Misplaced Pages

#699300

130-610: In April 2008 the Japan Sumo Association made clear its surprise at plans by the prefectural government to demolish the gymnasium and sell the vacant lot . In March 2012, the arena was renamed Bodymaker Colosseum ( ボディメーカー コロシアム , Bodimēkā koroshiamu ) after the naming rights were sold to sports apparel company BB Sports for the next three years. The name was changed back in April 2015, when BB Sports did not renew their deal. In June 2015, EDION Corporation signed

260-400: A "single generation" or "lifetime" elder stock, called ichidai toshiyori ( 一代年寄 ) . This process allows the wrestler to stay as an elder without having to use a traditional share in the association, and enter his retirement duties with his ring name. This exception system has been offered to three former wrestlers : Taihō , Kitanoumi and Takanohana . A fourth, Chiyonofuji ,

390-457: A board of trustees called hyōgiin-kai ( 評議員会 ) , votes for the board of the association. Elections are held in even-numbered years or every two years, usually in January or February. The election process is heavily influenced by the stables regroupments to which coaches are distributed in. Each stable belong to an ichimon , or clan. There are currently five ichimon , each bearing

520-528: A diversity of tasks, from selling tickets and security work at the most junior level, to taking charge of one of the Association departments as a director. These members are also the only persons given the authority to train new sumo wrestlers. They do this by opening or taking over stable, which will take the same name as the founder's elder name. Thus someone known as Dewanoumi is the owner of Dewanoumi stable . A few coaches have their own stable, while

650-726: A fortified residence, probably around the edge of the Musashino Terrace , that would become Edo castle. Shigetsugu's son, Edo Shigenaga ( 江戸重長 ) , took the Taira's side against Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1180 but eventually surrendered to Minamoto and became a gokenin for the Kamakura shogunate . At the fall of the shogunate in the 14th century, the Edo clan took the side of the Southern Court , and its influence declined during

780-769: A government institution. In 1932, the last major wrestlers' strike broke out with the Shunjuen Incident , calling for fundamental reform of the Sumo Association and leading to a mass resignation of wrestlers the likes of which professional sumo had never seen before. From 1933 to 1937, the All Japan Sumo Association briefly experienced a secession leading to the foundation of the Dai-Nihon Kansai Sumō Kyōkai ( 大日本関西角力協会 , All Japan Kansai Sumo Association) by members of

910-524: A member of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, Kojima Jo, was quoted in the magazine Bungei Shunjū as opposing the appointment of foreigners, who he felt were too far removed from the hinkaku ( 品格 ), the 'dignity', needed to become one of professional sumo's top ranked wrestler. However, other members of the council and the association maintained that they would consider a promotion if its conditions were met, regardless of who

1040-405: A press conference during which he tearfully denied making the remarks. He insisted that The Nihon Keizai Shimbun had misinterpreted his remark, and that he had not spoken to The New York Times , and instead a Hawaiian apprentice Koryū had impersonated him on the telephone. In 1993, Akebono , a student of Azumazeki (former Takamiyama), became the first foreign-born yokozuna in the history of

1170-504: A refuge. The estate of the upper residence was attributed by the shogunate according to the status of the clan and its relation with the Shogun. The middle residence ( 中屋敷 , naka-yashiki ) , a bit further from the castle, could house the heir of the lord, his servants from his fief when he was in Edo for the sankin-kotai alternate residency, or be a hiding residence if needed. The lower residence ( 下屋敷 , shimo-yashiki ) , if there

1300-603: A result, the association in 2021 had a deficit of 6.3 billion yen , the biggest in its history. The association's finances recovered by March 2024, with a surplus of 300 million yen. Also in 2020, the association, along with Nippon Professional Baseball and the Professional Golfers' Association of Japan  [ ja ] , withdrew from the Japan Professional Sports Association  [ ja ] . This occurred after

1430-436: A role in the credit given to an application. For example, former yokozuna Takanohana won four straight election bids to become director before his demotion in 2018, despite being the leader of a (now dissolved) small ichimon . Stables aren't equally divided among the ichimon . As of July 2024 , Nishonoseki has the most stables with 17, but Dewanoumi has the most affiliated oyakata (elders) with 37. As in

SECTION 10

#1732793471700

1560-553: A strike called the Shinbashi Club Incident  [ ja ] organized by low-ranking wrestlers asked for a new wage reform, securing a bonus (made up of payment in cash and a deposit in a pension fund) distributed to all wrestlers who were not ōzeki or yokozuna . In 1923, another strike known as the Mikawajima Incident  [ ja ] demanded better pensions for wrestlers and

1690-546: A three-year deal for the arena's naming rights, renaming it Edion Arena Osaka ( エディオンアリーナ大阪 , Edion Arīna Ōsaka ) . It has hosted several professional wrestling shows, including Osaka Hurricane from 2005 to 2012, NJPW Dominion from 2009 to 2014, NJPW Power Struggle since 2011, and The New Beginning in Osaka since 2012. On October 12, 2019, the venue hosted the Rizin 19 mixed martial arts fight. On February 22, 2023,

1820-503: A year following complicated negotiations over the status of toshiyori and the composition of the board. In order to bring the statutes of the association into line with the stipulations of the incorporated foundations was introduced the hyōgi-in ( 評議員 , counselor committee) , responsible for monitoring the shared interests of the ministry and the association. That council is made up equally of three retired oyakata (elders with no san'yo re-employment) elected within

1950-403: Is also a prerequisite. Retired wrestlers may own several shares at the same time and exchange or loan them, often in order to inherit a name that affiliates them with a particular stable or tradition. The association delegates the selection of the wrestlers who can inherits these shares to former shareholders who, by tradition, retain the power to choose their successors. It however have a say in

2080-567: Is based on efficiency. In addition to this balance, the association maintains a culture of discretion and secrecy in its management of professional sumo. According to West, the reasons for this secrecy are mainly to control the flow of information, whether negative (scandal) or positive (promotion of a popular wrestler). Such control maintains the positive image of the sport and the mystical culture built up by sumo, linked to its religious roots. The Japan Sumo Association relations between its members are primarily shaped by rules and norms related to

2210-445: Is exchanged as part of the inheritance of a share, the appointment of the new holder may be invalidated and the offender subjected to disciplinary measures, up to and including expulsion from the association. However, the monetization of the shares' inheritance still seems to be tolerated by the association. An exception to the normal acquisition is made for the most successful rikishi , with era-defining yokozuna being offered

2340-464: Is more than just a sports organization. Its status as an Incorporated Foundation makes it an organization of cultural purpose. However, the complex structure of the association means that it carries out its missions as both a company involved in promoting sport, in particular by selling tickets for tournaments, and as a cultural entity due to its historical links with the Shinto religion and its links with

2470-472: Is only part-time. During the 2010s, the association was also marked by the revelation of numerous scandals linked to its opaque organization. These scandals included wrestlers' links with organised crime and gambling, which is illegal in Japan . The violent nature of training and the legitimacy of violence within the traditional hierarchy of wrestlers was also called into question. Between 2010 and 2011 ,

2600-736: Is the former name of Tokyo . Edo, formerly a jōkamachi (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province , became the de facto capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate . Edo grew to become one of the largest cities in the world under the Tokugawa. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868 the Meiji government renamed Edo as Tokyo ( 東 京 , "Eastern Capital") and relocated

2730-399: The banzuke and its hierarchy was primarily their decision, and conflicts of interest were common. In addition, the profits from the tournaments were first divided among them before a portion was given to the other elders, who in turn distributed the money to their disciples. Because of the filtering of high-ranking managers, little money reached the bottom of the ladder, and this system

SECTION 20

#1732793471700

2860-526: The Battle of Sekigahara in October 1600. He formally founded the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603 and established his headquarters at Edo Castle . Edo became the center of political power and the de facto capital of Japan, although the historic capital of Kyoto remained the de jure capital as the seat of the emperor. Edo grew from a fishing village in Musashi Province in 1457 into the largest metropolis in

2990-635: The Cabinet Office issued a recommendation urging the Japan Professional Sports Association to reform its internal organization, which was inadequate to supervise other public interest incorporated foundations. In 2022 , for the first time in its history, the association signed a partnership agreement with a local government, Sumida Ward , to revitalize the district by encouraging sumo wrestlers to visit schools, and promote sport and tourism. In December 2023 ,

3120-649: The Emperor from the historic capital of Kyoto to the city. The era of Tokugawa rule in Japan from 1603 to 1868 is known as the Edo period . Before the 10th century, there is no mention of Edo in historical records, but for a few settlements in the area. That name for the area first appears in the Azuma Kagami chronicles, which have probably been used since the second half of the Heian period . Edo's development started in

3250-553: The Imperial Palace . During the Edo period, there were about 100 major fires, mostly begun by accident and often quickly escalating and spreading through neighborhoods of wooden nagaya that were heated with charcoal fires. In 1868, the Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown in the Meiji Restoration by supporters of Emperor Meiji and his Imperial Court in Kyoto , ending Edo's status as the de facto capital of Japan. However,

3380-562: The International Lethwei Federation Japan held a Lethwei event called Japan 15 - Kizuna at the venue. 34°39′45″N 135°29′57″E  /  34.66250°N 135.49917°E  / 34.66250; 135.49917 This article about a sports venue in Japan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Japan Sumo Association The Japan Sumo Association ( Japanese : 日本相撲協会 , Hepburn : Nihon Sumō Kyōkai ) , officially

3510-508: The Labor Standards Inspection Office  [ ja ] sent the association a rare demand letter for unpaid overtime owed to its administrative staff. Between June and October 2023, the association had also been the subject of five investigations, a rare number for a public interest incorporated foundation. In addition, the association was criticized for managerial problems, which led to moral harassment and

3640-507: The Muromachi period . In 1456, a vassal of the Ōgigayatsu branch of the Uesugi clan started to build a castle on the former fortified residence of the Edo clan and took the name Ōta Dōkan . Dōkan lived in the castle until his assassination in 1486. Under Dōkan, with good water connections to Kamakura, Odawara and other parts of Kanto and the country, Edo expanded as a jōkamachi , with

3770-765: The Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Sumo Association ( 公益財団法人日本相撲協会 , Kōeki zaidanhōjin Nihon Sumō Kyōkai ) ; sometimes abbreviated JSA or NSK , and more usually called Sumo Kyōkai , is the governing body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling, called ōzumō ( 大相撲 ) , in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Concretely,

3900-587: The Sumo Museum to preserve and utilize sumo wrestling records and artefacts. Though professionals, such as active wrestlers , referees , hairdressers and ushers , are all on the association's payroll, leadership positions are restricted to retired wrestlers . The organization has its headquarters in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan arena, in Sumida , Tokyo . The association's culture is based on respect for

4030-431: The Sumo Museum . The association is ruled by a series of departments and committees into which the oyakata are divided when they enter their new career as coaches. The association's departments are organised as follows: To this organization adds an advisory body called the Yokozuna Deliberation Council. The possession of a toshiyori kabu is essential for the functioning of association as elders, assembled in

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium - Misplaced Pages Continue

4160-453: The court nobles , its Buddhist temples and its history; Osaka was the country's commercial center, dominated by the chōnin or the merchant class. On the contrary, the samurai and daimyō residences occupied up to 70% of the area of Edo. On the east and northeast sides of the castle lived the Shomin ( 庶民 , "regular people") including the chōnin in a much more densely populated area than

4290-491: The machi , where single floor nagayas , the uranagayas ( 裏長屋 , litt. "backstreet long houses") were located. Rentals and smaller rooms for lower ranked shonin were located in those back housings. Edo was nicknamed the City of 808 towns ( 江戸八百八町 , Edo happyaku yachō ) , depicting the large number and diversity of those communities, but the actual number was closer to 1,700 by the 18th century. Edo's municipal government

4420-464: The Association's chairman Dewanoumi (former yokozuna Sadanoyama ), swapped names with Sakaigawa (former sekiwake Washūyama ) who took over the running of Dewanoumi stable in 1996, or the transfer of the elder share "Kokonoe" from former yokozuna Kitanofuji to former yokozuna Chiyonofuji in exchange for the title "Jinmaku", allowing Chiyonofuji to inherit Kokonoe stable in 1992. All members are required to retire when they reach

4550-586: The Board were three auditors: Itō Shigeru (Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo ), Murayama Hiroyoshi  [ ja ] (lawyer and former Prosecutor General of the Tokyo Prosecutors' Office ) and Jun Yoshino (former Police Commissioner). Although the internal organization was changed following the scandal, the external auditors are not given voting rights on the board and their position

4680-482: The Dewanoumi ichimon . The secessionist association later dissolved, but never had the association been so close to destruction. In 1944, the first successor from the sumo world was chosen and Dewanoumi (the former Tsunenohana ) became chairman of the association. After the war , the association was further modernized, in particular to maintain the sport in the context of the " budo ban" (a ban enforced on

4810-522: The JSA's properties, including the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. In this context, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano also declared that negotiations between the association and the ministry on acquiring Public Interest Incorporated Foundation  [ ja ] status could fail, threatening the association with colossal financial losses, since other foundation statutes in Japan do not offer tax benefits. At

4940-584: The Japan Sumo Associations were formally established as Edo Sumō kaisho ( 江戸相撲会所 , Edo Sumo Club) , later called Tokyo-zumō kaisho . In 1869, the Ōsaka Sumō Kyōkai ( 大坂相撲協会 , Osaka Sumo Association) was founded. Each associations had their own history and changes. For example, from 1888 to 1895 the Kōkaku-gumi ( 廣角組 ) , led by wrestlers Ōnaruto and Shingari, broke off from Osaka-sumo. In 1897, these movements led to reforms in

5070-638: The Japanese tax system. In practice, this means that the association is exempt from taxes, with the exception of consumption , business and property taxes. Although the association is a foundation, it has borrowed particularities from the statutes of corporations. The association's operations are authorized and defined by the administrative agency of the Act on Authorization of Public Interest Incorporated Associations and Public Interest Incorporated Foundation (Act No. 49 of 2006). Professor Mark D. West defined

5200-620: The Minister in charge of Women's Empowerment, Seiko Noda , forcing the association to publicly apologize. The COVID-19 pandemic in Japan forced the March 2020 tournament in Osaka to be held behind closed doors . The last time this occurred was in the June 1945 tournament, when only injured Pacific War veterans were invited to attend. This was followed by the cancellation of the May tournament. As

5330-595: The Osaka-based association, which became the Ōsaka Sumō Kyōkai ( 大阪角力協会 , Osaka Wrestling Association) . From 1789, the Edo-based association began to incorporate religious practices into the sport, under the guidance of the House of Yoshida Tsukasa and the status of yokozuna was created in Edo. In the 1870s, the first wrestlers' revolt was organized by Takasago Uragorō asking for better treatment for

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium - Misplaced Pages Continue

5460-631: The Osaka-based association. During the tournament, the Emperor's Cup (then the Prince-Regent's Cup) was awarded for the first time. Under the impetus of this tournament, a joint competition plan with a common banzuke was proposed, concluding talks that had been taking place since the early 1920s to merge the two rival associations. To establish a ranking according to the wrestlers' skills, qualifying tournaments were organized in November 1925 and in March and October 1926. The March 1926 tournament

5590-743: The Uesugi clan, which fell to the Later Hōjō clan at the battle of Takanawahara in 1524, during the expansion of their rule over the Kantō area. When the Hōjō clan was finally defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, the Kanto area was given to rule to Toyotomi's senior officer Tokugawa Ieyasu , who took his residence in Edo. Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged as the paramount warlord of the Sengoku period following his victory at

5720-544: The age of sixty-five (with a possible five-year extension if approved by the board of directors), after which they can pass their name to another, provided that person meets the association's eligibility requirements. In the case of a lifetime share mentioned above, the name merely lapses. The association employs a certain number of other personnel, mainly to assist in the running of tournaments. Therefore, auxiliary personnel such as gyōji (referees), yobidashi (ushers) and tokoyama (hairdressers) are all employees of

5850-407: The aggressor. In April 2018 , the association's conduct was also criticized after women tried to come to the assistance of the mayor of Maizuru (Ryoto Tatami), who had collapsed in the ring . Since women are considered impure and are not allowed enter the ring, a gyōji (referee) ordered them to leave it despite the medical emergency. The incident triggered criticism from the public and from

5980-438: The association and four personalities appointed by the ministry. Their rank equals that of a director to the association's board. Elders on the committee are not allowed to concurrently serve as oyakata because of the committee authority that allows them to have a say in the appointment and dismissal of directors. Each counselor serves a term of four years. Also incorporated were bans on the purchase of toshiyori names and

6110-416: The association found it difficult to keep up the number of wrestlers. At the same time, political circles were organized to preserve some of Japan's indigenous traditions, saving on behalf of the association the privilege of wrestlers to wear samurai chonmage (topknot) in 1871. The nobility introduced changes to the way tournaments were organised, reforming the way winnings were distributed and creating

6240-413: The association had to deal with the ties of several wrestlers in all divisions to organized crime. The scandal came to light in January when Ōzeki Kotomitsuki was reported in a Shūkan Shinchō article on 19 January as having participated in gambling circles run by yakuza . Although initially denied, the link between the yakuza and several members of the association was established over

6370-585: The association maintains and develops sumo traditions and integrity by holding tournaments and tours . The purposes of the association are also to develop the means dedicated to the sport and maintain, manage and operate the facilities necessary for these activities. Therefore, the JSA operates subsidiaries such as the Kokugikan Service Company to organize its economic aspects, the Sumo School to organize training and instruction or

6500-411: The association provides a small allowance to all of them. Depending on the wrestler's performance during tournaments, the association is also responsible of the wrestlers ranking. As wrestlers are not the only employees of the association, it also oversees the recruitment of yobidashi , tokoyama and gyōji to maintain the traditional settings of Sumo. Non-traditional occupations are also

6630-419: The association with Sports Nippon ' s revelations about Maegashira Takanoiwa 's assault by Yokozuna Harumafuji . The incident generated intense media coverage, prompted by the previous scandals and the change in the association's nature to an incorporated non-profit foundation. The association's reaction was also heavily criticized, with some newspapers condemning a discourse that made excuses for

SECTION 50

#1732793471700

6760-539: The association's board along with the toshiyori . In addition, a limited number of positions do exist for retired wrestlers who did not fulfill the requirements for inheriting a kabu , and would otherwise have to leave the sumo world upon their retirement from active competition. These former wrestlers are kept within the association as contract employees, customarily retaining their old shikona as their professional name, and are employed to handle various tasks. They are separated into two distinct roles: The JSA

6890-487: The association's missions, based on the testimonies of former Tenryū Saburō (former leader of the Shunjuen Incident) and Akutsugawa Kōichirō  [ ja ] (former director of the association under the name Sadogatake). The association was further criticized for failing in its duties as a public interest corporation, notably on the subject of sumo teaching, by favoring the pursuit of profit. To sidestep

7020-409: The association, a position he had already held on an interim basis since Kitanoumi's death. Kitanoumi's sudden death launched an election in March 2016, described as "fierce" by the press. After negotiations for the positions of director and chairman, Hakkaku was elected head of the association, ahead of his main rival Takanohana . In November 2017 , the issue of violence scandals resurfaced within

7150-502: The association. In contrast to wrestlers, all members employed in these roles may generally stay in the association until retirement age. The association provides their training, usually conducted by seniors in their field of activity, and ranks them. Before the association's transition to the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, the two highest-ranking gyōji (called tate-gyōji ) were on

7280-429: The authorities of the towns hosting them. These associations gradually came to depend on the influence of retired former wrestlers who began to organize tournaments. At that time, the Edo-based association (although composed of elders as today) was organized in such a way as to be dominated by a duo of executives, the fudegashira ( 筆頭 ) , the director, and the fudewake ( 筆別 ) , his second. The composition of

7410-457: The bans, forming informal associations that resembled coalitions of interests to protect themselves from any violent repression of their movement. In 1684, these movements bore fruit and a rōnin by the name of Ikazuchi Gondaiyū ( 雷 権太夫 ) obtained permission to hold a tournament after proposing a new etiquette associated with tournaments. The organization of tournaments began to depend more on groups following new standards designed to satisfy

7540-538: The board of directors and the new committee. In 1954, the association moved its headquarters to the Kuramae Kokugikan . The modernizations launched after the war were also notably introduced in response to a scandal highlighting the management of the association's missions and funds. In 1957, a special commission of the National Diet investigated the improper use of money by the association due to

7670-539: The castle bordering a cove (now Hibiya Park ) opening into Edo Bay , and the town developing along the Hirakawa River running into the cove, and on Edomaeto ( 江戸前島 ) , the stretch of land on the eastern side of the cove (now roughly where Tokyo Station is). Some priests and scholars fleeing Kyoto after the Ōnin War came to Edo during that period. After the death of Dōkan, the castle became one of strongholds of

7800-413: The center of the city's commercial center and the starting point of the gokaidō (thus making it the de facto "center of the country"). Fishermen, craftsmen and other producers and retailers operated here. Shippers managed ships known as tarubune to and from Osaka and other cities, bringing goods into the city or transferring them from sea routes to river barges or land routes. The northeastern corner of

7930-543: The city and of the Sumida River , a massive network of canals was dug. Fresh water was a major issue, as direct wells would provide brackish water because of the location of the city over an estuary. The few fresh water ponds of the city were put to use, and a network of canals and underground wooden pipes bringing freshwater from the western side of the city and the Tama River was built. Some of this infrastructure

SECTION 60

#1732793471700

8060-544: The city was considered dangerous in the traditional onmyōdō cosmology and was protected from evil by a number of temples including Sensō-ji and Kan'ei-ji , one of the two tutelary Bodaiji temples of the Tokugawa. A path and a canal, a short distance north of Sensō-ji, extended west from the Sumida riverbank leading along the northern edge of the city to the Yoshiwara pleasure district. Previously located near Ningyōchō,

8190-403: The city's fresh water distribution system, garbage collection area and communal bathrooms. A typical machi was of rectangular shape and could have a population of several hundred. The machi had curfew for the night with closing and guarded gates called kidomon ( 木戸門 ) opening on the main street ( 表通り , omote-dori ) in the machi . Two floor buildings and larger shops, reserved to

8320-417: The city. Besides the large concentration in the northeast side to protect the city, the second Bodaiji of the Tokugawa, Zōjō-ji occupied a large area south of the castle. The samurai and daimyōs residential estates varied dramatically in size depending on their status. Some daimyōs could have several of those residences in Edo. The upper residence ( 上屋敷 , kami-yashiki ) , was the main residence while

8450-409: The contests of strength of the street tournaments, created conflicts over money. Tense brawls, even deaths, sometimes occurred. Public order became so disturbed that in 1648 the Edo authorities issued an edict banning street sumo and matches organized to raise funds during festivities. Over the next two decades or so, the wrestlers, now without any income, decided to petition the authorities to lift

8580-611: The course of the year. The scandal triggered a public outcry that flooded the association's switchboard with complaints and protests, and demonstrations were organized in front of the association's headquarters at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. In order to satisfy requests for internal investigations and changes, the association dissolved its Life Guidance Committee, appointing a new committee made up of young elders between 30 and 45 years of age, headed by Michinoku (the former Kirishima ). Chairman Musashigawa also resigned from his position in July, and

8710-554: The criticism, Hanaregoma's commitment during the crisis was hailed for running the association as a man of integrity, respected under the nickname "Clean Kaiketsu" ( クリーン魁傑 ) . In January 2014 , the association shifted to a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation and officially changed its name to Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Sumo Association ( 公益財団法人日本相撲協会 , Kōeki zaidanhōjin Nihon Sumō Kyōkai ) . The change, effectively implemented from March to coincide with new board of directors elections, had been delayed for

8840-409: The debate, the association founded the Sumo School to teach its recruits the basics of sumo. Since he was personally blamed for the management problems, Dewanoumi tried to commit suicide by seppuku . He was replaced by Tokitsukaze (former Futabayama ) who began a series of reforms. Under his chairmanship, the teahouse system was reformed, with 40% of places now reserved for direct purchase, and

8970-480: The decision-making system for the first time in 63 years. At the time, the association's statutes clearly stated that only former wrestlers could sit on the board of directors but Vice-minister Matsunami insisted that the scandal was "the biggest disgrace in the history of sumo". Some internal voices argued that new blood was needed, opposing the appointment of then-chairman of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, Ebisawa Katsuji  [ ja ] . The new members of

9100-428: The district was rebuilt in this more remote location after the great fire of Meireki. Danzaemon, the hereditary position head of eta , or outcasts, who performed "unclean" works in the city resided nearby. Temples and shrines occupied roughly 15% of the surface of the city, equivalent to the living areas of the townspeople, with however an average of one-tenth of its population. Temples and shrines were spread out over

9230-463: The duration of the tournament. In those days the promotion system was decided by the tournament organisers, who then distributed the profits to the elders who then redistributed funds to their wrestlers, with the wrestlers under the protection of the lords receiving bonuses and having financial security and the others being kept in a situation of poverty. In 1757, during the Hōreki era , the beginnings of

9360-410: The entertainment of passers-by. Similarly, a number of street entertainment wrestling groups formed and began touring, sometimes with the support of shrines that occasionally recruited them as part of religious festivities and to help priests raising money for the construction of buildings. Eventually, this mix of professional wrestlers and disgraced rōnins , along with the commoners who took part in

9490-402: The five ichimon . In the 1970's, the association opened up more officially to foreign wrestlers , which led to reflection on the possibility of these wrestlers remaining in the association after retirement. More specifically, the case of Hawaiian wrestler Takamiyama in 1976 provoked a conservative reaction from the association, which declared that sumo being Japan's national sport , it

9620-413: The general inability of the public to reserve seats for tournaments , in opposition to its non-profit status. In those days, the reservation system was mainly based on private teahouses , which gave patrons privileged access to tournaments. The scandal erupted when it was revealed that the wife and daughter of the then chairman, Dewanoumi, were running two of the biggest houses. The Diet also considered

9750-433: The higher-ranking members of the society, were facing the main street. A machi would typically follow a grid pattern and smaller streets, Shinmichi ( 新道 ) , were opening on the main street, also with (sometimes) two-floor buildings, shop on the first floor, living quarter on the second floor, for the more well-off residents. Very narrow streets accessible through small gates called roji ( 路地 ) , would enter deeper inside

9880-567: The highest-ranking sumo wrestlers in the event of a poor score or consecutive absence from two tournaments, but decided to back down following pressure from traditionalists and purists. Common ground was found and the Yokozuna Deliberation Council was created, definitively detaching the association from the House of Yoshida, and declaring that the appointment of yokozuna would henceforth be based on recommendations from

10010-520: The imperial family, which is also responsible for training its young students. In order to maintain and develop the traditions and order of Sumo, the association is mainly responsible for holding competitive tournaments (called honbasho ) in January, March, May, July, September and November. The association also holds regional tours (called jungyō ). The Japan Sumo Association holds these tournaments each year with different purposes for each kind. Main tournaments are televised and help to maintain

10140-435: The interest of sumo as a sport by broadcasting the competitions. The jungyō meanwhile are important for the popularity of wrestlers and allow fans to meet them in the form of meet and greet events. The association is also responsible for the recruitment, instruction and training of wrestlers via the heya system or the Sumo School. Although not all wrestlers are salaried (only sekitori ranked wrestlers are),

10270-572: The late 11th century with a branch of the Kanmu- Taira clan ( 桓武平氏 ) called the Chichibu clan ( 秩父氏 ) coming from the banks of the then- Iruma River , present-day upstream of the Arakawa river. A descendant of the head of the Chichibu clan settled in the area and took the name Edo Shigetsugu ( 江戸重継 ) , likely based on the name used for the place, and founded the Edo clan . Shigetsugu built

10400-406: The law and continuity of sumo's traditions, deeply rooted in Japan's history and Shinto religion. It has a reputation for secrecy. In response to a number of scandals, the association has implemented numerous reforms in recent decades. The association has its origins in a Shinto ritual (or festival) that has been held since ancient times to pray for a bountiful harvest. This primary form of sumo

10530-430: The lord was in Edo and was used for official duties. It was not necessarily the largest of his residences, but the most convenient to commute to the castle. The upper residence also acted as the representative embassy of the domain in Edo, connecting the shogunate and the clan. The shogunate did not exercise its investigative powers inside the precincts of the residential estate of the upper residence, which could also act as

10660-463: The name of its leading stable: Dewanoumi, Isegahama, Nishonoseki, Takasago and Tokitsukaze. The ichimon serves as quasi-political groupings, each clan nominating candidates for the ten positions or so that are available on the association's board each election cycle. Each vote is normally along the interests of the ichimon , which explain why the bigger clans more often holds the association's chairmanship. Former wrestler popularity however plays

10790-461: The new Meiji government soon renamed Edo to Tōkyō (東京, "Eastern Capital") and the city became the formal capital of Japan when the emperor moved his residence to the city. Very quickly after its inception, the shogunate undertook major works in Edo that drastically changed the topography of the area, notably under the Tenka-Bushin ( 天下普請 ) nationwide program of major civil works involving

10920-413: The new Public Interest Incorporated Foundation statutes of the association, implying that the system would no longer be used. The elders of the Association receive a salary that depends on their rank within the association. They are expected to assist in the running of both their stable, called heya in Japanese (but changed to -beya as a suffix) and the association. They do this by performing

11050-571: The now pacified daimyō workforce. The Hibiya cove facing the castle was soon filled after the arrival of Ieyasu, the Hirakawa river was diverted, and several protective moats and logistical canals were dug (including the Kanda river), to limit the risks of flooding. Landfill works on the bay began, with several areas reclaimed during the duration of the shogunate (notably the Tsukiji area). East of

11180-462: The one hand, certain powerful clans formed suites of wrestlers organized into veritable royal households called geisha-gumi ( 芸者組 , lit.   ' geisha troupe ' ) , and elevated them to the status of vassals. On the other hand, a number of rōnin had no choice but to put their martial skills to good use in street sumo tournaments, called tsuji zumō ( 辻相撲 , tsuji-sumo , lit.   ' street-corner wrestling ' ) , for

11310-512: The organization of the Association as a "complex" balance of legal rules and informal social norms , referring to both the respect for the law as well as the rules nominally approved by the Ministry of Education, as sumo's supervising agency; and the traditional constraints not enforceable by law, inherited from the long history of sumo as a sport and the history of the association. The association's choice to apply rules or to defect to norms

11440-466: The ownership and transfer of "elder stocks", or shares , held by the association elders. Of all the employees of the association only them can manage the organization. Each share is associated with a particular name, and in the sumo world the former wrestler will be known by that name, usually with the suffix -oyakata . The members are also often called elders in English. Former wrestlers gain

11570-549: The political world intrigue, subterfuge, splits and new coalitions are ordinary. The oyakata have a lot of leeway and can decide many things on their own. In fact, some elders change stables, move their stable to different ichimon or break off from their clan. For example, the Kokonoe stable was founded in 1967 after Yokozuna Chiyonoyama failed to gain control of the Dewanoumi stable . The break off that ensued saw

11700-513: The practice of combat training disguised as martial arts gatherings by the authoritarian government) applied by the Allied forces . Thanks to the efforts of Musashigawa (the former Dewanohana ) and Kasagiyama Katsuichi (a wrestler who spoke a little English), the association succeeded in convincing the Americans of the tournaments' good faith, and the first honbasho to be held after the war

11830-510: The rankings, although Yokozuna Miyagiyama (the top ranked wrestler in Osaka) was able to retain his position. During tournaments, Osaka's wrestlers were regularly outclassed by their Tokyo counterparts, with some wrestlers ranked as ōzeki or yokozuna in Osaka even struggling against Tokyo's komusubi or sekiwake . Later in 1925, the first chairman of the association, Lieutenant-General Hirose Seitoku  [ ja ] ,

11960-690: The residence of their lord. The hatamoto samurais, in direct service of the Shogun, would have their own residences, usually located behind the castle on the Western side in the Banchō area. In a strict sense of the word, chōnin were only the townspeople who owned their residence, which was actually a minority. The shonin population mainly lived in semi-collective housings called nagaya ( 長屋 , litt. "Long house") , multi-rooms wooden dwellings, organized in enclosed machi ( 町 , "town" or "village") , with communal facilities, such as wells connected to

12090-573: The responsibility of the association, in particular to maintain the operation of businesses linked to the association (such as the Kokugikan sales department, the restaurant or the yakitori skewer factory). Bearing the responsibility of the sport's long history, the association oversees the preservation and utilization of sumo archives. It also collects various types of objects linked to sumo wrestlers (such as keshō-mawashi , tachi or tsuna belts) which are stored and exhibited in

12220-399: The rest are required to be affiliated with one and assist the principal owner. It is common for the most senior members of the Association to concentrate on their Association responsibilities and pass the day-to-day management of a stable to another. If a senior coach wishes to do this, the two may elect to swap names so that the stable can keep the more prestigious name. Examples include, when

12350-416: The right to participate in the management of the association by inheriting a share (called a kabu ), of which there are 105. The value of these shares was extremely high and rules only permits former sumo wrestlers who either reached at least a san'yaku rank ( komusubi or higher) or been ranked for a significant number of tournaments as a sekitori to inherit them. Japanese citizenship

12480-484: The same geographical jurisdiction in spite of their name but rotated roles on a monthly basis. Despite their extensive responsibilities, the teams of the Machi-Bugyō were rather small, with 2 offices of 125 people each. The Machi-Bugyō did not have jurisdiction over the samurai residential areas, which remained under the shogunate direct rule. The geographical jurisdiction of the Machi-Bugyō did not exactly coincide with

12610-529: The same year, the Tokyo Ōzumō began to think about a project to install an arena at Hibiya Park to hold its bouts indoors, but the project was abandoned for lack of funds. In 1909, the association founded its first arena by inaugurating the first Ryōgoku Kokugikan , in order to avoid having to depend on the weather for tournaments held at the Ekō-in temple. Social movements in sumo did not cease, however, and in 1911

12740-608: The samurai class area, organized in a series of gated communities called machi (町, "town" or "village"). This area, Shitamachi (下町, "lower town" or "lower towns"), was the center of urban and merchant culture. Shomin also lived along the main roads leading in and out of the city. The Sumida River, then called the Great River (大川, Ōkawa ), ran on the eastern side of the city. The shogunate's official rice-storage warehouses and other official buildings were located here. The Nihonbashi bridge ( 日本橋 , lit. "bridge of Japan") marked

12870-407: The scandal, Hanaregoma succeeded in bringing negotiations on the status of the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation to a successful conclusion. Having reached the age limit of 65, Hanaregoma promptly resigned his post and Kitanoumi was elected for a second time to the head of the association, becoming the first chairman to return to this level of responsibility in the association's history. Despite

13000-671: The sport. Between 2007 and 2008 , two scandals hit the association (the Tokitsukaze stable hazing scandal and the cannabis use scandal ) leading to the resignation of chairman Kitanoumi in September 2008 and the appointment of Musashigawa (the former Mienoumi ). In a move to increase transparency, the MEXT (under Vice-minister Kenshiro Matsunami ) demanded the opening of the Sumo Association's board of directors to external auditors, introducing non- toshiyori personalities into

13130-545: The stable leaving the Dewanoumi ichimon to join the Takasago ichimon . Also, in 2010, Takanohana stable (run under the "lifetime share" system by the eponymous yokozuna ) broke off from the Nishonoseki ichimon (with Ōnomatsu stable , Ōtake stable and Magaki stable ) as he wanted to present himself to the board's election and his clan would not permit it. He became the leader of its own group, which

13260-458: The status of association director. In an effort to change its image, the Tokyo-zumō kaisho changed its name to Tokyo Ōzumō Kyōkai ( 東京大相撲協会 , Tokyo Grand Sumo Association) in 1889. The internal reforms carried out at the time included the election of directors, the creation of a fixed income for wrestlers and a change in refereeing decisions from gyōji to shimpan . During

13390-469: The suspension of three administrative executives in September, without the situation changing according to the daily Nikkan Sports . The Japan Sumo Association is a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation since 2014. Therefore, its functioning is of a non-profit organization and its activities are regulated through a top-down system of government supervision, as well as adherence to strict establishment conditions in exchange of preferential treatments under

13520-407: The system placed under a commercial company directly dependent on the association. In 1958, the association took its definitive name by being renamed "Japan Sumo Association". In March 1968, the association's statutes were amended to restrict board membership to toshiyori , high-ranking wrestlers and gyōji . The number of directors was also limited to ten elders after negotiations between

13650-532: The time, the association was involved in negotiations with the ministry to bring its statutes into line with the requirements of a law on public establishments passed in 2008, initially with the aim of achieving this status by the end of November 2013. The crisis, described as the most serious in sumo history, was such that several comments emerged on the fact that the damage could well threaten sumo's recognized position as Japan's national sport. Chairman Musashigawa had to resign, and Hanaregoma (the former Kaiketsu )

13780-412: The transmission, mainly to ensure that eligibility requirements are met, ensuring that only the best wrestlers can in turn become coaches. The association also manages the shares of deceased or definitively-retired former members that have not been reallocated after a five-year period. Before the association became a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, the elder shares were to be purchased and there

13910-529: The urban planning afterwards to make the city more resilient, with many empty areas to break spreading fires, and wider streets. Reconstruction efforts expanded the city east of the Sumida River, and some daimyō residences were relocated to give more space to the city, especially in the immediate vicinity of the shogun's residence, creating a large green space beside the castle, now the Fukiage gardens of

14040-536: The very beginning of the shogunate daimyōs , later hatamoto ) officials appointed to keep the order in the city, with the word designating both the heading magistrate, the magistrature and its organization. They were in charge of Edo's day-to-day administration, combining the role of police, judge and fire brigade. There were two offices, the South Machi-Bugyō and the North Machi-Bugyō, which had

14170-691: The warrior classes, who took part in festivities at shrines . During the Edo period , sumo bouts, called kanjin -sumo ( 勧進相撲 ) , were often held to raise funds to develop provinces (new construction or repair of bridges, temples, shrines and other public buildings) or for entertainment purposes. After the Sengoku period, during the period of peace established under the Tokugawa shogunate , Japan experienced an unprecedented period of vagrancy for many samurai who had lost their social standing (called rōnin ). These masterless samurai, began to be organized in two extremes that coexisted side by side. On

14300-476: The widespread expulsion of employees who failed to comply with the association's rules. In November 2015 , the chairman of the association, Kitanoumi, passed away and an official funeral was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan by the JSA in December under the chairmanship of Hakkaku (former Hokutoumi ), with around 2,500 people attending. During the same month, the board of directors appointed Hakkaku as chairman of

14430-489: The world, with an estimated population of 1 million by 1721. Edo was repeatedly devastated by fires, the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657 being the most disastrous, with an estimated 100,000 victims and a vast portion of the city completely burnt. The population of Edo was around 300,000, and the impact of the fire was tremendous. The fire destroyed the central keep of Edo Castle, which was never rebuilt, and it influenced

14560-412: The wrestler was. Further controversy arose when The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that Konishiki , at the time the foreigner closest to promotion, had alleged racial discrimination was the reason for his being denied promotion. The New York Times subsequently quoted Konishiki as saying, "If I were Japanese, I would be yokozuna already". The association demanded an apology and Konishiki held

14690-476: The wrestlers (without initial success) and created a split from the Tokyo-based association before merging again. The Meiji Restoration was a period of semi-censorship of sumo, with the adoption of Western ideology leading to the perception of sumo as unworthy of the new era, as the matches were seen as barbaric and the semi-nudity of the wrestlers shocking. With the disappearance of government protection,

14820-496: Was a highly speculative market, which prevented many wrestlers from remaining in the association because the price of a share was too high. At the end of the 90s, this value was around 100 to 400 million yen . Since the introduction of the Japan Sumo Association as a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, the shares are technically no longer purchasable, but rather managed by the Association. Normally, if money

14950-421: Was any, was on the outskirts of town, more of a pleasure retreat with gardens. The lower residence could also be used as a retreat for the lord if a fire had devastated the city. Some of the powerful daimyōs residences occupied vast grounds of several dozens of hectares. Maintenance and operations of those residential estates could be extremely expensive. Samurai in service of a specific clan would normally live in

15080-572: Was appointed in his place with his presidency being tarnished by a match-fixing scandal that broke in February 2011 . Under his impetus, the association initially reacted swiftly by cancelling the Haru basho in Osaka outright. However, the association's handling of the scandal soon came under criticism, particularly Hanaregoma's statement that there had never been match-fixing in sumo before. Despite

15210-400: Was called shinji-zumō ( 神事相撲 ) . During the Sengoku period , Oda Nobunaga made sumo a popular sport, aided by the emergence of large cities (like Edo , Osaka , Sendai and Nagoya ), which soon began to compete with Kyoto 's cultural monopoly, as it was Japan's only metropolis at the time. These new cultural centres saw the emergence of wrestling groups, from both the commoners and

15340-469: Was carefully attributed depending on their position as tozama , shinpan or fudai . It was this extensive organization of the city for the samurai class which defined the character of Edo, particularly in contrast to the two major cities of Kyoto and Osaka , neither of which were ruled by a daimyō or had a significant samurai population. Kyoto's character was defined by the Imperial Court,

15470-461: Was in November 1945. Since the tournaments were later expropriated from the original Kokugikan for use by soldiers as "Memorial Hall", the association moved its headquarters to the Meiji Shrine in June 1947. In 1950, following a scandal involving the withdrawal from competition of the three yokozuna of the time ( Azumafuji , Terukuni and Haguroyama ) the association considered demoting

15600-414: Was inconceivable that a foreigner could participate as a trainer. The statement was subsequently severely criticized in the press. This led the association to correct its position in this regard, with the JSA subsequently declaring that Takamiyama and Kaneshiro (a Japanese sumo wrestler of Korean descent) would indeed be eligible to become coaches within the association after their retirements. Takamiyama

15730-577: Was led by Yokozuna Ōnishiki , without success. In the same year, the first Kokugikan was ravaged by fire following the Great Kantō earthquake and most of the association's archives were lost. Gradually, the Tokyo-based sumo association became dominant. In April 1925, Prince-Regent Hirohito invited the Tokyo Sumo Association to hold a tournament at the Imperial Palace , with the implied aim of also featuring wrestlers from

15860-560: Was named. In January 1927, the Osaka-based sumo association officialy merged with the All Japan Sumo Association after a long decline. It saved face in the first tournament after the merger of the two associations, as the championship was won by Miyagiyama. The association formally acquired the status of nonprofit organization , and was placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture , since in Japan this type of organization requires registration with

15990-495: Was offered this status but preferred a normal share and became known as Kokonoe . These four all achieved more than twenty tournament championships in their active careers. In October 2021, Yokozuna Hakuhō , the Emperor's Cup number record holder, was however denied the ichidai toshiyori kabu and Masayuki Yamauchi (a Yokozuna Deliberation Council member) declared to a press conference that "no such system exists" under

16120-597: Was officially recognised as the first modern honbasho (professional sumo championship tournament). During the same period, on 28 December 1925, the Tokyo Ōzumō Kyōkai became the Dai-Nihon Sumō Kyōkai ( 大日本相撲協会 , All Japan Sumo Association) , an organization now recognised as the first incarnation of today's association. As a result of the qualifying tournaments, the Osaka-based association lost many top-ranked wrestlers who found themselves demoted in

16250-431: Was only tolerated because the patronage of local lords also added extra salaries for high-ranking wrestlers. Wrestlers who took part in these authorised tournaments without the patronage of lords did not yet have samurai status or a salary and their finances depended largely on donations they could receive from the organisers of charity tournaments or admirers. The organisers also ensured that they were fed and housed for

16380-408: Was succeeded at the head of the association by Murayama Hiroyoshi, a lawyer who had previously been appointed auditor of the association in 2008, and who held the position of acting chairman until the beginning of August. At one point, the revelation of collusion between wrestlers and yakuza was such that MEXT threatened to dissolve the association's public non-profit institution act and confiscate

16510-439: Was the first to retire, becoming a coach under the name Azumazeki, the first foreign-born sumo wrestler to do so. In 1985, the association once again moved its headquarters and inaugurated the second Ryōgoku Kokugikan , acquiring the land by purchasing it from Japan National Railways . In the early 1990s, an internal debate also shook the association over the fact that a foreign wrestler could become yokozuna . In 1992,

16640-598: Was then formally recognized as an ichimon (called Takanohana ichimon ) in 2014. The ichimon was however short lived and was disbanded in 2018 after the Takanoiwa affair . Until 2018, there have been non-aligned stables, or loose coalitions that weren't formal ichimon , but in 2018 the association ruled that all stables had to belong to one of the current ichimon . Edo Edo ( Japanese : 江戸 , lit.   '"bay-entrance" or " estuary "'), also romanized as Jedo , Yedo or Yeddo ,

16770-536: Was under the responsibility of the rōjū , the senior officials who oversaw the entire bakufu – the government of the Tokugawa shogunate. The administrative definition of Edo was called Gofunai ( 御府内 , litt. "where the government is") . The Kanjō-bugyō (finance commissioners) were responsible for the financial matters of the shogunate, whereas the Jisha-Bugyō handled matters related to shrines and temples. The Machi-bugyō ( 町奉行 ) were samurai (at

16900-504: Was used until the 20th century. The city was laid out as a castle town around Edo Castle, which was positioned at the tip of the Musashino terrace . The area in the immediate proximity of the castle consisted of samurai and daimyō residences, whose families lived in Edo as part of the sankin-kōtai system; the daimyō made journeys in alternating years to Edo and used the residences for their entourages. The location of each residence

#699300