The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
Sumo 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.
A gyōji is a referee employed by the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for a variety of activities related to both the proper running of the sport's organising and matches and to the preservation of professional sumo culture, deeply rooted in Shinto traditions.
A yobidashi, often translated in English as "usher", "ring attendant", or "ring announcer", is an employee of the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for various tasks essential to the traditional running of professional sumo tournaments in Japan. The yobidashi are involved in building the dohyō or calling wrestlers to the ring when it is their turn to fight. They are also entrusted with other roles, both administrative and artistic, in the service of the stable to which they are attached.
Takasago stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋".
Kokonoe stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and until 2021 was located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of January 2023 it had 26 sumo wrestlers, four of whom are of sekitori rank. It is the most successful stable in terms of total yūshō won by its wrestlers, with 52.
Isegahama stable, formerly known as Ajigawa stable from 1979 to 2007, is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Isegahama ichimon or group of stables. Its current head coach is former yokozuna Asahifuji. As of January 2023 it had 19 wrestlers.
Asasekiryū Tarō is a former sumo wrestler. He made his debut in January 2000, reaching the top makuuchi division in March 2003. He won four special prizes, and spent a total of five tournaments in the titled san'yaku ranks. The highest rank was sekiwake. He was a runner-up in two tournaments in 2004 and 2007. After 2013 he was mainly ranked in the lower jūryō and makushita divisions. He acquired Japanese citizenship in April 2017 and retired from active competition the following month. He became a coach at Takasago stable under the elder name Nishikijima Oyakata. In November 2020 he became head coach of Takasago stable.
Wakanosato Shinobu is a retired sumo wrestler from Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. He made his debut in the top division in 1998, and his highest rank was sekiwake. He holds the record for the most consecutive tournaments ranked in the junior san'yaku ranks of sekiwake and komusubi. He won ten special prizes and was twice runner-up in a tournament. He earned two gold stars for defeating yokozuna at a maegashira rank. He had 1691 career bouts, sixth on the all-time list. He retired in 2015 and was a coach at Tagonoura stable, until opening his own Nishiiwa stable in February 2018.
Takekaze Akira is a former professional sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year. He was a runner-up in one tournament, earned two special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and one gold star for defeating a yokozuna. Takekaze is in first place for the slowest promotion from makuuchi debut to the third highest sekiwake rank in history. Aged 35 years and two months, he is in first place for the eldest to make his sekiwake debut post World War II. He was a member of Oguruma stable. He retired in January 2019 to become an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Oshiogawa-oyakata.
Tagaryū Shōji is a former sumo wrestler from Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. In 1984 he won a top division yūshō or tournament championship from the maegashira ranking. He is now a sumo coach and head of the Kagamiyama stable as well as a director of the Japan Sumo Association.
Sadogatake stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form, it dates from September 1955, when it was set up by former komusubi Kotonishiki Noboru. Former yokozuna Kotozakura took over the running of the stable in 1974 following Kotonishiki's death. The stable is located in Matsudo, Chiba prefecture. Over the next thirty years the stable produced a string of top division wrestlers. Kotozakura stood down in November 2005, handing the stable over to his son-in-law, former sekiwake Kotonowaka.
Shibatayama Stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. It was founded in 1999 by former yokozuna Ōnokuni. Located in Suginami, it is the only stable to be situated in the western half of Tokyo as of 2020.
Ōzutsu Takeshi is a former sumo wrestler from Mie, Japan. Beginning his professional career in May 1971, he was ranked in the top makuuchi division continuously from March 1979 to January 1992, and his record of 1170 consecutive bouts there is the second best in history after Takamiyama. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was runner-up in one tournament and earned ten kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He also won four sanshō or special prizes. He wrestled for Taihō stable and after his retirement in May 1992 he worked there as a coach before leaving the Japan Sumo Association in 2008.
Tochinowaka Michihiro is a former sumo wrestler from Hyogo, Japan. His father is a Zainichi Korean and his mother is a Korean immigrant. He made his professional debut in 2007 and steadily rose through the ranks. His highest rank was maegashira 1.
Kotoyūki Kazuyoshi is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Kagawa Prefecture. He made his professional debut in 2008. After being a regular jūryō wrestler who made occasional trips to the top makuuchi division for a few years, from 2015 until 2019 he was a top division regular. He earned one gold star for defeating a yokozuna and one special prize for Outstanding Performance. He wrestled for Sadogatake stable, and his highest rank was sekiwake. He retired in April 2021 and is now a sumo coach.
Sadanoumi Takashi is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kumamoto. He made his debut in 2003, and reached the top makuuchi division eleven years later in 2014. His highest rank has been maegashira 1. He has been a runner-up in one tournament, and has won two special prizes for Fighting Spirit and one gold star for defeating a yokozuna.
Nishikigi Tetsuya is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Morioka. He made his debut in March 2006 and wrestles for Isenoumi stable. His highest rank has been komusubi and he has won championships at jūryō and makushita level.
Ōhō Kōnosuke, born February 14, 2000, as Kōnosuke Naya, is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kōtō, Tokyo. He made his professional debut in January 2018 wrestling for Ōtake stable. He reached the second-highest division, jūryō, in January 2021 and reached the top division, makuuchi, in January 2022. His highest rank has been maegashira 6. A third generation makuuchi wrestler, he is the son of former sekiwake Takatōriki and the grandson of the 48th yokozuna Taihō.
Wakamotoharu Minato is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Fukushima. He wrestles for the Arashio stable, where he is a stable mate of his brothers Wakatakakage and Wakatakamoto. His highest rank to date has been sekiwake.
The following are the events in professional sumo during 2023.