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Yokozuna (横綱) is the highest rank in
sumo wrestling. The name comes from the most visible symbol of their
rank, the wide (yoko) rope (tsuna) worn around the
waist. The rope bears a marked similarity to the
Shinto shimekazari rope often attached to
torii temple gates and sacred trees, and like them serves to
purify and mark off its content. The rope, which may weigh up to 20
kilograms, is not used during the matches themselves, but is worn during
the yokozuna's
dohyo-iri ring entrance ceremony.
Becoming a Yokozuna
Elevation to yokozuna rank is decided by the
Japan Sumo Association, who decide that a
ozeki-rank wrestler has enough power, skill and dignity/grace (品格
hinkaku) to qualify. Winning two consecutive champsionships as
ozeki is a rule of thumb for qualification, but there are no absolute
criteria, and neither is there a set quota: there have been periods with
no wrestlers at yokozuna rank, and there have been periods with up to
three simultaneously. The rank, once awarded, is permanent, although
yokozuna are expected to retire once no longer at the top of their form.
The flexible qualification criteria, especially the requirement of
hinkaku, has been the source of much controversy over the years,
especially with the recent entry of very successful
Hawaiian wrestlers into the ring. Ozeki
Konishiki (小錦), in particular, was felt by many to be unfairly kept
from yokozuna status due to his foreignness, and many Sumo Association
members even openly said that
gaijin can never achieve the hinkaku needed to be a yokozuna.
However, this debate was finally laid to rest on
January 27,
1993, when ozeki
Akebono (曙) was formally promoted to yokozuna after only 8 months at
ozeki rank.
Yokuzuna in History
The birth of the rank of yokozuna is unclean, and there are two
competing legends. According to one, a 9th-century wrestler named Hajikami
tied a shimenawa around his waist as a handicap and dared any to
touch it, creating sumo as we know it in the process. According to the
other, legendary wrestler
Akashi Shiganosuke tied the shimenawa around his waist in
1630 as a sign of respect when visiting the Emperor, and was
posthumously awarded the title for the first time. There is little
supporting evidence for either theory -- in fact, it is not even certain
that Akashi was a historical figure -- but it is known that by
1789, yokozuna starting from
Tanikaze Kajinosuke were depicted in
ukiyo-e prints as wearing the shimenawa.
As of January
2004, there have been a grand total of 68 yokozuna, although formal
recordkeeping only started with Tanikaze in 1789. A selected list:
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Tachiyama (太刀山), superstar of the
Meiji era
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Taiho (大鵬), reckoned by many to be the greatest sumo wrestler of all
time, with a record 32 tournament victories and over 1000 match
victories
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Chiyonofuji (千代の富士), the dominant wrestler until his retirement in
1991, with one tournament victory less than Taiho
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Kitanoumi (北の湖), not far behind either
-
Akebono (曙), first non-Japanese yokozuna
There is currently only one active yokozuna:
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Asashoryu (朝青龍), from
Mongolia, promoted January 2003
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