Appendices

Sumo information around the web

Japan Sumo Association (Nihon Sumou Kyoukai) 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; changes of name - Japanese only but only requires hiragana knowledge.

SumoDB has results, rankings and other records going back over a century. (Ever wanted to know which yokozuna scored 7-8, for instance?) Essential site for stats-lovers who want to know head to head records, how far people have been promoted demoted based on rank and record, and who holds what elder stock.

Wikipedia has a list of winning techniques like oshidashi, yorikiri, etc, a sumo glossary, a list of yokozuna and ozeki, the heaviest grand sumo competitors ever, and an English-language biography and tournament record for just about every sekitori there is or was.

Fred Pinkerton’s promotion/demotion charts show who’s moving where in top division.

Finally, a list of amateur sumo events around Japan for 2025 (in Japanese).

Grand Sumo match announcements

1. Yobidashi sings the names of the rikishi about to bout in turn, then rikishi ascend the dohyo
2. Once rikishi are on the dohyo, gyoji hollers their names in turn while gesturing their way
3. Announcer clearly announces each rikishi’s starting side (nishi/higashi-gata rikishi), name, place of origin (-shusshin) and training stable (-beya) as they perform shikiri and throw salt
4. Once timekeeper judge says to begin, gyoji commands rikishi into position, then officiates the match
5. (optional) If the outcome is unclear or in dispute by a judge, a mono-ii is called and head judge reports on their findings; gyoji announces a rematch if that’s what the judges want
6. Gyoji announces winner’s name turning to them and possibly giving them envelopes full of sponsor cash.
7. Once winner is decided, announcer says who won and what the kimarite (deciding technique) was (technique de rikishi name no kachi) - this can be delayed by up to a few matches if the technique is hard to determine!

Understanding judges’ reports (mono-ii)

Mono-ii reports are very formulaic! They’re usually a couple of long run-on sentences that go something like this:

1. Now we’re going to explain our conference. Tadaima wa kyogi ni tsuite setsumei itashimasu or similar
2. The gyoji pointed (one way or another), but.. Gyoji gunbai wa higashigata/nishigata/(rikishi name) arimashita ga..
   
3. We had a conference about (something that affects the outcome of the match), the result of that conference was.. (???) mono-ii ga tsuki, kyougi shita kekka..
4. (The findings of that discussion) (???)-te ori/orazu
5. (The outcome of that discussion and the rightful winner of the bout if one was determined.)

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:

What is the gyoji (referee) saying?

• Jikan desu! It’s time! (signals when it’s time for rikishi to stop eyeing off and get ready)
• Miatte! Face one another!
• Kamaete! Get into position!
• Matta-nashi! No waiting!
• Te wo tsuite! Hands down! (signals rikishi to get into position)
• Te wo oroshite! Hands down! (signals rikishi to get into position)
• Awashite! Sync up! (signals rikishi to synchronise their breathing)
• Madamada.. Not yet (shouted when there’s a false start, rikishi reset from there)
• Hakkeyoi! Go for it! (shouted at start of match, especially by Kimura KANKURO)
• Nokotta! (repeated) You’re still in (shouted as match is continuing)
• Yoi! Hakkeyoi! Yoi! Hey, get on with it! (said when match has stalled)
• Susunde! Get on with it! (said when match has really stalled)
• Shobu ari!/Shobu atta! We have a result (said to finish match)

Who’s that shimpan (ringside judge)?

Click the name of the shimpan to see what they look like. Thanks to the maintainer of this page for providing these images!

Who’s that yobidashi

The official program only lists juryo-ranked yobidashi and above from Soichi onwards. Even after their match-calling shifts, these guys work throughout the day as attendants, minding the salt during salaried matches, etc.

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 lower ranked yobidashi in their order of appearance, including onscreen bios in Japanese: