53 sumo wrestlers have reached the second highest in the sport, the rank of ōzeki, but have failed to rise to the top rank since the modern era of sumo began in 1927 with the merger of the Tokyo and Osaka organizations. By 2020, over 250 wrestlers have been promoted to the rank of ōzeki throughout the entire history of the sport.[1] Wrestlers who went on to be promoted to yokozuna are tabulated in the list of yokozuna.[2] Active wrestlers (September 2024) are indicated by italics.
The number of top division yūshō (championships) won by each ōzeki is also listed. There is no requirement to win a championship before promotion, but a wrestler must usually have won around 33 bouts over three consecutive tournaments. Since 1927, the longest-serving ōzeki of modern times have been Kaiō and Chiyotaikai who each held the rank for 65 tournaments. With five wins, Kaiō also holds the record for yūshō won in the modern era by a wrestler to never reach the rank of yokozuna.
List
edit| Name | (in Japanese) | yūshō | Born | Home Town | Promoted | End of rank | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiden Tameemon | 雷電爲右衞門 | 28 (unofficial) | 1767 | Tōmi, Nagano | 1795 | 1811 | Retired |
| Hiodoshi Katsugorō | 緋縅 勝五郎 | 0 | 1773 | Yamagata District, Hiroshima | 1814 | ? | demoted |
| Tamagaki Gakunosuke | 玉垣 額之助 | 4 (unofficial) | 1784 | Minamitakaki, Nagasaki | 1814 | 1824 | death |
| Sendagawa Kichizō | 千田川 吉藏 | 0 | 1793 | Muro District, Kii | 1815 | 1815 | demoted |
| Kashiwado Risuke | 柏戸 利助 | 16 (unofficial) | 1783 | Goshogawara, Aomori | 1815 | 1825 | retired |
| Iwamigata Jōemon | 岩見潟 丈右エ門 | 0 | 1785 | Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture | 1821 | 1822 | demoted |
| Yotsugamine Tōkichi | 四賀峰 東吉 | 2 (unofficial) | 1795 | Kitakami, Iwate | 1824 | 1828 | retired |
| Genjiyama Tsunagorō | 源氏山 綱五郎 | 1 (unofficial) | 1786 | Tendō, Yamagata | 1825 | 1826 | demoted |
| Hiodoshi Rikiya II | 緋縅力弥 (2代) | 2 (unofficial) | 1799 | Kyoto Prefecture | 1833 | c. 1834-1835 | demoted |
| Akitsukaze Otoemon | 秋津風 音右エ門 | 0 | 1797 | Sannohe District, Aomori | 1834 | 1834 | demoted |
| Kotōzan Bun'emon | 湖東山 文右エ門 | 2 (unofficial) | 1798 | Yōkaichi, Shiga | 1836 | 1838 | demoted* |
| Oitekaze Kitarō | 追手風 喜太郎 | 1 (unofficial) | 1800 | Tsukui District, Kanagawa | 1836 | 1836 | demoted |
| Hiraiwa Shichidayū II | 平石 七太夫 (2代) | 0 | 1801 | Edo, Musashi Province | 1839 | 1840 | demoted* |
| Tsurugizan Taniemon | 劔山 谷右衛門 | 6 (unofficial) | 1803 | Toyama, Toyama | 1842 | 1852 | retired |
| Kagamiiwa Hamanosuke II | 鏡岩 濱之助 (2代) | 1 (unofficial) | 1809 | Niikawa district, Etchū | 1850 | 1856 | retired |
| Koyanagi Tsunekichi | 小柳 常吉 | 5 (unofficial) | 1817 | Ichihara district, Kazusa | 1852 | 1856 | retired |
| Iōzan Moriemon | 猪王山 森右衛門 | 2 (unofficial) | 1815 | Monou District, Miyagi | 1856 | 1868 | demoted |
| Kaigatake Ryūemon | 階ヶ嶽 龍右エ門 | 2 (unofficial) | 1817 | Takaoka, Toyama | 1856 | 1857 | demoted |
| Sakaigawa Namiemon I | 境川浪右衛門 (初代) | 2 (unofficial) | 1814 | Kuwana, Mie | 1857 | 1861 | demoted* |
| Zōgahana Heisuke | 象ヶ鼻 平助 | 0 | 1836 | Tateyama, Chiba | 1871 | 1872 | retired |
| Ayasegawa Sanzaemon | 綾瀬川 山左衛門 | 1 (unofficial) | 1835 | Chūō-ku, Osaka | 1872 | 1876 | retired |
| Raiden Shin'emon | 雷電 震右エ門 | 6 (unofficial) | 1842 | Hakui District, Ishikawa | 1877 | 1877 | demoted |
| Asahidake Tsurunosuke | 朝日嶽 鶴之助 | 0 | ? | Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture | 1877 | 1878 | retired |
| Wakashima Kyūzaburō | 若嶌久三郎 | 2 (unofficial) | 1842 | Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture | 1881 | 1884 | retired |
| Tsurugizan Taniemon II | 劔山 谷右エ門 (2代) | 1 (unofficial) | 1852 | Kamojima, Tokushima | 1886 | 1892 | retired |
| Ōdate Uzaemon | 大達羽左エ門 | 4 (unofficial) | 1853 | Tagawa, Dewa Province | 1886 | 1889 | demoted |
| Ichinoya Tōtarō | 一ノ矢藤太郎 | 2 (unofficial) | 1856 | Minamitsugaru District, Aomori | 1889 | 1890 | demoted |
| Ōnaruto Nadaemon II | 大鳴門灘右エ門 (2代) | 0 | 1853 | Tsuna District, Hyōgo | 1890 | 1891 | retired |
| Yahatayama Sadakichi | 八幡山定吉 | 2 (unofficial) | 1856 | Tosa District, Kōchi | 1891 | 1894 | retired |
| Ōtohira Hirokichi | 大戸平廣吉 | 2 (unofficial) | 1866 | Miyagino-ku, Sendai | 1893 | 1897 | demoted |
| Ōikari Montarō | 大碇紋太郎 | 0 | 1869 | Chita District, Owari Province | 1895 | 1896 | demoted |
| Hōō Umagorō | 鳳凰 馬五郎 | 3 (unofficial) | 1866 | Chiba District, Chiba | 1897 | 1900 | demoted |
| Asashio Tarō I | 朝汐 太郎 | 2 (unofficial) | 1864 | Uwa, Ehime | 1898 | 1903 | demoted |
| Araiwa Kamenosuke | 荒岩 亀之助 | 6 (unofficial) | 1871 | Saihaku, Tottori | 1905 | 1909 | retired |
| Kunimiyama Etsukichi | 國見山 悦吉 | 2 (unofficial) | 1876 | Tosa District, Kōchi | 1905 | 1912 | retired |
| Komagatake Kuniriki | 駒ヶ嶽 國力 | 0 | 1880 | Tōda District, Miyagi | 1907 | 1914 | death |
| Isenohama Keitarō | 伊勢ノ濱 慶太郎 | 0 | 1883 | Sumida, Tokyo | 1914 | 1919 | retired |
| Asashio Tarō II | 朝汐 太郎 (2代) | 0 | 1879 | Saijō, Ehime | 1915 | 1919 | retired |
| Tsushimanada Yakichi | 對馬洋 弥吉 | 0 | 1887 | Tsushima Island | 1919 | 1920 | demoted |
| Tachihikari Denemon | 太刀光 電右エ門 | 0 | 1897 | Mikasa, Hokkaido | 1923 | 1927 | demoted |
| Ōnosato Mansuke | 大ノ里 萬助 | 0 | 1892 | Minamitsugaru District, Aomori | 1925 | 1932 | retired |
| Toyokuni Fukuma | 豊國 福馬 | 2 | 1893 | Ōita, Ōita | 1927 | 1930 | retired |
| Noshirogata Kinsaku | 能代潟 錦作 | 1 | 1895 | Yamamoto, Akita | 1927 | 1933 | demoted* |
| Hitachiiwa Eitarō | 常陸岩 英太郎 | 1 | 1900 | Chūō, Tokyo | 1927 | 1931 | retired |
| Shimizugawa Motokichi | 清水川 元吉 | 3 | 1900 | Goshogawara, Aomori | 1932 | 1937 | retired |
| Kagamiiwa Zenshirō | 鏡岩 善四郎 | 0 | 1902 | Towada, Aomori | 1937 | 1939 | retired |
| Itsutsushima Narao | 五ツ嶋 名良男 | 0 | 1912 | Minami-Matsuura District, Nagasaki | 1941 | 1942 | demoted |
| Nayoroiwa Shizuo | 名寄岩 静男 | 0 | 1914 | Nayoro, Hokkaido | 1943 | 1948 | demoted* |
| Saganohana Katsumi | 佐賀ノ花 勝巳 | 1 | 1917 | Saga, Saga | 1944 | 1951 | demoted |
| Shionoumi Unemon | 汐ノ海 運右エ門 | 0 | 1918 | Himeji, Hyōgo | 1947 | 1951 | retired* |
| Masuiyama Daishirō I | 増位山 大志郎 | 2 | 1919 | Himeji, Hyōgo | 1949 | 1950 | retired |
| Mitsuneyama Keiji | 三根山 繼司 | 1 | 1922 | Arakawa, Tokyo | 1953 | 1955 | demoted |
| Ōuchiyama Heikichi | 大内山 平吉 | 0 | 1926 | Hitachinaka, Ibaraki | 1955 | 1957 | demoted |
| Matsunobori Shigeo | 松登 晟郎 | 0 | 1924 | Matsudo, Chiba | 1956 | 1959 | demoted |
| Kotogahama Sadao | 琴ヶ濵 貞雄 | 0 | 1927 | Kan'onji, Kagawa | 1958 | 1962 | retired |
| Wakahaguro Tomoaki | 若羽黒 朋明 | 1 | 1934 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | 1959 | 1962 | demoted |
| Kitabayama Hidetoshi | 北葉山 英俊 | 1 | 1935 | Muroran, Hokkaido | 1961 | 1966 | retired |
| Tochihikari Masayuki | 栃光 正之 | 0 | 1933 | Ushibuka, Kumamoto | 1962 | 1966 | retired |
| Yutakayama Katsuo | 豊山 勝男 | 0 | 1937 | Shibata, Niigata | 1963 | 1968 | retired |
| Kiyokuni Katsuo | 清國 勝雄 | 1 | 1941 | Ogachi, Akita | 1969 | 1974 | retired |
| Maenoyama Tarō | 前の山 太郎 | 0 | 1945 | Moriguchi, Osaka | 1970 | 1972 | demoted |
| Daikirin Takayoshi | 大麒麟 將能 | 0 | 1942 | Saga, Saga | 1970 | 1974 | retired |
| Takanohana Kenshi | 貴ノ花 健士 | 2 | 1950 | Hirosaki, Aomori | 1972 | 1981 | retired |
| Daiju Hisateru | 大受 久晃 | 0 | 1950 | Setana, Hokkaido | 1973 | 1974 | demoted |
| Kaiketsu Masateru | 魁傑 將晃 | 2 | 1948 | Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi | 1975 | 1977 | demoted* |
| Asahikuni Masuo | 旭國 斗雄 | 0 | 1947 | Aibetsu, Hokkaido | 1976 | 1979 | retired |
| Masuiyama Daishirō II | 増位山 太志郎 | 0 | 1948 | Himeji, Hyōgo | 1980 | 1981 | retired |
| Kotokaze Kōki | 琴風 豪規 | 2 | 1957 | Tsu, Mie | 1981 | 1985 | demoted |
| Wakashimazu Mutsuo | 若嶋津 六夫 | 2 | 1957 | Nakatane, Kagoshima | 1983 | 1987 | retired |
| Asashio Tarō IV | 朝潮 太郎(4代) | 1 | 1955 | Muroto, Kōchi | 1983 | 1989 | retired |
| Hokuten'yū Katsuhiko | 北天佑 勝彦 | 2 | 1960 | Muroran, Hokkaido | 1983 | 1990 | retired |
| Konishiki Yasokichi | 小錦 八十吉 | 3 | 1963 | Honolulu, United States | 1987 | 1994 | demoted |
| Kirishima Kazuhiro | 霧島 一博 | 1 | 1959 | Makizono, Kagoshima | 1990 | 1993 | demoted |
| Takanonami Sadahiro | 貴ノ浪 貞博 | 2 | 1971 | Misawa, Aomori | 1994 | 2000 | demoted* |
| Chiyotaikai Ryūji | 千代大海 龍二 | 3 | 1976 | Chitose, Hokkaido | 1999 | 2010 | demoted |
| Dejima Takeharu | 出島 武春 | 1 | 1974 | Kanazawa, Ishikawa | 1999 | 2001 | demoted |
| Musōyama Masashi | 武双山 正士 | 1 | 1972 | Mito, Ibaraki | 2000 | 2004 | retired* |
| Miyabiyama Tetsushi | 雅山 哲士之 | 0 | 1977 | Mito, Ibaraki | 2000 | 2001 | demoted |
| Kaiō Hiroyuki | 魁皇 博之 | 5 | 1972 | Nōgata, Fukuoka | 2000 | 2011 | retired |
| Tochiazuma Daisuke | 栃東 大裕 | 3 | 1976 | Adachi, Tokyo | 2002 | 2007 | retired* |
| Kotoōshū Katsunori | 琴欧洲 勝紀 | 1 | 1983 | Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria | 2006 | 2014 | demoted |
| Kotomitsuki Keiji | 琴光喜 啓司 | 1 | 1976 | Okazaki, Aichi | 2007 | 2010 | dismissed |
| Baruto Kaito | 把瑠都 凱斗 | 1 | 1984 | Väike-Maarja, Estonia | 2010 | 2013 | demoted |
| Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro | 琴奨菊 和弘 | 1 | 1984 | Yanagawa, Fukuoka | 2011 | 2017 | demoted |
| Gōeidō Gōtarō | 豪栄道 豪太郎 | 1 | 1986 | Neyagawa, Osaka | 2014 | 2020 | retired |
| Takayasu Akira | 高安 晃 | 0 | 1990 | Tsuchiura, Ibaraki | 2017 | 2019 | demoted |
| Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi | 栃ノ心 剛史 | 1 | 1987 | Mtskheta, Georgia | 2018 | 2019 | demoted* |
| Takakeishō Takanobu | 貴景勝 貴信 | 4 | 1996 | Ashiya, Hyōgo | 2019 | 2024 | demoted* |
| Asanoyama Hideki | 朝乃山 英樹 | 1 | 1994 | Toyama, Toyama | 2020 | 2021 | demoted |
| Shōdai Naoya | 正代 直也 | 1 | 1991 | Uto, Kumamoto | 2020 | 2022 | demoted |
| Mitakeumi Hisashi | 御嶽海 久司 | 3 | 1992 | Agematsu, Nagano | 2022 | 2022 | demoted |
| Kirishima Tetsuo | 霧島 鐵力 | 2 | 1996 | Dornod, Mongolia | 2023 | 2024 | demoted |
| Hōshōryū Tomokatsu | 豊昇龍 智勝 | 1 | 1999 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 2023 | active | n/a |
| Kotozakura Masakatsu II | 琴櫻 将傑 | 1 | 1997 | Matsudo, Chiba | 2024 | active | n/a |
| Ōnosato Daiki | 大の里 泰輝 | 2 | 2000 | Tsubata, Ishikawa Prefecture | 2024 | active | n/a |
* Wrestler held the rank on more than one occasion.
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Once-fearsome ozeki rank no longer sport's 'great barrier'". 14 October 2020.
- ^ "List of Ozeki". Sumo reference.