List of sumo record holders

This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo. Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. Since 1958, six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. Before this, tournaments were held less frequently; sometimes only once or twice per year.

The Rikishi Monument for Over 50 Consecutive Wins at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine. As of November 2014, the monument carries the names of Tanikaze (63 consecutive wins), Umegatani (58), Tachiyama (56), Futabayama (69), Chiyonofuji (53) and Hakuhō (63).

Names in bold indicate a still active wrestler. The tables are up to date as of the end of the March 2024 tournament.

Most top division championships

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Most wins

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Most consecutive wins

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Name Wins[a] Start End Duration Defeated by
1 Futabayama 69 7 January 1936 3 January 1939 2 years, 11 months and 27 days Akinoumi
2 Tanikaze 63 1 October 1778 6 February 1782 3 years, 4 months and 5 days Onogawa
Hakuhō 63 23 January 2010 15 November 2010 9 months and 19 days Kisenosato
4 Umegatani I 58 1 April 1876 8 January 1881 4 years, 9 months and 7 days Wakashima
5 Tachiyama 56 9 January 1912 7 May 1916 4 years, 3 months and 28 days Tochigiyama
6 Chiyonofuji 53 7 May 1988 27 November 1988 6 months and 20 days Ōnokuni
7 Taihō 45 2 September 1968 2 March 1969 6 months Toda


Most consecutive wins from entry into sumo

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Name Wins[b] Start End Duration Defeated by Highest rank
1 Jōkōryū 27 11 July 2011 20 January 2012 6 months and 9 days Senshō Komusubi
2 Itai 26 12 November 1978 16 May 1979 6 months and 4 days Ōnishiki Komusubi
Tochiazuma II 26 15 January 1995 12 September 1995 7 months and 28 days Dewaarashi Ōzeki
4 Ōshōryū 24 8 July 2019 18 January 2020 6 months and 10 days Kotodaigō Makushita 7
5 Tokitenkū 22 8 September 2002 11 March 2003 6 months and 3 days Furuichi Komusubi
6 Kototenzan 21 12 January 1986 20 July 1986 6 months and 8 days retired Makushita 43
Enhō 21 15 May 2017 13 November 2017 5 months and 29 days Jōkōryū Maegashira 4
Hokuseihō 21 19 July 2020 15 March 2021 7 months and 24 days Tokisakae Maegashira 6
Fujiseiun 21 10 May 2021 15 November 2021 6 months and 5 days Kamito Juryo 7
10 Akiseyama 20 10 March 2008 25 July 2008 4 months and 15 days Surugatsukasa Maegashira 12
Tsurugishō 20 9 March 2014 25 July 2014 4 months and 16 days Hienriki Maegashira 7
Aonishiki 20 12 November 2023 22 March 2024 4 months and 10 days Nagamura Makushita 4

Best top division win ratios

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Most bouts

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Losses by default are excluded.

Most consecutive bouts

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Most tournaments

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The March 2011 and May 2020 tournaments were cancelled and are not included in these totals.

Progress to top division

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The table for the fastest progress shows wrestlers with the fewest tournaments from their professional debut to their top division debut since the six tournaments a year system was introduced in 1958. It excludes makushita tsukedashi and sandanme tsukedashi entrants who made their debut in the third makushita division and the fourth sandanme division.

Most special prizes

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Special prizes or sanshō were first awarded in 1947. They can only be given to wrestlers ranked at sekiwake or below. For the current list of active special prize winners, see here.

Name Total Outstanding
Performance
Fighting
Spirit
Technique Years Highest rank
1 Akinoshima 19 7 8 4 1988–1999 Sekiwake
2 Kotonishiki 18 7 3 8 1990–1998 Sekiwake
3 Kaiō 15 10 5 0 1994–2000 Ōzeki
4 Tsurugamine 14 2 2 10 1956–1966 Sekiwake
Asashio 14 10 3 1 1979–1983 Ōzeki
Takatōriki 14 3 10 1 1990–2000 Sekiwake
7 Musōyama 13 5 4 4 1994–2000 Ōzeki
Tosanoumi 13 7 5 1 1995–2003 Sekiwake
Kotomitsuki 13 2 4 7 2000–2007 Ōzeki
10 Tochiazuma II 12 3 2 7 1996–2001 Ōzeki
Aminishiki 12 4 2 6 2000–2017 Sekiwake
Takayasu 12 4 6 2 2013–2022 Ōzeki

Most gold stars

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Gold stars or kinboshi are awarded to maegashira ranked wrestlers who defeat a yokozuna. For a list of current kinboshi earners, see here.

Name Total Years Highest rank
1 Akinoshima 16 1988–1999 Sekiwake
2 Takamiyama 12 1968–1978 Sekiwake
Tochinonada 12 1998–2008 Sekiwake
4 Tosanoumi 11 1995–2003 Sekiwake
5 Kitanonada 10 1954–1961 Sekiwake
Annenyama 10 1955–1961 Sekiwake
Tsurugamine 10 1955–1961 Sekiwake
Dewanishiki 10 1949–1963 Sekiwake
Ōzutsu 10 1979–1986 Sekiwake
10 Mitsuneyama 9 1944–1957 Ōzeki
Tamanoumi 9 1953–1958 Sekiwake
Hasegawa 9 1965–1974 Sekiwake
Fujizakura 9 1973–1981 Sekiwake
Takatōriki 9 1990–1998 Sekiwake
Ichinojō 9 2014–2022 Sekiwake

Youngest Yokozuna at Time of Promotion

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Yokozuna by their age at the time of promotion, showing both years and months for added detail.

Rank Yokozuna Date of Promotion Age at Promotion (Years, Months)
1 Kitanoumi July 20, 1974 21 years, 2 months
2 Taihō September 27, 1961 21 years, 4 months
3 Hakuhō May 30, 2007 22 years, 2 months
4 Asashōryū January 30, 2003 22 years, 4 months
5 Takanohana II December 1994 22 years, 4 months
6 Futahaguro July 1986 22 years, 10 months
7 Kashiwado November 1961 23 years, 0 months
8 Terukuni June 1942 23 years, 6 months
9 Akebono January 27, 1993 23 years, 8 months
10 Ōnokuni September 1987 24 years, 11 months

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The winning streaks of Tanikaze, Umegatani, and Tachiyama were interrupted by draws and rest days. The others listed were all wins only.
  2. ^ Playoff matches, whether victories or defeats, are not included. Jōkōryū lost a playoff match in September 2011, and Fujiseiun in July 2021. Itai won one in January 1979. Bouts in maezumo are unofficial and also not included.
  3. ^ Losses by default are excluded, but wins by default are included; as is standard in sumo records.
  4. ^ a b Tamawashi was forced to withdraw from Day 13 of the July 2022 tournament under COVID-19 protocols. The Japan Sumo Association has said his streak should be recognized as continuing.[1]

References

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  • Japan Sumo Association
  • Sumo Reference
  • The Sumo Colosseum
  • Grand Sumo, Lora Sharnoff, Weatherhill, 1993. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X