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thumb|200px|A sumo , the , in full traditional dress

A is a referee employed by the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for a variety of activities which concern the organisation of the sport in general and the refereeing of matches, as well as the preservation of professional sumo culture, deeply rooted in Shinto traditions. Subject to the same strict hierarchy and traditional appearance as the other professions gravitating around professional sumo, the are one of the most visible professions at tournaments (), being the third person in the (wrestling ring) and sometimes defined as "an essential part of the sumo spectacle".

Inherited from a tradition of refereeing dating back to the Heian period, did not take on their current role until the Tenshō era in the late 16th century. Since the end of the 18th century, have been entrusted with religious functions, which they perform during the consecration of combat areas, before tournaments or in the stables to which they belong. The 's responsibilities also include drafting the , the document defining the promotion or demotion of wrestlers, and supervise match selections made by the (elders) on each tournament day.

History

The role of referee in sumo began long before the was entrusted with it. During the Heian period, the role of match referee was not yet defined, and besides the wrestlers, there were a number of officials responsible for supervising matches. These roles were given to imperial guards bearing the title of , a rank bearing the same kanji as the spelling of . These officials, dressed as archers and carrying bows and quivers, were accompanied by substitutes, the , who were dressed in the same way and were responsible for keeping the scorebook. An official, Shiga-no-Seirin (sometimes spelled Shigano Seirin or called Shiga Seirin), was appointed by Emperor Shōmu and founded one of the first hereditary lines of referees, and is also credited with establishing the original forty-eight sumo techniques. During the same period, the term "" also appeared, but the role of the staff bearing this title, all sixth-tier courtiers, was confined to administrative organization and various tasks linked to the court ceremony alongside the sumo tournaments. At the start of the Kamakura shogunate, still did not referee matches, this role falling to , or 'sumo magistrates'. During the Muromachi period, the term began to be applied to samurai-ranked referees, involved in the temporary judging of matches between wrestlers.

In 1570 (Genki era), however, Oda Nobunaga appointed two warriors from his retinue to the role of and gave them the task of organizing the shogunate's sumo tournaments. During the Tokugawa shogunate, sumo became popular but the , in an effort to moralize society, banned traditional tournaments organized as part of festivals. The Shikimori, however, descend from a different lineage, founded by a former wrestler who became an elder under the name Isenoumi Godaiyū. He later changed his name to Shikimori Godaiyū and launched his own line of referees. The two families are not equal; their heads, for example, do not have quite the same rank, a Kimura still being considered a senior compared to a Shikimori. The Kimura family is also much larger, with almost twice as many members as the Shikimori. At one time, there was still a blood tie between the members of these families, but nowadays the relationship between families is primarily hierarchical, with switching between families as they are promoted through the ranks, particularly when they reach the top of the hierarchy. Thus, the referee named Shikimori Inosuke, head of the Shikimori, will take the name Kimura Shōnosuke, and will therefore change family, if the latter retires. Other examples of promotion in the other family included notably that of the who changed from the Kimura family to the Shikimori family when he gave up his name of to become the eleventh upon his promotion to the ranks of in 2012. The had been with the Kimura family from his debut in September 1979 until his promotion in January 2025.

As rise through the ranks and begin officiating higher divisions, they can change their first name to that of a past , thus taking on a more prestigious name, often part of a long tradition. For example, the name Shikimori Kandayū has been passed down for more than two hundred years. Other traditions may, on the contrary, encourage the referee to keep his name or to be given a unique one linked to his stable. , there are 43 within the Sumo Association. Like the , the are employed directly by the Japan Sumo Association but are affiliated with the stables like wrestlers. New recruits do not have to meet height or weight requirements and it is even implied that a small is preferable, for aesthetic reasons, as it creates a greater contrast with the taller and bigger wrestlers. Many are former wrestlers who could not rise in the professional world and decided to change their path. Prior to 1972, the began their training at the age of six or seven, before becoming referees in real-life situations between the ages of thirteen and fourteen, while at the same time receiving a normal education. Recruits now begin their career around the age of fifteen or sixteen, after graduating from junior high school. then work up a career ladder based on the professional sumo divisions until their retirement at 65. The current ranking system consists of the following eight ranks, listed in descending order:

Promotions are decided once a year at the (rankings) organization meeting held after the September tournament and are only applicable starting the following January. Promotions were mainly based on seniority, but from 1972 onwards, greater consideration was given to the personal qualities of referees, such as their ability to judge, the tone and power of their voice and also their work ethic. As referees are promoted, the number of matches they can officiate is reduced. Young can referee up to ten matches in a day, while their seniors can referee two at most. At the top of the hierarchy, both usually referee a single match. However, this rule may be called into question in the event of a playoff on the last day of the tournament. In this case, the who officiated the last match before the playoff gives way to the referee sitting at the foot of the ring, even if the latter had already judged the penultimate match of the day. The two organize themselves so that they do not have to officiate several tournament playoffs in a row.

Compared to other professions outside professional sumo, or compared to wrestlers' salaries, pay is low but still higher than that of . Top-ranked earn between 400,000 and 500,000 yen ($3320, or €2487 as of November 2023). Like wrestlers, however, receive bonuses after each tournament.

Prior to July 1993, the were the only profession of sumo unrelated to wrestler (retired or active) to be featured in the , the traditional rankings of sumo. Since then, the upper-ranked also have their names automatically included on the . The names of the are listed in the center vertical column above the names of the judges and below the and the tournament dates and site.

, like wrestlers, are deprived of certain freedoms unless they reach a certain rank, and are required, for example, to live in their own stable. also have their names displayed on (tall banner) at the entrance to the arenas where tournaments are held. In the past, retired who had managed to secure an elder-share (a pseudonym under which a person may become an executive of the Japan Sumo Association) could remain in the Japan Sumo Association as elders, but the practice is no longer permitted.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ High-ranking as of January 2025

! Rank !! Name !! Stable !! Real name !! Date of birth !! Promotion !!

| rowspan=2 |

| Kimura ShōnosukeXXXIX || Kokonoe || Yūji Horasawa || || January 2025 ||

| Shikimori InosukeXLIII || Kasugano || Yoshimitsu Morita || || January 2025 ||

| Kimura Hisanosuke || Ōshima || Toshikazu Hata || || January 2024 ||

| Shikimori KandayūXII || Asahiyama || Hiroshi Kikuchi || || January 2025 || In May 1910, the Tokyo-sumo association made the decision to change the costume of professional referees to the one currently in use. With the Dampatsurei Edict of 1871, referees could no longer keep their , and one of the reasons for adopting the new costume would have been to make it easier to conceal the referee's hair to hide his lack of topknot with a hat. Although kimono are often embroidered with very traditional motifs such as , in October 2021, the Japan Sumo Association formed a partnership with The Pokémon Company to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Blue and since the , can be seen wearing Poké Ball-themed kimono.

The outfits used all incorporate a number of rosettes, called , and tassels, called . These ornaments change color to indicate the 's rank. Unlike , whose uniform is identical regardless of rank, each 's costume reflects the rank he holds and has specific features depending on the rank reached.

As their careers progress, incorporate elements such as the following into their outfits:

Responsibilities

Refereeing a match

The 's principal and most obvious task is to referee bouts between two sumo wrestlers. The is regarded as an unquestionable authority figure in the ring, and is never booed or hissed at. The 's verdicts can, however, be overturned by the judges seated around the ring (the ). During the Meiji era, Japan underwent a series of changes which also had an impact on the traditional way in which sumo tournaments were held and on the organisation of the sumo association. During the same period, Takasago Uragorō launched a protest movement forcing the association to adopt measures aimed at improving their image, in particular by ending the possession of the final judgement of a match, which was changed from to .

Each referees matches taking place in the division that corresponds to the referee's rank. Only the are allowed to referee a match involving a . In all the matches they referee, are expected to give a decision on the spot, whatever the conditions at the end of a match. Too many overturned decisions lead to stagnation in the promotion order or a salary cut. The only exception is that (rematch) are not counted as refereeing errors. If a referee in the highest ranks has too many of his decisions overturned, he is expected to submit his resignation to the JSA Board of Directors. However, these resignations are regularly rejected. At level, referees suffer a penalty if they make more than nine mistakes in a year while -ranked are permitted up to ten. As for the other ranks in the hierarchy (below ), there are no financial penalties, but promotions are nevertheless affected.

In the ring, the follows a very specific protocol before the fight begins. The referee always supervises the proceedings from the north corner of the ring, facing south. After the has called them into the ring, the will also call out each wrestler's name. On odd-numbered days, the call is made from the east to west, and on even-numbered days the call is made in the other way round. He then records the exact positions of both wrestlers' hands and feet, and puts them back in this position once the break has concluded. The starts the fighting again by simultaneously hitting the backs of the wrestlers' . Although there are no strict rules on what to do when a match is paused, it was noted during the November 2023 tournament that a procedure inspired by then- referee Kimura Hisanosuke, consisting of using salt to mark the positions of the wrestlers' feet, was reused because it was considered elegant and effective. Additionally, the may call for a short break if he needs to fix a wrestler's . If, following a fall, the is no longer able to give a verdict or hand out prize envelopes, it is up to the waiting at the foot of the ring to take his place.

thumb|250px|left|A during a bout in 2008

When the considers that a wrestler has lost, he ends the match by pointing his to the side of the winning wrestler. The 's decision as to the winner of the bout is not immediately final and can be called into question by one of the five (judges) who sit around the ring. If they dispute the result, they hold a () in the center of the ring, and correspond through an earpiece to a further two judges in the video review room. They can confirm the decision of the (, 'way of the '), overturn it (, 'wrong indication'), or order a rematch (). The is not expected to take part in the discussion during a unless asked to do so. When a final verdict is reached, the again points his at the victorious wrestler and announces his , or ring name, in a clear voice. If the match had received corporate sponsorship and banners had been displayed before the start of the fight, the brings over the envelopes containing the money on his .

Religious role

In addition to refereeing matches, have a number of other duties; among them are their religious responsibilities in the sport. When a new ring is built, it is the 's responsibility to perform a (), or ring-consecration ceremony, a ritual to bless the space in which the wrestlers fight and train. The day before a , the Japan Sumo Association holds a religious ceremony in the presence of all the association's higher-ups and all the -ranked wrestlers who take their seats around the ring. The same day, a more discreet ceremony is held in the stables' training rings by junior-ranked referees belonging to the same clan, in the presence of the stablemaster and the wrestlers. A simplified version of the ceremony also takes place during regional tours (called ). This practice, inherited from the Heian period, was restored by the Yoshida in the 1790s.

The is performed by one of the and two other senior-ranked referees, serving as attendants called . The act as Shinto priests and perform the ceremony taking the shape of a Shinto rite. The three , dressed in the same way as a , wear formal white robes (called ), larger hat, socks and straw sandals. The distinguishes himself by wearing a color variation under his white kimono and a instead of an . All of the carry a wooden instrument (called a ) as a symbol of authority. On the , (a Shinto ritual wand) are also placed in wooden stands at the center.

One of the 's two assistants first steps into the ring and behaves as if in a shrine, following Shinto etiquette. He then recites a prayer and walks around the four corners of the ring waving a sakaki tree branch serving as an at the attendants, in an act called . One junior-ranked holding a will stand in the center of the ring and will be tossed into the air by lower-ranked wrestlers.

Presiding over ring-entering ceremonies

The also officially lead the ring-entering ceremonies. More precisely, the 's responsibility is to head the columns of -ranked wrestlers, leading them from the , the two paths from east and west, to the ring. If the is absent, the wrestlers are normally expected to wait to be led into the ring. The 's rank is equivalent to that of the wrestlers he leads. Each who presides over ring-entering ceremonies takes charge of only three or four per tournament, rotating with their colleagues of equivalent rank.

The enters the ring first, circles it and then settles in the center. The wrestlers, in ascending rank, follow him, and a at the foot of the ring announces the prefecture of origin (or country, in the case of foreign wrestlers), the stable to which they belong and the of the wrestler stepping onto the .

During the 's ring-entering ceremony, the is also responsible for leading the wrestlers into the ring before the (the wrestler preceding the ). Normally, the presides over this ceremony. In the absence of a , the referee presiding over the ceremony will be a -ranked . The stands behind the , waving the rope of his as the makes his signature entrance (shiranui or unryū).

Writing the

The are also responsible for writing up the , the traditional ranking sheet for professional sumo, and their task begins long before a definitive ranking is decided. The act as clerks at the ranking meetings, which take place three days after the end of each tournament. During the preparatory meeting, the serve only as observers and are not invited to speak. Three are responsible for recording decisions on promotions and demotions, and their work is then used as the basis for the calligraphy known to the public. Only two or three high-ranking are authorised to write the , which will later be reproduced and actually used. The task of writing the is considered so important that the people responsible for writing it never accompany the JSA on tour, so as to devote themselves entirely to their task.

The also make the plaques displayed on the electronic scoreboards in the arenas, on a thin rectangular sheet of plastic. Plaques are changed when a wrestler changes his or is promoted. The Japan Sumo Association accepted his resignation in May 2018 when the suspension concluded. The day before, he did not appear on the list of referees promoted, even though he was the second most senior referee at the time and only two years away from retirement. Sasaki Ichirō, a sumo journalist at Nikkan Sports, shared an informal comment on his Twitter account expressing Tamajirō VI's displeasure at not being promoted to the rank of .

In January 2025, -ranked Kimura Kankurō was suspended for the 2025 March tournament and was given a pay cut after he was found to have physically assaulted one of his apprentices during the 2024 November tournament. He had previously been excluded from the January tournament from day eight, when the internal investigation was launched.

In May 2025 it was reported that the Sumo Association's compliance committee was investigating allegations that an unnamed who managed the reserve fund of the (wrestlers' association, composed of active competitors) embezzled money from that fund, portions of which were designated to support children affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. According to the report, the repeatedly deferred requests by the to disclose the fund's books and balance. During the investigation, the reportedly confessed to spending tens of millions of yen on gambling and other activities. On 2 June 2025 the Sumo Association decided to dismiss Kimura Ginjirō (Shibatayama stable), identified as the individual who embezzled approximately ¥20 million from the fund.

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

List of current at the Japan Sumo Association site (in Japanese)
List of expressions and shouts used by in the ring
—Sumo Prime Time episode
– an interview with the 30th Kimura Shōnosuke (then the 31st Shikimori Inosuke)