List of sumo record holders explained

This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo. Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. Since 1958, six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. Before this, tournaments were held less frequently; sometimes only once or twice per year.

Names in bold indicate a still active wrestler. The tables are up to date as of the end of the March 2024 tournament.

Most top division championships

See also: List of sumo tournament top division champions.

Most career championships

Official championships since 1909⁺! !!Name !!Total !!Years

1		45	2006–2021
2		32	1960–1971
3		31	1981–1990
4		25	2002–2010
5		24	1974–1984
6		22	1992–2001
7		14	1972–1980
8		12	1936–1943
		12	1994–2002
10		11	1992–2000

⁺ Raiden is said to have had the best record in 28 tournaments between 1790 and 1810, Tanikaze 21 between 1772 and 1793, and Kashiwado 16 between 1812 and 1822. Tachiyama won two unofficial championships and nine official, giving him a total of 11.

Most undefeated championships

Zenshō-yūshō since 1949⁺! !!Name !!Total!!Years

1		16	2007–2021
2	Futabayama	8	1936–1943
		8	1963–1969
4		7	1910–1915
		7	1977–1984
		7	1983–1989
7		6	1917–1925
8		5	2004–2006
9		4	1944–1952
	Tsunenohana	4	1921–1928
		4	1994–1996

⁺ Tournaments have been consistently fifteen days long since May 1949. Before that date there were a number of different lengths, including ten, eleven, twelve, and thirteen days. The records of Tachiyama, Tochigiyama and Tsunenohana also include some draws, holds and rest days.

Most consecutive championships

Consecutive championships! !!Name !!Total!!Years

1		7^+	2010–2011
		7^†	2004–2005
3		6	2014-2015
		6	1966–1967
		6	1962-1963
5		5^‡	1936–1938
		5	1978
		5	1986–1987

⁺ Four of these titles were in perfect tournaments (zenshō-yūshō) and were part of Hakuhō's second-place streak of 63 consecutive wins.
^† Includes a sweep of all six tournaments in 2005. Asashōryū remains the only wrestler to have won all tournaments in a six-tournament calendar year (post-1949).
^‡ All of Futabayama's victories in this streak were in perfect tournaments and were part of Futabayama's record setting 69 consecutive wins.
^÷ Raiden is said to have had the best record in nine consecutive tournaments between 1806 and 1810

Most championship playoffs

Most playoffs! !!Name !!Total !!Won !!Lost

1		10	6	4
		10	5	5
3		8	3	5
4		7	4	3
		7	1	6
6		6	6	0
		6	5	1
		6	4	2
	Terunofuji	6	3	3
10		5	3	2
	Takakeishō	5	2	3

Most wins

Most career wins

		Wins	Years	Highest rank
1		1187	2001–2021	Yokozuna
2		1047	1988–2011	Ōzeki
3		1045	1970–1991	Yokozuna
4		964	1962–1988	Komusubi
5		951	1967–1984	Yokozuna
6		927	1992–2015	Sekiwake
7		914	1992–2015	Sekiwake
8		907	1997–2019	Sekiwake
9		872	1956–1971	Yokozuna
10		860	1979–2002	Sekiwake

Most top division wins

		Wins	Years	Highest rank
1		1093	2004–2021	Yokozuna
2		879	1993–2011	Ōzeki
3		807	1975–1991	Yokozuna
4		804	1972–1984	Yokozuna
5		746	1960–1971	Yokozuna
6		718	2005–2020	Ōzeki
7	Kisenosato	714	2004–2019	Yokozuna
8		712	2004–2017	Yokozuna
9		706	1991–2003	Yokozuna
10		701	1990–2003	Yokozuna

Most wins in a calendar year (90 bouts)

		Wins	Year
1		86	2009
	Hakuhō	86	2010
3		84	2005
4		82	1978
	Hakuhō	82	2013
6		81	1963
	Hakuhō	81	2014
8	Kitanoumi	80	1977
		80	1985
		80	1994
	Takanohana II	80	1995

Most consecutive wins

	Name	Wins	Start	End	Duration	Defeated by
1		69	7 January 1936	3 January 1939		Akinoumi
2		63	1 October 1778	6 February 1782		Onogawa
		63	23 January 2010	15 November 2010		Kisenosato
4		58	1 April 1876	8 January 1881		Wakashima
5		56	9 January 1912	7 May 1916		Tochigiyama
6		53	7 May 1988	27 November 1988		Ōnokuni
7		45	2 September 1968	2 March 1969		Toda

Most consecutive wins from entry into sumo

	Name	Wins	Start	End	Duration	Defeated by	Highest rank
1		27	11 July 2011	20 January 2012			Komusubi
2		26	12 November 1978	16 May 1979			Komusubi
		26	15 January 1995	12 September 1995			Ōzeki
4	Ōshōryū	24	8 July 2019	18 January 2020		Kotodaigō	Makushita 7
5		22	8 September 2002	11 March 2003			Komusubi
6		21	12 January 1986	20 July 1986		retired	Makushita 43
	Enhō	21	15 May 2017	13 November 2017		Jōkōryū	Maegashira 4
		21	19 July 2020	15 March 2021		Tokisakae	Maegashira 6
	Fujiseiun	21	10 May 2021	15 November 2021		Kamito	Juryo 7
10		20	10 March 2008	25 July 2008		Surugatsukasa	Maegashira 12
	Tsurugishō	20	9 March 2014	25 July 2014		Hienriki	Maegashira 7
	Aonishiki	20	12 November 2023	22 March 2024		Nagamura	Sandanme 18

Best top division win ratios

All time

The list includes yokozuna and ōzeki (the highest rank before the yokozuna rank was introduced), but excludes so-called kanban or "guest ōzeki" (usually big men drawn from local crowds to promote a tournament who would never appear on the banzuke again) and wrestlers for which insufficient data is available.

		Win–loss	Years	rate
1		254–10	1790–1811	96.2%
2		116–6	1874–1885	95.1%
3		258–14	1769–1794	94.9%
4		87–5	1858–1867	94.6%
5		144–13	1781–1797	91.7%

Modern era

In 1927, the Tokyo Sumo Association merged with the Osaka Sumo Association to form the Japan Sumo Association, and most of the sumo systems were changed, so any pre-1927 records are disregarded. The list excludes active wrestlers.

		Win–loss	Years	rate
1		1093–199	2001–2021	84.6%
2		746–144	1960–1971	83.8%
3		276–68	1932–1945	80.2%
4		596–153	2001–2010	79.6%
5		321–94	1937–1953	77.3%
6		804–247	1972–1985	76.5%

Most bouts

Losses by default are excluded.

Most career bouts

		Total	Years	Highest rank
1		1891	1962–1988	Komusubi
2		1870	1992–2015	Sekiwake
3		1805	1997–2019	Sekiwake
4		1795	1979–2002	Sekiwake
5		1731	1988–2011	Ōzeki
6		1691	1992–2015	Sekiwake
7		1654	1964–1984	Sekiwake
8		1630	1964–1986	Sekiwake
9	Tamawashi	1628	2004-	Sekiwake
10		1613	1963–1985	Sekiwake

Most top division bouts

		Total	Years	Highest rank
1		1470	1998–2015	Sekiwake
2		1444	1993–2011	Ōzeki
3		1430	1968–1984	Sekiwake
4		1399	2000–2018	Sekiwake
5		1378	1985–2001	Sekiwake
6	Kotoshōgiku	1332	2005–2020	Ōzeki
6	Tamawashi	1332	2004–	Sekiwake
8		1283	1988–2003	Sekiwake
9		1282	2004–2021	Yokozuna
10		1260	1990–2005	Sekiwake

Most consecutive bouts

Most consecutive career bouts

		Total	Years	Highest rank
1	Aobajō	1630	1964–1986	Sekiwake
2	Tamawashi	1628	2004–	Sekiwake
3		1543	1963–1984	Sekiwake
4	Takatōriki	1456	1983–2002	Sekiwake
5		1425	1964–1981	Sekiwake
6	Dairyūgawa	1367	1961–1979	Maegashira 1
7		1359	1979–1997	Sekiwake
8	Toyonoumi	1316	1981–1999	Maegashira 1
9	Hidanohana	1297	1969–1989	Maegashira 1
10		1267	1978–1992	Sekiwake

* No bouts missed in career/career to date

Most consecutive top division bouts

		Total	Years	Highest rank
1		1231	1968–1981	Sekiwake
2		1170	1979–1992	Sekiwake
3		1065	1969–1981	Sekiwake
4		1063	1985–1997	Sekiwake
5		1024	1965–1976	Sekiwake
6	Takarafuji	990	2013–2024	Sekiwake
7		975	1990–2001	Sekiwake
8	Tamawashi	957	2013–	Sekiwake
9		945	1950–1963	Komusubi
10		885	1959–1968	Sekiwake
		885	1974–1984	Sekiwake

Most tournaments

The March 2011 and May 2020 tournaments were cancelled and are not included in these totals.

Most tournaments ranked in the top division

		Total	First	Last	Highest rank
1		107	July 1993	July 2011	Ōzeki
2		103	May 2004	September 2021	Yokozuna
3		99	January 1998	July 2015	Sekiwake
4		97	January 1968	January 1984	Sekiwake
		97	July 2000	May 2018	Sekiwake
6		93	March 1985	May 2001	Sekiwake
7		91	March 1988	May 2003	Sekiwake
		91	January 2005	November 2020	Ōzeki
9		90	November 1990	November 2005	Sekiwake
10	Tamawashi	89	September 2008		Sekiwake

Most tournaments ranked at yokozuna

		Total	First	Last
1		84	July 2007	September 2021
2		63	July 1974	January 1985
3		59	September 1981	May 1991
4		58	November 1961	May 1971
5		49	January 1995	January 2003
6		48	March 1993	January 2001
7		47	November 1961	July 1969
		47	July 1973	March 1981
9		42	March 2003	January 2010
10		41	May 2014	March 2021

Most tournaments ranked at ōzeki

		Total	First	Last	Ended by
1		65	March 1999	November 2009	Demotion
		65	September 2000	July 2011	Retirement
3		50	November 1972	January 1981	Retirement
4		47	January 2006	November 2013	Demotion
5		44	July 1983	September 1990	Retirement
6		39	July 1987	November 1993	Demotion
7		37	March 1994	May 2000	Demotion
8		36	May 1983	March 1989	Retirement
9		34	March 1963	September 1968	Retirement
10	Gōeidō	33	September 2014	January 2020	Retirement

Most tournaments ranked in junior san'yaku (komusubi and sekiwake ranks)

		Total	First	Last	Highest rank
1		34	September 1990	September 1999	Sekiwake
2		32	May 1994	July 2000	Ōzeki
3		31	March 1994	September 2000	Ōzeki
4		30	November 1965	September 1974	Sekiwake
		30	January 2001	July 2007	Ōzeki
6	Mitakeumi	29	November 2016	January 2022	Ōzeki
7		27	November 1988	September 2000	Sekiwake
		27	November 1969	September 1982	Sekiwake
9		26	May 1991	May 2000	Sekiwake
		26	November 2000	September 2005	Sekiwake

Most career tournaments

As of May 2024 tournament. Tournaments in banzuke-gai (out of banzuke) status are not included

		Total	First	Last	Highest rank
1		214	March 1986	January 2022	Sandanme 18
2		186	March 1986	March 2017	Sandanme 53
	Tenichi	186	March 1993	current	Makushita 10
	Terunosato	186	March 1993	current	Sandanme 23
5	Sawaisamu	181	July 1992	current	Jonidan 53
6	Itakozakura	180	March 1994	current	Jonidan 19
7		175	March 1982	May 2011	Jūryō 4
8		174	May 1986	May 2015	Jūryō 14
	Shōketsu	174	March 1995	current	Makushita 4
	Koshinoryū	174	March 1995	current	Makushita 34

Progress to top division

The table for the fastest progress shows wrestlers with the fewest tournaments from their professional debut to their top division debut since the six tournaments a year system was introduced in 1958. It excludes makushita tsukedashi and sandanme tsukedashi entrants who made their debut in the third makushita division and the fourth sandanme division.

Fastest progress to top division

		Tournaments	Pro Debut	Top division debut	Highest rank
1		9	May 2011	November 2012	Komusubi
	Takerufuji	9	September 2022	March 2024	Maegashira 6
3		10	March 2012	November 2013	Maegashira 1
	Hokutōfuji	10	March 2015	November 2016	Komusubi
5		11	November 2002	September 2004	Ōzeki
		11	January 2007	November 2008	Sekiwake
	Shōdai	11	March 2014	January 2016	Ozeki
	Tomokaze	11	May 2017	March 2019	Maegashira 3
9		12	September 1978	September 1980	Komusubi
		12	July 1982	July 1984	Ōzeki
		12	November 1994	November 1996	Ōzeki
		12	January 1999	January 2001	Yokozuna
		12	July 2002	July 2004	Komusubi
		12	January 2004	January 2006	Sekiwake
		12	May 2004	May 2006	Ōzeki
		12	March 2006	March 2008	Maegashira 15
		12	January 2007	January 2009	Maegashira 9
	Ura	12	March 2015	March 2017	Komusubi
	Atamifuji	12	November 2020	November 2022	Maegashira 1

Slowest progress to top division

		Tournaments	Pro Debut	Top division debut	Highest rank
1		115	May 1970	July 1989	Maegashira 14
2		105	March 1993	September 2010	Maegashira 16
3	Yoshiazuma	93	January 1996	September 2011	Maegashira 12
4		91	March 1993	May 2008	Maegashira 7
5		89	March 1976	January 1991	Maegashira 3
6		88	March 1989	November 2003	Maegashira 5
7		87	September 1974	March 1989	Maegashira 12
8		86	March 1987	July 2001	Maegashira 9
9		85	May 1992	July 2006	Maegashira 16
	Kitaharima	85	March 2002	July 2016	Maegashira 15

Most special prizes

Special prizes or sanshō were first awarded in 1947. They can only be given to wrestlers ranked at sekiwake or below. For the current list of active special prize winners, see here.

	Name	Total	Outstanding Performance	Fighting Spirit	Technique	Years	Highest rank
1		19	7	8	4	1988–1999	Sekiwake
2		18	7	3	8	1990–1998	Sekiwake
3		15	10	5	0	1994–2000	Ōzeki
4		14	2	2	10	1956–1966	Sekiwake
		14	10	3	1	1979–1983	Ōzeki
		14	3	10	1	1990–2000	Sekiwake
7		13	5	4	4	1994–2000	Ōzeki
		13	7	5	1	1995–2003	Sekiwake
		13	2	4	7	2000–2007	Ōzeki
10		12	3	2	7	1996–2001	Ōzeki
		12	4	2	6	2000–2017	Sekiwake
	Takayasu	12	4	6	2	2013–2022	Ōzeki

Most gold stars

Gold stars or kinboshi are awarded to maegashira ranked wrestlers who defeat a yokozuna. For a list of current kinboshi earners, see here.

	Name	Total	Years	Highest rank
1		16	1988–1999	Sekiwake
2		12	1968–1978	Sekiwake
		12	1998–2008	Sekiwake
4		11	1995–2003	Sekiwake
5		10	1954–1961	Sekiwake
		10	1955–1961	Sekiwake
		10	1955–1961	Sekiwake
		10	1949–1963	Sekiwake
		10	1979–1986	Sekiwake
10		9	1944–1957	Ōzeki
		9	1953–1958	Sekiwake
		9	1965–1974	Sekiwake
		9	1973–1981	Sekiwake
		9	1990–1998	Sekiwake
		9	2014–2022	Sekiwake

See also

• List of active gold star earners
• List of active special prize winners
• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of active sumo wrestlers
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• List of sumo tournament top division champions
• List of sumo tournament second division champions
• List of sumo stables
• List of years in sumo
• List of yokozuna

References

• Japan Sumo Association
• Sumo Reference
• The Sumo Colosseum
• Grand Sumo, Lora Sharnoff, Weatherhill, 1993.