List of sumo record holders

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

Most career championships

Official championships since 1909⁺
	Name	Total	Years
1	Hakuhō	45	2006–2021
2	Taihō	32	1960–1971
3	Chiyonofuji	31	1981–1990
4	Asashōryū	25	2002–2010
5	Kitanoumi	24	1974–1984
6	Takanohana II	22	1992–2001
7	Wajima	14	1972–1980
8	Futabayama	12	1936–1943
8	Musashimaru	12	1994–2002
10	Akebono	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	Hakuhō	16	2007–2021
2	Futabayama	8	1936–1943
2	Taihō	8	1963–1969
4	Tachiyama	7	1910–1915
	Kitanoumi	7	1977–1984
	Chiyonofuji	7	1983–1989
7	Tochigiyama	6	1917–1925
8	Asashōryū	5	2004–2006
9	Haguroyama	4	1944–1952
	Tsunenohana	4	1921–1928
	Takanohana II	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	Hakuhō	7⁺	2010–2011
1	Asashōryū	7^†	2004–2005
3	Hakuhō	6	2014-2015
	Taihō	6	1966–1967
	Taihō	6	1962-1963
5	Futabayama	5^‡	1936–1938
	Kitanoumi	5	1978
	Chiyonofuji	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	Hakuhō	10	6	4
1	Takanohana II	10	5	5
3	Kitanoumi	8	3	5
4	Akebono	7	4	3
4	Musashimaru	7	1	6
6	Chiyonofuji	6	6	0
	Asashōryū	6	5	1
	Taihō	6	4	2
	Terunofuji	6	3	3
10	Hokutoumi	5	3	2
10	Takakeishō	5	2	3

Most wins

Most career wins

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

Most top division wins

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

Most wins in a calendar year (90 bouts)

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

Most consecutive wins

	Name	Wins^[a]	Start	End	Duration	Defeated by
1	Futabayama	69	7 January 1936	3 January 1939	2 years, 11 months and 27 days	Akinoumi
2	Tanikaze	63	1 October 1778	6 February 1782	3 years, 4 months and 5 days	Onogawa
2	Hakuhō	63	23 January 2010	15 November 2010	9 months and 19 days	Kisenosato
4	Umegatani I	58	1 April 1876	8 January 1881	4 years, 9 months and 7 days	Wakashima
5	Tachiyama	56	9 January 1912	7 May 1916	4 years, 3 months and 28 days	Tochigiyama
6	Chiyonofuji	53	7 May 1988	27 November 1988	6 months and 20 days	Ōnokuni
7	Taihō	45	2 September 1968	2 March 1969	6 months	Toda

Most consecutive wins from entry into sumo

	Name	Wins^[b]	Start	End	Duration	Defeated by	Highest rank
1	Jōkōryū	27	11 July 2011	20 January 2012	6 months and 9 days	Senshō	Komusubi
2	Itai	26	12 November 1978	16 May 1979	6 months and 4 days	Ōnishiki	Komusubi
2	Tochiazuma II	26	15 January 1995	12 September 1995	7 months and 28 days	Dewaarashi	Ōzeki
4	Ōshōryū	24	8 July 2019	18 January 2020	6 months and 10 days	Kotodaigō	Makushita 7
5	Tokitenkū	22	8 September 2002	11 March 2003	6 months and 3 days	Furuichi	Komusubi
6	Kototenzan	21	12 January 1986	20 July 1986	6 months and 8 days	retired	Makushita 43
	Enhō	21	15 May 2017	13 November 2017	5 months and 29 days	Jōkōryū	Maegashira 4
	Hokuseihō	21	19 July 2020	15 March 2021	7 months and 24 days	Tokisakae	Maegashira 6
	Fujiseiun	21	10 May 2021	15 November 2021	6 months and 5 days	Kamito	Juryo 7
10	Akiseyama	20	10 March 2008	25 July 2008	4 months and 15 days	Surugatsukasa	Maegashira 12
	Tsurugishō	20	9 March 2014	25 July 2014	4 months and 16 days	Hienriki	Maegashira 7
	Aonishiki	20	12 November 2023	22 March 2024	4 months and 10 days	Nagamura	Makushita 4

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.

	Name	Win–loss	Years	rate
1	Raiden	254–10	1790–1811	96.2%
2	Umegatani I	116–6	1874–1885	95.1%
3	Tanikaze	258–14	1769–1794	94.9%
4	Jinmaku	87–5	1858–1867	94.6%
5	Onogawa	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.^[c]

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

Most bouts

Losses by default are excluded.

Most career bouts

	Name	Total	Years	Highest rank
1	Ōshio	1891	1962–1988	Komusubi
2	Kyokutenhō	1870	1992–2015	Sekiwake
3	Aminishiki	1805	1997–2019	Sekiwake
4	Terao	1795	1979–2002	Sekiwake
5	Kaiō	1731	1988–2011	Ōzeki
6	Wakanosato	1691	1992–2015	Sekiwake
7	Takamiyama	1654	1964–1984	Sekiwake
8	Tamawashi	1643	2004-	Sekiwake
9	Aobajō	1630	1964–1986	Sekiwake
10	Fujizakura	1613	1963–1985	Sekiwake

Most top division bouts

	Name	Total	Years	Highest rank
1	Kyokutenhō	1470	1998–2015	Sekiwake
2	Kaiō	1444	1993–2011	Ōzeki
3	Takamiyama	1430	1968–1984	Sekiwake
4	Aminishiki	1399	2000–2018	Sekiwake
5	Terao	1378	1985–2001	Sekiwake
6	Tamawashi	1347	2004–	Sekiwake
7	Kotoshōgiku	1332	2005–2020	Ōzeki
8	Akinoshima	1283	1988–2003	Sekiwake
9	Hakuhō	1282	2004–2021	Yokozuna
10	Kotonowaka	1260	1990–2005	Sekiwake

Most consecutive bouts

Most consecutive career bouts

	Name	Total	Years	Highest rank
1	Tamawashi*	1643^[d]	2004–	Sekiwake
2	Aobajō*	1630	1964–1986	Sekiwake
3	Fujizakura	1543	1963–1984	Sekiwake
4	Takatōriki*	1456	1983–2002	Sekiwake
5	Takamiyama	1425	1964–1981	Sekiwake
6	Dairyūgawa*	1367	1961–1979	Maegashira 1
7	Terao	1359	1979–1997	Sekiwake
8	Toyonoumi*	1316	1981–1999	Maegashira 1
9	Hidanohana*	1297	1969–1989	Maegashira 1
10	Ōzutsu	1267	1978–1992	Sekiwake

* No bouts missed in career/career to date

Most consecutive top division bouts

	Name	Total	Years	Highest rank
1	Takamiyama	1231	1968–1981	Sekiwake
2	Ōzutsu	1170	1979–1992	Sekiwake
3	Kurohimeyama	1065	1969–1981	Sekiwake
4	Terao	1063	1985–1997	Sekiwake
5	Hasegawa	1024	1965–1976	Sekiwake
6	Tamawashi	1017^[d]	2013–	Sekiwake
7	Takarafuji	990	2013–2024	Sekiwake
8	Takatōriki	975	1990–2001	Sekiwake
9	Ōhikari	945	1950–1963	Komusubi
10	Aonosato	885	1959–1968	Sekiwake
10	Kaneshiro	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

	Name	Total	First	Last	Highest rank
1	Kaiō	107	July 1993	July 2011	Ōzeki
2	Hakuhō	103	May 2004	September 2021	Yokozuna
3	Kyokutenhō	99	January 1998	July 2015	Sekiwake
4	Takamiyama	97	January 1968	January 1984	Sekiwake
4	Aminishiki	97	July 2000	May 2018	Sekiwake
6	Terao	93	March 1985	May 2001	Sekiwake
7	Akinoshima	91	March 1988	May 2003	Sekiwake
	Kotoshōgiku	91	January 2005	November 2020	Ōzeki
	Tamawashi	91	September 2008		Sekiwake
10	Kotonowaka	90	November 1990	November 2005	Sekiwake

Most tournaments ranked at yokozuna

	Name	Total	First	Last
1	Hakuhō	84	July 2007	September 2021
2	Kitanoumi	63	July 1974	January 1985
3	Chiyonofuji	59	September 1981	May 1991
4	Taihō	58	November 1961	May 1971
5	Takanohana II	49	January 1995	January 2003
6	Akebono	48	March 1993	January 2001
7	Kashiwado	47	November 1961	July 1969
7	Wajima	47	July 1973	March 1981
9	Asashōryū	42	March 2003	January 2010
10	Kakuryū	41	May 2014	March 2021

Most tournaments ranked at ōzeki

	Name	Total	First	Last	Ended by
1	Chiyotaikai	65	March 1999	November 2009	Demotion
1	Kaiō	65	September 2000	July 2011	Retirement
3	Takanohana I	50	November 1972	January 1981	Retirement
4	Kotoōshū	47	January 2006	November 2013	Demotion
5	Hokuten'yū	44	July 1983	September 1990	Retirement
6	Konishiki	39	July 1987	November 1993	Demotion
7	Takanonami	37	March 1994	May 2000	Demotion
8	Asashio	36	May 1983	March 1989	Retirement
9	Yutakayama	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)

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

Most career tournaments

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

	Name	Total	First	Last	Highest rank
1	Hanakaze	214	March 1986	January 2022	Sandanme 18
2	Tenichi	188	March 1993	current	Makushita 10
2	Terunosato	188	March 1993	current	Sandanme 23
4	Hokutoryū	186	March 1986	March 2017	Sandanme 53
5	Sawaisamu	183	July 1992	current	Jonidan 53
6	Itakozakura	182	March 1994	current	Jonidan 19
7	Shōketsu	176	March 1995	current	Makushita 4
7	Koshinoryū	176	March 1995	September 2024	Makushita 34
9	Tochitenko	175	March 1982	May 2011	Jūryō 4
10	Dewanosato	174	May 1986	May 2015	Jūryō 14

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

	Name	Tournaments	Pro Debut	Top division debut	Highest rank
1	Jōkōryū	9	May 2011	November 2012	Komusubi
1	Takerufuji	9	September 2022	March 2024	Maegashira 6
3	Ōsunaarashi	10	March 2012	November 2013	Maegashira 1
3	Hokutōfuji	10	March 2015	November 2016	Komusubi
5	Kotoōshū	11	November 2002	September 2004	Ōzeki
	Aran	11	January 2007	November 2008	Sekiwake
	Shōdai	11	March 2014	January 2016	Ozeki
	Tomokaze	11	May 2017	March 2019	Maegashira 3
9	Itai	12	September 1978	September 1980	Komusubi
	Konishiki	12	July 1982	July 1984	Ōzeki
	Tochiazuma II	12	November 1994	November 1996	Ōzeki
	Asashōryū	12	January 1999	January 2001	Yokozuna
	Tokitenkū	12	July 2002	July 2004	Komusubi
	Yoshikaze	12	January 2004	January 2006	Sekiwake
	Baruto	12	May 2004	May 2006	Ōzeki
	Sakaizawa	12	March 2006	March 2008	Maegashira 15
	Yamamotoyama	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

	Name	Tournaments	Pro Debut	Top division debut	Highest rank
1	Hoshiiwato	115	May 1970	July 1989	Maegashira 14
2	Kyokunankai	105	March 1993	September 2010	Maegashira 16
3	Yoshiazuma	93	January 1996	September 2011	Maegashira 12
4	Kotokasuga	91	March 1993	May 2008	Maegashira 7
5	Kototsubaki	89	March 1976	January 1991	Maegashira 3
6	Toyozakura	88	March 1989	November 2003	Maegashira 5
7	Takanomine	87	September 1974	March 1989	Maegashira 12
8	Kitazakura	86	March 1987	July 2001	Maegashira 9
9	Daimanazuru	85	May 1992	July 2006	Maegashira 16
9	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	Akinoshima	19	7	8	4	1988–1999	Sekiwake
2	Kotonishiki	18	7	3	8	1990–1998	Sekiwake
3	Kaiō	15	10	5	0	1994–2000	Ōzeki
4	Tsurugamine	14	2	2	10	1956–1966	Sekiwake
	Asashio	14	10	3	1	1979–1983	Ōzeki
	Takatōriki	14	3	10	1	1990–2000	Sekiwake
7	Musōyama	13	5	4	4	1994–2000	Ōzeki
	Tosanoumi	13	7	5	1	1995–2003	Sekiwake
	Kotomitsuki	13	2	4	7	2000–2007	Ōzeki
10	Tochiazuma II	12	3	2	7	1996–2001	Ōzeki
	Aminishiki	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	Akinoshima	16	1988–1999	Sekiwake
2	Takamiyama	12	1968–1978	Sekiwake
2	Tochinonada	12	1998–2008	Sekiwake
4	Tosanoumi	11	1995–2003	Sekiwake
5	Kitanonada	10	1954–1961	Sekiwake
	Annenyama	10	1955–1961	Sekiwake
	Tsurugamine	10	1955–1961	Sekiwake
	Dewanishiki	10	1949–1963	Sekiwake
	Ōzutsu	10	1979–1986	Sekiwake
10	Mitsuneyama	9	1944–1957	Ōzeki
	Tamanoumi	9	1953–1958	Sekiwake
	Hasegawa	9	1965–1974	Sekiwake
	Fujizakura	9	1973–1981	Sekiwake
	Takatōriki	9	1990–1998	Sekiwake
	Ichinojō	9	2014–2022	Sekiwake

Youngest Yokozuna at Time of Promotion

Yokozuna by their age at the time of promotion, showing both years and months for added detail.

Rank	Yokozuna	Date of Promotion	Age at Promotion (Years, Months)
1	Kitanoumi	July 20, 1974	21 years, 2 months
2	Taihō	September 27, 1961	21 years, 4 months
3	Hakuhō	May 30, 2007	22 years, 2 months
4	Asashōryū	January 30, 2003	22 years, 4 months
5	Takanohana II	December 1994	22 years, 4 months
6	Futahaguro	July 1986	22 years, 10 months
7	Kashiwado	November 1961	23 years, 0 months
8	Terukuni	June 1942	23 years, 6 months
9	Akebono	January 27, 1993	23 years, 8 months
10	Ōnokuni	September 1987	24 years, 11 months

Notes

^ The winning streaks of Tanikaze, Umegatani, and Tachiyama were interrupted by draws and rest days. The others listed were all wins only.
^ Playoff matches, whether victories or defeats, are not included. Jōkōryū lost a playoff match in September 2011, and Fujiseiun in July 2021. Itai won one in January 1979. Bouts in maezumo are unofficial and also not included.
^ Losses by default are excluded, but wins by default are included; as is standard in sumo records.
^ ^a ^b Tamawashi was forced to withdraw from Day 13 of the July 2022 tournament under COVID-19 protocols. The Japan Sumo Association has said his streak should be recognized as continuing.[1]

References

Japan Sumo Association
Sumo Reference
The Sumo Colosseum
Grand Sumo, Lora Sharnoff, Weatherhill, 1993. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X

[a-1] The winning streaks of Tanikaze, Umegatani, and Tachiyama were interrupted by draws and rest days. The others listed were all wins only.

[b-2] Playoff matches, whether victories or defeats, are not included. Jōkōryū lost a playoff match in September 2011, and Fujiseiun in July 2021. Itai won one in January 1979. Bouts in maezumo are unofficial and also not included.

[c-3] Losses by default are excluded, but wins by default are included; as is standard in sumo records.

[d-4] Tamawashi was forced to withdraw from Day 13 of the July 2022 tournament under COVID-19 protocols. The Japan Sumo Association has said his streak should be recognized as continuing.[1]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]