53 sumo wrestlers have reached the second highest in the sport, the rank of , but have failed to rise to the top rank since the modern era of sumo began in 1927 with the merger of the Tokyo and Osaka organizations. By 2020, over 250 wrestlers have been promoted to the rank of throughout the entire history of the sport. Wrestlers who went on to be promoted to are tabulated in the list of . Active wrestlers are indicated by italics.
The number of top division (championships) won by each is also listed. There is no requirement to win a championship before promotion, but a wrestler must usually have won around 33 bouts over three consecutive tournaments. Since 1927, the longest-serving of modern times have been Kaiō and Chiyotaikai who each held the rank for 65 tournaments. With five wins, Kaiō also holds the record for won in the modern era by a wrestler to never reach the rank of .
The table is up to date as of the end of the July 2026 tournament.
List Any titles listed before the current system was established in 1909 are regarded as unofficial.
Name (in Japanese) Born Home Town First held Last held StatusRaiden Tameemon雷電爲右衞門281767Tōmi, Nagano17951811retiredHiodoshi Katsugorō緋縅 勝五郎01773Yamagata District, Hiroshima18141814demotedTamagaki Gakunosuke玉垣 額之助41784Minamitakaki, Nagasaki18141824deathSendagawa Kichizō千田川 吉藏01793Muro District, Kii18151815demotedKashiwado Risuke柏戸 利助161783Goshogawara, Aomori18151825retiredIwamigata Jōemon岩見潟 丈右エ門01785Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture18211822demotedYotsugamine Tōkichi四賀峰 東吉21795Kitakami, Iwate18241828retiredGenjiyama Tsunagorō源氏山 綱五郎11786Tendō, Yamagata18251826demotedHiodoshi Rikiya II緋縅力弥 (2代)21799Kyoto Prefecture18331834demotedAkitsukaze Otoemon秋津風 音右エ門01797Sannohe District, Aomori18341834demotedKotōzan Bun'emon湖東山 文右エ門21798Yōkaichi, Shiga18361838demoted*Oitekaze Kitarō追手風 喜太郎 11800Tsukui District, Kanagawa18361836demotedHiraiwa Shichidayū II平石 七太夫 (2代)01801Edo, Musashi Province18391840demoted*Tsurugizan Taniemon劔山 谷右衛門61803Toyama, Toyama18421852retiredKagamiiwa Hamanosuke II鏡岩 濱之助 (2代)11809Niikawa district, Etchū18501856retiredKoyanagi Tsunekichi小柳 常吉51817Ichihara district, Kazusa18521856retiredIōzan Moriemon猪王山 森右衛門21815Monou District, Miyagi18561868demotedKaigatake Ryūemon階ヶ嶽 龍右エ門21817Takaoka, Toyama18561857demotedSakaigawa Namiemon I境川浪右衛門 (初代)21814Kuwana, Mie18571861demoted*Zōgahana Heisuke象ヶ鼻 平助01836Tateyama, Chiba18711872retiredAyasegawa Sanzaemon綾瀬川 山左衛門11835Chūō-ku, Osaka18721876retiredRaiden Shin'emon雷電 震右エ門61842Hakui District, Ishikawa18771877demotedAsahidake Tsurunosuke朝日嶽 鶴之助0?Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture18771878retiredWakashima Kyūzaburō若嶌久三郎21842Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture18811884retiredTsurugizan Taniemon II劔山 谷右エ門 (2代)11852Kamojima, Tokushima18861892retiredŌdate Uzaemon大達羽左エ門41853Tagawa, Dewa Province18861889demotedIchinoya Tōtarō一ノ矢藤太郎21856Minamitsugaru District, Aomori18891890demotedŌnaruto Nadaemon II大鳴門灘右エ門 (2代)01853Tsuna District, Hyōgo18901891retiredYahatayama Sadakichi八幡山定吉21856Tosa District, Kōchi18911894retiredŌtohira Hirokichi大戸平廣吉21866Miyagino-ku, Sendai18931897demotedŌikari Montarō大碇紋太郎01869Chita District, Owari Province18951896demotedHōō Umagorō鳳凰 馬五郎31866Chiba District, Chiba18971900demotedAsashio Tarō I朝汐 太郎21864Uwa, Ehime18981903demotedAraiwa Kamenosuke荒岩 亀之助61871Saihaku, Tottori19051909retiredKunimiyama Etsukichi國見山 悦吉2 1876Tosa District, Kōchi19051912retiredKomagatake Kuniriki駒ヶ嶽 國力01880Tōda District, Miyagi19071914deathIsenohama Keitarō伊勢ノ濱 慶太郎01883Sumida, Tokyo19141919retiredAsashio Tarō II朝汐 太郎 (2代)01879Saijō, Ehime19151919retiredTsushimanada Yakichi對馬洋 弥吉01887Tsushima Island19191920demotedTachihikari Denemon太刀光 電右エ門01897Mikasa, Hokkaido19231927demotedŌnosato Mansuke大ノ里 萬助01892Minamitsugaru District, Aomori19251932retiredToyokuni Fukuma豊國 福馬21893Ōita, Ōita19271930retiredNoshirogata Kinsaku能代潟 錦作11895Yamamoto, Akita19271933demoted*Hitachiiwa Eitarō常陸岩 英太郎11900Chūō, Tokyo19271931retiredShimizugawa Motokichi清水川 元吉31900Goshogawara, Aomori19321937retiredKagamiiwa Zenshirō鏡岩 善四郎01902Towada, Aomori19371939retiredItsutsushima Narao五ツ嶋 名良男01912Minami-Matsuura District, Nagasaki19411942demotedNayoroiwa Shizuo名寄岩 静男01914Nayoro, Hokkaido19431948demoted*Saganohana Katsumi佐賀ノ花 勝巳11917Saga, Saga19441951demotedShionoumi Unemon汐ノ海 運右エ門01918Himeji, Hyōgo19471951retired*Masuiyama Daishirō I増位山 大志郎21919Himeji, Hyōgo19491950retiredMitsuneyama Keiji三根山 繼司11922Arakawa, Tokyo19531955demotedŌuchiyama Heikichi大内山 平吉01926Hitachinaka, Ibaraki19551957demotedMatsunobori Shigeo松登 晟郎01924Matsudo, Chiba19561959demotedKotogahama Sadao琴ヶ濵 貞雄01927Kan'onji, Kagawa19581962retiredWakahaguro Tomoaki若羽黒 朋明11934Yokohama, Kanagawa19591962demotedKitabayama Hidetoshi北葉山 英俊11935Muroran, Hokkaido19611966retiredTochihikari Masayuki栃光 正之01933Ushibuka, Kumamoto19621966retiredYutakayama Katsuo豊山 勝男01937Shibata, Niigata19631968retiredKiyokuni Katsuo清國 勝雄11941Ogachi, Akita19691974retiredMaenoyama Tarō前の山 太郎01945Moriguchi, Osaka19701972demotedDaikirin Takayoshi大麒麟 將能01942Saga, Saga19701974retiredTakanohana Kenshi貴ノ花 健士21950Hirosaki, Aomori19721981retiredDaiju Hisateru大受 久晃01950Setana, Hokkaido19731974demotedKaiketsu Masateru魁傑 將晃21948Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi19751977demoted*Asahikuni Masuo旭國 斗雄01947Aibetsu, Hokkaido19761979retiredMasuiyama Daishirō II増位山 太志郎01948Himeji, Hyōgo19801981retiredKotokaze Kōki琴風 豪規21957Tsu, Mie19811985demotedWakashimazu Mutsuo若嶋津 六夫21957Nakatane, Kagoshima19831987retiredAsashio Tarō IV朝潮 太郎(4代)11955Muroto, Kōchi19831989retiredHokuten'yū Katsuhiko北天佑 勝彦21960Muroran, Hokkaido19831990retiredKonishiki Yasokichi小錦 八十吉31963Honolulu, United States19871994demotedKirishima Kazuhiro霧島 一博11959Makizono, Kagoshima19901993demotedTakanonami Sadahiro貴ノ浪 貞博21971Misawa, Aomori19942000demoted*Chiyotaikai Ryūji千代大海 龍二31976Chitose, Hokkaido19992010demotedDejima Takeharu出島 武春11974Kanazawa, Ishikawa19992001demotedMusōyama Masashi武双山 正士11972Mito, Ibaraki20002004retired*Miyabiyama Tetsushi雅山 哲士之01977Mito, Ibaraki20002001demotedKaiō Hiroyuki魁皇 博之51972Nōgata, Fukuoka20002011retiredTochiazuma Daisuke栃東 大裕31976Adachi, Tokyo20022007retired*Kotoōshū Katsunori琴欧洲 勝紀11983Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria20062014demotedKotomitsuki Keiji琴光喜 啓司11976Okazaki, Aichi20072010dismissedBaruto Kaito把瑠都 凱斗11984Väike-Maarja, Estonia20102013demotedKotoshōgiku Kazuhiro琴奨菊 和弘11984Yanagawa, Fukuoka20112017demotedGōeidō Gōtarō 豪栄道 豪太郎11986Neyagawa, Osaka20142020retiredTakayasu Akira高安 晃01990Tsuchiura, Ibaraki20172019demotedTochinoshin Tsuyoshi栃ノ心 剛史11987Mtskheta, Georgia20182019demoted*Takakeishō Takanobu貴景勝 貴信41996Ashiya, Hyōgo20192024demoted*Asanoyama Hideki朝乃山 英樹11994Toyama, Toyama20202021demotedShōdai Naoya正代 直也11991Uto, Kumamoto20202022demotedMitakeumi Hisashi御嶽海 久司31992Agematsu, Nagano20222022demotedKirishima Tetsuo霧島 鐵力31996Dornod, Mongolia2023activen/a*Kotozakura Masakatsu II琴櫻 将傑11997Matsudo, Chiba2024activen/aAonishiki Arata安青錦 新大32004Vinnytsia, Ukraine2026activen/a*
* Wrestler held the rank on more than one occasion.
See also Glossary of sumo terms List of active sumo wrestlers List of past sumo wrestlers List of sumo top division champions List of sumo top division runners-up List of List of List of
External links
Notes