John Gunning
- None, The Japan Times
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Articles by John Gunning
November banzuke reveals intriguing trio of dark horse candidates
The banzuke for next month’s sumo tournament in Fukuoka has been released and there is plenty of eye-catching movement up and down the latest rankings list. Usually in sumo, the headline grabbers when each new banzuke comes out are first-time promotees to thesanyaku ranks, or division debutants. This time, however, banzuke movement has drawn attention to a few men who can be considered dark horse candidates for title glory in Kyushu.
Baku championships showcase rising standards in global sumo
The 27th edition of the Sumo World Championships took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, last weekend, and there were several signs that amateur sumo may be moving into a new stage of development. Some of the projected changes are more gradual than others, with Japan and Ukraine still the dominant powers inside the straw bales. Nine of the 12 gold medals available in various men’s and women’s categories went to those two nations, with Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Bulgaria also topping one podium apiece.
Hakkaku’s complex legacy looms over sumo’s next chapter
The blur of massively powerful athletes smashing together on an elevated ring, while the shouts of referees in highly decorative costumes ring out around the arena is a sight that makes sumo one of the most visually stimulating sports in the world. But while those battles in the ring command the attention of fans, they aren’t the only contests taking place in Japan’s national sport.
Sumo’s officiating cohort is a world of its own
Sumo had a changing of the guard atop its referee rankings this month with the retirement of Kimura Shonosuke and the promotion of Kimura Shonosuke. That’s not a printing error. In Japan’s national sport, gyōji (referee) names are connected to rank, with the aforementioned Kimura Shonosuke moniker (and the Shikimori Inosuke name) being the officiating equivalents of the top rank of yokozuna.
Onosato and Aonishiki deliver the title showdown sumo needed
The 2026 Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, which at one point looked like an Onosato procession to silverware paired with an Aonishiki collapse, completely flipped the script over the final five days to give us a title showdown between the two men. It was the yokozuna who emerged victorious from that decider, dominating his younger rival and claiming a first Emperor’s Cup in a year.
Kirishima’s yokozuna bid ends, but resurgent Onosato shines at autumn meet
Onosato (top) defeats Gonoyama with a slap-down technique at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Friday. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Kirishima’s yokozuna run is over, and the veteran ōzeki is certain to finish the September tournament with his worst record in a year.
Autumn basho has all the ingredients of a classic
The September Grand Sumo Tournament got underway on Sunday looking like it could be a free-for-all. With yokozuna Hoshoryu withdrawing prior to the meet, and injury worries hanging over several other big names, there was genuine concern over the quality of sumo that would be on display, and whether anyone could step up to claim the Emperor’s Cup in the fashion that fans want to see.
X League rocked by ‘ghost pro’ scandal as Minerva boycotts game against Obic
The X League — Japan’s top football competition —was rocked this week by an ongoing “ghost pro” scandal that has now begun to affect the outcome of games. Fujifilm Ebina Minerva AFC refused to play its scheduled contest against the Obic Seagulls on Sunday over concerns that its opponent would field more than the allowed maximum of four professional players.
Stage is set for Kirishima to earn yokozuna promotion
The bad news regarding Hoshoryu came, as expected, just before the start of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. The yokozuna has failed to recover from surgery on his right knee sufficiently to allow participation in the September meet and will be absent from Day 1. While unfortunate, the news comes as no surprise given Hoshoryu’s inability to take part in bouts during the summer regional tour and the Yokozuna Deliberation Council open practice.
Surge in sumo popularity not driven by stars of the sport
Sumo’s booming popularity shows no signs of slowing, with the upcoming Autumn Tournament selling out almost as soon as tickets became available. For longtime fans who faithfully bought tickets through the sport’s down years, but now regularly find themselves empty handed at the end of seat lotteries and general sales, it’s a constant source of frustration and anger. Those emotions are further fueled by the seemingly easy access to tickets through companies focused on inbound tourism.
Hidetora Hanada’s decision to not join professional sumo, while unsurprising, is a major loss for Japan’s national sport. According to a Japanese media report, the former amateur yokozuna was still mulling over the decision right up until the deadline, but ultimately chose to forgo turning pro in favor of keeping his options open in other fields. Given Hanada’s career to date, the decision is probably the correct one on a personal level, even if it is a significant missed opportunity for sumo.
JSA plans to reduce summer burden on rikishi from 2027
Few things in sumo repeat with such regularity as late August storylines about the physical toll that the summer regional tour takes on wrestlers. Over the past decade, as climate change has increased both the intensity and duration of summer heat, concerns about the health of wrestlers have likewise grown. The tougher conditions have been exacerbated by an increase in the number of event days, with sumo’s surging popularity bringing a growing demand for in-person appearances around the country.
Stable of young stars fueling resurgence of storied Nihon University sumo program
For roughly half a century, Nihon University not only had the most dominant program in collegiate sumo, but it also exercised an outsize influence on the professional version of the sport. Prior to the recent ascent of Onosato, Nihon could lay claim to being the only university ever to have produced a wrestler who reached the rank of yokozuna in ōzumō.
Ikarigata closer to emulating older brother Fujinokawa than many think
Newer fans, who have only discovered Japan’s national sport in the past few years, could be forgiven for thinking that rapid progress to the top of the banzuke is the norm for sumo’s biggest names. Given how quickly men such as Onosato and Aonishiki went from promising youngsters to superstars, that would be a reasonable assumption.
The hidden details that shape professional sumo
The dog days of summer in Japan may sap energy and slow almost everything down but the national sport continues apace. Throughout the month of August, the Japan Sumo Association’s summer regional tour sees most of the organization’s biggest stars perform in numerous locations across the east and north of the country. With 28 event days in 27 different locations, it’s a punishing schedule, and one that leaves little time for rest and recovery between the July and September meets.
Sumo’s top wrestler isn’t a yokozuna — yet
Aonishiki (left) receives the trophy from Hakkaku, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, after winning the July Grand Sumo Tournament at IG Arena in Nagoya on Sunday. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link The debate over who is currently the top dog in Japan’s national sport doesn’t involve either of its yokozuna.
Nagoya basho enters final stretch with everything to play for
Despite a rocky start, the 2026 Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament reached the end of its second act with all the major pre-basho boxes checked off. Hoshoryu and Onosato appear to be relatively healthy — if not yet back to full fitness — and it looks increasingly likely that both yokozuna will still be in action on day 15 — something that hasn’t happened since January. Aonishiki was in the same boat before re-injuring his foot midway through the meet.
Early losses for yokozuna in Nagoya no cause for concern — in theory
Breaking down a sumo tournament after just three days of action can sometimes feel like an exercise in overreaction. With 12-3 a record that regularly earns Emperor’s Cup glory, even the most disastrous start to a meet by a pretournament favorite is something that can be overcome.
Uncertain health of main stars sets the stage for wild ride in Nagoya
The most accurate three-word summation of the current state of sumo’s top tier heading into the Nagoya tournament is probably “question marks abound.” Makuuchi debutant Kazuma, ranked near the foot of the division, standing out as a candidate for Emperor’s Cup glory, tells you all you need to know about the health of sumo’s biggest stars.
Wakatakakage injury casts pall over July meet, but potential new stars loom
The recent spate of injuries among professional sumo’s biggest names continues unabated, with Wakatakakage the latest name added to the list. The May tournament winner was rushed to hospital last week for two emergency femoral compartment syndrome surgeries totaling five hours in length, after suffering an injury in practice.
Six of the best: rikishi of note in each sumo division
Kazuma (right) faces off against future yokozuna Onosato during the All Japan Amateur Sumo Championships at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in December 2020. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Every two months, the Japan Sumo Association releases a new set of rankings.
Remembering the wrestlers who rarely make the headlines
When a yokozuna, ōzeki or other high-profile rikishi retires, the news is usually met with great fanfare. There are career retrospective programs on television, columns in newspapers and heated debates online over their correct placing among the pantheon of all-time greats. But as with their active careers, so too when they leave sumo — retirements that make the headlines are the exception rather than the rule.
Cultural aspects dominate coverage as sumo enthralls Paris
On June 14, the Japan Sumo Association wrapped up its second successful overseas trip in the space of less than a year. Selling out both days at the 15,000-seat Accor Arena in Paris, the JSA built on the momentum generated by last October’s visit to London and continues to reinvigorate interest in Japan’s national sport across Europe. Inside the ring, Kotozakura was the overall champion, taking home the trophy after downing yokozuna Hoshoryu in a matchup of daily winners.
Could Hoshoryu be the last Mongolian yokozuna?
In September 2002 Asashoryu became the first Mongolian-born wrestler to reach sumo’s second-highest rank of ōzeki. Four months later, a second consecutive 14-1 championship sealed the Ulaanbaatar native’s promotion to the top rung of Japan’s national sport. Over the next 23 years, six more men from Mongolia would reach ōzeki, with all but one going on to become yokozuna.
Paris sumo tournament should deepen existing ties and open up new frontiers
When Onosato and Hoshoryu et al stepped onto the clay at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October 2025, it was the first time in three decades that the Japan Sumo Association had held an exhibition in Europe. Now, just ten months later, the JSA is preparing to head back to The Old Continent — this time for a two-day jungyo (regional tour)-style event in Paris on June 13 and 14.
Rare komusubi title win bodes well for Wakatakakage’s future
Wakatakakage receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Hakkaku on Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. | By John Gunning X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Wakatakakage’s victory in the just-completed Summer Grand Sumo Tournament gave Japan’s national sport something it rarely sees — a komusubi as champion.
Injuries dampen excitement for wide-open Emperor’s Cup race
Ten days, ten men. That’s how far into the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament we are, and how many wrestlers have a chance for a share of the lead after day 11. As things stand, two thirds of the way through the meet, a six-man group headed by ōzeki Kirishima leads the race for the Emperor’s Cup. At the midway point the March tournament champion was undefeated and smoothly sailing towards a second straight title.
Kirishima’s hot streak saves summer tournament from disastrous start
Kirishima (top) defeats Yoshinofuji by tsukiotoshi at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Monday. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Three days into the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament and six of the seven highest-ranked wrestlers in the sport either have losing records or are absent from the meet. Newly promoted ōzeki Kirishima is currently the only man ranked sekiwake or higher to remain unbeaten.
Path to glory opens for Hoshoryu after injuries to rivals Onosato and Aonishiki
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. When Onosato ascended to yokozuna last summer following a dominant stretch, then added a fifth Emperor’s Cup, in just 11 top division tournaments, in September, it appeared as if sumo’s next great champion had arrived.
Off-field challenges remain for the X League, as on-field product improves
There was an electric atmosphere inside Tokyo Dome on May 3 as the X League inaugurated its new XPremier top division with a thrilling pair of hard-fought contests. Kicking off the daylong football extravaganza was a repeat of last season’s Rice Bowl between the Panasonic Impulse and the Obic Seagulls.
What should the expectations be for sumo’s current trio of ōzeki ?
As a result of Kirishima’s recent promotion to sumo’s second-highest rank, there will be three ōzeki in action during the summer grand sumo tournament. The veteran from Ulaanbaatar will obviously be hoping to do much better his second time around, after a disappointing 12-month stint at the same rank between 2023 and 2024.
Kirishima back at ōzeki in sumo’s latest banzuke rankings
Kirishima points to his name in the ōzeki section of the newly released banzuke rankings at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Monday. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Kirishima is the name that immediately jumps off the page when looking at the Japan Sumo Association’s newly released banzuke rankings.
Professional sumo gets three potential new stars
Sumo’s banzuke is often described as a “living document.” Updated bimonthly, the ranking sheet, with its intricate sumo-specific calligraphy, has recorded the rise and fall of thousands of careers over the past three centuries. The banzuke is a reminder that while fans and media often describe sumo in terms of fixed eras, the reality of Japan’s national sport is closer to an ever-morphing lineup with little in terms of stability.
Chiyomaru’s next act shines light on sumo’s unsung roles
With the retirement of Chiyomaru, sumo has lost one of the most popular wrestlers of the past 15 years. In a world of stoic seriousness, the Kyushu native’s near constant smile was a breath of fresh air. That happy demeanor combined with his rotund physique even for a sumo wrestler meant the aptly named Chiyomaru — the last character of his name means "round" — was a unique presence in Japan’s national sport.
Sumo creates unity on an island famed for division
The task of melding two disparate cultures is always a challenge for national sumo federations around the world. Taking a 2,000 year old Japanese sport that is intrinsically tied to the history, religion and culture of that particular nation and trying to make its various nuances and traditions compatible with a modern sporting environment in a foreign country is never easy.
Sumo and smiles — two words that rarely go together. Japan’s national sport is famous for the stoic seriousness with which its participants conduct their affairs both inside and outside the ring. Whether it’s refraining from showing emotion after wins to giving boilerplate post-bout interviews about taking everything one day at a time, professional sumo wrestlers have to adhere to one of the sporting world’s strictest codes of conduct.
Kirishima’s Emperor’s Cup likely seals dramatic return to ōzeki
Kirishima (left) receives the Emperor’s Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku at the Edion Arena in Osaka on Sunday. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link All of professional sumo’s six bimonthly tournaments carry the same weight. Eight wins in Tokyo in May are of equal value to eight wins in Fukuoka in November, and an Emperor’s Cup triumph in Osaka in March is just as celebrated as one in Nagoya in July.
Aonishiki’s busted yokozuna bid disappointing, but not concerning
Yoshinofuji (left) defeats Aonishiki on March 9, the second day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, at Edion Arena in Osaka. | X Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Threads Email Print Bookmark story Copy link Literally translated, sumo’s second highest rank of о̄zeki means “great barrier.” It’s a barrier that is supposed to be a near insurmountable hurdle for lower-ranked wrestlers.
Onosato’s withdrawal evokes painful reminder of stablemaster’s fate
“All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again.” The “time is cyclical” concept behind that oft-spoken refrain in the television sci-fi series “Battlestar Galactica” is probably the last thing Nishonoseki stablemaster (former yokozuna Kisenosato) wants to hear right now.
March basho opens with Aonishiki on verge of historic promotion
Perhaps it’s the warm breezes and first blossoms that always signal the imminent arrival of spring, but the leadup to the March basho inevitably creates a sense of anticipation for the future unlike any of professional sumo’s five other tournaments. 2026 is no different, but this particular edition also carries a particularly intriguing mix of storylines.
Violence in sumo provokes anger but little surprise
Why is there always so little surprise, but inevitably so much anger, when violence scandals break out in sumo? The latest incident, in which Isegahama stablemaster (former yokozuna Terunofuji) self-reported using violence against top-division wrestler Hakunofuji, has sparked a reaction similar to that of every comparable incident over the past two decades.
Physical banzuke ranking reveals sumo’s storylines
The approaching onset of an odd-numbered month means another sumo tournament is almost upon us and, as is always the case, we have a new release of rankings to set the stage. The banzuke for the spring 2026 meet lays out its main storylines in its largest font at the top of the page.
Few wrestlers in sumo history have drawn as much attention internationally as Aonishiki over the past 12 months. That’s understandable given that the young ōzeki was a refugee from a war that continues to rage, and the speed with which he has risen to the top of Japan’s national sport. With the 21-year-old on the verge of promotion to yokozuna, he’s dominating headlines domestically as well.
Why we’ll never see a yokozuna in the Super Bowl
Perhaps no question gets asked with more regularity in online sumo spaces than “Could a rikishi succeed in the NFL?” or “Would NFL players dominate if they switched to sumo?” Those questions popped up again this week after several participants in Super Bowl LX discussed their Japanese heritage, and former amateur yokozuna Hidetora Hanada revealed he was considering a switch back to sumo after several years of playing college football in the United States.
Rising star Aonishiki shows poise beyond years both in and out the sumo ring
Aonishiki is 21 years old. Twenty one. It’s a fact that is hard to avoid coming back to, as the Ukrainian native not only continues to shatter records inside the ring, but also comports himself with maturity and poise far beyond his years outside of it.
Incredible Aonishiki continues to edge closer to perfection
Aonishiki has done it again. After winning back-to-back Emperor’s Cups the young Ukrainian now stands on the doorstep of promotion to sumo’s highest rank. If Aonishiki makes it three titles in a row in March he will become sumo’s 76th yokozuna.
Hakuho unveils expanded version of his namesake tournament for children
Former yokozuna Hakuho on Tuesday announced details of a greatly expanded version of his namesake tournament for children. The 16th edition of the Hakuho Cup will take place on Feb. 7 and 8 in Tokyo and, along with girls being included after a break of several years, for the first time in the competition’s history there will be an adult division. Expansion feels like a natural progression for a tournament that was created with the intention of promoting sumo.
Aonishiki sets the pace as hatsu basho title race takes shape
Three days into the first tournament of the year and it’s already looking like Aonishiki could be the man to beat in 2026. The newly promoted ōzeki has not only gotten off to a fast start, but, with both yokozuna looking shaky, may also be set to improve on what has already been an incredible first year in the top division. On day one of the hatsu basho Aonishiki handled Ura with little fuss.
Questions over sumo stars could open door for dark horse champion
Expectations for a titanic three-way battle to decide the destination of the Emperor’s Cup later this month were suddenly tempered on Jan. 8. Sumo fans woke up to headlines proclaiming dark clouds were swirling around Hoshoryu with the start of the hatsu basho just days away. The yokozuna skipped practice on Thursday, reportedly due to swelling and fluid buildup in his left knee, and there was unconfirmed speculation that he may have a torn meniscus.
What’s in store for Japan’s national sport in 2026?
Life comes at you fast in the world of sumo. Barely have the New Year holidays come to a close before the first tournament of 2026 gets under way. With the Yokozuna Deliberation Council practice and Meiji Shrine ring-entering ceremonies over, preparations for the hatsu basho are almost complete. All that remains is Saturday’s ring purification ceremony before the battle to see who will be first to lift the Emperor’s Cup in 2026.
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