2019 in sumo

The following are the events in professional sumo during 2019.

Tournaments

Hatsu basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 January – 27 January^[1]

2019 Hatsu basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
0	-	4	-	0	ø		Kisenosato	Y	ø		Hakuho	10	-	4	-	1
2	-	3	-	10	ø		Kakuryu	Y	ø			0	-	0	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Takayasu	O			Goeido	9	-	6	-	0
0	-	0	-	0	ø			O	ø		Tochinoshin	0	-	4	-	11
11	-	4	-	0			Takakeisho	S			Tamawashi	13	-	2	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Myogiryu	K			Mitakeumi	8	-	4	-	3
6	-	9	-	0			Tochiozan	M1			Ichinojo	6	-	9	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Nishikigi	M2			Hokutofuji	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Shodai	M3			Shohozan	5	-	10	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Kotoshogiku	M4			Okinoumi	7	-	8	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Aoiyama	M5			Yoshikaze	3	-	12	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Chiyotairyu	M6			Onosho	8	-	7	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Ryuden	M7			Daieisho	9	-	6	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Kaisei	M8			Asanoyama	8	-	7	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Takanoiwa	M9			Endo	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Takarafuji	M10			Abi	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Sadanoumi	M11			Ikioi	9	-	6	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Kagayaki	M12			Meisei	8	-	7	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Yago	M13	ø		Kotoyuki	4	-	7	-	4
6	-	9	-	0			Yutakayama	M14			Chiyoshoma	6	-	9	-	0
8	-	3	-	4	ø		Chiyonokuni	M15			Kotoeko	7	-	8	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Daiamami	M16			Daishomaru	3	-	12	-	0

Haru basho

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 10 March – 24 March^[1]

2019 Haru basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
15	-	0	-	0			Hakuho	Y			Kakuryu	10	-	5	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Takayasu	O			Goeido	12	-	3	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Tochinoshin	O	ø			0	-	0	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Takakeisho	S			Tamawashi	5	-	10	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Mitakeumi	K			Hokutofuji	7	-	8	-	0
3	-	12	-	0			Kaisei	M1			Endo	7	-	8	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Daieisho	M2			Myogiryu	6	-	9	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Nishikigi	M3			Shodai	5	-	10	-	0
3	-	12	-	0			Tochiozan	M4			Ichinojo	14	-	1	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Chiyotairyu	M5			Onosho	5	-	10	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Okinoumi	M6			Abi	8	-	7	-	0
12	-	3	-	0			Aoiyama	M7			Takarafuji	8	-	7	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Asanoyama	M8			Kotoshogiku	11	-	4	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Sadanoumi	M9			Ikioi	2	-	13	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Shohozan	M10			Yago	6	-	9	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Ryuden	M11			Meisei	9	-	6	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Chiyonokuni	M12			Yoshikaze	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Tomokaze	M13			Kagayaki	9	-	6	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Terutsuyoshi	M14			Toyonoshima	5	-	10	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Ishiura	M15			Kotoeko	7	-	8	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Daishoho	M16			Yutakayama	3	-	12	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Chiyoshoma	M17				0	-	0	-	0

Natsu basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 12 May – 26 May^[1]

2019 Natsu basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Hakuhō	Y			Kakuryū	11	-	4	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Gōeidō	O			Takayasu	9	-	6	-	0
3	-	4	-	8			Takakeishō	O	ø			0	-	0	-	0
5	-	7	-	3			Ichinojō	S			Tochinoshin	10	-	5	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Aoiyama	K			Mitakeumi	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Hokutōfuji	M1			Kotoshōgiku	6	-	9	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Endō	M2			Daieishō	7	-	8	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Chiyotairyū	M3			Tamawashi	10	-	5	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Okinoumi	M4			Abi	10	-	5	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Myōgiryū	M5			Ryūden	10	-	5	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Takarafuji	M6			Yoshikaze	4	-	11	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Shōdai	M7			Meisei	10	-	5	-	0
3	-	5	-	7	ø		Kaisei	M8			Asanoyama	12	-	3	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Nishikigi	M9			Tomokaze	8	-	7	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Kagayaki	M10			Ōnoshō	8	-	7	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Shōhōzan	M11			Tochiōzan	6	-	9	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Shimanoumi	M12			Yago	6	-	9	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Chiyomaru	M13			Sadanoumi	7	-	8	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Tokoshōryū	M14			Enho	7	-	8	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Terutsuyoshi	M15			Kotoekō	8	-	7	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Daishoho	M16			Ishiura	5	-	10	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Chiyoshōma	M17				0	-	0	-	0

Nagoya basho

Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 7 July – 21 July^[1]

2019 Nagoya basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
14	-	1	-	0			Kakuryū	Y			Hakuhō	12	-	3	-	0
3	-	5	-	7			Gōeidō	O	ø		Takayasu	8	-	3	-	4
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Takakeishō	O	ø		Tochinoshin	0	-	6	-	9
9	-	6	-	0			Mitakeumi	S			Tamawashi	5	-	10	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Abi	K			Ryūden	4	-	11	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Asanoyama	M1			Hokutōfuji	9	-	6	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Aoiyama	M2			Endō	10	-	5	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Shōdai	M3			Daieishō	8	-	7	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Meisei	M4			Ichinojō	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Kotoshōgiku	M5			Takarafuji	6	-	9	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Chiyotairyū	M6			Shimanoumi	8	-	7	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Myōgiryū	M7			Tomokaze	11	-	4	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Ōnoshō	M8			Okinoumi	8	-	7	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Shōhōzan	M9			Daishoho	6	-	9	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Kotoekō	M10			Takagenji	4	-	11	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Yoshikaze	M11			Nishikigi	6	-	9	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Tochiōzan	M12			Kagayaki	7	-	8	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Chiyomaru	M13			Sadanoumi	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Toyonoshima	M14			Enho	9	-	6	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Yago	M15	ø		Kaisei	1	-	10	-	4
11	-	4	-	0			Kotoyūki	M16			Terutsuyoshi	12	-	3	-	0

Aki basho

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 September – 22 September^[1]

2019 Aki basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
4	-	4	-	7	ø		Kakuryū	Y	ø		Hakuhō	0	-	2	-	13
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Takayasu	O			Gōeidō	10	-	5	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Tochinoshin	O	ø			0	-	0	-	0
12	-	3	-	0			Mitakeumi*	S			Takakeishō	12	-	3	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Abi	K			Endō	8	-	7	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Hokutōfuji	M1			Aoiyama	5	-	10	-	0
1	-	4	-	10	ø		Ichinojō	M2			Asanoyama	10	-	5	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Daieishō	M3			Tomokaze	7	-	8	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Tamawashi	M4			Shōdai	3	-	12	-	0
2	-	13	-	0			Chiyotairyū	M5			Ryūden	7	-	8	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Shimanoumi	M6			Myōgiryū	8	-	5	-	2
6	-	9	-	0			Kotoshōgiku	M7			Kotoekō	7	-	8	-	0
11	-	4	-	0			Okinoumi	M8			Takarafuji	9	-	6	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Terutsuyoshi	M9			Kotoyūki	9	-	6	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Sadanoumi	M10			Meisei	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Ōnoshō	M11			Enho	9	-	6	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Shōhōzan	M12			Daishoho	5	-	10	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Kagayaki	M13			Nishikigi	6	-	9	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Tsurugisho	M14	ø		Toyonoshima	1	-	9	-	5
8	-	7	-	0			Ishiura	M15			Azumaryū	6	-	9	-	0
10	-	5	-	0			Yutakayama	M16			Tochiōzan	6	-	9	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Takagenji	M17				0	-	0	-	0

Kyushu basho

2019 Kyushu basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
0	-	1	-	14	ø		Kakuryū	Y			Hakuhō	14	-	1	-	0
0	-	2	-	13			Gōeidō	O	ø		Takayasu	3	-	5	-	7
9	-	6	-	0			Takakeishō	O				0	-	0	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Mitakeumi	S	ø		Tochinoshin	2	-	3	-	10
9	-	6	-	0			Abi	K			Endō	7	-	8	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Hokutōfuji	K			Asanoyama	11	-	4	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Daieishō	M1			Okinoumi	6	-	9	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Myōgiryū	M2			Meisei	6	-	9	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Takarafuji	M3	ø		Tomokaze	0	-	3	-	12
8	-	7	-	0			Tamawashi	M4			Kotoyūki	8	-	7	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Aoiyama	M5			Ryūden	6	-	9	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Ōnoshō	M6			Enho	8	-	7	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Tsurugisho	M7			Kotoekō	5	-	10	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Shōhōzan	M8			Sadanoumi	7	-	8	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Kotoshōgiku	M9			Yutakayama	8	-	7	-	0
6	-	9	-	0			Shimanoumi	M10			Shōdai	11	-	4	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Ishiura	M11			Chiyotairyū	9	-	6	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Ichinojō	M12			Takanoshō	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Chiyomaru	M13			Kagayaki	10	-	5	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Terutsuyoshi	M14			Nishikigi	4	-	11	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Daishōmaru	M15			Daishoho	3	-	12	-	0
4	-	1	-	10	ø		Wakatakakage	M16				0	-	0	-	0

ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rank

winning record in bold

Yusho Winner

News

January

Kisenosato

announced his retirement in January

• 7: In a series of practice bouts held in front of the
  Takakeishō.^[2]
• 16: After suffering three straight losses in the Hatsu tournament, Kisenosato announces his retirement. He had been unable to recover from a left arm injury sustained in the March 2017 tournament, which caused him to miss or withdraw from eight consecutive tournaments from May 2017 to July 2018. His record as a yokozuna was 36 wins against 35 losses, with 97 bouts missed. He is staying in sumo as a coach under the Araiso elder name.^[3]
• 18: Kakuryū pulls out with a recurrence of his ankle problem.^[4]
• 20: Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend Day 8, the 23rd and last time before the Emperor's abdication in April that they have watched sumo in an official capacity.^[5]
• 26: Hakuho withdraws with knee and ankle injuries, meaning all three yokozuna have failed to complete 15 days for the second tournament in a row.^[6]
• 27: Sekiwake
  Takekaze
  , and Sasayama, the brother of jūryō wrestler Daiseidō.
• 30: Promotions to the jūryō division for the forthcoming March tournament are announced. Returning are
  Wakatakakage) is already in jūryō. This means there will be three sets of brothers in the jūryō division in March (Hidenoumi and Tobizaru, and Takanofuji and Takagenji
  being the others).

• 24: The Haru tournament in Osaka concludes with Hakuhō defeating his rival yokozuna Kakuryū with a shitatenage underarm throw to clinch his 42nd career championship and his 15th with a perfect 15–0 score. His victory means he has won at least one tournament every year since 2006.
  Tenkaiho
  retires and becomes Hidenoyama Oyakata.
• 27:Promotions to jūryō are announced. They are newcomer Irodori [ja], and two returnees, Irodori's Shikoroyama stablemate Seirō and Haru's makushita yusho winner Churanoumi.
• 28: Hakuhō and his stablemaster
  Emperor Akihito, as it was the final tournament of the Heisei era. Hakuhō was also criticized in November 2017 when he led the crowd in cheers in the midst of the Harumafuji assault affair.^[10]
• 31: The spring regional tour begins with a tournament in the
  dohyō-iri but does not participate in any bouts due to his injury, confirmed a muscle tear in the upper right arm.^[11]

The spring regional tour visits the following locations:[12]

• 1:
  Gojo, Nara
  Prefecture
• 2:
  Nara, Nara
  Prefecture
• 3:
  Kakogawa, Hyogo
  Prefecture
• 4:
  Toyoka, Hyogo
  Prefecture
• 5:
  Uji, Kyoto
  Prefecture
• 6: Tsu, Mie Prefecture
• 7:
  Nishio, Aichi
  Prefecture
• 9:
  Shizuoka, Shizuoka
  Prefecture
• 10:
  Hachioji, Tokyo
  Prefecture
• 12: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
• 13: Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture
• 14:
  Hitachiomiya, Ibaraki
  Prefecture
• 15: Yasukuni Shrine ceremonial tournament, Tokyo Prefecture
• 17:
  Ota, Tokyo
  Prefecture
• 18: Adachi, Tokyo Prefecture
• 19:
  Gyoda, Saitama
  Prefecture
• 20:
  Kashiwa, Chiba
  Prefecture
• 21:
  Takasaki, Gunma
  Prefecture
• 22: Sano, Tochigi Prefecture
• 25: Hidaka, Saitama Prefecture
• 26:
  Ome, Tokyo
  Prefecture
• 27:
  Yokohama, Kanagawa
  Prefecture
• 28: Machida, Tokyo Prefecture
• 29:
  Showa Day of the Heisei era.^[13]
• 12:It is reported that the Sumo Association are arranging for President of the United States Donald Trump to visit on the final day of the May tournament as part of his trip to Japan, after hearing of his request to watch a bout.^[14]
• 12:
  jūryō, a record for someone who never made the top makuuchi
  division (his highest rank was jūryō 1).
• 24: Hakuhō is given an official reprimand, the lightest of the seven punishments available, in response to the sanbon-jime incident on the last day of the March tournament. His stablemaster
  Miyagino is given a salary cut of ten percent for three months.^[15]
• 30: On the last day of the Heisei era, the banzuke for the May tournament is published, with Takakeishō listed as ōzeki for the first time.
  Enhō. Some 50 kg lighter, and 15 cm shorter, than the average top division wrestler, Enhō is the first sekitori from Kanazawa Gakuin University.^[17]

• 1: Dressed in their black
  Reiwa.^[13]
• 14: Further reports on President Donald Trump's visit on the final day of the May tournament suggest he will present a custom-made trophy to the winner, the "Trump Cup."^[18]
• 26: Donald Trump is in attendance for the final five matches of the final day of the May tournament.
  Shimanoumi who share the Fighting Spirit prize with Asanoyama, and Ryūden who wins the Technique prize.^[22] The jūryō division championship is won by Takagenji with a 13–2 record. Among the retirements are former jūryō wrestlers Dewahayate [ja] and Tochihiryu [ja
  ]. Two days earlier, former ozeki Terunofuji continued his climb back up the banzuke with a 6–1 result in Sandanme, ensuring his promotion to makushita for the next tournament in July.
• 29: Promotions to jūryō for the Nagoya tournament in July are announced. There are four newcomers, the most high profile of whom is
  Takanofuji
  , who won the makushita championship with a perfect 7–0 record.

June

• 24: The July banzuke is published, with Takakeisho
  maegashira 1. The only top division debut is Takagenji at maegashira 10.^[25]

July

• 16: 40-year-old
  Aminishiki announces his retirement from sumo after a 22-year career. He had been absent since the third day of the July tournament with a knee injury and faced demotion from the jūryō division.^[26]
• 17: For the first time since the beginning of the
  Takakeishō
  was absent from the beginning and will drop to sekiwake for the September tournament.
• 21: Kakuryū defeats Hakuhō in the final match of the tournament to win his sixth top division championship, with a 14–1 record.
  Tsurugishō who is likely to be promoted to the top division for the first time as a result.^[29] Former maegashira Chiyono-ō [ja] wins the makushita championship. Former ozeki Terunofuji posted a 6–1 record in lower makushita, continuing his climb back up the banzuke. The chief tokoyama, Tokohachi of the Miyagino stable, retires due to turning 65 years of age, after 52 years in sumo.^[30]

The summer tour visits the following locations:

• 29:
  Gifu, Gifu
  Prefecture
• 29:
  Habikino, Osaka
  Prefecture
• 30: Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture
• 31: Echizen, Fukui Prefecture

August

The summer tour continues, visiting the following locations:

• 1:
  Toyama, Toyama
  Prefecture
• 2: Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture
• 3: Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture
• 4:
  Togane, Chiba
  Prefecture
• 6: Tachikawa, Tokyo Prefecture
• 7: Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture
• 8:
  Tokyo Prefecture
• 9:
  Koriyama, Fukushima
  Prefecture
• 10:
  Fukushima, Fukushima
  Prefecture
• 11:
  Sendai, Miyagi
  Prefecture
• 12: Murayama, Yamagata Prefecture
• 13:
  Aomori, Aomori
  Prefecture
• 14: Kitatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture
• 16:
  Hakodate, Hokkaido
  Prefecture
• 17:
  Sapporo, Hokkaido
  Prefecture
• 18:
  Sapporo, Hokkaido
  Prefecture
• 19:
  Kushiro, Hokkaido
  Prefecture
• 25: KITTE, Tokyo Prefecture
• 27: The banzuke for the September tournament is released, with Takakeishō dropping to sekiwake. Three wrestlers are promoted to the top division, the returning
  Ishiura and Yutakayama, and Tsurugishō who is the only newcomer. Kakuryū is the East Yokozuna, the highest position on the banzuke, and is competing in his 33rd tournament as a Yokozuna, moving him into the top ten all-time.^[31]

September

• 3: Takanofuji is suspended from the forthcoming Aki tournament by his stablemaster
  Chiganoura while the Sumo Association investigates reports that he assaulted an attendant at his stable after practice on August 31. He has already served a previous suspension for a similar incident in 2018.^[32]
• 3: Hakuhō announces that he has acquired
  Japanese citizenship, which will enable him to stay in the Sumo Association after retirement and run his own stable.^[33]
• 12: Former
  Yoshikaze
  , who has missed the last two tournaments through injury, announces his retirement. He is staying in sumo under the elder name of Nakamura Oyakata.
• 22:
  Hawai'i after six years in sumo.^[35] He sustained an ankle injury in November 2018 from which he had failed to recover properly.^[36]
• 25:Promotions to the jūryō division for November are announced. Making their debuts will be
  Akiseyama
  .
• 28:
  jonidan ranked wrestler, on the forehead for preceding him in the bath and his general attitude. However Takanofuji holds a press conference in which he says he will not retire, saying he is sorry for what he did but "this penalty is too severe and I cannot accept it."^[37] The Sumo Association has already decided to take disciplinary action at a later date, which could include expulsion.^[38]
• 29: The
  Toyonoshima. Former maegashira Satoyama
  has his danpatsu-shiki on the same date.