(Looking for a different day? Try the master list!)
Compiled from: JSA's postings for makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandanme, jonidan and jonokuchi; JSA's absence list, JSA's tournament leader list, JSA's tournament champions list and JSA's Day 8 program in Japanese.
There are 157 bouts listed on the schedule today. It's an even-numbered day which means the west side is first to get called.
1 of today's 157 bouts are fusensho or fusenpai because of kyujo rikishi. This may change over the course of the day!
Check the appendices at the end of the schedule for more useful information!
If you want a toriteki (non-salaried rikishi from divisions 3 to 6) added to this watch list, get in touch!
Appearing on day 8: Agora, Aonishiki, Asonoyama, Chiyooga, Dewanojo, Fujiseiun, Hagane, Hayashiryu, Hogasho, Ikazuchido, Kaiseijo, Kamito, Kanzaki, Kazuto, Kenho, Kiryuko, Kitadaichi, Kitanosho, Kokuryunami, Kyokutaisei, Mogamizakura, Najima, Nikko, Obara, Sazanami, Shoketsu, Shotaimu, Suyama, Tochimaru, Tsukubayama, Wakaikari, Wakatakamoto, Yoshii, Yuma
Having a rest on day 8: Amakaze, Asakiryu, Asanowaka, Asasorai, Baraki, Furanshisu, Hananoumi, Hokuyozan, Kaihiryu, Kawamura, Kazeeidai, Kazeyuki, Koki, Kokiryu, Kotokuzan, Kototebakari, Maikeru, Mineyaiba, Miyagi, Moriurara, Nabatame, Nakashima, Rinko, Satonofuji, Sawayaka, Shunkaku, Shunrai, Souga, Taiga, Taranami, Tatsuosho, Toshunryu, Urutora, Yago, Yamato, Yukiamami
Kyujo on day 8: Arise, Enho, Kakuho, Kawazoe, Raiho, Satsumao, Shoran, Tanji
Note: Each division also has its own mini-report for who's on the schedule and who's kyujo!
The following 51 rikishi are kyujo on day 8: Akinoyama, Arise, Asabenkei, Asanoyama, Chikuba, Chiyorozan, Daikisho, Daishinkai, Daiyusho, Enho, Gonoumi, Hakuoho, Higohikari, Hokaho, Hokutenkai, Hokutoiwa, Kakuho, Kawazoe, Kazunofuji, Kenyu, Kirishima, Komanokuni, Kotodaigo, Kotoeko, Kumanohana, Makotofuji, Michihaya, Minorufuji, Nishikiori, Onokura, Otani, Raiho, Sadanojo, Satsumao, Senho, Shokeima, Shoran, Shosei, Soseizan, Takakeisho, Takayasu, Takemaru, Takerufuji, Tanji, Tenshoho, Terunofuji, Tochimusashi, Toramusashi, Tsuru, Wakamotoharu, Wakayamanaka
Congratulations to Tochitaikai (former Tsukahara), Onokatsu and Kazekeno for making it to juryo in May, and to fan favourite Chiyomaru for making it back to juryo.
Oshoma and Tokiyahate are debuting in makuuchi.
Best of luck to recent retirees Akenonami, Yoshinofuji, Sakura, Kotokiho, Mogaminishiki, Kurokage, Kototaiki, Okinofuki, Tochikamiyama and Kairyu. Extra special best wishes to Dainichido, Chikureisen, Kirimaru and Yuki from Michinoku stable!
Kotoeko's retirement was announced on day 6 of the May tournament. He has taken the elder name Oguruma. Best of luck to you, samurai!
Takerufuji and Asanoyama both begin the tournament absent. Terunofuji went out absent day 2 with rib damage and worsened knee damage. Takakeisho also went out on day 2 with a reaggravated neck injury. Takayasu went out on day 3 with a back injury from training. Kirishima went out on day 7 with a "cervical nerve root" injury; Wakamotoharu also went out day 7 with a ligament injury on one of the toes in his right foot. Kitanowaka and Shimazuumi both began the tournament absent but came back for day 4. Hakuoho went out on day 8 with a torn bicep.
Kimura Yunosuke debuted as a referee on day 7.
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for jonokuchi
Shimpan are Tamagaki (komusubi Tomonohana), Futagoyama* (ozeki Miyabiyama), Tanigawa (sekiwake Hokutoriki), Tokitsukaze* (maegashira #1 Tosayutaka), Hidenoyama (ozeki Kotoshogiku)
Yobidashi is Akitaka (Ajigawa stable); Gyoji is Kimura Yunosuke (Tagonoura stable)
Gyoji is Shikimori Kazenosuke (Oshiogawa stable)
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for jonidan
Coming up: Chiyooga, Ikazuchido, Kenho, Kokuryunami, Najima, Shotaimu, Tsukubayama
Gyoji is Shikimori Kisaburo (Tokitsukaze stable)
Gyoji is Shikimori Komei (Naruto stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Shunta (Shikoroyama stable)
Shimpan are Onaruto (ozeki Dejima), Edagawa (maegashira #1 Aogiyama), Asahiyama* (sekiwake Kotonishiki), Naruto* (ozeki Kotooshu), Takekuma* (ozeki Goeido)
Gyoji is Kimura Ryunosuke (Kokonoe stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Keitaro (Musashigawa stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Katsunosuke (Oshima stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Narimasa (Ikazuchi stable)
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for sandanme
Coming up: Agora, Hagane, Hayashiryu, Hogasho, Kitanosho, Mogamizakura, Nikko, Shoketsu, Suyama, Tochimaru
Gyoji is Shikimori Kainosuke (Isenoumi stable)
Shimpan are Tatekawa (sekiwake Tosanoumi), Hanaregoma* (sekiwake Tamanoshima), Azumazeki (komusubi Takamisakari), Ikazuchi* (komusubi Kakizoe), Ajigawa* (sekiwake Aminishiki)
Gyoji is Shikimori Tatsunosuke (Takadagawa stable)
Gyoji is Shikimori Seisuke (Isegahama stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Sakuranosuke (Shikihide stable)
Gyoji is Shikimori Seiichiro (Isegahama stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Kintaro (Nishikido stable)
Gyoji is Kimura Kazuma (Nishiiwa stable)
This schedule is now the chronicles of the legendary Daijoubu-san.
During the shikirisen of the previous match, a curious fellow shows up in the ringside seats wearing a curly wig. He pulls out a gigantic cellphone and starts conversing on it.
Daijoubu-san ignores the next match while he's checking his phone.
At the start of the next match, Daijoubu-san is now wearing comedy glasses with a false nose and curly moustache. He waves to the camera as the match begins.
Gyoji is Shikimori Kinosuke (Sadogatake stable)
Daijoubu-san takes his comedy glasses off. The wig remains.
During the previous match, Daijoubu-san mysteriously holds up a supporter banner for juryo rikishi Endo.
Gyoji is Shikimori Tomokazu (Oshima stable)
Daijoubu-san hollers something incomprehensible at the rikishi during the shikirisen of the following match.
After this match we hear our first "Daijoubu ka?!" from Daijoubu-san. It will be the first of many.
The new rikishi are:
Shimpan are Urakaze (maegashira #1 Shikishima), Takenawa (sekiwake Tochinonada), Onogawa (maegashira #2 Kitataiki), Takasago* (sekiwake Asasekiryu), Nishonoseki* (the 72nd yokozuna Kisenosato)
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makushita
Coming up: Aonishiki, Asonoyama, Dewanojo, Kaiseijo, Kamito, Kanzaki, Kazuto, Kyokutaisei, Obara, Sazanami, Wakatakamoto, Yuma
Daijoubu-san swiftly puts on his false glasses again just before the next match begins. The moustache is not included in his ensemble this time.
Gyoji is Kimura Ennosuke (Nishonoseki stable)
Daijoubu-san thoughtfully bellows "DAIJOUBU KA?!?" ("Are you ok!?") after the previous match ends with both guys falling out of the ring. They are both quite daijoubu.
Gyoji is Kimura Satoshi (Takasago stable)
Daijoubu-san again yells "DAIJOUBU?! DAIJOUBU KA?!?" after the previous match also ends with both guys falling out of the ring, followed by "IKE!" ("Go!").
Daijoubu-san shouts something incomprehensible during the previous match. Definitely him though.
Yobidashi is Soichi (Yamahibiki stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kazuki (Arashio stable)
Yobidashi is Yohei (Dewanoumi stable)
Despite someone falling out of the ring, Daijoubu-san does not loudly check on them afterwards, for he is back on the phone.
One of the rikishi comes off the ring and lands in front of Daijoubu-san, who loudly asks him "DAIJOUBU KA?!"
Yobidashi is Keisuke (Shibatayama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Hideaki (Tokiwayama stable)
Yobidashi is Fujio (Isegahama stable)
Someone else from the crowd is taking Daijoubu-san's lead and flashing a Takarafuji banner a few hours early.
We get our first good look at Daijoubu-san. Beat Takeshi, is that you?
Yobidashi is Shigetaro (Kokonoe stable); Gyoji is Kimura Kozaburo (Hakkaku stable)
Yobidashi is Satoru (Hanaregoma stable); Gyoji is Kimura Zennosuke (Kasugano stable)
Daijoubu-san puts one hand up for a mono-ii, then puts his other hand up too. The mono-ii has already begun at this point but it's nice to feel included.
A torinaoshi (rematch) is decided. Prior to the rematch, Daijoubu-san gives some incoherent but forceful advice to the two rikishi.
Just before the next match begins, Daijoubu-san loudly shouts Kaisho's name like a dying warrior whose soul is leaving his body. Or like someone who just kicked their toe in the dark. You choose.
Yobidashi is Masao (Nishiiwa stable); Gyoji is Kimura Chishu (Dewanoumi stable)
Daijoubu-san contributes a few forceful vowels of support before the start of the next match.
Daijoubu-san shouts Kaisho's name again before the juryo wrestlers come out from the west. Does he want an encore Kaisho fight? He's not getting one.
Daijoubu-san goes absolutely berserk when it's Endo's turn to come up and shouts "ENDOU! IKOU!" ("Endo! Let's go!") along with some other vowels of support.
When the east parade comes out, Daijoubu instantly forgets about Endo and shouts "AOIYAMA!" despite the fact that Aoiyama's already been and gone.
Once the juryo dohyo-iri finishes, that's the last we see of Daijoubu-san.
Thank you, Daijoubu-san. Thaijoubu-san.
Here end the Chronicles of Daijoubu-san.
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makushita
Coming up: Fujiseiun, Kitadaichi, Wakaikari, Yoshii
Shimpan are Kumegawa (komusubi Kotoinazuma) facing away on mic, Edagawa (maegashira #1 Aogiyama), Asahiyama* (sekiwake Kotonishiki), Naruto* (ozeki Kotooshu), Takekuma* (ozeki Goeido)
Yobidashi is Rokuro (Nishonoseki stable); Gyoji is Kimura KANKURO (Yamahibiki stable)
Yobidashi is Hiroyuki (Nishiiwa stable); Gyoji is Kimura Kichijiro (Shibatayama stable)
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for juryo
Coming up: Kiryuko
Yobidashi is Matsuo (Hanaregoma stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Shinnosuke (Hanaregoma stable)
Yobidashi is Kunio (Takasago stable); Gyoji is Kimura Yukihiro (Tamanoi stable)
Yobidashi is Mitsuaki (Tagonoura stable); Gyoji is Kimura Mitsunosuke (Takadagawa stable)
Hakuoho is kyujo! Onokatsu picks up the fusensho
Yobidashi is Rikinojo (Takasago stable); Gyoji is Kimura Takao (Tagonoura stable)
Yobidashi is Koji (Asakayama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Asanosuke (Takasago stable)
Yobidashi is Teruki (Isegahama stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kiichiro (Oitekaze stable)
Yobidashi is Daikichi (Hakkaku stable); Gyoji is ❤️ Kimura Yonosuke ❤️ (Hakkaku stable)
Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makuuchi
Shimpan are Takadagawa* (sekiwake Akinoshima) facing away on mic, Hanaregoma* (sekiwake Tamanoshima), Azumazeki (komusubi Takamisakari), Ikazuchi* (komusubi Kakizoe), Ajigawa* (sekiwake Aminishiki)
Yobidashi is Kotoyoshi (Sadogatake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Ginjiro (Shibatayama stable)
Yobidashi is Kotozo (Sadogatake stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kindayu (Hanaregoma stable)
Yobidashi is Ryuji (Isegahama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Akijiro (Kasugano stable)
Yobidashi is Akira (Oshima stable); Gyoji is Kimura Motoki (Minato stable)
Yobidashi is Kokichi (Oshima stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kandayu (Asahiyama stable)
Shimpan are Kokonoe* (ozeki Chiyotaikai) facing away on mic, Takenawa (sekiwake Tochinonada), Onogawa (maegashira #2 Kitataiki), Takasago* (sekiwake Asasekiryu), Nishonoseki* (the 72nd yokozuna Kisenosato)
Yobidashi is Goro (Otake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Hisanosuke (Oshima stable)
Yobidashi is Shigeo (Kokonoe stable); Gyoji is Kimura Konosuke (Kokonoe stable)
Yobidashi is Shiro (Otake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Shotaro (Kasugano stable)
Yobidashi is Katsuyuki (Shibatayama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Yodo (Kokonoe stable)
Yobidashi is Jiro (Kasugano stable); Gyoji is Kimura Shonosuke (Takadagawa stable)
Wikipedia has a list of winning techniques like oshidashi, yorikiri, etc and a sumo glossary, the heaviest grand sumo competitors ever, and an English-language page for just about every sekitori there is or was.
SumoDB has the entire banzuke in both Japanese and English. SumoDB also contains information about historical results and head to head matchups.
Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association) links: current rankings Japanese/English; yobidashi (ushers & attendants) Japanese/English; gyoji (referees) Japanese/English; oyakata (coaches) Japanese/English; heya (training stables) Japanese/English. NSK homepage in English; retirees - Japanese only but only requires hiragana knowledge
Fred Pinkerton's promotion/demotion charts show who's moving where in top division.
News sources and blogs: Tachi-Ai sumo blog (in English); Japan Times sumo coverage (in English); Nikkan Sports sumo articles (in Japanese); Sponichi sumo articles (in Japanese); Chunichi sumo articles (in Japanese). Hochi.news sumo articles (in Japanese). Useful Japanese terms to search in the highlights page for: 休場 (kyujo, absence); コロナ (korona, COVID).
Japanese language resources: DeepL for translating entire articles; Jisho for looking up specific words and kanji; the 10ten extension for Firefox lets you mouse over particular Japanese text of interest on websites.
Curiosities: that time half a stable went AWOL because the stablemaster's wife was being too harsh on them; interview with a yobidashi; countdown until Onokuni reaches mandatory retirement age
And finally a list of amateur sumo events around Japan (in Japanese).
A comprehensive gallery featuring head shots and bios of rikishi, oyakata, gyoji, yobidashi and more (correct to the beginning of 2023). Pre-bout rituals explained; What do the gyoji say?
Mono-ii reports are very formulaic! They're usually a couple of long run-on sentences that go something like this:
Matters for discussion and findings may include a touchout (te ga dete ori/orazu..), a simultaneous landing for both rikishi (doutai or ryousha), or even a disqualification (hansoku).
Helpful words to listen out for to get the gist of the report:
The outcome can go three ways:
Click the name of the shimpan to see what they look like. (You may need to middle-click it to open the link in a new window.) Thanks to the maintainer of this page for providing these images!
New ringside judge (shimpan) for May 2024 is Takekuma. You may know him better as former ozeki Goeido. Welcome to our new shimp!
Oshima and Kataonami are both absent from the ringside. Oshima-oyakata, we already miss you!
Stablemasters have * after their name; everyone else is a coach.
Members of this senior group join up with other shimpan groups to act as head shimpan after the juryo ring entrance ceremony & intermission. This month's senior shimps are:
The official program only lists sekitori yobidashi from Soichi onwards. Even after their match-calling shifts, these youngsters work throughout the day as attendants.
There's a slightly outdated gallery of yobidashi headshots with bios at Heyaaz - it's missing Kumajiro because he debuted during 2023.
To help spot them, here's links to screencaps of the non-sekitori yobidashi in their order of appearance, including onscreen bios in Japanese:
