Sumo

An introduction to Japan's national sport

History

Regarded as the national sport of Japan, sumo's origins can be traced back to mythology, where it was said to be fought among the gods. The earliest recorded human match dates to 23 BC, while clay haniwa figures of wrestlers have been uncovered from the Kofun period (300–538).

The battle between Nomi-no Sukune and Taima-no Kehaya. The origins of sumo are hinted at in the legends of ancient physical contests, including the tale of the epic battle between Sukune and Kehaya mentioned in the Nihon Shoki account of the year 720.(Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)

The battle between Nomi-no Sukune and Taima-no Kehaya. The origins of sumo are hinted at in the legends of ancient physical contests, including the tale of the epic battle between Sukune and Kehaya mentioned in the Nihon Shoki account of the year 720.(Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)

Sumo was originally performed as a ritual to pray for abundant harvests, accompanied by sacred dances and dramas, and was introduced to Imperial Court ceremonies during the Nara period (8th century), where it remained for the next 300 years.

Photo shows the Imperial Ceremony of Sumo in the Heian Court, where sumo bouts were held as ritual ceremonies to coincide with the harvest. The ceremonies later became an event in the Imperial Court and continued for 300 years. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)

Photo shows the Imperial Ceremony of Sumo in the Heian Court, where sumo bouts were held as ritual ceremonies to coincide with the harvest. The ceremonies later became an event in the Imperial Court and continued for 300 years. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)

It became a popular form of military training during the samurai-ruling periods from Kamakura through Sengoku (late 12th to early 17th centuries). Nobunaga Oda, one of Japan’s great unifiers, was an avid sumo fan, hosting tournaments at Azuchi Castle between 1570 and 1592 and recruiting victorious wrestlers as vassals.

*Photo shows Nobunaga Oda (C), one of Japan's great unifiers and an avid sumo fan, watching a sumo bout. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)*

*Photo shows Nobunaga Oda (C), one of Japan's great unifiers and an avid sumo fan, watching a sumo bout. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)*

Sumo evolved into a major form of entertainment alongside kabuki theater under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period (1603–1868) as masterless samurai and strongmen made it their profession. Regular performances began midway through the era, including those performed in front of the shogun at the time, and the emergence of big talents Tanikaze, Onogawa and Raiden captivated audiences laying the foundation for the sport as it exists today.

*Photo shows Japanese ukiyo-e art by Utagawa Kuniteru II depicting sumo's top-tier makuuchi-division wrestlers in March 1866. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)*

*Photo shows Japanese ukiyo-e art by Utagawa Kuniteru II depicting sumo's top-tier makuuchi-division wrestlers in March 1866. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Sumo Association)*

Rules

A bout is won by forcing one's opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the sole, or ousting him from the inner circle on the raised ring, or dohyo.

Wrestlers (rikishi) may not punch, pull hair, gouge eyes, choke, kick the stomach or chest, or grab the band covering vital organs.

There are no weight classes meaning, wrestlers with huge size differences compete on a level playing field. There are a total of 82 match-deciding techniques.

*Wakatakakage (C) defeats Kinbozan (L) with a backward pivot throw during the eighth day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at IG Arena in Nagoya on July 20, 2025.*

*Wakatakakage (C) defeats Kinbozan (L) with a backward pivot throw during the eighth day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at IG Arena in Nagoya on July 20, 2025.*

Dohyo

The dohyo is 6.7 meters square and 60 centimeters high, constructed of a special clay. The hard surface is covered with a thin, sand layer and the inner circle of a little over 4.55 meters in diameter is marked out by straw bales. A roof resembling that of a Shinto shrine hangs above the dohyo suspended from the ceiling by cables with four giant tassels in each corner signifying the seasons of the year.

Tournaments

The Japan Sumo Association hosts six Grand Tournaments a year, each of them a 15-day competition that also serves as an occasion to promote the sport's tradition, art and divine nature, passing them on to the next generation.

Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan is home to the New Year meet in January, the Summer meet in May and the Autumn meet in September. Osaka stages the Spring meet in March, Nagoya holds one named after the city in July and Fukuoka hosts the Kyushu meet in November, named after the southwestern Japan region it belongs to.

Divisions

The sumo pyramid is divided into six tiers, topped by the elite makuuchi division. Wrestlers in makuuchi and second-tier juryo compete every day over the course of 15 days, with eight victories giving them a winning record.

The wrestler with the best record on the final day of each tournament wins the championship -- sometimes via a playoff between wrestlers with the same record -- and is awarded the Emperor's Cup during the title ceremony.

Wrestlers in third-tier makushita and below, namely sandanme, jonidan and six-tier jonokuchi, fight seven bouts over the same 15-day period, with four victories guaranteeing a winning record.

Ranks in makuuchi

Makuuchi has five ranks, topped by yokozuna, the grand champion. Ozeki is the second highest, followed by sekiwake and komusubi, with the three ranks below yokozuna together called "sanyaku."

*New yokozuna Onosato holds up the rankings for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in Aichi Prefecture on June 30, 2025. (Kyodo)*

*New yokozuna Onosato holds up the rankings for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in Aichi Prefecture on June 30, 2025. (Kyodo)*

Maegashira represents rank-and-filers of the banzuke rankings, starting from No. 1 down to as many as No. 18, both on the east and west sides.

Mongolian sumo wrestler Hoshoryu (C) celebrates at his stable in Tokyo on Jan. 29, 2025, following his promotion to the sport's highest rank of yokozuna, or grand champion. (Kyodo)

Dohyoiri

Before juryo and makuuchi matches are held, the colorful ring-entering ceremony, or dohyoiri, is performed by each of the divisions' wrestlers, who wear ceremonial keshomawashi aprons made of silk.

The makuuchi ring-entering ceremony concludes with an individual performance by each yokozuna. The grand champion enters the dohyo preceded by a tsuyuharai, or usher, and followed by a "tachimochi" sword-bearer. The yokozuna wears a large braided hemp rope tied in a bow at the back and ornamented in the front with strips of paper hanging in zigzag patterns, a familiar religious symbol in Japan.

*Yokozuna Hoshoryu (C) performs ring-entering ritual on the first day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at IG Arena in Nagoya on July 13, 2025. (Kyodo)*

*Yokozuna Hoshoryu (C) performs ring-entering ritual on the first day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at IG Arena in Nagoya on July 13, 2025. (Kyodo)*

After first clapping his hands together to attract the attention of the gods, the yokozuna extends his arms to the sides and turns his palms upward to show he is concealing no weapons. Then at the climax, he lifts first one leg to the side high in the air, then the other, bringing each down with a resounding stamp on the ground, symbolically driving evil from the dohyo.

Yumitorishiki is peformed after the final match by a specially picked rikishi, usually ranked in the third-tier makushita or lower, using a twirling bow. The ceremony was introduced at some point during the Edo Period when a winning rikishi was awarded a prize of a bow, and may be considered an expression of satisfaction on behalf of the victorious rikishi of the day.

Shikiri

After entering the dohyo, to cleanse his mind and body, the wrestlers symbolically rinse their mouths with water, the source of purity, and wipe their bodies with paper towels. Each rikishi also scatters a handful of salt -- the privilege only of makuuchi, juryo, and on some occasions makushita rikishi -- to purify the ring, which is also believed to shield him from potential injuries.

The rikishi then squat and face each other in the center of the ring, crouch forward supporting themselves with their fists on the ground, and face each other. This portion of the ritual is called the shikiri. The rikishi do not begin the match at once, but engage in a kind of "cold warfare" and go back to their corners for more salt, scatter it, and return to face each other. They repeat the process again and again, usually for the full four minutes allowed by the rules.

Gyoji

The gyoji, or referees, are attired in kimono patterned after the style worn by the samurai of the Kamakura Period. sumo. Their black court hats of gauze resemble the traditional Shinto priest's hat. Gyoji are graded, and only a tate-gyoji, or top-ranking referee, can officiate at a bout involving a yokozuna. The color of the tassel on his fan: purple or purple and white for the tate-gyoji, vermillion for those corresponding to sanyaku, red and white for makuuchi.

(All photos taken by Kyodo News unless specified otherwise)

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