The official rankings chart for Hatsu Basho (beginning January 10th in Tokyo) was released a bit earlier than usual, so we’re a bit late in presenting it! 🙀 Here’s some of the basic info you should know ahead of the New Year tournament:
| East | MAKUUCHI | West | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| looking fit and dominating in practice | Hakuho Miyagino | Yokozuna | Kakuryu Michinoku | has not been sparring, still tentative about competing |
| November Makuuchi champion, aiming for Yokozuna promotion | Takakeisho Tokiwayama | Ozeki | Shodai Tokitsukaze | kadoban, up from E. Ozeki 2 |
| also kadoban, down from W. Ozeki 1 | Asanoyama Takasago | Ozeki | ||
| up from E. Komusubi | Terunofuji Isegahama | Sekiwake | Takanosho Tokiwayama | maintains his personal highest rank |
| up from W. Komusubi | Takayasu Tagonoura | Komusubi | Mitakeumi Dewanoumi | down from E. Sekiwake |
| up from E. M4 | Hokutofuji Hakkaku | M1 | Daieisho Oitekaze | up from W. M2 |
| up from E. M6 | Takarafuji Isegahama | M2 | Wakatakakage Arashio | down from W. M1 |
| new personal highest rank, up from W. M5 | Kotoshoho Sadogatake | M3 | Onosho Onomatsu | down from E. M2 |
| up from E. M7 | Tochinoshin Kasugano | M4 | Tamawashi Kataonami | up from W. M6 |
| up from W. M7 | Endo Oitekaze | M5 | Okinoumi Hakkaku | down from W. M3 |
| up from E. M10 | Ryuden Takadagawa | M6 | Kagayaki Takadagawa | down from E. M3 |
| up from W. M10; Tatsunami-beya has had a recent virus outbreak; effect on competition not yet known | Meisei Tatsunami | M7 | Tobizaru Oitekaze | down from W. M4 |
| up from E. M9 | Tokushoryu Kise | M8 | Kiribayama Michinoku | down from E. M1 |
| up from E. M14 | Chiyonokuni Kokonoe | M9 | Myogiryu Sakaigawa | down from E. M5 |
| up from E. M17, biggest jump on the Makuuchi banzuke | Shimanoumi Kise | M10 | Aoiyama Kasugano | down from E. M8 |
| up from E. M15 | Chiyotairyu Kokonoe | M11 | Kotoeko Sadogatake | down from W. M9 |
| up from W. M13; Stablemaster Minato was hospitalized with coronavirus, but the rest of Minato-beya is so far clear | Ichinojo Minato | M12 | Terutsuyoshi Isegahama | down from W. M8 |
| up from W. M16, new personal highest rank | Akua Tatsunami | M13 | Chiyoshoma Kokonoe | up from E. M16 |
| down from E. M13 | Hoshoryu Tatsunami | M14 | Midorifuji Isegahama | November Juryo champion, up from E. J2, Makuuchi debut |
| down from E. M12 | Yutakayama Tokitsukaze | M15 | Kotonowaka Sadogatake | down from W. M14 |
| down from W. M12 | Kaisei Tomozuna | M16 | Akiseyama Kise | up from E. J1, back in Makuuchi after almost 5 years! |
| down from E. M11 | Sadanoumi Sakaigawa | M17 |
Conspicuously absent from the top division chart is Enho, who fell to East Juryo #3. New to Juryo, as announced in November, are Tohakuryu (W. J14) and Oho (W. J11). Returning to Juryo from Makushita are Ryuko (E. J14) and Yago (W. J13). We’ll be keeping a close eye on a struggling Ikioi at East Juryo #13. He’s dangerously close to losing salary for the first time in over nine years!
Source: Nihon Sumo Kyokai
