2026– date –
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Ichinojo’s First Championship at the 2022 Nagoya Tournament
On the final day of the 2022 July (Nagoya) Grand Sumo tournament, Ichinojo won his first top-division championship. No playoff settled it. Ichinojo had finished his work at 12-3, and the title was sealed when the yokozuna Terunofuji lost... -
Okinoumi’s Retirement Ceremony: An Oki-Island Farewell
The former Okinoumi held his retirement ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on September 30, 2023, an event whose formal title marked both his retirement and his succession to the Kimigahama elder name. The afternoon's rarest moment came w... -
Kaisei’s Retirement Ceremony: The Brazilian Who Reached Sekiwake
On October 1, 2023, the former sekiwake Kaisei held his retirement topknot-cutting ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. Brazilian-born, Kaisei rose to sekiwake — the third-highest rank in sumo — and went further than any Brazilian wrestler... -
Tochinoshin’s Retirement Ceremony: A Georgian Ozeki’s Farewell
This was the retirement topknot-cutting ceremony of the former ozeki Tochinoshin, the Georgian-born wrestler, held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on February 4, 2024. Georgians filled the box seats draped in their national flag, and Tochinoshi... -
Kakuryu’s Retirement Ceremony: A Mongolian Yokozuna’s Farewell
The former yokozuna Kakuryu, born in Mongolia, held his retirement topknot-cutting ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 3, 2023, in heavy rain. The day closed one of the sport's highest careers, yet it left a question hanging over w... -
An Unexpected Finish: Kotozakura Wins His First Title
At the 2024 November (Kyushu) Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, the ozeki Kotozakura won his first top-division championship at 14-1, when his co-leader Hoshoryu collapsed on a slipped grip in their final-day decider. Ozeki is the second... -
How Hoshoryu Won His First Title and Sealed Ozeki
On the final day of the 2023 July (Nagoya) Grand Sumo Tournament, the sekiwake Hoshoryu won his first top-division championship in a playoff over Hokutofuji. In the same instant, that victory clinched his promotion to ozeki. Sekiwake is ... -
Inside the Retirement Ceremony of Takakeisho
This was the retirement ceremony of the former ozeki (the second-highest rank, below only yokozuna) Takakeisho, held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in October 2025. His master made the final cut, and he stood to speak of never having reached y... -
Spirit Over Pain: Takerufuji Wins a Historic Debut Title
On an injured leg, in his very first top-division tournament, Takerufuji drove out Gonoyama on the final day to win the 2024 March Grand Sumo Tournament. It was the first debut-division championship — a title won in one's debut top-divis... -
The Fastest Ever: Onosato Wins His First Title in Seven Tournaments
At the 2024 May (Natsu) Grand Sumo Tournament, the new komusubi Onosato won his first top-division championship — and he did it in only his seventh tournament since turning professional, the fastest anyone has ever managed it. He sealed ...
