My explanation below covers the history of sumo, grand tournaments, ranks, the ring, rules, manners, the procedure of a bout, winning techniques, and trivia.
Japan Sumo Association Website
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Present Sumo Standings
Click here and jump to the website. The Japan Times
History
Sumo dates back to the 8th century. It originated as a contest of strength.

Later, during the Heian period, this contest was held in the imperial court to predict the year’s harvest. When the samurai began to rule in the 13th century, sumo became popular among them as a martial art. During the Edo period (1603-1867), sumo became popular entertainment for common people. It continued to become more refined and stylized until today’s tournament style was established.

Grand Tournaments
The grand tournaments broadcast on TV are public entertainment featuring professional sumo wrestlers. It is overwhelming to see these huge men, weighing about 150 kilograms on average, collide with each other barehanded while the audience cheers loudly for their favorite wrestlers. As of September 2025, there are 594 wrestlers.
The grand tournaments, called ‘Ō-Zumo’ (Big Sumo), are held six times a year, with each tournament lasting 15 days.
Ranks
The wrestlers are ranked according to the results of the previous tournament. The ranks are announced before the opening of the tournament. The strongest rank is Yokozuna, followed by Ōzeki, Sekiwake, Komusubi, and Maegashira. This ranking is the top division called Makunouchi, followed by Juryo, Makushita, Sandanme, Jonidan, and Jonokuchi. Wrestlers in the Makunouchi or Juryo ranks are considered full-fledged wrestlers called “Sekitori.”
All wrestlers are called “Rikishi.” Each rikishi belongs to a stable, or sumo-beya. A stable can consist of anywhere from three to 20 rikishi of different ranks (there is no set rule). Lower-ranked rikishi live at the stable full-time, where they practice and receive their training. Each stable has a master, or shisho, who is a former rikishi. The shisho is in charge of the daily operations of the stable and usually keeps a sharp eye on the progress of each rikishi in his stable. Rikishi who belong to the same stable do not fight each other at major tournaments.

Kyushu Tournament Ranking / Bazuke, Click Here
Sumo Bout Ring
Sumo takes place in a ring approximately 15 feet in diameter, raised about 2.5 feet off the ground on a huge block of clay called the dohyo. A light sprinkling of sand is applied inside the ring. The edge of the ring is made of tightly wound straw bands called tawara, which rise about 3 inches out of the dohyo. A new dohyo is created for each tournament.

Five judges, or shinpan, dressed in black kimono, sit below the dohyo and around the ring. These judges are former rikishi themselves. A referee, or gyoji, dressed in an elaborate kimono, stands at the edge of the ring and officiates the bout. At the end of the bout, the gyoji points to the winner. In a particularly close bout, any of the five judges can dispute the call made by the referee. In this case, a conference, called a mono-ii, is held inside the ring with the gyoji and five shinpan to discuss the match. In modern times, television instant replay is used to determine the actual outcome of a match in case of a dispute.
Rules
A rikishi loses a match when any part of his body other than the soles of his feet touches the dohyo or when he is pushed or thrown outside of the ring. In the middle of the ring are two white lines called shikirisen. These lines are the starting points for each rikishi in each bout. When a judge signals the start of the fight, both rikishi crouch behind their respective shikirisen and face each other. When both rikishi place their fists on or behind the shikirisen, the bout begins. The tachi-ai, or initial charge, is extremely important in gaining the advantage and momentum over the opponent.
Manners in Sumo
Dohyo-iri / Ring Entering Ceremony
The ring-entering ceremony is performed only by wrestlers in the juryo and makunouchi divisions. The east and west sides perform their dohyo-iri together, in succession.

Yokozuna Dohyo-iri
The yokozuna performs its own individual dohyo-iri. The main styles of yokozuna dohyo-iri are Unryu and Shiranui, named after Unryū Kyukichi and Shiranui Koemon, wrestlers from ancient times. A yokozuna performs the ceremony with two attendants, the tachimochi or sword carrier, and the tsuyuharai or dew sweeper.

Yumitorishiki / Bow-Twirling Ceremony
The bow-twirling ceremony is performed at the end of each honbasho day by a designated wrestler, the yumitori, who is typically from the makushita division and often a member of a yokozuna’s stable.
Torikumi /Bout
Procedure
1 Waiting: A rikishi goes from the dressing room through the passageway, makes a bow in front of the dohyo, and sits down in the waiting area. As he passes by a judge and a waiting rikishi, he holds the sagari ropes hanging from his mawashi loincloth and crosses while shaking his hand vertically.

2 Calling in: He stands up when his name is called. He steps onto the dohyo and bows to the opponent at the nijiguchi, one end of the ring where he enters.

3 Shiko (one-foot-stomping) under a tassel: From each corner of the roof hangs a different colored tassel, representing one direction. A rikishi from the East stands under the red tassel, while the one from the West stands under the white tassel.

4 Water Rinsing: He squats under the tassel and is given a scoop of water by the winner of the previous bout (or by the waiting rikishi if the previous rikishi on his side lost). He then rinses his mouth. It is a purification ritual.

5 Throwing Salt: He gets some salt from the salt basket and throws it on the dohyo. Salt is thought to purify the place.

6 Sonkyo (Squatting with legs open): He does sonkyo at the nijiguchi by bending his knees, spreading his legs, and straightening his back.

7 Chirichozu (stretching his arms horizontally): He remains in the sonkyo posture, stretches his arms downward, rubs his hands, and then spreads his arms again, this time horizontally with palms facing upward.

8 Shiko in the center of the dohyo: He throws the salt, proceeds to the center, faces the opponent, and does shiko.

9 Sonkyo in front of the shikiri line: After shiko, he takes a posture of sonkyo in front of the shikiri line.

10 Shikiri (toeing the mark): After sonkyo, he performs the shikiri by touching his clenched hands on the dohyo and facing the opponent, matching the timing with the opponent to begin the fight. If the timing doesn’t match, the process from throwing salt to shikiri is repeated until the time limit is up.

11 Tachiai (Initial Charge): When both rikishi match their timing, they charge toward each other and begin the bout.

12 Loser: He makes a bow and goes down from the ring and returns through the passageway.

13 Winner: He squats at the nijiguchi, and gets the winning call from the gyoji referee, and receives the reward after chopping his hand vertically three times, first left, second right, and third center. He steps down from the dohyo ring and wait there to give a scoop of water to the next rikishi.

Winning Techniques

1 Oshidashi (押し出し) – a front push out. The wrestler pushes out of the ring by his opponent by holding on to the belt and not fully extending his arms
2 Yorikiri (寄り切り) – grabbing and keeping a grip on the opponent’s belt forcing them out of the ring backwards.
3 Hatakikomi (叩き込み) – Slapping the opponent’s shoulder, back, or arm and forcing them to fall to the clay
4 Tsukiotoshi (突き落とし) – Twisting the opponent down to the floor by pushing the arms on the upper body causing the opponent to get off balance and falling
5 Hikiotoshi (引き落とし) – Pulling the opponent by the belt, arm, or shoulder and forcing them to fall forward
6 Tsukidashi (突き出し) – a front thrust out where the wrestler pushes the opponent out with a series of pushes with the hand. Hand contact is not necessary to maintain.
7 Uwatenage (上手投げ) – extending the arm over the opponent’s arm, grabbing the belt, and throwing the opponent to the ground by turning sideways
8 Oshitaoshi (押し倒し) – a front push down where the wrestler pushes his opponent out of the ring without the opponent falling down. Hand contact is maintained throughout the whole push.
9 Yoritaoshi (寄り倒し) – gripping the opponent’s belt and forcing the opponent out of the ring and the opponent collapses to their back from the attack. Know also as a front crush out.
10 Kotenage (小手投げ) – grabbing the attackers extending arm, wrapping around it and throwing to the ground without touching their belt
11 Okuridashi (送り出し) – Pushing an off balance opponent out of the circle from behind
12 Sukuinage (掬い投げ) – an arm throw where the attacker goes under the arm pit, across the back and turns sideways, bringing the opponent forward and throwing him to the ground
13 Uwatedashinage (上手出し投げ) – extending the arm over the opponent’s arm or back to grab the belt while pulling them to the ground forwards
14 Shitatenage (下手投げ) – an underarm throw where the attacker gets under the opponent’s arm, grabbing the belt and turning sideways to pull the opponent to the ground
15 Katasukashi (肩透かし) – wrapping both hands around an opponent’s arm and grabbing the shoulder and forcing the opponent down
16 Tottari (とったり) – Wrapping the arms around the opponent’s extended arm and pulling him forward to the ground
17 Abisetaoshi(浴びせ倒し) – Crushing down the opponent by putting all the weight of the body when the opponent bends his back or lose its balance of standing position
18 Tsukitaoshi (突き倒し) – a front thrust down where the opponent is downed out of the ring, falling over the edge onto their back with hand thrusts or shoves
19 Okuritaoshi (送り倒し) – Knocking down an opponent from behind with a push
20 Kimedashi (極め出し) – Wrapping up the opponent’s arms and shoulders and pushing them out of the ring (The Fight Library https://fight-library.com/2020/03/07/sumo-wrestling-terms-a-westerners-glossary/)
Trivia
Set Phrases
-Gyoji Referee Call
“(wrestler’s name) and (wrestler’s name)”
-Gyoji Referee Call for the upper ranked wrestlers
“This is (wrestler’s name), that is (wrestler’s name)” twice
-Gyoji Referee Call for the final bout
“Today’s bouts have gone smoothly until we reached the last one. From this side, … and from that side, …, this bout is the end of today’s tournament.”
-Gyoji Referee Encouragement “Hakkeyoi! Nokkotta! Nokkotta!”
“Move, move, with your full strength.”
-Bout Result Announcement
“XXX won by the winning technique of YYY.”
-Audience Cheering for a Bow Ceremony wrestler in stomping his foot “Yoisho!”
“Strength!”
Reward
Reward Groups, such as companies or supporters’ clubs, post rewards for bouts in the makunouchi division. The reward money is 70,000 yen, of which 30,000 yen is given to the winner, enveloped in gift money paper. Before the bout with rewards posted, callers go around the ring showing banners with the sponsors’ names on them.
Gyoji Referee
Gyoji referees are ranked similarly to rikishi. Their ranking is based on a seniority system. Referees wear the costume of a Shinto priest, with an eboshi headgear, a ceremonial court robe, a fan, tabi socks, and zori footwear. He presides over the bout from beginning to end. At the end of the bout, he points with his fan (similar to the one used by a samurai general) to the winner. He encourages the wrestlers to fight harder by saying “Hakkeyoi” and/or “Nokotta, Nokotta!”
Yobidashi Caller
The yobidashi’s main duty is to call the names of the wrestlers before the bout, a task that is followed by the gyoji. Besides calling names, yobidashi have many jobs such as cleaning the dohyo with a broom, displaying sponsor banners around the ring, building the dohyo before the tournament, hitting a small drum outside the venue to attract people, informing the wrestlers when their time is up, and other tasks.
Dohyo Ring

Sumo used to be held in the open air under a roof supported by four pillars. This style continued into the 20th century even after it was moved indoors. In 1952, the four pillars were removed to let the audience have a clear view of the bouts. The roof is designed in the style of Shinto shrine architecture. It has four large supporting beams. The four corners of the roof have a tassel of a different color: red, black, white, and blue. The selection of the colors is based on the ancient Chinese theory of Yin and Yang. Sumo takes place in a ring approximately 15 feet in diameter, raised about 2.5 feet off the ground on a huge block of clay called a dohyo.
Sumo Data 細かいデータはここに書いてあります。