View source for Sumo

{{Short description|Japanese martial art}}
{{Other uses|Sumo (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2011}}
{{infobox martial art
| logo         =
| logocaption  =
| logosize     =
| image        = Asashoryu fight Jan08.JPG
| imagecaption = A sumo match ''(tori-kumi)'' between ''yokozuna'' [[Asashōryū Akinori|Asashōryū]] (left) and ''komusubi'' [[Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro|Kotoshōgiku]] in January 2008
| imagesize    = 
| name         = Sumo 
| aka          = ({{langn|ja|相撲}})
| focus        = [[Clinch fighting]]
| hardness     = Full contact
| country      = [[Japan]]
| creator      =
| parenthood   =
| ancestor_arts = Tegoi
| descendant_arts = [[Jujutsu]], [[Jieitaikakutōjutsu]]
| famous_pract =
| olympic      = No, but [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] [[Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations|recognized]]
| website      = {{URL|http://www.sumo.or.jp/En/}}
}}
{{Infobox sport
| name       = Sumo
| image      = 
| imagesize  = 220px
| caption    = 
| union      = [[International Sumo Federation]] (Amateur)<br>[[Japan Sumo Association]] (Professional)
| first      = Japan, mid-17th century ([[Edo period]])
| firstlabel =
| country/region = Worldwide (Amateur)<br>Japan (Professional)
| registered =
| clubs      =
| contact    = Yes
| team       = No
| mgender    = Yes (Amateur, separate divisions)<br>No (Professional, men only)
| category   = Grappling sport
| equipment  = [[Mawashi]]
| glossary   = [[Glossary of sumo terms]]
| venue      = [[Dohyō]]
| obsolete   =
| olympic    = No
| paralympic = No
| IWGA       = [[Sumo at the 2001 World Games|2001]] (invitational)<br>[[Sumo at the 2005 World Games|2005]]–[[Sumo at the 2022 World Games|2022]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|pic=Sumo (Chinese characters).svg
|piccap="Sumo" in ''[[kanji]]''
|picupright=0.4
|kanji=相撲
|hiragana=すもう
|revhep=sumō
|kunrei=sumô
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Sumo'''|相撲|sumō|{{IPA|ja|ˈsɯmoː|o}}, {{lit|striking one another|lk=yes}}|lead=yes}}<ref name="Sumo">{{cite web|title=Sumo|url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/sumo-sport|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609130647/https://www.britannica.com/sports/sumo-sport|url-status=live}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/sumo/sumo01.html |title=What Is Sumo? |work=Kids Web Japan |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] |access-date=16 May 2020 |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518035734/https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/sumo/sumo01.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160125/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |title=Yoroku: The pride of Japan's 'national sport' |work=[[The Mainichi]] |date=2016-01-25 |access-date=2022-12-30 |archive-date=December 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230181758/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160125/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |url-status=live }}</ref> It 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 (sumo)|heya]]'', where all aspects of their daily lives{{snd}}from meals to their manner of dress{{snd}}are dictated by strict tradition. The lifestyle has 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 in professional sumo|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.<ref name="Decline in sumo">{{cite news |title=Decline in apprentices threatens future of national sport |newspaper=Asahi Shimbun |url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sports/sumo/AJ201209070047 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628045756/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sports/sumo/AJ201209070047 |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Despite this setback, sumo's popularity and general attendance has rebounded due to having multiple ''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]'' (or grand champions) for the first time in a number of years and other high-profile wrestlers grabbing the public's attention.<ref name="Sumo revival">{{cite web |title=Revival of sumo's popularity |publisher=Saga Shinbun |url=http://www.saga-s.co.jp/column/ariakesyou/124367 |language=ja |access-date=December 8, 2014 |archive-date=January 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105183721/http://www.saga-s.co.jp/column/ariakesyou/124367 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Etymology==
The spoken word ''sumō'' goes back to the verb ''sumau/sumafu'', meaning 'compete' or 'fight'. The written word goes back to the expression {{nihongo||相撲の節|sumai no sechi}}, 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 the [[kanji]] "{{nihongo2|角力}}", as in the {{lang|ja-latn|[[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, {{nihongo3|'arm sumō'|腕相撲|udezumō}} means '[[arm wrestling]]', and {{nihongo3|'finger sumō'|指相撲|yubizumō}} means '[[Finger pulling|finger wrestling]]'. The professional sumo observed by the [[Japan Sumo Association]] is called {{nihongo||大相撲|ōzumō}}, or 'grand sumo'.

==History==
===Antiquity (pre-1185)===
{{See also|Shinto origins of sumo}}
[[File:Figure group entitled 'The Wrestlers' or 'Kawatso Saburo Overcoming Matano Goro' - RC1008-1.tif|thumb|Japanese figure group entitled '''The Wrestlers' or 'Kawatso Saburo Overcoming Matano Goro'.'' The sculpture depicts Kawatso Saburo wrestling with Matano Goro during a famous sumo match of AD 1176. The pair are shown in the hold 'kawazu-gake' named after Saburo, the victor. This item is possibly a miniature example of [[Iki doll|Iki-ningyō]] (living dolls), the Japanese tradition of making life-sized life-like dolls which were popular in misemono (exhibitions) during the Edo period of Japan and showed dramatic historical scenes.]]
Prehistoric wall paintings indicate that sumo originated from an agricultural [[Sacred dance|ritual dance]] performed in prayer for a good harvest.<ref name="USADojo">{{cite web |url=https://www.usadojo.com/history-of-sumo/ |title=History of Sumo |last=Sharnoff |first=Lora |date=August 13, 2013 |website=USA Dojo |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229215600/https://www.usadojo.com/history-of-sumo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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]] 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-no-Mikoto|Susanoo]]. When [[Takemikazuchi]] sought to conquer the land of [[Izumo Province|Izumo]], Takeminakata challenged him in hand-to-hand combat. In their melee, Takemikazuchi grappled Takeminakata's arm and crushed it "like a reed", defeating Takeminakata and claiming Izumo.<ref name="fight-library">{{cite web|url=https://fight-library.com/2020/04/14/history-lesson-sumo-wrestlings-ancient-origins/|title=History Lesson: Sumo Wrestling's Ancient Origins|publisher=Fight-Library.com|author=Blaine Henry|date=April 14, 2020|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=May 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515051255/https://fight-library.com/2020/04/14/history-lesson-sumo-wrestlings-ancient-origins/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=ashkenazi>{{cite book|last=Ashkenazi|first=Michael|title=Handbook of Japanese Mythology|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2003|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofjapane0000ashk|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofjapane0000ashk/page/266 266]|isbn=9781576074671}}</ref>
[[File:舟塚古墳 (小美玉市) 出土 埴輪 力士.JPG|thumb|259x259px|Haniwa sumo wrestler]]
The {{lang|ja-latn|[[Nihon Shoki]]}}, published in 720, dates the first sumo match between mortals to the year 23&nbsp;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.<ref name="USADojo" /><ref name="Kokugakuin">{{cite web |url=http://k-amc.kokugakuin.ac.jp/DM/detail.do?class_name=col_eos&data_id=23231 |title=Encyclopedia of Shinto: Sumō |author=Shigeru Takayama |publisher=Kokugakuin University |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124072953/http://k-amc.kokugakuin.ac.jp/DM/detail.do?class_name=col_eos&data_id=23231 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to the ''Nihon Shoki'', Nomi broke a rib of Taima with one kick, and killed him with a kick to the back as well.<ref name="fight-library" /> Until the Japanese Middle Ages, this unregulated form of wrestling was often fought to the death of one of the fighters.<ref name="USADojo" /> In the [[Kofun period]] (300–538), ''[[Haniwa]]'' of sumo wrestlers were made.<ref>{{Cite web |title=男子立像（力士像）埴輪 文化遺産オンライン |url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/205108 |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=bunka.nii.ac.jp |language=ja}}</ref> 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 the court increased its ceremonial and religious significance. Regular events at the Emperor's court, the {{Transliteration|ja|sumai no sechie}}, and the establishment of the first set of rules for sumo fall into the cultural heyday of the [[Heian period]].

===Japanese Middle Ages (1185–1603)===
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 a form of military combat training among ''[[samurai]]''.<ref name="USADojo"/><ref name="Kokugakuin"/> By the [[Muromachi period]], sumo had fully left the seclusion of the court and became a popular event for the masses, and among the ''[[Daimyo|daimyō]]'' it became common to sponsor wrestlers. ''Sumotori'' who successfully fought for a [[Daimyo|''daimyō'''s]] favor were given generous support and ''samurai'' status. [[Oda Nobunaga]], a particularly avid fan of the sport, held 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.<ref name="USADojo"/> The winner of Nobunaga's tournament was given a bow for being victorious and he began dancing to show the war-lord his gratitude.<ref name="fight-library"/>

===Edo period (1603–1867)===
[[File:Sumo-Yokozuna-Shiranui-and-Kimenzan-1869.png|thumb|The 11th Yokozuna, [[Shiranui Kōemon]] and the 13th Yokozuna, [[Kimenzan Tanigorō]] (1866)]]
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 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 ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#D|dohyō-iri]]'', the ''[[Heya (sumo)|heya]]'' system, the ''[[gyōji]]'' and the ''[[mawashi]]''. The 18th century brought forth several notable wrestlers such as [[Raiden Tameemon]], [[Onogawa Kisaburō]] and [[Tanikaze Kajinosuke]], the first historical ''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]''.

When [[Matthew C. 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.<ref>{{cite book|title=When, Where, Why, and How It Happened|publisher=Reader's Digest|page=243|editor-first=Michael|editor-last=Worth Davison|year=1993}}</ref>

===Since 1868===
[[Image:Wrestling at Tokyo 1890s.jpg|thumb|Sumo match in Tokyo {{c.|1890s}}]]
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 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 was extended from ten to fifteen days in 1949.<ref name="fight-library"/>

<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="Gallery" heights="120px" perrow="3">
File:Grand-Kanjin-Sumo-Tournament-by-Utagawa-Kunisada-1846.png|Kanjin Grand Sumo Tournament ({{Circa|1843}})
File:Kunisada sumo 1851.jpg|Sumo wrestling scene {{c.|1851}}
File:Somagahana Fuchiemon restored.jpg|Somagahana Fuchiemon, {{c.|1850|lk=on}}
File:The_Mission_of_Commodore_Perry_to_Japan_in_1854_(BM_2013,3002.1_105).jpg|American sailors of the [[Perry Expedition]] examining a sumo wrestler (1854)
</gallery>

==Rules and customs==
[[Image:Azumafuji vs Tochinishiki 1953-10-29.jpg|thumb|[[Azumafuji]] defeating [[Tochinishiki]] via the "overarm throw" (''[[uwatenage]]'') technique, 1953]]
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 the opponent.<ref name="winning">{{cite web |url=https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/sumo/sumo02.html |title=Winning a Sumo Bout |work=Kids Web Japan |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] |access-date=16 May 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807170721/https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/sumo/sumo02.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Japan Sumo Association]] currently distinguishes 82 ''[[kimarite]]'' (winning techniques), some of which come from [[judo]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kimarite Menu|url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kimarite/index.html|publisher=[[Japan Sumo Association]]|access-date=20 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709042119/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kimarite/index.html|archive-date=9 July 2009}}</ref> The most common basic forms are grabbing the opponent by the ''[[mawashi]]'' (belt) and then forcing him out, a style called {{nihongo3||四つ相撲|yotsu-zumō}}, or pushing the opponent out of the ring without a firm grip, a style called {{nihongo3||押し相撲|oshi-zumō}}. 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 ''dohyō'', which is constructed and maintained by the ''[[yobidashi]]'', consists of a raised pedestal on which a circle 15 [[Shaku_(unit)|shaku]] ( {{convert|4.55|m|ft|abbr=on}} ) in diameter is delimited by a series of rice-straw bales. In the middle of the circle there are two starting lines (''[[Glossary of sumo terms#S|shikiri-sen]]''), behind which the wrestlers line up for the ''tachi-ai'', the synchronized charge that initiates the match.<ref name=BBOS>{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Mina |title=The Big Book of Sumo: History, Practice, Ritual, Fight |publisher=Stone Bridge Press |year=1997 |isbn=1-880656-28-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/bigbookofsumohis00hall}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kheliyad.com/2019/10/sumo-wrestling-heavyweight-japan-part-1.html |title=what is Dohyo |last=Pathade |first=Mahesh |website=Kheliyad |access-date=March 9, 2020 |archive-date=March 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317172654/https://www.kheliyad.com/2019/10/sumo-wrestling-heavyweight-japan-part-1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The direction of the match is incumbent on the ''[[gyōji]]'', a referee who is supported by five ''[[Judge (sumo)|shimpan]]'' (judges). In some situations, a review of the ''gyōji''{{'}}s decision may be needed. The ''shimpan'' may convene a conference in the middle of the ring, called a ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#M|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 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 is referred to as being ''[[shini-tai]]'' ("dead body") in this case.<ref name="NHKQA">{{cite news|author=Morita, Hiroshi|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/qa/|title=Sumo Q&A|work=[[NHK World-Japan]]|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=December 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207164607/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/qa/|url-status=live}}</ref>

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 stop (sports)|water break]]) is taken, after which the wrestlers continue the fight from their previous positions. If 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 (tie)|draw]]). This is an extremely rare result, with the last such draw being called in September 1974.<ref name="Sharnoff">{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref>

A special attraction of sumo is the variety of observed ceremonies and rituals, some of which have been cultivated in connection with 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 ''[[Mawashi#Keshō-mawashi|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,<ref name="NHKQA"/> and rinsing the mouth with {{Nihongo3|power water|力水|chikara-mizu}} before 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.<ref name="NHKQA"/>

Traditionally, sumo wrestlers are renowned for their great girth and body mass, which 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rules of Sumo |work=Beginner's Guide of Sumo |publisher=[[Japan Sumo Association]] |url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/rules.html |access-date=June 26, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070601161839/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/rules.html |archive-date=June 1, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The average weight of top division wrestlers has continued to increase, from {{convert|125|kg}} in 1969 to over {{convert|150|kg}} by 1991, and was a record {{convert|166|kg}} as of January 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201902190008.html|title=SUMO/ Heavier wrestlers blamed for increase in serious injuries|date=19 February 2019|newspaper=[[Asahi Shimbun]]|access-date=8 March 2019|archive-date=February 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228121536/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201902190008.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Professional sumo==
[[File:Aki_basho_dohyō-iri_on_Sept._28_2014.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Sumo wrestlers gather in a circle around the ''[[gyōji]]'' (referee) in the ''[[dohyō-iri]]'' (ring-entering ceremony) (2014)]]

Professional sumo is organized by the [[Japan Sumo Association]].<ref name="Sharnoff"/> It is called Ōzumō (大相撲, Grand Sumo). The members of the association, called ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#O|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 (sumo)|heya]]'') run by one of the ''oyakata'', who is the stablemaster for the wrestlers under him. In 2007, 43 training stables hosted 660 wrestlers.<ref>{{cite web| title=Sumo Beya Guide| publisher=[[Japan Sumo Association]]| url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/sumo_beya/index.html| access-date=July 8, 2007| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715230032/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/sumo_beya/index.html| archive-date=July 15, 2007| df=mdy-all}}</ref>

To turn professional, wrestlers must have completed at least nine years of [[compulsory education]] and meet minimum height and weight requirements.<ref name="NHKQA"/> In 1994, the Japanese Sumo Association required that all sumo wrestlers be a minimum {{convert|173|cm|ftin|sp=us|abbr=on}} 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 a period of 12 months to add an extra {{convert|15|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} of silicone to his scalp, which created a large, protruding bulge on his head.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19940707/1919134/wrestlers-go-great-lengths-to-qualify|title=Wrestlers Go Great Lengths To Qualify|last=Ashmun|first=Chuck|year=1994|newspaper=Seattle Times|access-date=15 October 2018|archive-date=October 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015192452/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940707&slug=1919134|url-status=live}}</ref> In response to this, the JSA stated that they would no longer accept aspiring wrestlers who surgically enhanced their height, citing health concerns.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-07-mn-13018-story.html|title=Silicone Raises Sumo Hopeful to New Heights|date=July 7, 1994|via=LA Times|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-date=March 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318082845/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-07-07/news/mn-13018_1_minimum-height|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, ''[[The Japan Times]]'' reported that the height requirement was {{convert|167|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}, and the weight requirement was {{Convert|67|kg|abbr=on}}, although they also claimed that a "blind eye" is turned for those "just shy" of the minimums.<ref>{{cite news|author=Gunning, John|author-link=John Gunning (journalist)|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/01/13/sumo/barriers-exist-wishing-join-sumo-ranks/#.XzYFo357nIU|title=Sumo 101: Becoming a rikishi|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]|date=January 13, 2019|access-date=August 13, 2020|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107234344/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/01/13/sumo/barriers-exist-wishing-join-sumo-ranks/#.XzYFo357nIU|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 [[Exam#Physical fitness tests|physical fitness exam]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15017197 |title=Want to be a sumo wrestler? Weight, height no longer matter|date=29 September 2023|publisher=[[The Asahi Shimbun]]|access-date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

All sumo wrestlers take wrestling names called {{nihongo|''[[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 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.<ref name="Sharnoff"/>

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 the year, which are called ''[[honbasho]]''. A carefully prepared ''[[banzuke]]'' listing the full hierarchy is published two weeks prior to each sumo tournament.<ref>{{cite news|author=Kamiya, Setsuko|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2010/02/16/reference/steeped-in-tradition-shinto-sumo-is-also-scandal-stained/|title=Steeped in tradition, Shinto, sumo is also scandal-stained|newspaper=[[Japan Times]]|date=February 19, 2010|access-date=August 16, 2017|archive-date=August 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825101448/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2010/02/16/reference/steeped-in-tradition-shinto-sumo-is-also-scandal-stained/|url-status=live}}</ref>

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 a wrestler's future rank. Rank is determined only by performance in grand sumo tournaments.<ref name=BBOS/>

===Sumo divisions===
{{Main|Professional sumo divisions}}
[[File:Yokohama-Sumo-Wrestler-Defeating-a-Foreigner-1961-Ipposai-Yoshifuji.png|thumb|upright|Foreigner and sumo wrestler, 1861]]

The six divisions in sumo, in descending order of prestige, are:

* {{nihongo|''[[makuuchi]]''|幕内}} or {{nihongo|''makunouchi''|幕の内}}.<ref name="NHKQA"/> Maximum 42 wrestlers; Further divided into five ranks
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jūryō|jūryō]]''|十両}}. Fixed at 28 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Makushita|makushita]]''|幕下}}. Fixed at 120 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Sandanme|sandanme]]''|三段目}}. Fixed at 180 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonidan|jonidan]]''|序二段}}. About 200 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonokuchi|jonokuchi]]''|序ノ口 or 序の口}}. Around 50 wrestlers

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 {{nihongo|''[[sekitori]]''|関取}} and those in the four lower divisions, known commonly by the more generic term {{nihongo|''[[rikishi]]''|力士}}. The ranks receive different levels of compensation, privileges, and status.<ref name="banzuke">{{cite web |title=Banzuke |work=Beginner's Guide of Sumo |publisher=[[Japan Sumo Association]] |url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/banzuke.html |access-date=June 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630033048/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/banzuke.html |archive-date=June 30, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

The topmost ''makuuchi'' division receives the most attention from fans and has the most complex hierarchy. The majority of wrestlers are {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Maegashira|maegashira]]''|前頭}} and are ranked from the highest level 1 down to about 16 or 17. In each rank are two wrestlers; 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/faq4.html|title=Sumo FAQ – Professional rankings: The Banzuke|work=scgroup.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001032019/http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/faq4.html|archive-date=October 1, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Above the ''maegashira'' are the three champion or titleholder ranks, called the ''[[Makuuchi#Overview|san'yaku]]'', which are only numbered if the number of wrestlers in each rank exceeds two. These are, in ascending order, {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Komusubi|komusubi]]''|小結}}, {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Sekiwake|sekiwake]]''|関脇}}, and {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Ōzeki|ōzeki]]''|大関}}. At the pinnacle of the ranking system is the rank of {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]''|横綱}}.<ref name=banzuke />

''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''.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> More than one wrestler can hold 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 [[Rikishi#Foreign-born rikishi|foreign-born wrestlers]] became well-known, and in more recent years have even come to dominate in the highest ranks.  In the 10 years since January 2009, five of the nine wrestlers promoted to ''ōzeki'' have been foreign-born,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&sum_range=1&form1_rank=S&form1_m=on&form2_rank=O&offset=150|title=SumoDB Ozeki promotion search|access-date=August 4, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403235516/http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&sum_range=1&form1_rank=S&form1_m=on&form2_rank=O&offset=150|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 and sumo===
{{main|Women's sumo}}
Women are not allowed to compete in professional sumo. They are also not allowed to enter the wrestling ring (''[[dohyō]]''), a tradition stemming from Shinto and Buddhist beliefs that [[Culture and menstruation|women are "impure" because of menstrual blood]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yoshida |first1=Reiji |title=Banning women from the sumo ring: centuries-old tradition, straight-up sexism or something more complex? |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/30/national/social-issues/banning-women-sumo-ring-sexism-centuries-old-cultural-tradition/ |access-date=11 December 2019 |work=The Japan Times |date=30 April 2018 |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516214756/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/30/national/social-issues/banning-women-sumo-ring-sexism-centuries-old-cultural-tradition/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kheliyad.com/2019/10/sumo-wrestling-heavyweight-japan-part-2.html|title=women sumo wrestling restrictions|last=Pathade|first=Mahesh|website=Kheliyad|access-date=2020-03-09}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/female-medics-rushed-help-man-055747808.html|title=Female Medics Rushed to Help a Man Who Collapsed on a Sumo Ring. They Were Promptly Told to Leave|website=news.yahoo.com|date=April 5, 2018 |access-date=December 1, 2020|archive-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811185516/https://news.yahoo.com/female-medics-rushed-help-man-055747808.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

A form of {{nihongo|female sumo|女相撲|onnazumo}} existed in some parts of Japan before professional sumo was established.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004365275|title=SUMO ABC (75) / Banning women from the dohyo is groundless in this day and age – The Japan News|last=Miki|first=Shuji|date=21 April 2018|publisher=Japan News/Yomiuri Shimbun|access-date=23 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423232756/http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004365275|archive-date=23 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 2018 film ''[[The Chrysanthemum and the Guillotine]]'' depicts female sumo wrestlers at the time of civil unrest following the [[1923 Great Kantō earthquake]].

==Professional sumo tournaments==
{{Main|Honbasho}}
[[File:Ryogoku_Kokugikan_Tsuriyane_05212006.jpg|thumb|left|The sumo hall of [[Ryōgoku]] in Tokyo during the May 2006 tournament]]

Since 1958, six Grand Sumo tournaments or ''honbasho'' have been held each year: three at the [[Ryōgoku Kokugikan|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 Kokugikan|Kuramae]], Tokyo, but moved in 1985 to the newly built venue at [[Ryōgoku]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://visit-sumida.jp/spot/6080/ | title=すみだスポット – 国技館 &#124; 一般社団法人 墨田区観光協会【本物が生きる街 すみだ観光サイト】 | date=July 5, 2015 }}</ref> Each tournament begins on a Sunday and runs for 15 days, ending also on a Sunday, roughly in the middle of the month.<ref name="NHKQA"/><ref>An exception to this rule occurred when [[Hirohito]], the former [[Emperor of Japan]], died on Saturday, January 7, 1989. The tournament that was to start on the following day was postponed to start on Monday, January 9 and finish on Monday, January 24.</ref> The tournaments are organized in 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 ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonokuchi|jonokuchi]]'' wrestlers and ends at around six o'clock in 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 a row taking 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.

[[File:Sumo Nobori flags.jpg|thumb|upright|Sumo [[nobori]] flags in Fukuoka, 2006]]

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 the following day's matchups around 12&nbsp;pm. An exception are the final day 15 matchups, which are announced much later on day 14.<ref name="NHKQA"/> 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.<ref name="NHKQA"/> Afterwards, the selection of opponents takes into account 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 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 ''[[Makuuchi#Maegashira|maegashira]]'', ''komusubi'', and ''sekiwake'', with the bouts within these ranks being concentrated into 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 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 the culmination of the tournament echoes the words of the playwright [[Zeami Motokiyo|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 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 ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#K|kachikoshi]]'' means a score of 8–7 or better, as opposed to ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#M|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.<ref name="NHKQA"/> See 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 ''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]'' and ''ōzeki'' the "outstanding performance" prize.  For more information see ''[[sanshō (sumo)|sanshō]]''.

For the list of upper divisions champions since 1909, refer to the [[list of sumo tournament top division champions|list of top division champions]] and [[list of sumo tournament second division champions|the list of second division champions]].

===A professional sumo bout===
[[File:2006 March Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka.jpg|thumb|left|Sumo wrestlers at the Grand Tournament in [[Osaka]], March 2006]]
At the initial charge, both wrestlers must jump up from the [[Squatting position|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.<ref name="NHKQA"/>

Upon completion of 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.

[[File:Sumo.webm|thumb|thumbtime=9|300px|Sumo fight at the Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, September 2014]]
The referee's decision is not final and may be disputed by the five [[judge (sumo)|judges]] seated around 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 ''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]] ''is defeated by 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.

===Controversies===
[[Controversies in professional sumo]] include [[Match-fixing in professional sumo|match-fixing]], gambling and [[yakuza]] ties, hazing, and the negative health effects of excessive body weight.

===Exhibition===
Exhibition tournaments are occasionally held inside and outside Japan. Such as in 1991 at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London, which [[Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi]] won. A return appearance is currently scheduled for October 17, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Grand Sumo Tournament to be the second elite five-day Basho tournament outside of Japan in the sport's 1500-year history |url=https://www.royalalberthall.com/about-the-hall/news/the-grand-sumo-tournament/ |publisher=Royal Albert Hall |access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Fancy watching sumo wrestling in the historic Royal Albert Hall? Yes, really (ITV News) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VCLBoIZcHo |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=ITV |date=4 December 2024 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

==Life as a professional sumo wrestler==
[[File:Sumoworkout.JPG|right|thumb|Young low-ranking sumo wrestlers at the [[Tomozuna stable|Tomozuna Stable]] in Tokyo end their daily workout routine with a footwork drill (1998)]]
A professional sumo wrestler leads 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42178483|title=Inside the scandal-hit world of sumo|last=Seales|first=Rebecca|date=2017-12-01|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-10-01|archive-date=September 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925195036/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42178483|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 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,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/sports/156497 |title=大相撲の内幕<第10回>現役力士のファッション事情…「マゲ、着物、ゲタ」の縛りに何を思うのか (Inside the World of Sumo, Vol. 10: Active Sumo Wrestlers' Fashion — What Do They Think About the Rules of “ Topknot, Kimonos, and Wooden Sandals”?)|date=20 January 2015|publisher=[[Nikkan Gendai]]|access-date=17 October 2025}}</ref>{{cn|date=October 2025}} allowing them to be identified immediately as wrestlers. In recent years, however, this rule has been enforced less strictly than before. The type and quality of the dress depends on the wrestler's rank. ''Rikishi'' in ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonidan|jonidan]]'' and below are allowed to wear only a thin cotton robe called a ''[[yukata]]'', even in winter. Furthermore, when outside, they must wear a form of wooden sandal called ''[[geta (footwear)|geta]]''. Wrestlers in the ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Makushita|makushita]]'' and ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Sandanme|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 biloba|ginkgo]] leaf) on formal occasions.

Similar distinctions are made in stable life. The junior wrestlers must get up earliest, around 5&nbsp;am, for training, whereas the ''sekitori'' may start around 7&nbsp;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 a ''[[siesta]]''-like nap after a large lunch.<ref name="NHKQA"/> 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.<ref name="NHKQA"/> 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.<ref name=DiscoverBecoming/>

In the afternoon, the junior wrestlers again usually have cleaning or other chores, while their ''sekitori'' counterparts may relax, or deal with work issues related to their fan clubs. Younger wrestlers also attend classes, although their education differs from the typical curriculum of their non-sumo peers. In the evening, ''sekitori'' may go out with their sponsors, while the junior wrestlers generally stay at home in the stable, unless they are to accompany the stablemaster or a ''sekitori'' as his ''tsukebito'' (manservant) when he is out. Becoming a ''tsukebito'' for a senior member of the stable is a typical duty. A ''sekitori'' has a number of ''tsukebito'', depending on the size of the stable or in some cases depending on the size of the ''sekitori''.  The junior wrestlers are given the most mundane tasks such as cleaning the stable, running errands, and even washing or massaging the exceptionally large ''sekitori'' while only the senior ''tsukebito'' accompany the ''sekitori'' when he goes out.

The ''sekitori'' are given their own room in the stable, or may live in their own apartments, as do married wrestlers; the junior wrestlers sleep in communal dormitories. Thus, the world of the sumo wrestler is split broadly between the junior wrestlers, who serve, and the ''sekitori'', who are served. Life is especially harsh for recruits, to whom the worst jobs tend to be allocated, and the dropout rate at this stage is high.

The negative health effects of the sumo lifestyle can become apparent later in life. Sumo wrestlers have a [[life expectancy]] of 65,<ref name=DiscoverBecoming/> which is about 15 years shorter than that of the average Japanese male, as the diet and sport take a toll on the wrestler's body. Those having a higher body mass are at greater risk of death.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoshi |first1=Akio |last2=Inaba |first2=Yutaka |date=1995 |title=Risk Factors for Mortality and Mortality Rate of Sumo Wrestlers. |url=http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjh1946/50/3/50_3_730/_article/-char/ja/ |journal=Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Hygiene) |language=en |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=730–736 |doi=10.1265/jjh.50.730 |issn=0021-5082|doi-access=free |pmid=7474495 }}</ref><ref name="LetterToEditor">{{Cite journal |last1=Kanda |first1=Hideyuki |last2=Hayakawa |first2=Takehito |last3=Tsuboi |first3=Satoshi |last4=Mori |first4=Yayoi |last5=Takahashi |first5=Teruna |last6=Fukushima |first6=Tetsuhito |date=2009 |title=Higher Body Mass Index is a Predictor of Death Among Professional Sumo Wrestlers |journal=Journal of Sports Science & Medicine |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=711–712 |issn=1303-2968 |pmc=3761530 |pmid=24137100}}</ref> Many develop [[type 2 diabetes]] or [[Hypertension|high blood pressure]], and they are prone to heart attacks due to the enormous amount of body mass and fat that they accumulate. The excessive intake of [[alcoholic drink|alcohol]] can lead to [[Alcoholic liver disease|liver problems]], and the stress on their joints due to their excess weight can cause [[arthritis]].<ref name="DiscoverBecoming" />  The repeated blows to the head sumo wrestlers take can also cause [[Chronic traumatic encephalopathy|long-term cognitive issues]], similar to those seen in boxers.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=McCurry |first=Justin |date=2021-02-06 |title=Conservative world of sumo slow to take action on concussion |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/feb/06/conservative-world-of-sumo-slow-to-take-action-on-concussion |access-date=2023-07-03 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In the 21st century, the standards of weight gain became less strict for the sake of the wrestlers' health.<ref name=DiscoverBecoming>{{cite web | title=Becoming a Sumo Wrestler | work=Sumo East and West | publisher=[[Discovery Channel]] | url=http://www.discoverychannelasia.com/sumo/become_a_sumo_wrestler/index.shtml | access-date=November 18, 2005 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050831220303/http://discoverychannelasia.com/sumo/become_a_sumo_wrestler/index.shtml | archive-date=August 31, 2005 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=United Nations Statistics Division – Demographic and Social Statistics | url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm | access-date=November 18, 2005 | archive-date=September 21, 2004 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040921002557/http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm | url-status=live }}<!-- This citation should be clarified – where, exactly, in the source is the statement containing information to support something this article is saying? --></ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Suzuki |first=Takahiro |date=2018 |title=貴乃花問題で誰も触れない横綱のリアル寿命 |trans-title=Yokozuna's real life span that no one touches on the Takanohana issue |work=[[Toyo Keizai]] |url=https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/241267}}</ref>

==Salary and payment==
{{as of|2018}}, the monthly salary figures (in [[Japanese yen]]) for the top two divisions were:<ref>{{cite web | title=Rikishi Salaries | date=November 29, 2018 | language=ja | url=https://www.sankei.com/sports/news/181129/spo1811290026-n1.html | access-date=December 3, 2018 | archive-date=May 28, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528091702/https://www.sankei.com/sports/news/181129/spo1811290026-n1.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:YokozunaJmills74.jpg|right|thumb|''Yokozuna'' Asashōryū performing the distinctive ''[[dohyō-iri]]'' of his rank (September 2003)]]
*''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]'': ¥3 million, about US$26,500
*''[[Makuuchi#Ōzeki|ōzeki]]'': ¥2.5 million, about US$22,000
*''[[makuuchi#Overview|san'yaku]]'': ¥1.8 million, about US$16,000
*''[[Makuuchi#Maegashira|maegashira]]'': ¥1.4 million, about US$12,500
*''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jūryō|jūryō]]'': ¥1.1 million, about US$9,500

Wrestlers lower than the second-highest division, who are considered trainees, receive only a fairly small allowance instead of a salary.

In addition to the basic salary, ''sekitori'' wrestlers also receive additional bonus income, called ''[[mochikyūkin]]'', six times a year (once every tournament, or ''basho'') based on the cumulative performance in their career to date. This bonus increases every time the wrestler scores a ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#K|kachikoshi]]'' (with larger ''kachikoshi'' giving larger raises). Special increases in this bonus are also awarded for winning the top division championship (with an extra large increase for a "perfect" championship victory with no losses or ''zenshō-yūshō''), and also for scoring a gold star or ''[[kinboshi]]'' (an upset of a ''yokozuna'' by a ''maegashira'').

''San'yaku'' wrestlers also receive a relatively small additional tournament allowance, depending on their rank, and ''yokozuna'' receive an additional allowance every second tournament, associated with the making of a new ''tsuna'' belt worn in their ring entering ceremony.

Also, prize money is given to the winner of each divisional championship, which increases from ¥100,000 for a ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonokuchi|jonokuchi]]'' victory up to ¥10 million for winning the top division. In addition to prizes for a championship, wrestlers in the top division giving an exceptional performance in the eyes of a judging panel can also receive one or more of three special prizes (the ''[[Sanshō (sumo)|sanshō]]''), which are worth ¥2 million each.<ref>{{cite web | title=Sumo Questions | url=http://www.sumotalk.com/sumofaq.htm | access-date=November 18, 2005 | archive-date=April 28, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428092144/http://www.sumotalk.com/sumofaq.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>

Individual top division matches can also be sponsored by companies, with the resulting prize money called ''kenshōkin''.<ref name="NHKQA"/> For bouts involving ''yokozuna'' and ''ōzeki'', the number of sponsors can be quite large, whereas for lower-ranked matchups, no bout sponsors may be active at all unless one of the wrestlers is particularly popular, or unless a company has a policy of sponsoring all his matchups. {{as of|2019}}, a single sponsorship cost ¥70,000, with ¥60,000 going to the winner of the bout and ¥10,000 deducted by the Japan Sumo Association for costs and fees.<ref name="kensho">{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201905300000442.html|title=秋場所から懸賞金額アップ、手取り変わらず積立金↑|language=ja|publisher=[[Nikkan Sports]]|date=30 May 2019|access-date=22 July 2020|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807214122/https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201905300000442.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Immediately after the match, the winner receives an envelope from the referee with half of his share of the sponsorship, while the other half is put in a fund for his retirement.<ref name="kensho"/> No prize money is awarded for bouts decided by a ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#F|fusenshō]]'' or forfeit victory.

==Amateur sumo==
[[File:Bulgarian-sumists.jpg|thumb|right|Bulgarian amateurs – on the right is the national coach Hristo Hristov. (2011)]]
===Japan===
Sumo is also practised as an [[amateur sports|amateur sport]] in Japan, with participants in college, high school, grade school or company workers on [[works team]]s. Open amateur tournaments are also held. The sport at this level is stripped of most of the ceremony. Most new entries into professional sumo are junior high school graduates with little to no previous experience,<ref name="uni2019">{{cite news|author=Gunning, John|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/03/18/sumo/college-graduates-mixed-success-sumos-school-hard-knocks/|title=Sumo 101: College graduates in sumo|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225144819/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/03/18/sumo/college-graduates-mixed-success-sumos-school-hard-knocks/|url-status=live}}</ref> but the number of wrestlers with a collegiate background in the sport has been increasing over the past few decades.<ref name="uni2020">{{cite news|author=Gunning, John|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/11/11/sumo/universities-foreign-wrestlers-sumo/|title=Universities offer foreign wrestlers new path to pro sumo|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]|date=November 11, 2020|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125225219/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/11/11/sumo/universities-foreign-wrestlers-sumo/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times International Edition|The International Herald Tribune]]'' reported on this trend in November 1999, when more than a third of the wrestlers in the top two divisions were university graduates.<ref>{{cite news|author=Kattoulas, Velisarios|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/09/sports/IHT-college-sumo-wrestlers-overshadow-old-guard.html|title=College Sumo Wrestlers Overshadow Old Guard|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 9, 1999|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=May 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512191014/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/09/sports/IHT-college-sumo-wrestlers-overshadow-old-guard.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nippon Sport Science University]] and [[Nihon University]] are the colleges that have produced the most professional sumo wrestlers.<ref name="uni2019"/> The latter produced [[Hiroshi Wajima]], who in 1973 became the first, and remains the only, wrestler with a collegiate background to attain the rank of ''yokozuna''.<ref name="uni2020"/>

The most successful amateur wrestlers (usually college champions) are allowed to enter professional sumo at ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Makushita|makushita]]'' (third division) or ''[[Professional sumo divisions#Sandanme|sandanme]]'' (fourth division) rather than from the very bottom of the ladder. These ranks are called ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#M|makushita tsukedashi]]'' and ''[[Glossary of sumo terms#S|sandanme tsukedashi]]'', and are currently equivalent to ''makushita'' 10, ''makushita'' 15, or ''sandanme'' 100 depending on the level of amateur success achieved. All amateur athletes entering the professional ranks must be under 23 to satisfy the entry, except those who qualify for ''makushita tsukedashi'' or ''sandanme tsukedashi'', who may be up to 25.

===Outside Japan===
Amateur sumo clubs are gaining in popularity in the United States, with competitions regularly being held in major cities across the country. The US Sumo Open, for example, was held in the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2007 with an audience of 3,000.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Date-Sumo-ebook/dp/B0061BMG0O My First Date With Sumo (2007) Gould, Chris]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928012736/http://www.amazon.com/My-First-Date-Sumo-ebook/dp/B0061BMG0O |date=September 28, 2012 }}</ref> The sport has long been popular on the West Coast and in Hawaii, where it has played a part in the festivals of the Japanese ethnic communities. Now, however, the sport has grown beyond the sphere of [[Japanese diaspora]] and athletes come from a variety of ethnic, cultural, and sporting backgrounds.

Amateur sumo is particularly strong in Europe. Many athletes come to the sport from a background in [[judo]], [[freestyle wrestling]], or other [[grappling]] sports such as [[Sambo (martial art)|sambo]]. Some Eastern European athletes have been successful enough to be scouted into professional sumo in Japan, much like their Japanese amateur counterparts. The most notable of these to date is the Bulgarian [[Kotoōshū Katsunori|Kotoōshū]], who is the highest-ranking foreign wrestler who was formerly an amateur sumo athlete.

Brazil is another center of amateur sumo, introduced by Japanese immigrants who arrived during the first half of the twentieth century. The first Brazilian sumo tournament was held in 1914.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/world/americas/brazils-japanese-preserve-sumo-and-share-it-with-others.html?_r=0|title=Brazil's Japanese Preserve Sumo and Share It With Others|last=Benson|first=Todd|date=January 27, 2005|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 21, 2016|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201134158/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/world/americas/brazils-japanese-preserve-sumo-and-share-it-with-others.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref>  Sumo took root in immigrant centers in southern Brazil, especially São Paulo, which is now home to the only purpose-built sumo training facility outside Japan.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/brazil-female-sumo-wrestlers-1.3703178|title='Sumo feminino': How Brazil's female sumo wrestlers are knocking down gender barriers|last=Kwok|first=Matt|date=August 2, 2016|work=CBC News|access-date=November 21, 2016|archive-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122154506/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/brazil-female-sumo-wrestlers-1.3703178|url-status=live}}</ref>  Beginning in the 1990s, Brazilian sumo organizations made an effort to interest Brazilians without Japanese ancestry in the sport, and by the mid-2000s an estimated 70% of participants came from outside the Japanese-Brazilian community.<ref name=":0" />  Brazil is also a center for women's sumo.<ref name=":1" />  A small number of Brazilian wrestlers have made the transition to professional sumo in Japan, including [[Ryūkō Gō]] and [[Kaisei Ichirō]].

In the UK, as early as 1985 a national Sumo Federation existed. Olympic Judoka [[Syd Hoare]] was fundamental to initial growth including taking a British team to Japan for first time.

Two national governing bodies existed for a brief time (British Sumo Federation and British Sumo Union), with a new organisation; [https://www.britishsumo.com/ BritishSumo] becoming the recognised national governing body in 2025.

===International competition===
The [[International Sumo Federation]] (IFS) was established in 1992 to encourage the sport's development worldwide, including holding international championships like the [[Sumo World Championships]] and [[European Sumo Championships]]. A key aim of the federation is to have sumo recognized as an [[Olympic sports|Olympic sport]]. Accordingly, amateur tournaments are divided into weight classes (men: lightweight up to {{Convert|85|kg|abbr=on}}, middleweight up to {{Convert|115|kg|abbr=on}}, heavyweight over {{Convert|115|kg|abbr=on}}, and openweight (unrestricted entry), and include competitions for female wrestlers (lightweight up to {{Convert|65|kg|abbr=on}}, middleweight up to {{Convert|80|kg|abbr=on}}, heavyweight over {{Convert|80|kg|abbr=on}}, and openweight). Sumo was a feature of the [[World Games]], an Olympics-recognized event for non-Olympic sports, from 2001 until 2022; it was removed from future World Games programs due to poor sportsmanship and organization.<ref name="egypt_sumo_poor_sportsmanship_world_games_2022">{{Cite news |last=Berkeley |first=Geoff |date=10 July 2022 |title=Egyptian sumo team banned from World Games over "poor sportsmanship" |work=[[Inside The Games|InsideTheGames.biz]] |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1125572/egyptian-sumo-team-banned-world-games |access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tachiai.org/2023/07/16/hanamichi-sumo-dropped-from-world-games/|title=Hanamichi: Sumo Dropped from World Games|date=July 16, 2023|website=tachiai.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/10/18/sumo/sumo-olympic-dream-fresh-approach/|title=Sumo's Olympic dream requires fresh approach|first=John|last=Gunning|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=Oct 18, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/07/13/sumo/world-games-osunaarashi-egypt-ukraine/|title=World Games chaos highlights amateur sumo's structural flaws|first=John|last=Gunning|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=Jul 13, 2022}}</ref> It has additionally been a feature of the [[World Combat Games]] since their inception in 2010.

==Clothing==
{{See also|Mawashi|Chonmage}}
Sumo wrestlers wear ''[[mawashi]]'', a 30-foot-long belt, that they tie in knots in the back.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usasumo.com/shop/sumo-equipment/|title=Sumo Equipment|date=December 5, 2015|access-date=November 22, 2019|archive-date=November 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116124556/http://www.usasumo.com/shop/sumo-equipment/|url-status=live}}</ref> They have an official thickness and strength requirement. During matches, the wrestler will grab onto the other wrestler's ''mawashi'' and use it to help them make moves during a match.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.livestrong.com/article/483679-what-do-sumo-wrestlers-wear-during-a-match/|title=What Do Sumo Wrestlers Wear During a Match?|website=LIVESTRONG.COM|language=en|access-date=2019-10-19|archive-date=October 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011182152/https://www.livestrong.com/article/483679-what-do-sumo-wrestlers-wear-during-a-match/|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''mawashi'' they wear practicing versus in a tournament is essentially the same except for the material. The different ''mawashi'' that the wrestlers wear differentiate their rank. Top rated wrestlers wear different colors of silk ''mawashi'' during tournament, while lower rated wrestlers are limited to just black cotton.<ref name=":2" />

Their hair is put in a topknot, and wax is used to get the hair to stay in shape. Wax is applied to sumo wrestlers' hair daily by sumo hairdressers ([[tokoyama]]).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/09/14/sumo/sumo-101-topknot/#.XdhQkZNKhAZ|title=The Topknot|website=Sportsrec|date=September 14, 2018|access-date=November 22, 2019|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807211606/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/09/14/sumo/sumo-101-topknot/#.XdhQkZNKhAZ|url-status=live}}</ref> The topknot is a type of samurai hairstyle which was once popular in Japan during the [[Edo period]].<ref name=":3" /> The topknot is hard for some foreigners' hair because their hair is not as coarse and straight as Japanese hair. Once a wrestler joins a stable, he is required to grow out his hair in order to form a topknot.<ref name=":3" />

Outside of tournaments and practices, in daily life, sumo wrestlers are required to wear traditional Japanese clothes.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2014/09/16/11-amazing-things-you-probably-never-knew-about-sumo-wrestling/|title=Things You Didn't Know About Sumo Wrestlers|date=September 16, 2014|access-date=December 7, 2019|archive-date=December 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207195548/https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2014/09/16/11-amazing-things-you-probably-never-knew-about-sumo-wrestling/|url-status=live}}</ref> They must wear these traditional clothes all the time in public. What they can wear in public is also determined by rank. Lower rated wrestlers must wear a ''[[yukata]]'' at all times, even in winter, where higher rated wrestlers have more choice in what they wear.<ref name=":4" />

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Sumo May09 Tochinoshin.jpg|Initial [[full squat]] with heels up, {{nihongo|''Sonkyo''|蹲踞}} in Japanese
File:Sumo-Japan.jpg|[[Partial squat]] before engaging
File:Yumitori shiki.ogv|Yumitori-shiki
File:Reproduce of Sumo by Hiroshige.png|Reproduced, [[Utagawa Hiroshige]]'s Sumo at [[Sumida River]] [[esplanade]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Society|Martial arts}}
*[[Controversies in professional sumo]]
*[[Culture of Japan]]
*[[Glossary of sumo terms]]
*''[[Kimarite]]'', list of winning moves in sumo
*[[List of active sumo wrestlers]]
*[[List of past sumo wrestlers]]
*[[List of sumo stables]]
*[[List of sumo record holders]]
*[[List of sumo tournament second division champions]]
*[[List of sumo tournament top division champions]]
*[[List of sumo trophies]]
*[[List of sumo video games]]
*[[List of years in sumo]]
*[[List of yokozuna]]
*[[Lists of sumo wrestlers]]
*[[Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival]]
*[[Robot-sumo]], robot competition inspired by sumo
*[[Ssireum]]
*[[Jinku#Sumo jinku|Sumo jinku]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Further reading===
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Adams | first1 = Andy | last2 = Newton | first2 = Clyde | year = 1989 | title = Sumo | publisher = Hamlyn | location = London, UK | isbn = 0600563561}}
*{{cite book | last = Benjamin | first = David | year = 2010 | title = Sumo: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Japan's National Sport | publisher = Tuttle Publishing | location = North Clarendon, Vermont, USA | isbn = 978-4-8053-1087-8}}
*{{cite book | last = Bickford | first = Lawrence | year = 1994 | title = Sumo And The Woodblock Print Masters | publisher = Kodansha International | location = Tokyo, New York | isbn = 4770017529}}
*{{cite book | last = Buckingham | first = Dorothea M. | year = 1997 | title = The Essential Guide to Sumo | publisher = Bess Press | location = Honolulu, USA | isbn = 1880188805}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Cuyler | first1 = P.L. | last2 = Simmons | first2 = Doreen | year = 1989 | title = Sumo From Rite to Sport | publisher = Weatherhill | location = New York | isbn = 0834802031}}
*{{cite book | last = Hall | first = Mina | year = 1997 | title = The Big Book of Sumo | publisher = Stone Bridge Press | location = Berkeley, CA | isbn = 1880656280}}
*{{cite book | last = Ito | first = Katsuharu | translator-last1 = Shapiro | translator-first1 = David | year = 2017 | title = The Perfect Guide To Sumo, in Japanese and English | publisher = Seigensha | location = Kyoto, Japan | isbn = 978-4-86152-632-9}}
*{{cite book | last = Kenrick | first = Douglas M. | year = 1969 | title = The Book of Sumo: Sport, Spectacle, and Ritual | publisher = Weatherhill | location = New York | isbn = 083480039X}}
*{{cite book | last = Newton | first = Clyde | year = 2000 | title = Dynamic Sumo | publisher = Kodansha International | location = New York and Tokyo | isbn = 4770025084}}
*{{cite book | last =  Patmore | first = Angela | year = 1991 | title = The Giants of Sumo | publisher = Macdonald Queen Anne Press | location = London, UK | isbn = 0356181200}}
*{{cite book | editor1-last = PHP Institute | editor2-last = Kitade | editor2-first = Seigoro | translator-last1 = Iwabuchi | translator-first1 = Deborah | year = 1998 | title = Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated | publisher = Yohan Publications | location = Tokyo | isbn = 978-4-89684-251-7}}
*{{cite book | last = Sacket | first = Joel | others = text by Wes Benson | year = 1986 | title = Rikishi The Men of Sumo | publisher = Weatherhill | location = New York | isbn = 0834802147}}
*{{cite book | last = Sargent | first = John A. | year = 1959 | title = Sumo The Sport and The Tradition | publisher = Charles E. Tuttle Company | location = Rutland, Vt. | isbn = 0804810842}}
*{{cite book | last = Schilling | first = Mark | year = 1984 | title = Sumo: A Fan's Guide | publisher = The Japan Times, Ltd. | location = Tokyo, Japan | isbn = 4-7890-0725-1}}
*{{cite book | last = Shapiro | first = David | year = 1995 | title = Sumo: A Pocket Guide | publisher = Charles E. Tuttle Company | location = Rutland, Vermont, USA & Tokyo, Japan | isbn = 0-8048-2014-7}}
*{{cite book | last = Sharnoff | first = Lora | year = 1993 | orig-year = 1st pub. 1989 | edition = 2nd | title = Grand Sumo: The Living Sport and Tradition | publisher = Weatherhill | location = New York | isbn = 0-8348-0283-X}}
*{{cite book | editor1-last = Sports Watching Association (Japan) | editor2-last = Kakuma | editor2-first = Tsutomu | translator-last1 = Iwabuchi | translator-first1 = Deborah | year = 1994 | title = Sumo Watching | publisher = Weatherhill | location = New York | isbn = 4896842367}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Takamiyama | first1 = Daigoro | author1-link = Takamiyama Daigorō | last2 = Wheeler | first2 = John| year = 1973 | title = Takamiyama The World of Sumo | publisher = Kodansha International | location = Tokyo, New York | isbn = 0870111957}}
*{{cite book | last = Yamaki | first = Hideo | translator-last1 = Newton | translator-first1 = Clyde | year = 2017 | title = Discover Sumo: Stories From Yobidashi Hideo | publisher = Gendai Shokan | location = Tokyo | isbn = 978-4768457986}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|Professional sumo|Sumo}}
* [https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/ Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page]
* [https://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/ Live-Stream and Video-on-Demand from Grand Sumo Tournament on NHK Japan (english)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141223143125/http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/ Sumo FAQ]
* [http://sumodb.sumogames.de Searchable Sumo Database]
* [http://www.sumotalk.com Sumo News and Analysis]

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{{folk wrestling}}
{{Japanese martial arts}}
{{Martial arts}}
{{Sports of the World Games program}}

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[[Category:Sumo| ]]
[[Category:Japanese martial arts]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Sports originating in Japan]]
[[Category:Partial squatting position]]