History of Rikishi in Timeline

A rikishi, also known as a sumōtori or osumōsan, is a sumo wrestler. While the term can technically apply to any participant in sumo wrestling, it typically refers to professional wrestlers employed by the Japan Sumo Association. These professionals compete in sumo tournaments, which are primarily held in Japan, the only country where sumo is professionally practiced.

1911: Strike for Wage Reform

In 1911, low-ranking wrestlers went on strike to demand a new wage reform. This secured a bonus, made up of cash and pension fund deposits, for all wrestlers below the ōzeki or yokozuna ranks.

1923: Mikawaishima Incident

In 1923, the Mikawajima Incident occurred, with Yokozuna Ōnishiki leading a strike demanding better pensions for wrestlers. This strike was unsuccessful.

1925: Founding of the All Japan Sumo Association

In 1925, the All Japan Sumo Association was founded.

1932: Shunjuen Incident and Wrestlers' Strike

In 1932 (Taishō era), the Shunjuen Incident marked the last major wrestlers' strike, calling for fundamental reform of the newly created Japan Sumo Association. This led to a mass resignation of wrestlers.

1943: Disruptions to Sumo Competitions

In 1943, competitions were disrupted due to the turning point of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Tokyo bombings also killed many wrestlers.

1944: Tochinishiki drafted into the navy

In 1944, popular sumo wrestler Tochinishiki left the association to be drafted into the navy at Arai, Shizuoka during the war.

1945: Tochinishiki drafted into the navy

In 1945, popular sumo wrestler Tochinishiki left the association to be drafted into the navy at Arai, Shizuoka during the war.

1946: Yoshibayama Drafted into Army

From 1943 to 1946, Yoshibayama, newly promoted in the jūryō division, had been drafted and was shot in the left thigh.

May 1957: Wage System Introduced

In May 1957, professional sumo wrestlers began to be paid according to a wage system. Only wrestlers ranked jūryō and above receive a monthly salary.

1958: Record Number of Apprentices

In 1958, a record number of new apprentices took the entrance exam, with 250 successful candidates, at the height of the HakuHō era.

1965: International Tours of Professional Sumo

In the summer of 1965, Taihō, Kashiwado, and Sadanoyama were part of a group of eight wrestlers who went to the Soviet Union at the invitation of the Russian government to perform goodwill matches, being dubbed the 'naked ambassadors'.

1966: Misogidori Yūji reaches makuuchi division

In 1966, Misogidori Yūji became the first openly Ainu wrestler to reach the makuuchi division.

1968: Takamiyama reaches top division

In 1968, Hawaii-born Takamiyama reached the top division in sumo, marking a significant success for a non-Asian wrestler.

1972: Takamiyama wins top division championship

In 1972, Takamiyama became the first foreigner to win the top division championship, gaining popularity in Japan.

1973: Compulsory Education Requirement

Since 1973, all new aspirants must have completed at least compulsory education, which means graduating from the six years of primary school and the three years of junior high school.

1976: Foreigners must give up nationality to remain in Sumo Association after retirement

Since 1976, if a foreigner wishes to remain in the Sumo Association after his retirement, he must give up his nationality and become a Japanese citizen.

March 1979: Low Number of Active Wrestlers

At the March 1979 tournament, the number of active wrestlers hit 599, the lowest in 45 years.

1987: Konishiki reaches ōzeki rank

In 1987, Konishiki, of Samoan descent, became the first foreigner to reach the rank of ōzeki in sumo.

May 1992: Restrictions on the number of foreigners allowed in professional sumo began

In May 1992, restrictions on the number of foreigners allowed in professional sumo began shortly after Ōshima stable had recruited six Mongolians at the same time.

1992: High Recruitment Numbers

In 1992, 160 people were recruited in March alone at the peak of the WakaTaka boom.

1993: Akebono becomes first foreign-born yokozuna

In 1993, Native Hawaiian Akebono became the first foreign-born yokozuna in sumo wrestling.

May 1994: Peak in Active Rikishi

In May 1994, the number of active rikishi peaked at 943 during the height of the "WakaTaka boom".

1994: Record-High Number of Wrestlers

In the 1994 May tournament, professional sumo divisions hit a record-high of 943 wrestlers.

1999: Musashimaru reaches yokozuna rank

In 1999, Musashimaru, born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii, became the second foreigner to reach sumo's top rank.

2002: One foreigner per stable policy officially adopted

In 2002, a one foreigner per stable policy was officially adopted in professional sumo, though the ban was not retroactive.

2003: Mongolian wrestlers reach yokozuna rank

From 2003, all four wrestlers reaching the yokozuna rank were Mongolian: Asashōryū, Hakuhō, Harumafuji and Kakuryū.

2005: Kotoōshū attains ōzeki ranking and wins championship

In 2005, Kotoōshū from Bulgaria became the first wrestler of European birth to attain the ōzeki ranking and the first to win a top division championship.

2006: Hisanoumi changes nationality

At the end of 2006, Hisanoumi changed his nationality from Tongan, allowing another Tongan to enter his stable.

July 2007: Record number of foreigners in top divisions

In July 2007, there were nineteen foreigners in the top two divisions, which was the all-time record of the time with, for the first time, a majority of overseas wrestlers in the top san'yaku ranks.

February 2010: Sumo Association changes definition of 'foreign'

On 23 February 2010, the Sumo Association announced that it had changed its definition of "foreign" to "foreign-born", meaning that even naturalized Japanese citizens will be considered foreigners if they were born outside of Japan.

2011: Match-Fixing Scandal and Expulsions

Following the 2011 match-fixing scandal, 23 wrestlers were expelled from the association.

2012: Low Number of Recruits

After the revelations of the 2012 match-fixing scandal, 56 new recruits turned professional, setting a record low at the time.

2012: Minimum Physical Standards

In 2012, a minimum height of 1.67 m and weight of 67 kg was introduced, replacing the need for recruits to be a minimum 1.73 m tall and weigh 75 kg in the early 2000s.

2012: Kyokutenhō wins top division championship

In 2012, the Mongolian Kyokutenhō became the oldest wrestler in modern history to win a top division championship.

January 2014: Shift to Public Interest Incorporated Foundation

In January 2014, the association shifted to a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation and the disciplinary statutes were amended, removing the sanction of expulsion and adding a recommendation to retire before the ultimate sanction of dismissal.

2014: Mongolian wrestlers reach yokozuna rank

Until 2014, all four wrestlers reaching the yokozuna rank were Mongolian: Asashōryū, Hakuhō, Harumafuji and Kakuryū.

2014: Punishment Levels Changed

Until 2014, punishments consisted of five levels, to which was added a so-called "extraordinary" level.

2018: Clarification of Disciplinary Rules

In 2018, the sumo association also clarified its disciplinary rules, establishing a system for increasing penalties according to the rank of the concerned wrestler.

January 2019: Monthly Salary Figures Announced

Since the January 2019 tournament, the monthly salary figures for the top two divisions have been released.

2019: Cost of Individual Sponsorship

As of 2019, a single sponsorship for top division matches costs ¥70,000, with ¥60,000 going to the winner and ¥10,000 deducted by the Japan Sumo Association for costs and fees.

2019: Ban on Beards

Since 2019, the Sumo Association has banned the wearing of beards, judging that it made wrestlers' appearance too dirty.

2020: COVID-19 pandemic concerns

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were numerous concerns about the number of wrestlers that could be affected by the virus.

2021: Rikishi-kai Presidency Vacant

Since Yokozuna Kakuryū's retirement in 2021, the presidency of the rikishi-kai is currently vacant.

June 2022: Twenty-six foreign-born rikishi listed

In June 2022 twenty-six foreign-born rikishi from nine countries were listed on the official banzuke.

2022: Decline in Number of Wrestlers

In the early 2020s, professional sumo recorded a decline of more than thirty percent in the number of wrestlers, reaching only 665 competitors in 2022.

November 2023: Record Low Number of Recruits

In November 2023, the total number of young recruits who had taken the professional exams during the whole year was 53, beating the record low of 56 new recruits who turned professional after the revelations of the 2012 match-fixing scandal.

2023: Hakuōhō's Promotion and Sumo School

In 2023, Hakuōhō became the first wrestler in sumo's recorded history to earn his promotion to sekitori before attending any of the school's classes, but decided to participate in the lessons nevertheless.

January 2024: Recruits are no longer subject to physical standards

As of January 2024, recruits are no longer subject to physical standards.

January 2024: Decline in Active Rikishi

By January 2024, the number of active rikishi had declined to 599, which is a major topic in sumo due to regularly breaking records for the lowest number of recruits.

April 2024: Earnings of Yokozuna Hakuhō

According to former Gagamaru and Tochinoshin, Yokozuna Hakuhō (sumo's most successful wrestler) earned around ¥100 million a year (about US$646,840 and €607,200 as of April 2024) during his active years, all bonuses included.

April 2024: Athletics test Reintroduced

In April 2024, the Sumo Association reintroduced an athletics test for new recruits for the first time in 12 years. The test is based on seven physical tests.