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86-448: Takamisugi Takakatsu (born 1 March 1961 as Takashi Kanao ) is a former sumo wrestler from Kawasaki, Kanagawa , Japan . His highest rank was komusubi . He is now the head coach of Tokiwayama stable , renamed from Chiganoura stable. Kanao practised judo in elementary and junior school, where he also excelled at painting and artwork. Because of his large size he also took part in team sumo competitions at school and regularly placed

172-474: A siesta -like nap after a large lunch. The most common type of lunch served is the traditional sumo meal of chankonabe , which consists of a simmering stew of various meat and vegetables cooked at the table, and usually eaten with rice. This regimen of no breakfast and a large lunch followed by a sleep is intended to help wrestlers put on a lot of weight so as to compete more effectively. Sumo wrestlers also drink large amounts of beer. Takagenji He

258-474: A 4–11 record and being immediately be demoted back down to the makushita division. This wouldn't last long though as two winning records would send him back up to the sekitori ranks. This time his stay in jūryō was the polar opposite of his first with four straight winning records before getting his first make-koshi or losing record. After the January 2018 tournament, his brother (then known as Takayoshitoshi)

344-528: A bout to be restarted, or leave the decision as given by the gyōji . Occasionally the shimpan will overrule the gyōji and give the bout to the other wrestler. On rare occasions the referee or judges may award the win to the wrestler who touched the ground first. This happens if both wrestlers touch the ground at nearly the same time and it is decided that the wrestler who touched the ground second had no chance of winning, his opponent's superior sumo having put him in an irrecoverable position. The losing wrestler

430-559: A bow for being victorious and he began dancing to show the war-lord his gratitude. Because sumo had become a nuisance due to wild fighting on the streets, particularly in Edo, sumo was temporarily banned in the city during the Edo period . In 1684, sumo was permitted to be held for charity events on the property of Shinto shrines, as was common in Kyoto and Osaka . The first sanctioned tournament took place in

516-440: A fight, which is similar to the ritual before entering a Shinto shrine. Additionally, before a match begins the two wrestlers perform and repeat a warm up routine called shikiri . The top division is given four minutes for shikiri , while the second division is given three, after which the timekeeping judge signals to the gyōji that time is up. Traditionally, sumo wrestlers are renowned for their great girth and body mass, which

602-454: A form of military combat training among samurai . By the Muromachi period , sumo had fully left the seclusion of the court and became a popular event for the masses, and among the daimyō it became common to sponsor wrestlers. Sumotori who successfully fought for a daimyō' s favor were given generous support and samurai status. Oda Nobunaga , a particularly avid fan of the sport, held

688-601: A form of wooden sandal called geta . Wrestlers in the makushita and sandanme divisions can wear a form of traditional short overcoat over their yukata and are allowed to wear straw sandals, called zōri . The higher-ranked sekitori can wear silk robes of their own choice, and the quality of the garb is significantly improved. They also are expected to wear a more elaborate form of topknot called an ōichō (big ginkgo leaf) on formal occasions. Similar distinctions are made in stable life. The junior wrestlers must get up earliest, around 5 am, for training, whereas

774-424: A giant Coca-Cola bottle. Promotion and relegation for the next tournament are determined by a wrestler's score over the 15 days. In the top division, the term kachikoshi means a score of 8–7 or better, as opposed to makekoshi , which indicates a score of 7–8 or worse. A wrestler who achieves kachikoshi almost always is promoted further up the ladder, the level of promotion being higher for better scores. See

860-463: A highly regimented way of life. The Sumo Association prescribes the behavior of its wrestlers in some detail. For example, the association prohibits wrestlers from driving cars, although this is partly out of necessity as many wrestlers are too big to fit behind a steering wheel. Breaking the rules can result in fines and/or suspension for both the offending wrestler and his stablemaster. On entering sumo, they are expected to grow their hair long to form

946-620: A hospital in Saga on 11 December, but then climbed into the dohyō later in the day. The actions were criticized by the head of the Japan Sports Agency, and the Sumo Association acknowledged that it failed to handle the matter properly. The Sumo Association announced in July 2021 that Takagenji had failed a test for cannabis. Having initially claimed that a trace must have come from the oil of

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1032-523: A kick to the back as well. Until the Japanese Middle Ages, this unregulated form of wrestling was often fought to the death of one of the fighters. In the Kofun period (300–538), Haniwa of sumo wrestlers were made. The first historically attested sumo fights were held in 642 at the court of Empress Kōgyoku to entertain a Korean legation. In the centuries that followed, the popularity of sumo within

1118-403: A losing score on both occasions. He holds the record for the most top division tournaments without ever winning a special prize , at 71. In 1993 his stable merged with Fujishima stable and he became a stablemate of ōzeki (later yokozuna ) Takanohana Kōji , whom he had fought eight times previously without beating. In November 1995 he fell into jūryō once more and announced his retirement at

1204-426: A lower-ranked wrestler, it is common and expected for audience members to throw their seat cushions into the ring (and onto the wrestlers), though this practice is technically prohibited. In contrast to the time in bout preparation, bouts are typically very short, usually less than a minute (most of the time only a few seconds). Extremely rarely, a bout can go on for several minutes. A professional sumo wrestler leads

1290-405: A manner akin to a McMahon system tournament ; each wrestler in the top two divisions ( sekitori ) has one match per day, while the lower-ranked wrestlers compete in seven bouts, about one every two days. Each day is structured so that the highest-ranked contestants compete at the end of the day. Thus, wrestling starts in the morning with the jonokuchi wrestlers and ends at around six o'clock in

1376-486: A negative effect on their health, with sumo wrestlers having a much lower life expectancy than the average Japanese man. From 2008 to 2016, a number of high-profile controversies and scandals rocked the sumo world, with an associated effect on its reputation and ticket sales. These have also affected the sport's ability to attract recruits. Despite this setback, sumo's popularity and general attendance has rebounded due to having multiple yokozuna (or grand champions) for

1462-711: A pain reliever he was using, he later admitted that he had smoked a cannabis cigarette while roadside at his Nagoya training quarters. Takagenji was told to stay home by his stablemaster while the Sumo Association's compliance committee investigated. Takagenji is also under investigation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department . On July 30, 2021 it was announced by the Sumo Association that Takagenji would retire immediately, and that his stablemaster would be demoted. The compliance committee noted that Takagenji had been warned about his future conduct less than two years ago, had lied about his cannabis use until

1548-446: A period of 12 months to add an extra 15 cm (6 in) of silicone to his scalp, which created a large, protruding bulge on his head. In response to this, the JSA stated that they would no longer accept aspiring wrestlers who surgically enhanced their height, citing health concerns. In 2019, The Japan Times reported that the height requirement was 167 cm (5 ft 6 in), and

1634-486: A reed", defeating Takeminakata and claiming Izumo. The Nihon Shoki , published in 720, dates the first sumo match between mortals to the year 23 BC, when a man named Nomi no Sukune fought against Taima no Kuehaya at the request of Emperor Suinin and eventually killed him, making him the mythological ancestor of sumo. According to the Nihon Shoki , Nomi broke a rib of Taima with one kick, and killed him with

1720-470: A row take the tournament. More complex systems for championship playoffs involving four or more wrestlers also exist, but these are usually only seen in determining the winner of one of the lower divisions. The matchups for each day of the tournament are determined by the sumo elders who are members of the judging division of the Japan Sumo Association . They meet every morning at 11 am and announce

1806-483: A supporter or family member who encouraged them into the sport. This is particularly true of foreign-born wrestlers. A wrestler may change his wrestling name during his career, with some changing theirs several times. Professional sumo wrestling has a strict hierarchy based on sporting merit. The wrestlers are ranked according to a system that dates back to the Edo period. They are promoted or demoted according to their performance in six official tournaments held throughout

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1892-466: A topknot, or chonmage , similar to the samurai hairstyles of the Edo period. Furthermore, they are expected to wear the chonmage and traditional Japanese dress when in public, allowing them to be identified immediately as wrestlers. The type and quality of the dress depends on the wrestler's rank. Rikishi in jonidan and below are allowed to wear only a thin cotton robe called a yukata , even in winter. Furthermore, when outside, they must wear

1978-511: A tournament of 1,500 wrestlers in February 1578. Because several bouts were to be held simultaneously within Oda Nobunaga's castle, circular arenas were delimited to hasten the proceedings and to maintain the safety of the spectators. This event marks the invention of the dohyō , which would be developed into its current form up until the 18th century. The winner of Nobunaga's tournament was given

2064-493: A winner is still not found after another four minutes, the fight restarts from the tachi-ai after another mizu-iri . If this still does not result in a decision, the outcome is considered a hikiwake ( draw ). This is an extremely rare result, with the last such draw being called in September 1974. A special attraction of sumo is the variety of observed ceremonies and rituals, some of which have been cultivated in connection with

2150-422: A wrestler's future rank. Rank is determined only by performance in grand sumo tournaments. The six divisions in sumo, in descending order of prestige, are: Wrestlers enter sumo in the lowest jonokuchi division and, ability permitting, work their way up to the top division. A broad demarcation in the sumo world can be seen between the wrestlers in the top two divisions known as sekitori ( 関取 ) and those in

2236-500: A wrestler's prior performance. For example, in the lower divisions, wrestlers with the same record in a tournament are generally matched up with each other and the last matchups often involve undefeated wrestlers competing against each other, even if they are from opposite ends of the division. In the top division, in the last few days, wrestlers with exceptional records often have matches against much more highly ranked opponents, including san'yaku wrestlers, especially if they are still in

2322-463: 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 throwing, shoving or pushing him down). Sumo originated in Japan , the only country where it is practised professionally and where it is considered the national sport . It

2408-683: Is considered a gendai budō , which refers to modern Japanese martial arts , but the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, from Shinto . Life as a wrestler is highly regimented, with rules regulated by the Japan Sumo Association . Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal sumo training stables, known in Japanese as heya , where all aspects of their daily lives—from meals to their manner of dress—are dictated by strict kyara tradition. The lifestyle has

2494-410: Is often a winning factor in sumo. No weight divisions are used in professional sumo; a wrestler can sometimes face an opponent twice his own weight. However, with superior technique, smaller wrestlers can control and defeat much larger opponents. The average weight of top division wrestlers has continued to increase, from 125 kilograms (276 lb) in 1969 to over 150 kilograms (330 lb) by 1991, and

2580-416: Is referred to as being shini-tai ("dead body") in this case. The maximum length of a match varies depending on the division. In the top division, the limit is four minutes, although matches usually only last a few seconds. If the match has not yet ended after the allotted time has elapsed, a mizu-iri ( water break ) is taken, after which the wrestlers continue the fight from their previous positions. If

2666-417: The makuuchi article for more details on promotion and relegation. A top-division wrestler who is not an ōzeki or yokozuna and who finishes the tournament with kachikoshi is also eligible to be considered for one of the three prizes awarded for "technique", "fighting spirit", and defeating the most yokozuna and ōzeki the "outstanding performance" prize. For more information see sanshō . For

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2752-403: The mawashi (belt) and then forcing him out, a style called yotsu-zumō ( 四つ相撲 ) , or pushing the opponent out of the ring without a firm grip, a style called oshi-zumō ( 押し相撲 ) . The dohyō , which is constructed and maintained by the yobidashi , consists of a raised pedestal on which a circle 4.55 m (14.9 ft) in diameter is delimited by a series of rice-straw bales. In

2838-469: The Japan Sumo Association is called ōzumō ( 大相撲 ) , or 'grand sumo'. Prehistoric wall paintings indicate that sumo originated from an agricultural ritual dance performed in prayer for a good harvest. The first mention of sumo can be found in a Kojiki manuscript dating back to 712, which describes how possession of the Japanese islands was decided in a wrestling match between the kami known as Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata . Takemikazuchi

2924-659: The Kokugikan in Tokyo (January, May, and September), and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July), and Fukuoka (November). Until the end of 1984, the Kokugikan was located in Kuramae , Tokyo, but moved in 1985 to the newly built venue at Ryōgoku . Each tournament begins on a Sunday and runs for 15 days, ending also on a Sunday, roughly in the middle of the month. The tournaments are organized in

3010-483: The Tomioka Hachiman Shrine at this time. An official sumo organization was developed, consisting of professional wrestlers at the disposal of the Edo administration. Many elements date from this period, such as the dohyō-iri , the heya system, the gyōji and the mawashi . The 18th century brought forth several notable wrestlers such as Raiden Tameemon , Onogawa Kisaburō and Tanikaze Kajinosuke ,

3096-487: The kanji " 角力 ", as in the Nihon Shoki . Here, the first character means 'corner', but serves as a phonetic element as one reading of it is sumi , while the second character means 'force'. Sumō is also a general term for wrestling in Japanese. For example, udezumō ( 腕相撲 , 'arm sumō') means ' arm wrestling ', and yubizumō ( 指相撲 , 'finger sumō') means ' finger wrestling '. The professional sumo observed by

3182-443: The sekitori may start around 7 am. When the sekitori are training, the junior wrestlers may have chores to do, such as assisting in cooking lunch, cleaning, and preparing baths, holding a sekitori ' s towel, or wiping the sweat from him. The ranking hierarchy is preserved for the order of precedence in bathing after training, and in eating lunch. Wrestlers are not normally allowed to eat breakfast and are expected to have

3268-492: The age of 34 after losing his first three matches. He remained in sumo as a coach at Futagoyama stable (later renamed Takanohana stable). Unable to purchase toshiyori kabu or elder stock, he borrowed elder names instead. He was known as Fujishima (until the retirement of stablemate Wakanohana Masaru ), then Otowayama (until the retirement of Takanonami ) and then Tokiwayama Oyakata. Along with five other oyakata ( Magaki , Ōnomatsu , Otowayama , Ōtake and Futagoyama ), he

3354-408: The bout, the referee must immediately designate his decision by pointing his gunbai or war-fan towards the winning side. The winning technique ( kimarite ) used by the winner would then be announced to the audience. The wrestlers then return to their starting positions and bow to each other before retiring. The referee's decision is not final and may be disputed by the five judges seated around

3440-425: The central association. The popularity of sumo was restored when Emperor Meiji organized a tournament in 1884; his example would make sumo a national symbol and contribute to nationalist sentiment following military successes against Korea and China. The Japan Sumo Association reunited on 28 December 1925 and increased the number of annual tournaments from two to four, and then to six in 1958. The length of tournaments

3526-559: The court increased its ceremonial and religious significance. Regular events at the Emperor's court, the sumai no sechie , and the establishment of the first set of rules for sumo fall into the cultural heyday of the Heian period . With the collapse of the Emperor's central authority, sumo lost its importance in the court; during the Kamakura period , sumo was repurposed from a ceremonial struggle to

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3612-495: The culmination of the tournament echoes the words of the playwright Zeami to represent the excitement of the decisive bouts and the celebration of the victor. The Emperor's Cup is presented to the wrestler who wins the top-division makuuchi championship. Numerous other (mostly sponsored) prizes are also awarded to him. These prizes are often rather elaborate, ornate gifts, such as giant cups, decorative plates, and statuettes. Others are quite commercial, such as one trophy shaped like

3698-504: The defunct Takanohana stable. Takakeishō won the tournament championship in November 2018 and was promoted to ōzeki the following year, although he had to pull out of his ōzeki debut tournament in May 2019 with an injury. Chiganoura apologized to the Sumo Association for Takakeishō's decision to re-enter the tournament only to have to withdraw once again, and made sure Takakeishō did not appear at

3784-419: The evening with bouts involving the yokozuna . The wrestler who wins the most matches over the 15 days wins the tournament championship ( yūshō ) for his division. If two wrestlers are tied for the top, they wrestle each other and the winner takes the title. Three-way ties for a championship are rare, at least in the top division. In these cases, the three wrestle each other in pairs with the first to win two in

3870-484: The first historical yokozuna . When Matthew Perry was shown sumo wrestling during his 1853 expedition to Japan, he found it distasteful and arranged a military showcase to display the merits of Western organization. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 brought about the end of the feudal system, and with it the wealthy daimyō as sponsors. Due to a new fixation on Western culture , sumo had come to be seen as an embarrassing and backward relic, and internal disputes split

3956-514: The first in sumo history to have two sets of twins simultaneously. However, both of the other twins had retired by the end of 2014. Takagenji made his professional debut alongside his brother in March 2013. He steadily rose up the ranks before hitting his first wall upon his promotion to makushita two years later in March 2015. He could manage only three wins at the rank and was immediately demoted back down to sandanme . He proceeded to bounce between

4042-493: The first time in a number of years and other high-profile wrestlers grabbing the public's attention. The spoken word sumō goes back to the verb sumau/sumafu , meaning 'compete' or 'fight'. The written word goes back to the expression sumai no sechi ( 相撲の節 ) , which was a wrestling competition at the imperial court during the Heian period . The characters from sumai , or sumō today, mean 'to strike each other'. There are instances of "sumo" alternatively being written with

4128-436: The following day's matchups around 12 pm. An exception are the final day 15 matchups, which are announced much later on day 14. Each wrestler only competes against a selection of opponents from the same division, though small overlaps can occur between two divisions. The first bouts of a tournament tend to be between wrestlers who are within a few ranks of each other. Afterwards, the selection of opponents takes into account

4214-422: The four lower divisions, known commonly by the more generic term rikishi ( 力士 ) . The ranks receive different levels of compensation, privileges, and status. The topmost makuuchi division receives the most attention from fans and has the most complex hierarchy. The majority of wrestlers are maegashira ( 前頭 ) and are ranked from the highest level 1 down to about 16 or 17. In each rank are two wrestlers;

4300-413: The higher rank is designated as "east" and the lower as "west", so the list goes #1 east, #1 west, #2 east, #2 west, etc. Above the maegashira are the three champion or titleholder ranks, called the san'yaku , which are only numbered if the number of wrestlers in each rank exceeds two. These are, in ascending order, komusubi ( 小結 ) , sekiwake ( 関脇 ) , and ōzeki ( 大関 ) . At the pinnacle of

4386-450: The highest ranks. In the 10 years since January 2009, five of the nine wrestlers promoted to ōzeki have been foreign-born, and a Japanese had not been named yokozuna from 1998 until the promotion of Kisenosato Yutaka in 2017. This and other issues eventually led the Sumo Association to limit the number of foreigners allowed to one in each stable. Women are not allowed to compete in professional sumo. They are also not allowed to enter

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4472-404: The last five days or so of the tournament (depending on the number of top-ranked wrestlers competing). Traditionally, on the final day, the last three bouts of the tournament are between the top six ranked wrestlers, with the top two competing in the final matchup, unless injuries during the tournament prevent this. Certain match-ups are prohibited in regular tournament play. Wrestlers who are from

4558-414: The list of upper divisions champions since 1909, refer to the list of top division champions and the list of second division champions . At the initial charge, both wrestlers must jump up from the crouch simultaneously after touching the surface of the ring with two fists at the start of the bout. The referee ( gyōji ) can restart the bout if this simultaneous touch does not occur. Upon completion of

4644-412: The middle of the circle there are two starting lines ( shikiri-sen ), behind which the wrestlers line up for the tachi-ai , the synchronized charge that initiates the match. The direction of the match is incumbent on the gyōji , a referee who is supported by five shimpan (judges). In some situations, a review of the gyōji ' s decision may be needed. The shimpan may convene a conference in

4730-433: The middle of the ring, called a mono-ii . This is done if the judges decide that the decision over who won the bout needs to be reviewed; for example, if both wrestlers appear to touch the ground or step out of the ring at the same time. In these cases, sometimes video is reviewed to see what happened. Once a decision is made, the chief judge will announce the decision to the spectators and the wrestlers alike. They may order

4816-404: The opponent. The Japan Sumo Association currently distinguishes 82 kimarite (winning techniques), some of which come from judo . Illegal moves are called kinjite , which include strangulation, hair-pulling, bending fingers, gripping the crotch area, kicking, poking eyes, punching and simultaneously striking both the opponent's ears. The most common basic forms are grabbing the opponent by

4902-492: The positive drug test confirmed it, and had smoked cannabis on at least eight occasions. On the September 2021 banzuke the position of Jūryō 9 West, which Takagenji would have occupied, was left blank. On 3 September 2021 his case was referred to prosecutors regarding possible violation of the Cannabis Control Law by possessing marijuana, but it was announced on 12 October that he would not be prosecuted. Takagenji

4988-473: The rank of maegashira 10. He made a promising start by winning four of his first five matches but then lost ten in a row to finish on 4–11. The same score of 4–11 in the September tournament from the very bottom rank of maegashira 17 saw him demoted to jūryō for November 2019. Further losing records saw him demoted to makushita for the September 2020 tournament, but he returned to jūryō after just one tournament. In September 2019 when his twin brother

5074-428: The rank of yokozuna at the same time. In antiquity, sumo was solely a Japanese sport. Since the 1900s, however, the number of foreign-born sumo wrestlers has gradually increased. In the beginning of this period, these few foreign wrestlers were listed as Japanese, but particularly since the 1960s, a number of high-profile foreign-born wrestlers became well-known, and in more recent years have even come to dominate in

5160-446: The ranking system is the rank of yokozuna ( 横綱 ) . Yokozuna , or grand champions, are generally expected to compete for and to win the top division tournament title on a regular basis, hence the promotion criteria for yokozuna are very strict. In general, an ōzeki must win the championship for two consecutive tournaments or an "equivalent performance" to be considered for promotion to yokozuna . More than one wrestler can hold

5246-402: The ring. If this happens, they meet in the center of the ring to hold a mono-ii (a talk about things). After reaching a consensus, they can uphold or reverse the referee's decision or order a rematch, known as a torinaoshi . A winning wrestler in the top division may receive additional prize money in envelopes from the referee if the matchup has been sponsored. If a yokozuna is defeated by

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5332-408: The running for the top division championship. Similarly, more highly ranked wrestlers with very poor records may find themselves fighting wrestlers much further down the division. For the yokozuna and ōzeki , the first week and a half of the tournament tends to be taken up with bouts against the top maegashira , komusubi , and sekiwake , with the bouts within these ranks being concentrated into

5418-411: The same training stable cannot compete against each other, nor can wrestlers who are brothers, even if they join different stables. The one exception to this rule is that training stable partners and brothers can face each other in a championship-deciding playoff match. The last day of the tournament is called senshūraku , which literally means "the pleasure of a thousand autumns". This colorful name for

5504-412: The sport and unchanged for centuries. These include the ring-entering ceremonies ( dohyō-iri ) at the beginning of each tournament day, in which the wrestlers appear in the ring in elaborate kesho-mawashi , but also such details as the tossing of salt into the ring by the wrestlers, which serves as a symbolic cleansing of the ring, and rinsing the mouth with chikara-mizu ( 力水 , power water) before

5590-446: The stable's end of tournament party. In November 2020, as former Chiganoura owner Masudayama's retirement approached, as part of a previous agreement, former Takamisugi and former Masudayama swapped back their elder names, and former Takamisugi changed the name of the stable to his original elder name, Tokiwayama. In July 2021 he was demoted to the lowest rung in the Sumo Association's hierarchy of toshiyori after his wrestler Takagenji

5676-460: The team in the top three. Upon his graduation he joined Futagoyama stable in March 1976. It was a prestigious heya to join, as it was run by former yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I and contained a number of top division stars including popular ōzeki Takanohana Kenshi . Initially fighting under his own surname, Kanao adopted the shikona of Futagonishiki in 1977 but switched to Takamisugi two years later. In January 1981, after five years in

5762-475: The two divisions for a little less than a year before a surprise 6-1 runner-up performance in January 2016 would help to firmly establish him in the makushita division. He fought in this division for a little over a year before on the coattails five kachi-koshi or winning records he achieved 4–3 record at makushita 1 and gained promotion to the jūryō division. His first tournament in jūryō did not pan out as his last year had and he fell flat managing only

5848-495: The unsalaried divisions, he reached sekitori level upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division, and he made the top makuuchi division just three tournaments later in July 1981. He initially struggled with injuries and after a number of setbacks, including a short spell back in the third makushita division, he made a top division kachi-koshi at the third attempt in January 1984, and established himself in makuuchi . He dropped back to jūryō in January 1987 but

5934-576: The weight requirement was 67 kg (148 lb), although they also claimed that a "blind eye" is turned for those "just shy" of the minimums. In 2023 the Sumo Association loosened the height and weight requirements, announcing that prospective recruits not meeting the minimums could still enter sumo by passing a physical fitness exam . All sumo wrestlers take wrestling names called shikona ( 四股名 ) , which may or may not be related to their real names. Often, wrestlers have little choice in their names, which are given to them by their stablemasters, or by

6020-567: The wrestlers under him. In 2007, 43 training stables hosted 660 wrestlers. To turn professional, wrestlers must have completed at least nine years of compulsory education and meet minimum height and weight requirements. In 1994, the Japanese Sumo Association required that all sumo wrestlers be a minimum 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) in height. This prompted 16-year-old Takeji Harada of Japan (who had failed six previous eligibility tests) to have four separate cosmetic surgeries over

6106-566: The wrestling ring ( dohyō ), a tradition stemming from Shinto and Buddhist beliefs that women are "impure" because of menstrual blood . A form of female sumo ( 女相撲 , onnazumo ) existed in some parts of Japan before professional sumo was established. The 2018 film The Chrysanthemum and the Guillotine depicts female sumo wrestlers at the time of civil unrest following the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake . Since 1958, six Grand Sumo tournaments or honbasho have been held each year: three at

6192-491: The year, which are called honbasho . A carefully prepared banzuke listing the full hierarchy is published two weeks prior to each sumo tournament. In addition to the professional tournaments, exhibition competitions are held at regular intervals every year in Japan, and roughly once every two years, the top-ranked wrestlers visit a foreign country for such exhibitions. None of these displays are taken into account in determining

6278-443: Was a god of thunder, swordsmanship, and conquest, created from the blood that was shed when Izanagi slew the fire-demon Kagu-tsuchi . Takeminakata was a god of water, wind, agriculture and hunting, and a distant descendant of the storm-god Susanoo . When Takemikazuchi sought to conquer the land of Izumo , Takeminakata challenged him in hand-to-hand combat. In their melee, Takemikazuchi grappled Takeminakata's arm and crushed it "like

6364-399: Was a record 166 kilograms (366 lb) as of January 2019. Professional sumo is organized by the Japan Sumo Association . The members of the association, called oyakata , are all former wrestlers, and are the only people entitled to train new wrestlers. All professional wrestlers must be a member of a training stable (or heya ) run by one of the oyakata , who is the stablemaster for

6450-458: Was an oshi-sumo specialist who favoured pushing techniques to fighting on the mawashi or belt. His most common kimarite was yorikiri followed by oshidashi and tsukidashi . He was initially a yotsu-sumo or grappling specialist, but began to switch to pushing techniques around 2015 to try to improve his performances after finding himself going back and forth between the makushita and sandanme divisions. His consistency improved and he

6536-516: Was becoming a mixed martial artist. He changed his name to Takagenji Satoshi . His first bout against Hideki "Shrek" Sekine is scheduled for April 16, 2022 at Rizin Trigger 3 . He lost the bout via TKO due to soccer kicks and punches on the ground in the second round. Satoshi faced Cally Gibrainn de Oliveira at Rizin Landmark 4 on November 6, 2022. He lost the fight by ground and pound TKO stoppage at

6622-520: Was born in Oyama , Tochigi Prefecture , as a younger brother of an identical twin to a Filipino mother and a Japanese father. He would grow up in Sakai, Ibaraki Prefecture. He was in many sports as a youth such as karate and kickboxing but was particularly good at basketball . In junior high he was ranked third nationally in basketball and was scouted by many top high school basketball programs. Among his rivals

6708-398: Was dismissed from sumo for cannabis use . He is often called upon to sing at sumo functions. His nickname when active was Doraemon because of his facial resemblance to the popular manga / anime character. His wife is a former disc jockey . Takamisugi liked a solid frontal pushing attack, and relied almost exclusively on oshisumo and tsuppari (thrusting). The push out or oshidashi

6794-722: Was eventually promoted to sekitori level in 2017. He was known for being a diligent trainer, so much so that when he dislocated his knee while practicing on tour in Tokushima in October 2016, he re-inserted the dislocated knee joint so he could finish the training session. Sanshō key: F =Fighting spirit; O =Outstanding performance; T =Technique     Also shown: ★ = Kinboshi ; P = Playoff (s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi On December 24, 2021, Satoshi announced that he

6880-461: Was extended from ten to fifteen days in 1949. The elementary principle of sumo is that a match is decided by a fighter first either being forced out of the circular dohyō (ring) (not necessarily having to touch the ground outside the ring with any part of the body), or touching the ground inside the ring with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet. The wrestlers try to achieve this by pushing, tossing, striking and often by outwitting

6966-625: Was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for his former stablemate Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association . In April 2016 he took over the running of the Chiganoura stable upon the retirement of the previous head, ex- sekiwake Masudayama . In October 2018 he became the head coach of Takakeishō and other wrestlers formerly of

7052-465: Was future NBA player Rui Hachimura . Upon his father's request he took up sumo after being introduced to yokozuna Takanohana in the third grade. After junior high he chose to join Takanohana stable along with his brother stating, "I won't make any money in basketball and I would like to continue using my body." The stable already had a set of twins (Takageppo and Takatoshi) making Takanohana stable

7138-440: Was promoted to jūryō also, making them the first twins to be ranked in jūryō simultaneously. Shortly after this his stable was dissolved and he moved to then Chiganoura stable (since renamed) along with his brother. In May 2019 at the rank of jūryō 2 he got a 13-2 winning record taking home the yūshō or championship and guaranteeing his promotion to the top division. Takagenji made his makuuchi debut in July 2019 at

7224-405: Was re-promoted after winning the jūryō championship or yūshō in March with a 13–2 record. In November 1987 he defeated Ōnokuni in the latter's debut tournament as a yokozuna to earn his only kinboshi or gold star. Takamisugi remained a rank-and file maegashira for nearly all his top division career. Although he reached komusubi twice, in January 1991 and January 1993, he recorded

7310-713: Was the winning kimarite in nearly half his sekitori matches. He usually lost if his opponents were able to grab hold of his mawashi or belt. He very rarely employed throwing moves; his most common throw was the beltless kotenage , or armlock throw. Sanshō key: F =Fighting spirit; O =Outstanding performance; T =Technique     Also shown: ★ = Kinboshi ; P = Playoff (s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Sumo Sumo ( Japanese : 相撲 , Hepburn : sumō , Japanese pronunciation: [ˈsɯmoː] , lit.   ' striking one another ' )

7396-487: Was told to retire for striking his tsukebito or personal assistant, Takagenji was also reprimanded because although he had not used physical violence, he was found to have engaged in power harassment . In December 2019, the Japan Sumo Association admitted that Takagenji participated in a regional sumo tour in Kyushu while infected with the influenza virus. A spokesperson said that Takagenji reported his health condition to

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