Sumo Explained: A Beginner’s Guide to Japan’s National Sport
Sumo Explained: A Beginner’s Guide to Japan’s National Sport
Six tournaments, a hand-painted ranking scroll, and a grand champion who can never be demoted. Here’s how sumo actually works — and how to start watching.
Sumo is Japan’s centuries-old national sport, run by the Japan Sumo Association. Six 15-day grand tournaments (honbasho) are held each year, and wrestlers rise and fall through six divisions printed on a hand-calligraphed ranking sheet, the banzuke. At the top sits the Makuuchi division, led by the rank of yokozuna (grand champion) — a title that, uniquely, can never be demoted. As of mid-2026 the yokozuna are Hoshoryu and Onosato. ⚠ Rankings and champions change every tournament.
1. The basics
Two wrestlers, one ring, a few seconds of explosive force.
A sumo bout is simple to follow: two rikishi (wrestlers) face off inside a raised clay ring, the dohyo, and you lose if any part of your body other than the soles of your feet touches the ground, or if you are forced out of the ring.1 Around that simple goal sits deep ritual — salt thrown to purify the ring, stamping, and formal bows — and a traditional stable (heya) system in which wrestlers live and train together. The whole sport is governed by the Japan Sumo Association.1
2. Six tournaments a year
The calendar every fan knows by heart.
Sumo’s professional year is built around six honbasho, each running 15 days.2 They rotate between four cities: Tokyo (January, May and September), Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November). A wrestler who wins more than half his bouts — a kachi-koshi (8+ wins) — generally rises up the rankings; a losing record sends him down. See where it fits in our sports calendar.
3. The ranking ladder
From grand champion to the bottom rung.
Every wrestler sits somewhere on the banzuke, the ranking sheet hand-written in calligraphy before each tournament.3 There are six divisions — from the top: Makuuchi, Juryo, Makushita, Sandanme, Jonidan and Jonokuchi.3 Within the elite Makuuchi division are five tiers: yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi and the rank-and-file maegashira.1 An ozeki can be demoted for poor results, but a yokozuna never is — a grand champion who can no longer perform is expected to retire instead. The current yokozuna are Hoshoryu and Onosato.2 ⚠ This changes tournament to tournament. Modern sumo has also been shaped by great foreign-born wrestlers, especially from Mongolia.
4. How to start watching
It is easier to follow than it looks.
During each honbasho, bouts are broadcast daily (NHK carries an English option), so you can follow a tournament from anywhere. Better still, attend one in person — tickets range from ringside cushions to upper seats, and the build-up rituals are half the experience. Plan it with our guides to attending a game in Japan and getting around. Sumo sits alongside the other pillars of how Japan organises its sport.
Frequently asked questions
How many sumo tournaments are there each year?
Six 15-day grand tournaments (honbasho) — three in Tokyo plus Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
What is the highest rank in sumo?
Yokozuna (grand champion); uniquely, a yokozuna can never be demoted.
How many divisions are there?
Six — Makuuchi, Juryo, Makushita, Sandanme, Jonidan and Jonokuchi.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, systems and culture behind Japanese sport.
Sources & notes
- Sumo basics, dohyo, win conditions, Makuuchi tiers; governed by the Japan Sumo Association. Good Luck Trip — beginner’s guide; Wikipedia.
- Six 15-day honbasho per year (Tokyo Jan/May/Sep, Osaka Mar, Nagoya Jul, Fukuoka Nov); current yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato (2026). Japan Sumo Association. ⚠ Changes each tournament.
- Six divisions and the hand-calligraphed banzuke. Sumo ranks explained; Wikipedia.
An explainer dated 18 June 2026. ⚠ Sumo rankings and champions change every tournament; confirm current details before relying on them. No copyrighted material is reproduced.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月18日 | 初回公開 |
| 2026年6月19日 | 情報を更新 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月19日
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