This is a list of all sumo wrestlers who have reached the sport's highest rank of yokozuna. It was not recorded on the banzuke until 1890 and was not officially recognised as sumo's highest rank until 1909. Until then, yokozuna was merely a licence given to certain ōzeki to perform the dohyō-iri ceremony. It was not always the strongest ōzeki but those with the most influential patrons who were chosen.

The first list of yokozuna (with 17 names in total) was compiled by the 12th yokozuna Jinmaku Kyūgorō in 1900 but was not regarded as official until 1926 when it was published by the newly formed Japan Sumo Association and updated to 31 names. Since that time, 42 more yokozuna have been promoted. The Sumo Association have overseen all promotions since Chiyonoyama's in 1951. Two consecutive tournament championships or an "equivalent performance" at ōzeki level are the minimum requirement for promotion to yokozuna in modern sumo.

The longest serving yokozuna ever was Hakuhō, who was promoted in 2007 and retired in 2021.[1]

The number of top division championships won by each yokozuna is also listed. Those listed for yokozuna active before the summer tournament of 1909 are historically conferred from the win–loss records of the time as no system of championships existed up to this time.

List

No.Name(in Japanese)Top Division
Championships		Home TownPromoted[2]RetiredRing-entering
Style		Elder name[3]
1 Akashi Shiganosuke 明石 志賀之助 NA Utsunomiya? ? c. 1649? (died) None
2 Ayagawa Gorōji 綾川 五郎次 NA Tochigi? ? c. 1765? (died) None
3 Maruyama Gondazaemon 丸山 権太左衛門 NA Miyagi 1749 1749 (died) None
4 Tanikaze Kajinosuke 谷風 梶之助 21 Miyagi 1789 1795 (died) None
5 Onogawa Kisaburō 小野川 喜三郎 7 Shiga 1789 1797 Onogawa
6 Ōnomatsu Midorinosuke 阿武松 緑之助 5 Ishikawa 1828 1835 Onomatsu
7 Inazuma Raigorō 稲妻 雷五郎 10 Ibaraki 1830 1839 None
8 Shiranui Dakuemon 不知火 諾右衛門 1 Kumamoto 1840 1844 Minato
9 Hidenoyama Raigorō 秀の山 雷五郎 6 Miyagi 1847 1850 Hidenoyama
10 Unryū Kyūkichi 雲龍 久吉 7 Fukuoka 1861 1865 Shiranui Oitekaze
11 Shiranui Kōemon 不知火 光右衛門 3 Kumamoto 1863 1869 Unryū Minato
12 Jinmaku Kyūgorō 陣幕 久五郎 5 Shimane 1867 1867 None
13 Kimenzan Tanigorō 鬼面山 谷五郎 7 Gifu 1869 1870 Shiranui None
14 Sakaigawa Namiemon 境川 浪右衛門 5 Chiba 1877 1881 Sakaigawa
15 Umegatani Tōtarō I 梅ケ谷 藤太郎 9 Fukuoka 1884 1885 Ikazuchi
16 Nishinoumi Kajirō I 西ノ海 嘉治郎(初代) 2 Kagoshima 1890 1896 Izutsu
17 Konishiki Yasokichi I 小錦 八十吉 7 Chiba 1896 1901 Hatachiyama
18 Ōzutsu Man'emon 大砲 万右衛門 2 Miyagi 1901 1908 Matsuchiyama
19 Hitachiyama Taniemon 常陸山 谷右衛門 8 Ibaraki 1903 1914 Hitachiyama
Particular style		 Dewanoumi
20 Umegatani Tōtarō II 梅ヶ谷 藤太郎(二代目) 3 Toyama 1903 1915 Unryū Ikazuchi
21 Wakashima Gonshirō 若島 権四郎 4 Chiba 1905 1907 Wakashima*
22 Tachiyama Mineemon 太刀山 峰右衛門 11 Toyama 1911 1918 Shiranui Azumazeki*
23 Ōkido Moriemon 大木戸 森右衛門 10 Hyōgo 1912 1914 Minato
24 Ōtori Tanigorō 鳳 谷五郎 2 Chiba 1915 1920 Unryū Miyagino
25 Nishinoumi Kajirō II 西ノ海 嘉治郎(二代目) 1 Kagoshima 1916 1918 Unryū Izutsu
26 Ōnishiki Uichirō 大錦 卯一郎 5 Osaka 1917 1923 Unryū None
27 Tochigiyama Moriya 栃木山 守也 9 Tochigi 1918 1925 Unryū Kasugano
28 Ōnishiki Daigorō 大錦 大五郎 6 Aichi 1918 1922 Unryū None
29 Miyagiyama Fukumatsu 宮城山 福松 6 Iwate 1922 1931 Unryū Shibatayama
30 Nishinoumi Kajirō III 西ノ海 嘉治郎(三代目) 1 Kagoshima 1923 1928 Unryū Asakayama
31 Tsunenohana Kan'ichi 常ノ花 寛市 10 Okayama 1924 1930 Unryū Dewanoumi
32 Tamanishiki San'emon 玉錦 三右衛門 9 Kochi 1932 1938 (died) Unryū None
33 Musashiyama Takeshi 武蔵山 武 1 Kanagawa 1935 1939 Unryū Dekiyama*
34 Minanogawa Tōzō 男女ノ川 登三 2 Ibaraki 1936 1942 Unryū Minanogawa*
35 Futabayama Sadaji 双葉山 定次 12 Ōita 1937 1945 Unryū Tokitsukaze
36 Haguroyama Masaji 羽黒山 政司 7 Niigata 1941 1953 Shiranui Tatsunami
37 Akinoumi Setsuo 安藝ノ海 節男 1 Hiroshima 1942 1946 Unryū Fujishima*
38 Terukuni Manzō 照國 万蔵 2 Akita 1942 1953 Unryū Isegahama
39 Maedayama Eigorō 前田山 英五郎 1 Ehime 1947 1949 Unryū Takasago
40 Azumafuji Kin'ichi 東富士 欽壱 6 Tokyo 1948 1954 Unryū Nishikido*
41 Chiyonoyama Masanobu 千代の山 雅信 6 Hokkaido 1951 1959 Unryū Kokonoe
42 Kagamisato Kiyoji 鏡里 喜代治 4 Aomori 1953 1958 Unryū Tatsutagawa
43 Yoshibayama Junnosuke 吉葉山 潤之輔 1 Hokkaido 1954 1958 Shiranui Miyagino
44 Tochinishiki Kiyotaka 栃錦 清隆 10 Tokyo 1954 1960 Unryū Kasugano
45 Wakanohana Kanji I 若乃花 幹士(初代) 10 Aomori 1958 1962 Unryū Futagoyama
46 Asashio Tarō III 朝潮 太郎 5 Hyōgo 1959 1962 Unryū Takasago
47 Kashiwado Tsuyoshi 柏戸 剛 5 Yamagata 1961 1969 Unryū Kagamiyama
48 Taihō Kōki 大鵬 幸喜 32 Hokkaido 1961 1971 Unryū Taihō
49 Tochinoumi Teruyoshi 栃ノ海 晃嘉 3 Aomori 1964 1966 Unryū Kasugano
50 Sadanoyama Shinmatsu 佐田の山 晋松 6 Nagasaki 1965 1968 Unryū Nakadachi
51 Tamanoumi Masahiro 玉の海 正洋 6 Aichi 1970 1971 (died) Shiranui None
52 Kitanofuji Katsuaki 北の富士 勝昭 10 Hokkaido 1970 1974 Unryū Jinmaku
53 Kotozakura Masakatsu 琴櫻 傑将 5 Tottori 1973 1974 Shiranui Sadogatake
54 Wajima Hiroshi 輪島 大士 14 Ishikawa 1973 1981 Unryū Hanakago*
55 Kitanoumi Toshimitsu 北の湖 敏満 24 Hokkaido 1974 1985 Unryū Kitanoumi
56 Wakanohana Kanji II 若乃花 幹士(二代目) 4 Aomori 1978 1983 Unryū Magaki
57 Mienoumi Tsuyoshi 三重ノ海 剛司 3 Mie 1979 1980 Unryū Musashigawa
58 Chiyonofuji Mitsugu 千代の富士 貢 31 Hokkaido 1981 1991 Unryū Kokonoe
59 Takanosato Toshihide 隆の里 俊英 4 Aomori 1983 1986 Shiranui Naruto
60 Futahaguro Kōji 双羽黒 光司 0 Mie 1986 1988 Shiranui None
61 Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi 北勝海 信芳 8 Hokkaido 1987 1992 Unryū Hakkaku
62 Ōnokuni Yasushi 大乃国 康 2 Hokkaido 1987 1991 Unryū Shibatayama
63 Asahifuji Seiya 旭富士 正也 4 Aomori 1990 1992 Shiranui Isegahama
64 Akebono Tarō 曙 太郎 11 Waimānalo, HI, United States 1993 2001 Unryū Akebono*
65 Takanohana Kōji 貴乃花 光司 22 Tokyo 1994 2003 Unryū Takanohana*
66 Wakanohana Masaru 若乃花 勝 5 Tokyo 1998 2000 Shiranui Fujishima*
67 Musashimaru Kōyō 武蔵丸 光洋 12 American Samoa 1999 2003 Unryū Musashigawa
68 Asashōryū Akinori 朝青龍 明徳 25 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2003 2010 Unryū None
69 Hakuhō Shō 白鵬 翔 45 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2007 2021 Shiranui Miyagino
70 Harumafuji Kōhei 日馬富士 公平 9 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2012 2017 Shiranui None
71 Kakuryū Rikisaburō 鶴竜 力三郎 6 Sükhbaatar Province, Mongolia 2014 2021 Unryū Kakuryū
72 Kisenosato Yutaka 稀勢の里 寛 2 Ibaraki 2017 2019 Unryū Nishonoseki
73 Terunofuji Haruo 照ノ富士 春雄 8 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2021 active Shiranui

Timeline

Terunofuji HaruoKisenosato YutakaKakuryū RikisaburōHarumafuji KōheiHakuhō ShōAsashōryū AkinoriMusashimaru KōyōWakanohana MasaruTakanohana KōjiAkebono TarōAsahifuji SeiyaŌnokuni YasushiHokutoumi NobuyoshiKōji KitaoTakanosato ToshihideChiyonofuji MitsuguMienoumi TsuyoshiWakanohana Kanji IIKitanoumi ToshimitsuWajima HiroshiKotozakura MasakatsuKitanofuji KatsuakiTamanoumi MasahiroSadanoyama ShinmatsuTochinoumi TeruyoshiTaihō KōkiKashiwado TsuyoshiAsashio Tarō IIIWakanohana Kanji ITochinishiki KiyotakaYoshibayama JunnosukeKagamisato KiyojiChiyonoyama MasanobuAzumafuji Kin'ichiMaedayama EigorōTerukuni ManzōAkinoumi SetsuoHaguroyama MasajiFutabayama SadajiMinanogawa TōzōMusashiyama TakeshiTamanishiki San'emonTsunenohana Kan'ichiNishinoumi Kajirō IIIMiyagiyama FukumatsuŌnishiki DaigorōTochigiyama MoriyaŌnishiki UichirōNishinoumi Kajirō IIŌtori TanigorōŌkido MoriemonTachiyama MineemonWakashima GonshirōUmegatani Tōtarō IIHitachiyama TaniemonŌzutsu Man'emonKonishiki Yasokichi INishinoumi Kajirō IUmegatani Tōtarō ISakaigawa NamiemonKimenzan TanigorōJinmaku KyūgorōShiranui KōemonUnryū KyūkichiHidenoyama RaigorōShiranui DakuemonInazuma RaigorōŌnomatsu MidorinosukeOnogawa KisaburōTanikaze Kajinosuke

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Hakuho: Sumo wrestling's greatest champion retires". Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  2. ↑ Yokozuna was not listed as a rank on the banzuke until 1890, so all promotion dates from the 4th yokozuna Tanikaze until the 16th Nishinoumi Kajirō I are in fact the date they were given a yokozuna licence by House of Yoshida Tsukasa, who controlled Tokyo based sumo. The first yokozuna, Akashi Shiganosuke, was awarded the title posthumously, and little is known about the careers of Ayagawa Gorōji and Maruyama Gondazaemon. The 21st yokozuna Wakashima, the 23rd Okido, the 28th Ōnishiki Daigorō and the 29th Miyagiyama competed in the rival Osaka based sumo organisation and were initially given licences by the House of Gojo. The date given is their official acceptance by the Tokyo House.
  3. ↑ This column shows the name used as an elder of the Japan Sumo Association after retirement. Only the final elder name is listed; other names may have been used. For example, Sadanoyama was known as Dewanoumi for much of his time as an elder, and Kitanofuji as Kokonoe. An asterisk indicates that an elder left their position early and quit the Sumo Association.
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