Sumo Terminology
Aki Autumn; used to describe the major tournament in September.
Banzuke The official list of all participating rikishi in a
tournament.
Barometer Nickname for Wakanosato coined by Mike and Kenji. Wakanosato measures the performance of the
other sanyaku rikishi each basho. If a
rikishi loses to Wakanosato, he is not performing well enough to yusho. This formula has held true since Wakanosato
has been in the Makuuchi division.
Chanko-nabe A stew unique to sumo where a myriad of fish, meat,
vegetables, and noodles are added to a thick broth. Chanko-nabe, along with rice and beer, is the staple diet for the
sumo rikishi.
Chumoku-ichiban The most anticipated bout of the day.
Danpatsu-shiki Retirement ceremony that involves the cutting of a
rikishi's topknot.
Degeiko Visiting a different stable and practicing with the rikishi
there. Usually, a sekitori will do this
when there are no other sekitori in his stable to practice with.
Denkoban The lit-up panel hanging high above the seats that lists
the days matches and results. The
rikishi names are written in black kanji characters on a white background. A red line signifies the winner of the bout.
Deshi An apprentice or understudy. Used to describe the lower-ranked rikishi in a stable.
Dohyo The clay ring in which a sumo match takes place.
Dohyo-iri The ring-entering ceremony.
Dohyo-matsuri The ceremony to purify the dohyo on the first day of a
tournament.
Ginosho The technical merit prize awarded to a Maegashira rikishi
who displays exceptional technique and variety in winning at least 8 of his 15
bouts.
Gunbaidori When the judges agree
with the decision of the gyoji.
Gyoji The referee.
Hanamichi The paths between the spectator stands that lead out to the
dohyo.
Haru Spring; used to describe the major tournament in March.
Hatsu First; used to describe the New Year basho in January.
Henka Side-stepping your opponent’s initial charge at the tachi-ai.
Heya A Sumo "stable."
Heya-gashira The highest-ranked rikishi in a stable.
Hikiwaza Technique of pulling down your opponent usually after
side-stepping his initial charge.
Hiramaku Another name for the rank of maegashira.
Honbasho A major tournament where a rikishi’s rank on the banzuke is
determined by his performance.
Jungyo A Sumo tour to areas outside the four honbasho
locations. These exhibitions have no
bearing on a rikishi’s rank.
Jun-yusho Runner-up.
Juryo The rank below maegashira; the lowest of the sekitori.
Kachi-koshi A majority of wins at a major tournament.
Kakuage Promotion in rank.
Kadoban A term used to describe an Ozeki who lost a majority of his
bouts (makekoshi) at the previous tournament.
Losing a majority of bouts again while kadoban means that the Ozeki will
be demoted to Sekiwake for the next basho.
He may be promoted back up to Ozeki if he posts 10 wins the next basho
after demotion.
Kakusage Demotion in rank.
Kan Sixth sense.
Frequently used in the expression “sumo-no-kan,” or sixth sense in the
ring, to describe a rikishi who has sat out for some time and is trying to get
his feel for actual tournament competition again.
Kantosho The Fighting Spirit prize awarded to the Maegashira rikishi
who displays outstanding tenacity in his sumo by winning at least 8 of his 15
bouts.
Keiko Sumo practice.
Kimarite Technique used to win a sumo bout. Click here to see the
entire list.
Kinboshi Literally a “gold star.”
When a Maegashira-ranked rikishi topples a Yokozuna, he receives an
extra 15,000 yen monthly stipend each month for the rest of his sumo
career. If a rikishi has 5 kinboshi, he
receives 75,000 yen extra a month regardless of his rank.
Kokugikan The indoor stadium in Tokyo where 3 out of each year's six
tournaments are held.
Komusubi The lowest of the three sanyaku ranks.
Kyokai Or Sumo Kyokai. The
governing body of professional sumo in Japan.
Kyujo Sitting out a tournament due to injury.
Kyushu Refers to the last major tournament of the year held in
Fukuoka in November. Fukuoka is located
on Kyushu, the southernmost island of the four major islands which make up
Japan.
Makuuchi The division containing the top five ranks in Sumo: yokozuna,
ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi and maegashira.
Mawashi The silk belt that rikishi wear.
Maegashira The rank below komusubi and above juryo; the
lowest of the makuuchi division.
Make-koshi A majority of losses.
Makushita The rank below juryo.
Matta A false start at the beginning of a bout.
Mizu-iri A break in the middle of an unusually long bout.
Mono-ii When judges meet to discuss the accuracy of a gyoji's
decision.
Musubi-no-ichiban The final bout of the day.
Nagoya A city between Osaka and Tokyo where a major tournament is
held in July.
Natsu Summer; refers to the major tournament held in May in Tokyo.
Nihon-sumo-kyokai The Japan Sumo Association.
Okuridashi A winning technique that involves pushing the opponent out
of the dohyo from behind.
Osaka A large city in Kansai, south of Tokyo where the
Haru-basho, or Spring Tournament, is held in March.
Ozeki The second rank from the top, below yokozuna.
Rank and File Term used by Mike and Kenji to describe the
Maegashira-ranked rikishi in Makuuchi.
Rijicho The chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.
Rikishi A Sumo "wrestler."
Sanbangeiko Practice technique where two rikishi fight over and over
until exhausted.
Sanyaku The group of rikishi in the Ozeki, Sekiwake, and Komusubi
ranks.
Sekitori A rikishi in the Makuuchi or Juryo divisions.
Sekiwake The rank below ozeki and above komusubi.
Senshuraku The final day of a tournament.
Shikiri The preliminaries and warm-up before a bout.
Shikiri-sen The white lines in the center of the dohyo from which the
rikishi begin a bout.
Shiko The stamping of feet on the ground to strengthen the legs.
Shinpan A judge. Five
judges sit around the dohyo to help officiate the bouts.
Shisho A stable master.
Shitatenage A winning technique that involves throwing the opponent
down by using an inner grip on his mawashi.
Shukunsho The Outstanding Performance prize awarded to a Maegashira
rikishi who topples several Yokozuna and/or Ozeki along his way in winning at
least 8 of his 15 bouts.
Sumo The national sport of Japan. The Japanese here is actually
"ozumo," or "Grand Sumo."
Suna-kaburi The first six spectator rows around the dohyo. The name is derived from suna, or
sand, and kaburi, to wear on one’s head. A spectator sitting in the first few rows around the dohyo may be
hit with flying sand from the bouts in the ring.
Tachiai The initial charge at the beginning of a bout.
Taiketsu A match between two rikishi.
Tate-gyoji The chief gyoji.
Tawara The narrow bales of straw that mark the perimeter of the
dohyo.
Tegata A rikishi's handprint, the Sumo equivalent of a signature.
Tenran-zumo Sumo performed before the Emperor of Japan.
Teppo The striking of a wooden pole to strengthen the arms and
shoulders.
Tenpai The Emperor’s Cup, or huge trophy awarded to the yusho
rikishi.
Tokudawara The tawara that are slightly set back from the dohyo's
ring. Originally, they were to allow the gyoji to enter the ring back when the
tawara were full-sized bales of straw; now they give a few extra centimeters of
fighting space to hard-pressed rikishi.
Torikumi A Sumo bout.
Tori-naoshi A rematch, called when a bout is too close to determine the
winner.
Tsuna-tori An act of tying the white Yokozuna rope around the waste of
a newly promoted Yokozuna.
Waza A technique.
Yagura The scaffolding or tower outside the entrance to a
tournament; a taiko drum is placed at the top and beaten to announce the
tournament.
Yakata The roof that is suspended above the dohyo.
Yaocho A fixed bout.
Yobidashi The announcers who call out the names of the rikishi at the
beginning of each match.
Yokozuna The highest rank in Sumo from which a rikishi cannot be
demoted.
Yorikiri A winning technique that involves forcing the opponent out
of the dohyo by using a grip on his mawashi.
Yotsu-zumo Fighting with a grip on your opponent’s belt.
Yusho A tournament victory.
Zabuton A cushion used when sitting on the floor. Before their bouts, rikishi sit on their
personal zabuton at ringside.