has his first runner-up performance since September 2015. Kisenosato's stablemate Takayasu was the only other wrestler to defeat Terunofuji and finishes with a fine 12–3 record and his third Outstanding Performance Award. Takakeisho receives the Fighting Spirit Prize after winning eleven in only his second top division tournament. ''Sekiwake'' Kotoshogiku fails in his bid to return immediately to the ''ozeki'' rank, finishing on 9–6, one win short of his minimum target of ten. His sixth defeat on Day 14 saw the crowd boo his opponent, Terunofuji, after Kotoshogiku fell victim to the ''
henka The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' manoeuvre. The ''juryo'' division championship is won by veteran Toyohibiki for the third time after a three-way playoff. Down in 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 ...
'' division the 46 year-old announces his retirement after 31 years and 186 tournaments in sumo, leaving Hanakaze (who made his debut alongside Hokutoryu in March 1986) as the last active wrestler from the
Shōwa era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. It was preceded by the Taishō era. The pre-1945 and post-war Shōwa periods are almos ...
.


April

*1: Naruto Oyakata, the former ''ozeki'' Kotooshu, branches out from
Sadogatake stable is a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form, it dates from September 1955, when it was set up by former ''komusubi'' Kotonishiki Noboru. Former ''yokozuna (sumo), yokozuna'' Kotozakura ...
and opens his own
Naruto stable Naruto stable (鳴戸部屋 ''Naruto-beya'') is a heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables, and founded by former sumo wrestler Kotoōshū Katsunori on 1 April 2017. History Naruto stable ...
. *The spring regional tour visits the following locations: **2:
Ise Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner ...
(Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shine’s precincts),
Mie Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture to ...
**3:
Komaki, Aichi is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,872 in 68,174 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city was . Komaki is commonly associated with the former Komaki Airport, whic ...
Prefecture **4: Kato, Hyogo Prefecture **5: Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture **6:
Himeji, Hyogo file:Himeji City Hall 20180505.jpg, 260px, Himeji City Hall is a Cities of Japan, city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of ...
Prefecture **8:
Fujisawa, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 439,728 and a population density of 6300 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Fujisawa is in the central part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It f ...
Prefecture **9:
Shizuoka, Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in both population and area. It has been populated since prehistoric times. the city had an estimated population of 690,881 in 106,087 households, and ...
Prefecture **11:
Mishima, Shizuoka Mishima City Hall is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 109,803 in 49,323 households, and a population density of 1800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography ...
Prefecture **12:
Yokosuka, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city ...
Prefecture **13:
Kawasaki, Kanagawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, one of the main cities of Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area. It is the second most populated city in Kanagawa Prefecture after Yokohama, and the List of cities in Japan, eight ...
Prefecture **14:
Matsumoto, Nagano is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a core city since 1 April 2021. , the city had a population of 239,466 in 105,207 households and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The total area of the city ...
Prefecture **15:
Takasaki, Gunma is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as t ...
Prefecture **16: Hitachiomiya, Ibaraki Prefecture **17:
Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Empire of Japan, Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, First Sino-Japane ...
(Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shrine’s precincts),
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
**20:
Kashiwa, Chiba is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 433,436 in 194,216 households and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The name of the city is written with a si ...
Prefecture **21:
Mito, Ibaraki is the capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 269,330 in 123,282 households and a population density of 1239 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged o ...
Prefecture **22: Hachioji, Tokyo Prefecture **23:
Machida, Tokyo is a Cities of Japan, city located in West Tokyo, the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 428,851, and a population density of 6,000 persons per km². The total area of the city was . Geography ...
Prefecture **24:
Fukaya, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 229,517 in 142,803 households in 60804 households and a population density of 1023 persons per km². The total area of the city is . It is famous for a ...
Prefecture **29: Chokaigi basho,
Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the ...
*27: Former ''yokozuna''
Sadanoyama was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th ''yokozuna''. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association. Career Born in Arikawa, ...
, who served as the head of the Japan Sumo Association from 1992 to 1998, dies of pneumonia. This leaves
Tochinoumi was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Aomori. He was the sport's 49th '' yokozuna'', earning promotion in 1964. He was somewhat overshadowed by his ''yokozuna'' contemporaries Taihō and Kashiwado, but he was a noted technician and ear ...
as the oldest living former ''yokozuna''.


May

*1: The ''banzuke'' for the May tournament is released. Two wrestlers make their top division debut: Ōnoshō from
Onomatsu stable Ōnomatsu is the name of: *the sixth yokozuna in the sport of sumo Ōnomatsu Midorinosuke *the sumo stable Ōnomatsu stable currently run by former sekiwake Masurao is a Japanese former sumo wrestler, born in Itoda, Fukuoka Prefecture. Ma ...
, and Yutakayama from
Tokitsukaze stable The is a stable of sumo wrestlers in Japan, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. It was founded in 1769 and was dominant during the Taishō period. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an ...
. Onosho is the fifth wrestler to reach ''makuuchi'' from Onomatsu stable since it was founded in 1994. Yutakayama debuts in ''makuuchi'' a year after his stablemate Shodai. Both are former students of the Tokyo University of Agriculture. Yutakayama also makes history as the first ever ''sandanme'' tsukedashi to make his ''makuuchi'' debut.
Chiyonokuni is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Iga, Mie. Making his professional debut in May 2006, he reached the top ''makuuchi'' division for the first time in January 2012. He has a highest rank of ''maegashira'' 1, but he has also been rest ...
and Chiyoshoma of the
Kokonoe stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and until 2021 was located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of November 2022 it had 27 sumo wrestlers, four of whom are of ''sekitori'' rank. It is the most s ...
reach their highest career ranks, at ''maegashira 1'' and ''maegashira 2'', respectively.
Yoshikaze Yoshikaze Masatsugu (born March 19, 1982 as Masatsugu Ōnishi) is a former sumo wrestler from Saiki, Oita Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake''. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2004, reaching the top divi ...
returns to ''
sanyaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' after seven tournaments. Hakuhō is ranked at ''yokozuna'' for the 59th time on the ''banzuke'', level with
Chiyonofuji , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler and the 58th ''yokozuna'' of the sport. Following his retirement as a wrestler, he was the stable master of Kokonoe stable until the time of his death. Chiyonofuji was considered one of the gr ...
and behind only
Kitanoumi , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the dominant wrestler in the sport during the 1970s. Kitanoumi was promoted to ''yokozuna'' at the age of 21, becoming the youngest ever to achieve sumo's top rank. He won 24 tournament ...
with 63. *24: Having failed to recover sufficiently from his upper body injuries sustained in the last tournament, Kisenosato withdraws after four losses in the first ten days. He had previously missed only one bout in his career, the last day of the January 2014 tournament. *28: Hakuhō wraps up his 38th ''yūshō'' (and first in a year) by defeating Harumafuji to claim his 13th ''zensho-yūshō'' or perfect score of 15 wins and no losses. Second place is shared by ''ōzeki'' Terunofuji and ''maegashira''
Tochinoshin ; ) is a Georgian professional sumo wrestler from Mtskheta. He is a member of the Kasugano stable and made his professional debut in March 2006. He reached the top ''makuuchi'' division just two years later in May 2008. After a long hiatus due t ...
on 12–3. Ōnoshō scores 10–5 in his top division debut and receives the Fighting Spirit Award. The Outstanding Performance Prize goes to ''komusubi'' Mitakeumi for defeating two ''yokozuna''. The Technique Prize is shared between Yoshikaze and Takayasu, who with 11 wins in this tournament and a 34–11 record over the last three tournaments is virtually certain to be promoted to ''ōzeki''. The ''jūryō'' division championship is won by Nishikigi with a score of 10–5 who defeats Aminishiki, denying the veteran the chance to win his first championship in any division at the age of 38. Another veteran, former ''maegashira'' Ōiwato, does claim his first ''
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. For ...
'' championship at the age of 36. Announcing their retirements are former ''sekiwake'' Asasekiryū and former ''maegashira'' Sadanofuji, who are staying in sumo as Nishikijima Oyakata and Nakamura Oyakata respectively. *31: Takayasu is formally promoted to ''ōzeki''.


June

*1: The Sumo Association announce that the Nagoya tournament in the year 2020 will start a week earlier than normal to avoid clashing with that year's Tokyo Summer Olympics which is scheduled to begin on July 24, 2020. The sumo will now conclude on July 19. *11: Ex-''sekiwake'' Kyokutenhō takes over as the head coach of Tomozuna stable from former ''sekiwake'' Kaiki, as the latter has reached 65 years of age. The former Tomozuna is however re-hired by the Sumo Association as a consultant on reduced pay for five years, and is now known as Ōshima Oyakata. *25: The ''banzuke'' for the July tournament in Nagoya is released. There are no wrestlers making their top division debuts for the first time since May 2015, but
Gagamaru ), lead=yes is a Georgian former professional sumo wrestler from Tbilisi. The third Georgian national after Kokkai and Tochinoshin to make the top ''makuuchi'' division, he made his professional debut in November 2005, reaching the ''jūryō'' di ...
,
Chiyomaru is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Shibushi, Kagoshima. He made his professional debut in May 2007. He took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his third tournament in the division in January 2014 and was promoted to the ...
,
Sadanoumi is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kumamoto. He made his debut in 2003, and reached the top ''makuuchi'' division eleven years later in 2014. His highest rank has been ''maegashira'' 1. He has been a runner-up in one tournament, an ...
and Nishikigi return, replacing Kaisei, Myogiryu, Toyohibiki and Yutakayama who are all demoted to ''juryo''. With Takayasu's promotion there are four ''yokozuna'' and three ''ozeki'' on the ''banzuke'' for the first time since March 2000. Mitakeumi makes his debut at ''
sekiwake , 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 ...
.'' The sole new ''
sekitori A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a ''rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: ''makuuchi'' and ''jūryō''. The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fract ...
'' is (previously known by his family name of Iwasaki), while Abi returns to the ''juryo'' division.


July

*23: The Nagoya tournament concludes with Hakuhō defeating Harumafuji to win his 39th yusho, his 14–1 record ensuring that he finishes one win ahead of rank-and filer Aoiyama on 13–2. During the basho Hakuhō established a new record of total career wins, surpassing both
Chiyonofuji , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler and the 58th ''yokozuna'' of the sport. Following his retirement as a wrestler, he was the stable master of Kokonoe stable until the time of his death. Chiyonofuji was considered one of the gr ...
's 1045 and Kaiō's 1047. The record-breaking 1048th win came on Day 13 against new ozeki Takayasu. Aoiyama is runner-up for the first time in his career and wins the Fighting Spirit Award. The Outstanding Performance Prize goes to Mitakeumi, who was the only man to beat Hakuhō. The tournament sees a number of high profile withdrawals due to injury, including yokozuna Kisenosato and Kakuryū, ozeki Terunofuji and maegashira Endō. The ''juryo'' division championship is won by
Daiamami is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tatsugō, Kagoshima. After a successful amateur career, he turned professional in January 2016, making the top ''makuuchi'' division in November of the following year. His highest rank has been ' ...
. *27: Isegahama Oyakata says that Harumafuji may need surgery on a left elbow injury and is likely to miss the Aki basho in September if that occurs. He also indicates that Terunofuji will miss the whole of the summer regional tour or ''jungyo'' as he continues to recover from knee surgery in May. *The summer regional tour visits the following locations: **30:
Gifu, Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku p ...
Prefecture **31:
Kusatsu, Shiga 260px, Kusatsu City Hall is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 137,266 in 61426 households and a population density of 2000 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is often con ...
Prefecture


August

*The summer regional tour will visit the following locations: **1:
Toyota, Aichi , formerly known as Koromo, is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 426,162 and a population density of 464 people per km2. The total area was . It is located about 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meite ...
Prefecture **2:
Toyama, Toyama is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about north of the city of Nagoya and northwest of Tokyo. , the city had an estimated population of 415,844 in 1 ...
Prefecture **3:
Shibata, Niigata is a city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 96,236 in 37,017 households, and a population density of 179 persons per km². The total area of the city was . Geography Shibata is located in a mostly inland r ...
Prefecture **5:
Sado, Niigata is a Cities of Japan, city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area is urbanized. Sado is the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four Lis ...
Prefecture **6:
Nagaoka, Niigata is a Cities of Japan, city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, after the capital city of Niigata, Niigata, Niigata. , the city had an estimated population of 264,611 in 109,283 households and a ...
Prefecture **7: Honjo, Saitama Prefecture **8: Aoyama Gakuin, Tokyo Prefecture **10:
Hitachi, Ibaraki 250px, Hitachi Sakura Festival is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 174,219 in 78,209 households and a population density of 770 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 w ...
Prefecture **11:
Kaminoyama, Yamagata 250px, Hayama neighborhood in Kaminoyama is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 29,617 in 11278 households, and a population density of 120 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . G ...
Prefecture **12–13:
Sendai, Miyagi is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the ''daimyō'' Date ...
Prefecture **15:
Aomori, Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...
Prefecture **16:
Itayanagi, Aomori is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,332 in 5450 households, and a population density of 320 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Itayanagi is located at the base of ...
Prefecture **18:
Eniwa, Hokkaido is a city in Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is on the Ishikari plain, 8 km north of Chitose, and 26 km south of the prefectural capital Sapporo. It is reached through route 36 and the Chitose Railway Line. The town is s ...
Prefecture **19:
Sapporo, Hokkaido ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...
Prefecture **20:
Asahikawa, Hokkaido is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiyama ...
Prefecture **23–24: Odaiba, Tokyo Prefecture **25:
Odawara, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 188,482 and a population density of 1,700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in the far western por ...
Prefecture **26:
Tokorozawa, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 344,194 in 163,675 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Tokorozawa is located in the ce ...
Prefecture **27: KITTE, Tokyo Prefecture *10: Former ''juryo'' wrestler announces his retirement after 13 years in sumo. *22: The Russian ''
sandanme 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 ...
'' wrestler Ōrora is announced as the heaviest ever ''rikishi'' in sumo, his weight recorded as in the latest weigh-in conducted by the Sumo Association, surpassing
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 second- ...
's peak weight of in 1996. *28: The banzuke for the Aki basho is released. Yoshikaze becomes the fifth oldest post-WWII ''sekiwake'' at 35 years and 5 months.
Asanoyama is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Toyama Prefecture. He wrestles for Takasago stable. He debuted in sumo in March 2016 and made his ''makuuchi'' debut in September 2017. His highest rank has been ''ōzeki''. He has earned six spec ...
makes his ''makuuchi'' debut. He is the first wrestler from
Takasago stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these ''kanji'' is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋". History The stable was establi ...
to be promoted to the top division since Asasekiryū in March 2003. He is also the first wrestler from
Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...
to be ranked in makuuchi since
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,'' ...
in January 1995. He is the second ''
sandanme tsukedashi The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' to reach the top division following Yutakayama, who returns to ''makuuchi'' for this tournament. There are two new ''sekitori'': Yago from
Oguruma stable was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form it existed from March 1987 when it was founded by Kotokaze, a former Sadogatake stable wrestler., until February 2022. The first wrestler from the sta ...
(a former amateur champion at
Chuo University , commonly referred to as or , is a private flagship research university in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1885 as Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (the English Law School), Chuo is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the country. The univer ...
) and from
Kise stable , also known as Kimura Sehei stable, was a heya (sumo), heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ''ichimon'' or affiliated group of stables. History The original Kise stable (which had no connection to the current incarnation found ...
.


September

*7: It is announced that both Kisenosato and Kakuryū will skip the Aki ''basho'' as neither have fully recovered from their respective injuries. It is the first time since 1999 that two ''yokozuna'' have been absent from Day 1 of a tournament. *8: Hakuhō also announces that he is withdrawing due to a knee injury, making this the first tournament since the start of the
Shōwa era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. It was preceded by the Taishō era. The pre-1945 and post-war Shōwa periods are almos ...
that three ''yokozuna'' are out. *15: Terunofuji withdraws due to his knee injury, joining fellow ''ozeki'' Takayasu who pulled out on Day 3. It is the first time since the Summer tournament of 1918 that three ''yokozuna'' and two ''ozeki'' have been missing through injury. *24:The Aki ''basho'' ends with Harumafuji defeating Goeido in a playoff after both finish with 11–4 records. Goeido had been two wins ahead of the rest of the field on Day 11 but lost three of his last four bouts, with Harumafuji defeating him twice on the final day to win his ninth championship. He is only the third wrestler to win a top division championship with a mere 11–4 record following Tochiazuma in 1972 and Musashimaru in 1996. ''Makuuchi'' debutant
Asanoyama is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Toyama Prefecture. He wrestles for Takasago stable. He debuted in sumo in March 2016 and made his ''makuuchi'' debut in September 2017. His highest rank has been ''ōzeki''. He has earned six spec ...
wins the Fighting Spirit Award after a fine 10–5 record. He shares the prize with Onosho who becomes the first man to secure double-digit winning records in his first three top division tournaments in the modern era. The Technique Award goes to Yoshikaze for the fourth time. The Outstanding Performance Award is won by Takakeisho for defeating both Harumafuji and Goeido. The ''juryo'' championship is won by Abi with a 10–5 record after a four-way playoff that also involved Kotoyuki (who Abi beat earlier in the day as well), Aminishiki and
Homarefuji is a retired professional sumo wrestler from the town of Ajigasawa in Aomori prefecture, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in January 2008 and wrestled for Isegahama stable, one of the more successful stables in s ...
. The ''makushita'' division championship is won by former maegashira Kagamio with a prefect 7–0 record. Two former ''juryo'' wrestlers, and announce their retirements. Wakanoshima is a 32 year old veteran with 17 years in sumo but Rikishin is just 21 years old and has failed to recover from recent knee surgery.


October

*2: Kisenosato wins the All Japan Rikishi Tournament, a knock-out exhibition at the Kokugikan, for the second year in a row. He defeats
Takekaze Takekaze Akira (born June 21, 1979 as Akira Narita) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division the following year. He ...
in the final. The ''jūryō'' tournament is held by Seiro. *4: The second Ozumo Beyond 2020 Basho, an exhibition aimed at foreign fans ahead of the
2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...
, is held at the Kokugikan. At its conclusion Hakuhō is presented with an award (an artwork of
Japanese calligraphy also called is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. Written Japanese was originally based on Chinese characters only, but the advent of the hiragana and katakana Japanese syllabaries resulted in intrin ...
) from the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
to mark his achievement of breaking the all-time career wins record with his 1048th victory in July. *The autumn regional tour will visit the following locations: **5:
Yachiyo, Chiba 270px, Keisei Rose Gardens is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 202,071 in 91,092 households and a population density of 3900 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Yachiy ...
**6:
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
**7:
Saitama, Saitama is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance. Being in the Greater Tokyo Area and lying 1 ...
**8:
Fuji, Shizuoka is a city in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 245,015 in 106,087 households, and a population density of 1,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Fuji is the third largest city in terms o ...
**9:
Chikusei, Ibaraki 260px, Shimodate Haguro Shrine is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 99,987 in 37,635 households and a population density of 487 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 w ...
**11:
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was . Overview H ...
**12:
Ichinomiya, Aichi is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The city is sometimes called Owarichinomiya to avoid confusion with other municipalities of the same name, including Ichinomiya (now part of the city of Toyokawa), Ichinomiya in Chiba Prefecture. , t ...
**13:
Nagano, Nagano is the capital and largest city of Nagano Prefecture, located in the Nagano Basin (Zenkoji Daira) in the central Chūbu region of Japan. Nagano is categorized as a core city of Japan. Nagano City is the highest prefectural capital in Japan, with ...
**14:
Kanazawa, Ishikawa is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Overview Cityscape ...
**15:
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
**17:
Takayama, Gifu file:高山市役所.JPG, Takayama City Hall is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 88,473 in 35,644 households, and a population density of 41 persons per km2. The total area of ...
**18:
Tsu, Mie is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 274,879 in 127,273 households and a population density of 390 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Although the second largest city in the p ...
**19:
Kashiba, Nara is a Cities of Japan, city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1991. In 2017, the city has an estimated population of 79,023 with 30,557 households and a population density of 3,300 persons per km². The total ...
**20:
Hirakata, Osaka file:Hirakata Park.jpg, 260px, Hirakata Park is a Cities of Japan, city in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 397,681 in 183075 households and a population density of 6100 persons per km2. The total ...
**21:
Kishiwada, Osaka is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,853 in 88598 households and a population density of 2600 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is well known for its Danjiri Matsu ...
**22:
Osaka, Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third most populous city in Ja ...
**24:
Okayama, Okayama is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is . The city is ...
**25: Yabu, Hyogo **26:
Tottori, Tottori is the capital and the largest city of Tottori Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. Within Japan the city is best known for its sand dunes which are a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from outside the prefecture. The sand du ...
**27:
Matsue, Shimane is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, Japan, located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 202,008 (February 1, 2021) following the merger with Higashiizumo from Yatsuka District. Matsue is located at t ...
**28:
Hiroshima, Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
**29:
Fukuyama, Hiroshima is a city located on the Ashida River in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of September 30, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 468,812 and a population density of 904.80 persons per km2. The total area is . After Hiroshima, it is the l ...
*30:The ''banzuke'' for the November tournament is released. Harumafuji occupies the top position of Yokozuna 1 East for the first time in six tournaments. His
Isegahama stable Isegahama stable was a heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami-Isegahama ''ichimon,'' or group of stables. It was founded in 1859 by former ''komusubi'' Arakuma. It was led from 1929 by former ''sekiwake'' Kiyosegawa. His dau ...
mate Aminishiki also has a reason to celebrate as he is promoted back to ''makuuchi'' after an eight tournament absence. At 39 years old he is the oldest man to be promoted to the top division since the beginning of the
Shōwa era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. It was preceded by the Taishō era. The pre-1945 and post-war Shōwa periods are almos ...
in 1926. Terunofuji is demoted to ''sekiwake'', while Onosho makes his debut at ''komusubi''. The only newcomer to the top division is
Daiamami is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tatsugō, Kagoshima. After a successful amateur career, he turned professional in January 2016, making the top ''makuuchi'' division in November of the following year. His highest rank has been ' ...
, a
Nihon University , abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Japan. Its predecessor, Nihon Law School (currently the Department of Law), was founded by Yamada Akiyoshi, the Minister of Justice (Japan), Minister of Justice, in 1889. ...
graduate. Making his ''juryo'' debut is Takanosho, formerly Masunosho, of
Chiganoura stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables. As of January 2022, it had nine wrestlers. History It was founded as Chiganoura stable in September 2004 by former ''sekiwake'' Masudayama, who branched of ...
. He is first wrestler from the stable since
Masunoyama is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Sakae, Chiba. He turned professional in July 2006 and was the first wrestler born in the Heisei era to become a ''sekitori'' when he was promoted to the ''jūryō'' division in November 2010, ...
in 2010 to become a ''
sekitori A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a ''rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: ''makuuchi'' and ''jūryō''. The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fract ...
.''


November

*8: Kakuryū's stablemaster Izutsu Oyakata says the ''yokozuna'' will miss the Kyūshū tournament because he has been experiencing lower back pain in addition to his previously known right leg problem. It is the fifth time this year that he has missed at least some of a tournament, and the second in a row that he will sit out entirely. Izutsu says "It would be irresponsible to compete in his current condition. We're terribly sorry." *14: Harumafuji withdraws from the tournament on Day 3, on the same day as reports emerge he assaulted fellow Mongolian
Takanoiwa Takanoiwa Yoshimori (born 26 February 1990 as Adiyagiin Baasandorj) is a retired sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He made his professional debut in January 2009. He has both a ''sandanme'' and a ''jūryō'' division championship. He reac ...
with a beer bottle during the regional tour stop in Tottori on October 26. Takanoiwa pulled out ahead of this tournament with a medical certificate citing concussion and a skull base fracture. It was alleged that Harumafuji had been drinking and struck Takanoiwa because "he did not like his attitude." Takanohana, Takanoiwa's stablemaster, has reported the incident to the police, and the
Sumo Association The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japanese Ministry of Education, Cultu ...
are also investigating. Harumafuji told reporters after a morning training session in Dazaifu, "as for Takanoiwa's injuries, I apologise deeply for causing trouble for stable master Takanohana, people affiliated with Takanohana stable, the Sumo Association and my stable master." He visited the Fukuoka base of the
Takanohana stable was a stable of sumo wrestlers, created in 2004 when Takanohana Kōji took over the running of Futagoyama stable from his father Takanohana Kenshi. Formerly of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables, it became the leader of a breakawa ...
with his stablemaster, Isegahama Oyakata, but was unable to make a direct apology as Takanohana and Takanoiwa were absent. *22: Takanohana refuses to allow the Sumo Association access to Takanoiwa, saying the matter must be left to police. *25: Hakuhō's 40th championship is assured when, having seen his two closest pursuers
Okinoumi is a retired Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Okinoshima, Shimane. He joined professional sumo in 2005, reaching the top division in 2010. He was runner-up in ''makuuchi'' three times in the January 2011, March 2013, and November 2017 t ...
and
Hokutofuji is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tokorozawa, Saitama. His debut in ''maezumō'' was in March 2015, and his first ''makuuchi'' division ''honbasho'' was the Kyūshū tournament in November 2016. His highest rank has been ''komusubi ...
both lose, he defeats Endō to move to an unassailable two win lead on 13–1. *26: Hakuhō wraps up the tournament by defeating Goeidō (the only other ''yokozuna'' or ''ozeki'' to complete the whole 15 days) to finish on 14–1, three wins ahead of ''maegashira'' Okinoumi, Hokutofuji, Tamawashi and Takakeisho, who all finish on 11–4. It is the first time four ''maegashira'' have been runner-up in a single tournament. The Outstanding Performance prize goes to Takakeisho for defeating two ''yokozuna'' (Hakuhō's only defeat was to
Yoshikaze Yoshikaze Masatsugu (born March 19, 1982 as Masatsugu Ōnishi) is a former sumo wrestler from Saiki, Oita Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake''. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2004, reaching the top divi ...
who was ineligible for a special prize as he failed to get a majority of wins), Hokutofuji wins the Technique Prize, and the Fighting Spirit Award is shared between Okinoumi and Aminishiki. The ''juryo'' division championship is won by Sokokurai with a 14–1 record, while wins 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. For ...
'' championship. *27: Takanohana, whose decision to report Harumafuji's alleged assault to police and refusal to co-operate with investigators has attracted criticism, reportedly tells supporters at a post-''basho'' party that as head of the regional tour department he had a "responsibility to seek justice" no matter who the wrestler was, and that Takanoiwa's injuries are serious. Meanwhile, Hakuhō says that he wants to see both Harumafuji and Takanoiwa back on the ''dohyo'' as soon as possible, and that he will tell police exactly what he saw in order to rid the sumo world of "the pus." *27: The
Yokozuna Deliberation Council The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
calls for "extremely harsh punishment" of Harumafuji, which could entail suspension from tournaments, a recommendation to retire, or dismissal. *28: Japan Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku Oyakata apologises to Daichi Suzuki of the for the Harumafuji assault scandal. *29: Harumafuji announces his retirement at a press conference. He does not go into details about the alleged assault on Takanoiwa, but says, "I had heard that he was lacking in manners and civility and thought it was my duty as a senior wrestler to correct and teach him. But I went too far." His stablemaster says that Harumafuji has "caused great trouble" for the Sumo Association and sumo fans, and as a ''yokozuna'' he must take responsibility. *30: An interim report issued by the Sumo Association's investigative committee says that the October 25 incident occurred at a party to celebrate graduates of Tottori Johoku High School, which include
Terunofuji , lead=yes), is a Mongolian-born naturalised-Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for the Isegahama stable, he entered professional sumo in January 2011 and took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his debut as a ''sekitori ...
and
Takanoiwa Takanoiwa Yoshimori (born 26 February 1990 as Adiyagiin Baasandorj) is a retired sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He made his professional debut in January 2009. He has both a ''sandanme'' and a ''jūryō'' division championship. He reac ...
. The three Mongolian ''yokozuna'', Harumafuji, Kakuryu and Hakuho were all present. Hakuho criticized Takanoiwa for previous disrespectful behavior at a restaurant in September. After the group moved on to another bar to continue drinking, Hakuho lectured Takanoiwa and Terunofuji on how they must never forget what they learned in their school days. Harumafuji told Takanoiwa to pay attention, at which point Takanoiwa, who was looking at his mobile phone, grinned and said he had just received an e-mail from his girlfriend. Infuriated, Harumafuji slapped Takanoiwa several times around the face to get him to apologize to Hakuho and when Takanoiwa refused to do so, grabbed a karaoke machine remote control and hit Takanoiwa over the head with it several times, which eventually required stitches. The report says that the beer bottle widely cited in early media reports was in fact a champagne bottle which slipped out of Harumafuji's hands before he could use it to hit Takanoiwa.


December

*1: Hakuhō and his stablemaster
Miyagino Miyagino may refer to: *Miyagino-ku, Sendai * Miyagino Nishikinosuke, a sumo wrestler *Miyagino stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Isegahama '' ichimon'' or group of stables. It was founded by the 43rd ''yokozuna'' Yoshibayama as ...
are severely reprimanded by the Sumo Association for Hakuhō's inappropriate behavior during his ''yūshō'' interview, when he called for Harumafuji and Takanoiwa to return to the ring and led the crowd in " banzai" cheers. *The winter tour visits the following locations: **3: Omura, Nagasaki **4: Goto, Nagasaki **6: Nogata, Fukuoka **7: Usa, Oita **8:
Miyazaki, Miyazaki is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1924. As of July 2022, the city had an estimated population of 399,788 and a population density of 621 persons per km2. The total area ...
**9:
Kumamoto, Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a population of 1,461,00 ...
**10:
Kagoshima, Kagoshima , abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern world ...
**11:
Kitakyushu, Fukuoka is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one of ...
**13-14:
Miyakojima, Okinawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, located on the Miyako Islands. As of 2012, it had a population of 54,908. The current mayor is Kazuyuki Zakimi, who took office on January 25, 2021. History The modern city of Miyakoji ...
**16-17:
Ginowan, Okinawa ( ryu, ジノーン, translit=Jinōn) is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2012, the city has an estimated population of 94,405, with 40,041 households and a population density of 4,838.8 persons per km2. The total area is 19.5 ...
*11: Tottori police conclude their investigation and turn the case over to prosecutors. Harumafuji's lawyers respond to criticism that he did not directly apologize to Takanoiwa during his retirement press conference by saying that Harumafuji was nervous, and "wholeheartedly offer an apology to all on (our client's) behalf." *20: Hakuhō and Kakuryū are docked one and half month's and one month's salary respectively by the Sumo Association and criticized for not doing enough to prevent the beating incident at which both were present. The Sumo Association also accepts the resignation of Isegahama as a director, and reveals that Takanoiwa finally spoke to the crisis committee investigating the affair on December 19, but the wrestler said that he did nothing discourteous that would cause Harumafuji to attack him. Chairman Hakkaku is also foregoing his salary for the last three months of his term. *28: Harumafuji is given a summary indictment over the Takanoiwa assault, meaning he is likely to be fined rather than face a court trial. An emergency meeting of the Sumo Association's board of directors recommends that Takanohana be dismissed as a director and demoted two rungs in the hierarchy, to take responsibility for the Takanoiwa incident which occurred under his watch as regional tour director. The recommendation must be formalized at another meeting on January 4.


Deaths

*Jan 25: Former
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. For ...
37 Musashiumi, also a pro wrestler, aged 51, of a heart attack. *Jan 31: Former komusubi Tokitenku (see January entry) *Apr 27: Former yokozuna
Sadanoyama was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th ''yokozuna''. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association. Career Born in Arikawa, ...
, aged 79, of pneumonia. (see April entry) *Sep 22: Former maegashira Asasegawa, also former Urakaze Oyakata, aged 75.


See also

*
Glossary of sumo terms The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
*
List of active sumo wrestlers The following is an alphabetical list of all active professional sumo wrestlers in the top ''makuuchi'' division, and all those currently in lower divisions who have a Wikipedia article. Please refer to professional sumo divisions for more informa ...
*
List of years in sumo The following is a list of year in sumo articles listed in chronological order from the most recent. Each gives an overview of the happenings in sumo for each year listed. The highlights below refer only to top division championships. 2020s * 202 ...


References

{{Years in sumo Sumo by year
Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...