Sumo FAQ Glossary
Akeni
Red and green bamboo trunks used to carry Juryo and Makuuchi level
wrestlers special effects around.
Aki (basho)
Fall (tournament).
Banzuke
An ordered list of all the active wrestlers written in Chinese
characters in calligraphy; a ranking sheet. Usually, the banzuke is released
2 weeks before the start of a tournament. (Technically, it's released 13 days
before the tourney.)
Basho
A sumo tournament. In a sanctioned competition, consists of seven or
fifteen bouts held over a two week period.
Bintsuke
Chamomile oil used to slick back the wrestlers' hair into a
topknot style.
Chikara-gami
"Power paper" given to wrestlers after they sip
chikara-mizu. They usually use it to mask their mouths while they spit out
the chikara mizu.
Chikara-mizu
"Power water" sipped and spat out by wrestlers before a
match. They are given the ladle by the last winner on their side (east or
west) to win as a transfer of power and luck.
Chon-mage
Sumo hairstyle with topknot and hair slicked with oil.
Danpatsu-shiki
Retirement ceremony where the top knot is snipped by
friends and comrades and eventually shorn off (usually by the oyakata).
Dohyo
A raised clay platform with a ring formed by sunken straw bales in
the center where sumo bouts are carried out.
Dohyo-iri
The entrance ceremony done before the Juryo and Makuuchi
division begin their bouts. Each wrestler enters and joins a circle around
the dohyo.
Ebanzuke
An illustrated, unofficial banzuke.
Gino-sho
Technique award given to a wrestler below Ozeki rank.
Gunbai
The "war paddle" carried by the referee inside the ring.
Gyoji
A referee who stands in the ring encouraging wrestlers and
officiating the bout. He calls the winner and reties mawashi if they begin
to unravel.
Hana-michi
The aisles which lead from the dressing area to the dohyo.
Hana-zumo
Sumo performed for laughs.
Haru (basho)
Spring (tournament)
Heya
A stable; a building used to house and train rikishi. This includes
sleeping accommodations, cooking facilities and training dohyo.
Higashi
east (the more prestigious division of the banzuke)
Hon-basho
Any of six official basho held in each odd numbered month by the
Sumo Kyokai. Only these contests count in the official scores used to rank
the rikishi.
Hoshitori-hyo
A chart used to keep track of a wrestler's record. Usually,
the chart is provided blank for fans to fill in as a tournament progresses.
Ichimon
A group of stables that are related. They tend to practice
together. In addition, when a wrestler from a stable with only one upper
division wrestler wins a title, he rides in the winner's car with a
high-ranking member of his Ichimon.
Intai-zumo
Retirement from sumo.
Jonidan
The second lowest level of competitive professional sumo.
Jonokuchi
The lowest level of competitive professional sumo.
Jungyo
The exhibition bashos that are held across the nation in between
the regular basho schedule. These help in recruiting new rikishi to the
sport and also give other people a chance to see the rikishi up close. The
most extensive Jungyo is in July-August, covering the Tohoku and Hokkaido
regions. Jungyo performances do not affect rank.
Jun-yusho
Runner-up for the tournament title.
Juryo
The first of the two professional divisions of Sumo. Thirty men vie
for entrance into the top, Makunouchi division.
Kachi-koshi
In a tournament, attaining the number of wins that assures a
better than even percentage. Out of 15 bouts, for example, a rikishi is
said to be kachi-koshi at that point where he tallies 8 wins.
Kadoban
Only applies to Ozeki; An Ozeki is said to be kadoban when he
lost 8 or more in the previous tournament, and if he does so again, he will
be demoted.
Kanto-sho
Fighting spirit award given to a wrestler below Ozeki rank.
Kensho-kin
Money given to wrestlers in envelopes after they win bouts.
Each sponsor pays 60,000 yen to have a banner paraded around the ring with
the company name on it. The wrestler is given 25,000 yen in cash after the
bout. 30,000 is held by the Sumo Association to pay taxes and 5,000 is
used to pay for making the banner.
Kesho-mawashi
A ceremonial apron worn by wrestlers during the their
entrance ceremony.
Kimarite
The names given to each of the seventy winning techniques and two
inadvertent methods that describe the result of a Sumo bout.
Kin-boshi
Literally, "gold star." This is a salary incentive a Maegashira
ranked sekitori receives for defeating a Yokozuna.
Koen-kai
A support group/fan club. This differs from a true fan club in
that they are expected to pay the wrestler they sponsor handsome sums of
cash for associating with them. Koen-kai have parties and provide
Kesho-mawashi for the men they support among other things.
Kokugikan
The Arena of the National Sport, in the Ryogoku neighborhood in
southeastern Tokyo. This is the rather magnificent facility where
Hon-basho, retirement ceremonies, World Amateur Championships and other
events are held.
Komusubi
The rank below Sekiwake but above the Maegashira. There are
typically two or three rikishi holding this rank. Most rikishi do poorly
when promoted to komusubi for the first time and are demoted.
Kuroboshi
A "black star" indicating a loss.
Kyokai
An official association or administration. For Sumo, the Nihon Sumo
Kyokai administers the sport under the Ministry of Education.
Maegashira
The lower ranks of the Makunouchi division, numbered from one
(highest) to 15 or 16. There is an east and a west position at each
numbered level. The number of Maegashira ranks is adjusted so that there
are a total of forty Makunouchi rikishi.
Make-koshi
The opposite of kachi-koshi. In a 7 bout tournament, having 4
losses guarantees make-koshi.
Makunouchi
Also called Makuuchi, this is the top division of Ozumo. It is
comprised of the ranks of Yokozuna, Ozeki, Sekiwake, Komusubi and
Maegashira.
Massuseki
4 person "box" seats on the lower level of the stadiums that
sumo is performed in.
Mawashi
The thick belt that is wrapped around a rikishi for Sumo. It is
wound in such a manner that protects the genitals as well as offering a way
for the combatants to grapple. Juryo level and higher wear silk of various
colors. Lower levels wear black cotton.
Monoii
A meeting between the ringside judges and the referee to discuss
whether or not the referee chose the correct winner in a close match or
whether a rematch is warranted.
Morozashi
An inside belt grip where both a wrestler's hands and arms are
positioned under his opponent's arms.
Nakabi
The middle day of a basho.
Natsu (basho)
Summer (tournament).
Nishi
west (the less prestigious division of the banzuke)
Nodo-wa
Thrusts to the throat.
Oicho-mage
The kinko leaf-style top-knot worn by wrestlers in Juryo or
higher. It looks like a little fan at the end of the top-knot.
Oyakata
Stablemaster or coach. The man who trains and takes care of all
wrestlers living in his stable.
Ozeki
The champion rank of Sumo. Whereas other ranks can be attained by
consistently winning, this rank must be granted by the Sumo Kyokai.
Rensho
Consecutive wins.
Renzoku yusho
Winning consecutive yusho.
Rijiicho
The head (chairman) of the (sumo) association.
Rikishi
Literally, "strong man." This is an all-purpose term for men
engaging in Sumo.
Sansho
Any of three special prizes awarded to Makunouchi sekitori under
the rank of Ozeki. These are for superior technique, superior performance
and fighting spirit.
Sekitori
A rikishi ranked in one of the top two divisions of Sumo,
who is being paid a salary.
Sekiwake
The junior champion rank of Sumo. Usually two to four rikishi
hold this rank.
Senshuraku
The final (15th) day of the tournament.
Shiko
Stamping down with each leg; used as a warm-up before bouts and in
practice.
Shikona
A wrestler's "fighting name".
Shiroboshi
A "white star" indicating a win.
Shitaku-beya
The dressing area for rikishi in the performance arena.
Shukun-sho
Outstanding performance award given to a wrestler below Ozeki
rank.
Sumobeya
See Heya. When referring to a specific heya, the suffix -beya may
be used; instead of saying that Tosanoumi's heya is Isenoumi, it is neater
to talk of Tosanoumi, of Isenoumi-beya. It is less awkward to say, "Look,
there's Izutsu-beya" than "That heya is Izutsu."
Tachi-mochi
The sword-bearer in the Yokozuna dohyo-iri.
Tawara
Straw bales sunk into the dohyo to mark the edges of the ring.
Tenno-shihai
Emperor's cup (trophy given to tournament winners).
Torikumi
The term for an individual sumo bout, or also used to refer to
the list of bouts for an entire day.
Torinaoshi
A rematch after a close bout.
Toshiyori-kabu
A financial term, this is a license that must be purchased
from the Sumo Kyokai in order to hold a position as Oyakata, or coach.
There are only a limited number of these positions, each of which carries a
name. Currently, these cost between two and four hundred million yen.
Tozai
The system whereby wrestlers are divided into east and west divisions.
Tsukebito
Assistants to wrestlers ranked in Juryo or higher.
Tsuna
A braided belt of white linen worn by Yokozuna for ceremony.
Tsuppari
Slapping attacks.
Tsuyu-harai
The herald in the Yokozuna entrance ceremony literally, "the
dew sweeper".
Unryu
A style of Yokozuna entrance ceremony currently practiced by
Akebono which involves slowly sliding feet that are wide-spread together.
Formerly practiced by Chiyonofuji.
Yao-cho
"Fixed" bouts where one wrestler allows the other to win.
Yasumi
To "rest". When a wrestler chooses to step out of a tournament
because of an illness, or injury, a "yasumi" mark is placed on the
hoshitori-hyo for each day he's resting.
Yobidashi
Assistants who sweep the dohyo (lower rankers) and call out the
names of the rikishi in a sing-song fashion before each bout while holding
an open fan.
Yokozuna
The pinnacle of active Sumo, this is the rank of grand champion.
Only 65 men have held this rank.
Yumitori-shiki
The bow twirler who performs at the end of each day's bouts.
Yusho
The tournament title. A rikishi wins a yusho by winning more matches
than any other in his division, or if two or men are tied, by being
triumphant in a playoff.
Zabuton
A thin flat pillow (used in box seats).
Zensho (yusho)
Winning a tournament title with 15 wins and no losses