{"id":1808,"date":"2026-04-23T18:07:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T09:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guidoor.jp\/katsuragi-city\/?post_type=news&p=1808"},"modified":"2026-04-24T12:36:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T03:36:26","slug":"sumo-column-1-yokozuna-banzuke","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.guidoor.jp\/katsuragi-city\/en\/news\/sumo-column-1-yokozuna-banzuke\/","title":{"rendered":"Sumo Column Vol.1: Yokozuna and the Banzuke in Grand Sumo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sumo (\u76f8\u64b2) is often described as Japan\u2019s national sport and is a traditional form of wrestling with a history of over a thousand years. In 2025, the Japan Sumo Association marked the 100th anniversary of its foundation. To mark this milestone, a special event called \u201cCentennial Basho \u2013 Classical Sumo and Modern Grand Sumo\u201d<\/em> was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on October 7 for the first time in 30 years. The two current yokozuna, Onosato (\u5927\u306e\u91cc) and Hoshoryu (\u8c4a\u6607\u9f8d), performed the powerful sandan-gamae<\/em> (\u4e09\u6bb5\u69cb\u3048), a formal three-part posture ritual based on upper, middle and lower stances. This ceremony is distinct from the ordinary dohyo-iri<\/em> ring-entering ceremony and is usually performed only on special occasions by the highest-ranking rikishi. A recent special Grand Sumo performance in London was also a great success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this first Sumo Column, we explain two key ideas in Grand Sumo: yokozuna<\/em> (\u6a2a\u7db1), the highest rank for a sumo wrestler, and the banzuke<\/em> (\u756a\u4ed8), the official sumo rankings list published before each Grand Sumo Tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Interior<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What Is a Yokozuna (\u6a2a\u7db1)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Portrait<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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7th yokozuna Inazuma Raigoro<\/em>
Held the yokozuna rank from October 1829 to November 1840<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, some fans say that Grand Sumo has entered the \u201cTaiho Era\u201d (\u5927\u8c4a\u6642\u4ee3), a nickname created by combining one kanji each from the names of the two current yokozuna, Onosato (\u5927\u306e\u91cc) and Hoshoryu (\u8c4a\u6607\u9f8d). With one yokozuna listed on the East side and one on the West side of the banzuke, Grand Sumo is attracting even more attention. In his victory interview after winning the Kyushu Tournament in November 2025, the newly promoted ozeki Aonishiki (\u5b89\u9752\u9326) said, \u201cThere is still one rank above me, yokozuna, and that is what I want to aim for.\u201d Yokozuna is the ultimate goal for every rikishi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A yokozuna is the highest rank in modern professional sumo. Originally, however, the word yokozuna<\/em> was used as a title for an ozeki who had received a yokozuna license from the Yoshida Tsukasa family (\u5409\u7530\u53f8\u5bb6), a hereditary family historically associated with sumo etiquette and rank. At that time, the highest rank shown on the banzuke was still ozeki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1909, a separate yokozuna line was added at the very top of the banzuke, and yokozuna was officially established as an independent rank above ozeki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only wrestlers who possess the dignity expected of a yokozuna, together with exceptional strength, can be granted the rank. When an ozeki is considered for promotion to yokozuna, the Japan Sumo Association consults the Yokozuna Deliberation Council and makes its final decision after receiving the council\u2019s recommendation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word yokozuna<\/em> is said to come from shimenawa<\/em>, the sacred rope used to mark off the boundary between the realm of the gods and the human world. The name is often explained as coming from the image of a sacred rope stretched horizontally to mark off a space. The thick white hemp rope worn around a yokozuna\u2019s waist during the ring-entering ceremony is also known as a yokozuna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The special ring-entering ceremony performed by a yokozuna is known as the yokozuna dohyo-iri and is also called kataya-iri. A yokozuna also has an honorific nickname, hinoshita kaizan, expressing the idea that he has no equal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sumo Terms Used in This Section<\/h3>\n\n\n\n