Gyōji

File:Sumo4-vi.jpg

A sumo , the Template:Ill, in full traditional dress

A is a referee employed by the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for a variety of activities which concern the organisation of the sport in general and the refereeing of matches, as well as the preservation of professional sumo culture, deeply rooted in Shinto traditions. Subject to the same strict hierarchy and traditional appearance as the other professions gravitating around professional sumo, the are one of the most visible professions at tournaments (), being the third person in the (wrestling ring) and sometimes defined as "an essential part of the sumo spectacle."Template:Sfn

Inherited from a tradition of refereeing dating back to the Heian period, did not take on their current role until the Tenshō era in the late 16th century. Since the end of the 18th century, have been entrusted with religious functions, which they perform during the consecration of combat areas, before tournaments or in the stables to which they belong. The 's responsibilities also include drafting the , the document defining the promotion or demotion of wrestlers, and supervise match selections made by the (elders) on each tournament day.

History

The role of referee in sumo began long before the was entrusted with it. During the Heian period, the role of match referee was not yet defined, and besides the wrestlers, there were a number of officials responsible for supervising matches. These roles were given to imperial guards bearing the title of , a rank bearing the same kanji as the spelling of .Template:Sfn These officials, dressed as archers and carrying bows and quivers, were accompanied by substitutes, the , who were dressed in the same way and were responsible for keeping the scorebook.Template:Sfn An official, Shiga-no-Seirin (sometimes spelled Shigano Seirin or called Shiga Seirin), was appointed by Emperor Shōmu and founded one of the first hereditary lines of referees, and is also credited with establishing the original forty-eight sumo techniques.Template:Sfn During the same period, the term "" also appeared, but the role of the staff bearing this title, all sixth-tier courtiers, was confined to administrative organization and various tasks linked to the court ceremony alongside the sumo tournaments.Template:Sfn At the start of the Kamakura shogunate, still did not referee matches, this role falling to , or 'sumo magistrates'.Template:Sfn During the Muromachi period, the term began to be applied to samurai-ranked referees, involved in the temporary judging of matches between wrestlers.Template:Sfn

In 1570 (Genki era), however, Oda Nobunaga appointed two warriors from his retinue to the role of and gave them the task of organizing the shogunate's sumo tournaments.Template:Sfn During the Tokugawa shogunate, sumo became popular but the , in an effort to moralize society, banned traditional tournaments organized as part of festivals. As the sport began to be sponsored by the local lords, and in order to eliminate conflicts that would lead to the shogunate's ban on sumo, referee families taught sumo etiquette, rules and techniques to professional wrestlers () in various domains. With the incorporation of Shinto elements into sumo traditions during the Tokugawa shogunate, the role of took on even greater importance, emerging as surrogate priests.Template:Sfn As a result, requiring licenses to exercise the role of referee became extremely valuable, and by the early 18th century two families stood out in the legal control of : the House of Yoshida Tsukasa and the Template:Interlanguage link, both originating from the long tradition of local lords appointing their own officials to train wrestlers sponsored by their domain.Template:Sfn

Before the national standardization of sumo organizations, the sporting landscape was divided between several associations scattered around the country, the largest developing in Edo, Kyoto and Osaka.Template:Sfn At the end of the 18th century, around 1780, the Edo-based sumo association began a long period of domination of the national sumo scene. Yoshida Tsukasa, the clan controlling the observance of etiquette in Edo, took advantage of this gain in popularity to consolidate its authority over the other hereditary lines of referees, leading to the sole recognition of the referee traditions inherited from this family, which continues to the present.Template:Sfn During the mid-Edo period, the role of asserted itself and began to take on its current form, with the use of the (war fan) and the wearing of the ceremonial kimono.Template:Sfn

Career and ranking

Ring names

Like wrestlers and most other professions involved in professional sumo, do not work under their real name, but under a pseudonym similar to the , or ring name, used by wrestlers.Template:Sfn In modern times, all will take either the family name or as their professional name, depending on the tradition recruits are joining.Template:Sfn Within these two families, the names of the two highest-ranking members never change and the two top are always called , the junior , and , his senior.Template:Sfn

With the rise in importance and popularity of sumo during the Edo period, many hereditary lines of referees became codified, and some sought the patronage of the House of Yoshida Tsukasa.Template:Sfn Around 1770, several lineages existed simultaneously and officiated throughout Japan under the influence of the Yoshida, such as the Iwai Sauma in Kyoto, Shakushi Ichigaku in Osaka, Hattori Shikiemon in Higo and Suminoe Shikikuro in Nagasaki.Template:Sfn Between 1726 and 1729, the referees named Kimura Shōnosuke and sought patronage from the Yoshida and began working as referees in the Edo-based association.Template:Sfn According to a genealogy tree produced by the 6th Shōnosuke during the Meiwa era, the name Kimura Shōnosuke was originally adopted during the Kan'ei era by Nakadachi Uzaemon, a vassal of the Sanada clan, who was the third-generation head of a hereditary line of referees. The Shikimori, however, descend from a different lineage, founded by a former wrestler who became an elder under the name Isenoumi Godaiyū. He later changed his name to Shikimori Godaiyū and launched his own line of referees. Between 1765 and 1774, one of his descendants, named Shikimori Inosuke, established himself as a prominent figure and was appointed as one of the highest referee, second only to Kimura Shōnosuke; thus de facto taking the lead in his line.Template:Sfn

Today, the lineage of referees is mostly extinct, with the exception of the Kimura and Shikimori families which are the names of the two most powerful lines of referees to have made their mark since the middle of the 18th century.Template:Sfn Today's must choose to belong to one of these two lines.Template:Sfn

surnames may be influenced by stable traditions. The two families are not equal; their heads, for example, do not have quite the same rank, a Kimura still being considered a senior compared to a Shikimori.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The Kimura family is also much larger, with almost twice as many members as the Shikimori.Template:Sfn At one time, there was still a blood tie between the members of these families, but nowadays the relationship between families is primarily hierarchical, with switching between families as they are promoted through the ranks, particularly when they reach the top of the hierarchy.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Thus, the referee named Shikimori Inosuke, head of the Shikimori, will take the name Kimura Shōnosuke, and will therefore change family, if the latter retires.Template:Sfn Other examples of promotion in the other family included notably that of the Template:Interlanguage link who changed from the Kimura family to the Shikimori family when he gave up his name of to become the eleventh upon his promotion to the ranks of in 2012. The Template:Interlanguage link had been with the Kimura family from his debut in September 1979 until his promotion in January 2025.

As rise through the ranks and begin officiating higher divisions, they can change their first name to that of a past , thus taking on a more prestigious name, often part of a long tradition. For example, the name Shikimori Kandayū has been passed down for more than two hundred years. Other traditions may, on the contrary, encourage the referee to keep his name or to be given a unique one linked to his stable.

Each lineage of referee has its own traditions, one of the most visible being the handling of the when the latter is pointed in one direction to determine a winner: Kimura referees keep the back of their fist upward, while Shikimori referees have their palm facing upward.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

System of promotion

The maximum number of allowed in the Sumo Association is 45. since January 2024Template:Dated maintenance category (articles), there are 43 within the Sumo Association. Like the , the are employed directly by the Japan Sumo Association but are affiliated with the stables like wrestlers.Template:Sfn New recruits do not have to meet height or weight requirements and it is even implied that a small is preferable, for aesthetic reasons, as it creates a greater contrast with the taller and bigger wrestlers.Template:Sfn Many are former wrestlers who could not rise in the professional world and decided to change their path.Template:Sfn Prior to 1972, the began their training at the age of six or seven, before becoming referees in real-life situations between the ages of thirteen and fourteen, while at the same time receiving a normal education.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Recruits now begin their career around the age of fifteen or sixteen, after graduating from junior high school.Template:Sfn then work up a career ladder based on the professional sumo divisions until their retirement at 65.Template:Sfn The current ranking system consists of the following eight ranks, listed in descending order:

Promotions are decided once a year at the (rankings) organization meeting held after the September tournament and are only applicable starting the following January. Promotions were mainly based on seniority,Template:Sfn but from 1972 onwards, greater consideration was given to the personal qualities of referees, such as their ability to judge, the tone and power of their voice and also their work ethic. Other qualities are also taken into account, such as calligraphic skills, speed and agility in the ring and leadership shown when facing a difficult decision.Template:Sfn On the other hand, too many invalidated refereeing decisions can hinder promotion.Template:Sfn This penalty, however, is the highest consequence a can suffer, as cannot be demoted.Template:Sfn The maximum number of -ranked ( and above) is between 20 and 22. Until 1960, there was no mandatory retirement age and top-ranked usually served until death, illness or senility.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The promotion chain was hence blocked to the point where a persistent rumour had it that junior rejoiced at the death of their elders as much as they lamented it.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Today's promotions are slow but almost certain and some may be as popular as some wrestlers.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Junior evolve under the tutelage of their seniors.Template:Sfn Unlike wrestlers, have no training school for their initial training, and learn everything from the master under whom they are placed.Template:Sfn It usually takes a 15 years to be promoted to the ranks.Template:Sfn It takes another 15 years to be promoted to officiating matches.Template:Sfn The (top two ) usually have anywhere from 40 to 50 years of experience.Template:Sfn There are exceptions, notably the Template:Ill who was promoted to Shikimori Inosuke at the age of 48 in 1973, making him the youngest in the history of the sport. As referees are promoted, the number of matches they can officiate is reduced.Template:Sfn Young can referee up to ten matches in a day, while their seniors can referee two at most.Template:Sfn At the top of the hierarchy, both usually referee a single match.Template:Sfn However, this rule may be called into question in the event of a playoff on the last day of the tournament. In this case, the who officiated the last match before the playoff gives way to the referee sitting at the foot of the ring, even if the latter had already judged the penultimate match of the day. The two organize themselves so that they do not have to officiate several tournament playoffs in a row.

Compared to other professions outside professional sumo, or compared to wrestlers' salaries, pay is low but still higher than that of .Template:Sfn Top-ranked earn between 400,000 and 500,000 yen ($3320, or €2487 as of November 2023). The basic salary for a -ranked is between 42,000 yen ($281, or €258) to 100,000 yen ($669, or €615). Like wrestlers, however, receive bonuses after each tournament.Template:Sfn

Prior to July 1993, the were the only profession of sumo unrelated to wrestler (retired or active) to be featured in the , the traditional rankings of sumo.Template:Sfn Since then, the upper-ranked also have their names automatically included on the . The names of the are listed in the center vertical column above the names of the judges and below the and the tournament dates and site.Template:Sfn

, like wrestlers, are deprived of certain freedoms unless they reach a certain rank, and are required, for example, to live in their own stable. However, unlike wrestlers, who have the option of living elsewhere once they reach the rank of , can move once they reach the rank of . who have achieved status are assigned (personal attendants) just as top wrestlers are.Template:Sfn These may be junior referees or lower-ranked wrestlers, the latter being considered unlucky because there is a superstition in the sumo world that a wrestler serving a will not go on to have a successful career.Template:Sfn The may have a maximum of two assistants, when the referees ranked below him have only one. ranked near the top of the hierarchy can use an , a bamboo and luggage box dating back to the Edo period, to transport their personal belongings. also have their names displayed on (tall banner) at the entrance to the arenas where tournaments are held.Template:Sfn In the past, retired who had managed to secure an elder-share (a pseudonym under which a person may become an executive of the Japan Sumo Association) could remain in the Japan Sumo Association as elders, but the practice is no longer permitted.Template:Sfn

High-ranking Template:Translit as of January 2025

Rank	Name	Stable	Real name	Date of birth	Promotion	Refs
Template:Translit	Kimura ShōnosukeXXXIX	Kokonoe	Yūji Horasawa		January 2025
	Shikimori InosukeXLIII	Kasugano	Yoshimitsu Morita		January 2025
Template:Translit	Kimura Kōnosuke	Kokonoe	Toshiaki Kojima		January 2019
	Kimura Hisanosuke	Ōshima	Toshikazu Hata		January 2024
	Shikimori KandayūXII	Asahiyama	Hiroshi Kikuchi		January 2025

Traditional dress

In the ring, wear elaborate ceremonial costumes, either called the or the ,Template:Sfn making them a "flamboyant part of the sumo scene."Template:Sfn The kimono worn by the is usually a gift from patrons.Template:Sfn It imitates either the one worn by samurai-ranked officials during hunting parties organized during the Muromachi period,Template:Sfn or court dress worn during the Heian period.Template:Sfn

The costume has undergone a series of changes to arrive at its current form. During the Edo period, wore a linen , a sleeveless kimono with exaggerated shoulders, called . In May 1910, the Tokyo-sumo association made the decision to change the costume of professional referees to the one currently in use. However, the tradition of wearing the costumes used during the Edo period is still preserved in traditional regional tournaments, particularly on the Oki Islands. With the Dampatsurei Edict of 1871, referees could no longer keep their , and one of the reasons for adopting the new costume would have been to make it easier to conceal the referee's hair to hide his lack of topknot with a hat. This hat, worn in addition to the richly decorated kimonos, is called an .Template:Sfn It is a lacquered black hat inspired by the hats worn by courtiers in feudal Japan and fashioned after the hats worn by Shinto priests.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn To add color to this headdress, some replace the 's dark cords with colored ones.Template:Sfn Each costume worn by ranked in or above is as expensive as a worn by wrestlers of equivalent rank during their ring entering ceremonies.Template:Sfn Each chooses the color and pattern of his kimono, but only may use purple, the symbol of their rank.Template:Sfn In winter, tend to wear darker colors than those worn during the summer months.Template:Sfn

Like , who may receive from high-ranking wrestlers upon promotion, may also be given kimonos by , often with the wrestlers' names embroidered on them. For the sake of impartiality, only wear these costumes for ring-entering ceremonies and not during their matches, in order to avoid any suspicion of bias. Although kimono are often embroidered with very traditional motifs such as , in October 2021, the Japan Sumo Association formed a partnership with The Pokémon Company to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Blue and since the Template:Ill, can be seen wearing Poké Ball-themed kimono.

The outfits used all incorporate a number of rosettes, called , and tassels, called . These ornaments change color to indicate the 's rank.Template:Sfn Unlike , whose uniform is identical regardless of rank, each 's costume reflects the rank he holds and has specific features depending on the rank reached. On promotion, the will change into more elaborate outfits and small changes in dress continue as the referee moves up the hierarchy. Since 1960, who have attained the rank of wear several pairs of per tournament.Template:Sfn These socks, originally designed only for walking on mats and not on the hard and sandy surface of a , wear out very quickly after a day of matches.Template:Sfn who are promoted to the rank of may wear an on the rear-right side of their belt. Both the top two carry a (a dagger) visible in the left side of the belt of the outfit. This is supposed to represent the seriousness of the decisions they must make in determining the outcome of a bout, and a symbolic preparedness to commit if they make a mistake.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn Another rumor has it that the referee carries this dagger to defend his verdict against any wrestler or spectator who comes to threaten him or question his decision.Template:Sfn This was notably the case during an Osaka-based sumo association match during the Edo period, when a local by the name of had to defend himself against an aggressive elder who was unhappy that his wrestler had been declared the loser.

As their careers progress, incorporate elements such as the following into their outfits:

Rank		Costume and fabric	and	Footwear	Ceremonial object
	Kimura Shōnosuke	Thick silk (winter) Thin linen (summer)	Template:Diagonal split color box Purple	socks and sandals	dagger and
	Shikimori Inosuke		Template:Diagonal split color box Purple and white
			Template:Diagonal split color box Vermillon
			Template:Diagonal split color box Red and white	socks	None
			Template:Diagonal split color box Green and white
		Cotton	Template:Diagonal split color box Green Template:Diagonal split color box Black	Bare feet with the kimono tied above the knees

To accompany their costumes, each carries a , a wooden war fan similar to the Japanese command staff used by generals at the head of their troops.Template:Sfn There are no rules about the materials to be used or the shape a should take.Template:Sfn The first owned by a young is given to him either by a senior or the stablemaster of the stable to which he belongs.Template:Sfn Each has his own and those handled by top-ranked , lacquered with gold or silver ornamentation.Template:Sfn Some are handed down from generation to generation, sometimes to be used only by the who holds a particular ring name. This is notably the case for Kimura Shōnosuke's , which has been passed down to successors for over 160 years.Template:Sfn Shikimori Kandayū's is also a legacy handed down since Kandayū II in 1866.

Responsibilities

Refereeing a match

The 's principal and most obvious task is to referee bouts between two sumo wrestlers.Template:Sfn The is regarded as an unquestionable authority figure in the ring, and is never booed or hissed at.Template:Sfn The 's verdicts can, however, be overturned by the judges seated around the ring (the ).Template:Sfn During the Meiji era, Japan underwent a series of changes which also had an impact on the traditional way in which sumo tournaments were held and on the organisation of the sumo association.Template:Sfn During the same period, Takasago Uragorō launched a protest movement forcing the association to adopt measures aimed at improving their image, in particular by ending the possession of the final judgement of a match, which was changed from to .Template:Sfn

Each referees matches taking place in the division that corresponds to the referee's rank.Template:Sfn Only the are allowed to referee a match involving a .Template:Sfn In all the matches they referee, are expected to give a decision on the spot, whatever the conditions at the end of a match.Template:Sfn Too many overturned decisions lead to stagnation in the promotion order or a salary cut.Template:Sfn The only exception is that (rematch) are not counted as refereeing errors.Template:Sfn If a referee in the highest ranks has too many of his decisions overturned, he is expected to submit his resignation to the JSA Board of Directors. However, these resignations are regularly rejected.Template:Sfn At level, referees suffer a penalty if they make more than nine mistakes in a year while -ranked are permitted up to ten.Template:Sfn As for the other ranks in the hierarchy (below ), there are no financial penalties, but promotions are nevertheless affected.Template:Sfn

In the ring, the follows a very specific protocol before the fight begins. The referee always supervises the proceedings from the north corner of the ring, facing south.Template:Sfn After the has called them into the ring, the will also call out each wrestler's name.Template:Sfn On odd-numbered days, the call is made from the east to west, and on even-numbered days the call is made in the other way round. It is the 's responsibility to watch over the wrestlers as they go through the initial prebout staring contests (the ), during which he first stands facing the , the white starting lines in the centre of the ring, then sideways with the raised and in profile.Template:Sfn When the preparation time is up, the referee receives a signal from the judge in charge of keeping time via the .Template:Sfn The then places his flat against him, a gesture that signifies to the wrestlers that the fight must begin.Template:Sfn The then coordinates the initial charge (or ) between the wrestlers.Template:Sfn Immediately after the wrestlers initiate a that the deems acceptable, he will begin to referee the match.Template:Sfn Although it is the wrestlers who ultimately determine the exact point at which the is initiated, if the two wrestlers' breathing is not synchronized or if one wrestler charges before they both put their hands down, the will notify them that they should wait before going ahead until both are ready or that the charge was a false start.Template:Sfn If a false start has been ruled, the wrestlers must return to their starting positions and try another .Template:Sfn

File:Sumoclip-may242007-tokyo.ogv

A gyōji calling out a match between -ranked Mankajō (left) and Gōtenyū in May 2007

The shouts that use in the ring are called , and are codified with no ad-libbing tolerated.Template:Sfn

If the match time exceeds four minutes with little movement, the time-keeper will usually indicate to the to call for a , or water break.Template:Sfn The then notifies the wrestlers to get out of the ring. He then records the exact positions of both wrestlers' hands and feet, and puts them back in this position once the break has concluded.Template:Sfn The starts the fighting again by simultaneously hitting the backs of the wrestlers' .Template:Sfn Although there are no strict rules on what to do when a match is paused, it was noted during the November 2023 tournament that a procedure inspired by then- referee Kimura Hisanosuke, consisting of using salt to mark the positions of the wrestlers' feet, was reused because it was considered elegant and effective. Additionally, the may call for a short break if he needs to fix a wrestler's . The puts the cord in his mouth and swings it over his shoulder to dangle from his back. He then reties the loincloth.Template:Sfn In the extremely rare event that a falls and exposes a wrestler's nudity, the is expected to use his as a fig leaf to cover an exposed wrestler.Template:Sfn Sometimes, during a particularly hectic match, the referee falls out of the ring or is accidentally knocked down by the wrestlers. If, following a fall, the is no longer able to give a verdict or hand out prize envelopes, it is up to the waiting at the foot of the ring to take his place.

File:Debating a close call 2008 (2946130943).jpg

A during a bout in 2008

When the considers that a wrestler has lost, he ends the match by pointing his to the side of the winning wrestler.Template:Sfn The 's decision as to the winner of the bout is not immediately final and can be called into question by one of the five (judges) who sit around the ring.Template:Sfn If they dispute the result, they hold a (Template:Literal translation) in the center of the ring, and correspond through an earpiece to a further two judges in the video review room.Template:Sfn They can confirm the decision of the (, 'way of the '), overturn it (, 'wrong indication'), or order a rematch ().Template:Sfn The is not expected to take part in the discussion during a unless asked to do so.Template:Sfn When a final verdict is reached, the again points his at the victorious wrestler and announces his , or ring name, in a clear voice.Template:Sfn If the match had received corporate sponsorship and banners had been displayed before the start of the fight, the brings over the envelopes containing the money on his .Template:Sfn

Religious role

In addition to refereeing matches, have a number of other duties, among them are their religious responsibilities in the sport. When a new ring is built, it is the 's responsibility to perform a (Template:Literal translation), or ring-consecration ceremony, a ritual to bless the space in which the wrestlers fight and train.Template:Sfn The day before a , the Japan Sumo Association holds a religious ceremony in the presence of all the association's higher-ups and all the -ranked wrestlers who take their seats around the ring.Template:Sfn The same day, a more discreet ceremony is held in the stables' training rings by junior-ranked referees belonging to the same clan, in the presence of the stablemaster and the wrestlers.Template:Sfn A simplified version of the ceremony also takes place during regional tours (called ).Template:Sfn This practice, inherited from the Heian period, was restored by the Yoshida in the 1790s.Template:Sfn

The is performed by one of the and two other senior-ranked referees, serving as attendants called . The act as Shinto priests and perform the ceremony taking the shape of a Shinto rite.Template:Sfn The three , dressed in the same way as a , wear formal white robes (called ), larger hat, socks and straw sandals.Template:Sfn The distinguishes himself by wearing a color variation under his white kimono and a instead of an .Template:Sfn All of the carry a wooden instrument (called a ) as a symbol of authority.Template:Sfn On the , (a Shinto ritual wand) are also placed in wooden stands at the center.Template:Sfn

One of the 's two assistants first steps into the ring and behaves as if in a shrine, following Shinto etiquette.Template:Sfn He then recites a prayer and walks around the four corners of the ring waving a sakaki tree branch serving as an at the attendants, in an act called .Template:Sfn The then enters the ring and recites a prayer. This prayer to the three deities of sumo (Ame-no-Tajikarao, Takemikazuchi and Nomi no Sukune) and to the aspects of the seasons, is made for good weather throughout the tournament.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn This practice is inherited from a time when tournaments were held outdoors.Template:Sfn The deities are also asked to bless all the wrestlers who will participate in the matches and keep them safe.Template:Sfn The assistants in turn step into the ring and distribute the from the center of the ring to its four corners.Template:Sfn Sake is then poured by the assistants into the four outer corners of the ring, following the shape of the wrestlers' (first left, then right, then center).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn After the assistants have stepped down from the ring, the recites a prayer called .Template:Sfn

— Template:Comma separated entries

Placed on a , symbolic offerings are brought to the ring. They consist of dried chestnuts, washed rice, kelp, dried cuttlefish, kombu and nuts which are then poured into a hole in the center of the ring along some sake.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The then pours sake into the four inner corners of the ring.Template:Sfn The remaining sake is then offered to the Japan Sumo Association executives seated around the ring.Template:Sfn

After the end of a tournament, a bring the tournament to an end with a religious ceremony. This ceremony, called , or 'god sending ceremony', is held the last day of a tournament to return the gods who had descended to the ring to heaven. One junior-ranked holding a will stand in the center of the ring and will be tossed into the air by lower-ranked wrestlers.

Presiding over ring-entering ceremonies

The also officially lead the ring-entering ceremonies.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn More precisely, the 's responsibility is to head the columns of -ranked wrestlers, leading them from the , the two paths from east and west, to the ring.Template:Sfn If the is absent, the wrestlers are normally expected to wait to be led into the ring. The 's rank is equivalent to that of the wrestlers he leads.Template:Sfn Each who presides over ring-entering ceremonies takes charge of only three or four per tournament, rotating with their colleagues of equivalent rank.

The enters the ring first, circles it and then settles in the center. The wrestlers, in ascending rank, follow him, and a at the foot of the ring announces the prefecture of origin (or country, in the case of foreign wrestlers), the stable to which they belong and the of the wrestler stepping onto the .Template:Sfn When the last wrestler, ranked at the top of the or, in the case of the division, the , steps into the ring, the wrestlers turn to perform ritual gestures facing the center of the ring.Template:Sfn The in the center waves the rope () of his in a circle.Template:Sfn

During the 's ring-entering ceremony, the is also responsible for leading the wrestlers into the ring before the (the wrestler preceding the ). Normally, the presides over this ceremony.Template:Sfn In the absence of a , the referee presiding over the ceremony will be a -ranked .Template:Sfn The stands behind the , waving the rope of his as the makes his signature entrance (shiranui or unryū).

Writing the

The are also responsible for writing up the , the traditional ranking sheet for professional sumo, and their task begins long before a definitive ranking is decided.Template:Sfn The act as clerks at the ranking meetings, which take place three days after the end of each tournament. During the preparatory meeting, the serve only as observers and are not invited to speak. Three are responsible for recording decisions on promotions and demotions, and their work is then used as the basis for the calligraphy known to the public.

The did not start writing the until 1944; prior to this date it was often written by the elders of the association or by the professionals responsible for printing it. Only two or three high-ranking are authorised to write the , which will later be reproduced and actually used.Template:Sfn This team is usually composed of one senior (usually ranked in ) and one or two assistants. The senior writer is usually also one of the attending the ranking meeting. Since World War II, only eight have been responsible for editing the . The task of writing the is considered so important that the people responsible for writing it never accompany the JSA on tour, so as to devote themselves entirely to their task.

In line with the calligraphic skills of the , the ranking is handwritten in a style called or .Template:Sfn This style of writing is similar to that developed in the mid-18th century to write advertisements for kabuki plays.Template:Sfn The official name of the style, , is derived from the name of a printer called Mikawa Jiemon who, in 1757, was in charge of printing the . He later became an elder of the association under the name Negishi, thus giving the name to the style he used when writing.Template:Sfn The characters are written thickly and without gaps, which is meant to represent the hope that the tournament venue will be filled to capacity. Another interpretation of the size of the characters is that they imitate the imposing physique of the wrestlers.

Before each main tournament, it takes between seven and ten days to handwrite the .Template:Sfn Each kanji is written with a brush without the help of word processors.Template:Sfn are also expected to write the with their right hand. The original is called a . It is a large sheet of paper measuring metres by . The assistant draws the frame of the future banzuke on a blank sheet of paper, an operation that alone takes two days as everything is done by hand. In the lower left-hand section of the , the senior write vertically the sentence , a prayer for the wrestlers' safety in the ring. The writing then begins from bottom to top and from left to right, so as to start with the lowest ranks and end with the rank of . There is a tradition that for the smallest ranks, written in an extremely fine way, the use an old brush whose bristles have all fallen off and given by a who taught him. In total, around 830 names are handwritten. After being written up and proofread, the is sent to the printing works for photoengraving and printing on a format four times smaller than the original.

While the is written by senior , the is written by young referees. After the has been unveiled, between two and three ranked in gather to write on the high and wide wooden board traditionally hung at the entrance to tournament venues.

Other tasks

In line with their refereeing duties, the are also divided into departments within the Sumo Association, as are the elders. The distribution of in these departments depends on the and on a committee of three senior referees (currently ranked as and ) who are elected every two years by their peers.

For the , there are three departments with very specific tasks. The first department is the , named after the rooms in the Kokugikan. This department is responsible for recording the results of matches held the previous day on the scroll, to prepare for the work of the judging department, which will decide on future wrestler matchups for upcoming matches. The second department to which the belong is that of the referees who stand close to the ring during matches and announce over the microphone which (winning technique) have been used by the wrestlers. Since all referees are also expected to referee in the ring, a team of ten rotate with each other at the microphone for one day. In addition, the announcers are all from the Kantō region, so as to maintain a standard of intelligibility by avoiding accents. If the referee making the announcement did not see the technique used, he may contact the video referee to confirm it. The third department is entirely dedicated to the publication of wrestlers' results.

File:Sumo scoreboard close up 2008 May last day.jpg

Scoreboard plaques are handwritten by the .

Once the matches have been decided, it is up to the to write up the sheets (called ) that will be presented after the ring entry ceremonies on tournament days.Template:Sfn

The also make the plaques displayed on the electronic scoreboards in the arenas, on a thin rectangular sheet of plastic.Template:Sfn Plaques are changed when a wrestler changes his or is promoted. In addition, are also responsible for the material organization of tours (called ). This takes place a year and a half in advance, and includes preparation of itineraries and accommodation.

Finally, as all are also associated with one of the sumo training stables throughout their career, they also have individual duties related to the stables such as performing clerical work.Template:Sfn

Controversies

In January 2018, the 40th Shikimori Inosuke (whose real name is Itsuo Nōchi) was suspended for three tournaments for sexually harassing a junior referee. The Japan Sumo Association accepted his resignation in May 2018 when the suspension concluded.

Shortly after the announcement of promotions for the January 2024 grand sumo tournament, the 6th Kimura Tamajirō (from Tatsunami stable) submitted his retirement papers to the Sumo Association, ending a 47-year career. The day before, he did not appear on the list of referees promoted, even though he was the second most senior referee at the time and only two years away from retirement. Sasaki Ichirō, a sumo journalist at Nikkan Sports, shared an informal comment on his Twitter account expressing Tamajirō VI's displeasure at not being promoted to the rank of .

In January 2025, -ranked Kimura Kankurō was suspended for the 2025 March tournament and was given a pay cut after he was found to have physically assaulted one of his apprentices during the 2024 November tournament. He had previously been excluded from the January tournament from day eight, when the internal investigation was launched.

In May 2025 it was reported that the Sumo Association's compliance committee was investigating allegations that an unnamed Template:Translit who managed the reserve fund of the Template:Translit (wrestlers' association, composed of active Template:Translit competitors) embezzled money from that fund, portions of which were designated to support children affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. According to the report, the Template:Translit repeatedly deferred requests by the Template:Translit to disclose the fund's books and balance. During the investigation, the Template:Translit reportedly confessed to spending tens of millions of yen on gambling and other activities. On 2 June 2025 the Sumo Association decided to dismiss Template:Translit Kimura Ginjirō (Shibatayama stable), identified as the individual who embezzled approximately ¥20 million from the fund.

See also

• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of sumo stables
• List of years in sumo
• Other personnel of the Japan Sumo Association

External links

• List of current at the Japan Sumo Association site (in Japanese)
• List of expressions and shouts used by in the ring
• Video on YouTube—Sumo Prime Time episode
• – an interview with the 30th Kimura Shōnosuke (then the 31st Shikimori Inosuke)