List of years in sumo

The following is a list of year in sumo articles listed in chronological order from the most recent. Each gives an overview of the happenings in sumo for each year listed. The highlights below refer only to top division championships.

2020s

2024 in sumo - Terunofuji wins his ninth title. Takerufuji becomes the first wrestler in the modern era to win the title in his top division debut. 64th yokozuna Akebono dies.
Tochinoshin retires. Takakeishō and Kirishima
each win two titles.

Ichinojō, and Abi
each win their first titles.

Asanoyama

is suspended for one year for violating COVID-19 protocols.

2020 in sumo - Gōeidō and Kotoshōgiku retire. Tokushōryū wins the January basho from maegashira 17 west, the lowest rank from which anyone ever won a title. The May basho is cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

2010s

Asanoyama
wins his first title.
Tochinoshin wins his sole title, the first title won by a maegashira since 2012. Takakeishō
wins his first title.

Harumafuji

retires following assault allegations against him.

Chiyonofuji

dies.

Hakuhō wins a record-breaking 33rd title. JSA chairman Kitanoumi dies and is replaced by Hokutoumi
.

yokozuna

.

Sokokurai becomes the first expelled wrestler to be reinstated. 48th yokozuna Taihō dies. Miyabiyama
retires.

Kyokutenhō

win their only titles. Harumafuji is promoted to yokozuna.

Hakuhō

wins a record-tying 6th consecutive title.

Asashōryū retires after an alleged nightclub brawl. Several wrestlers are suspended for illegal baseball
gambling. Hakuhō establishes the postwar record with a 63-match winning streak.

2000s

Harumafuji

wins his first title, Hakuhō wins 3 titles and establishes the all-time record of 86 wins from 90 matches in one year.

Marijuana scandals

begin.

Asashōryū is first suspended yokozuna, Tokitsukaze stable hazing scandal

2006 in sumo - Asashōryū wins four of six titles, Hakuhō wins his first title.
2005 in sumo - Asashōryū is first to sweep all six titles in his "grand slam" year.
2004 in sumo - Asashōryū wins five of six titles. Kaiō wins his 5th and final title.
Musashimaru
retire, Asashōryū is promoted to yokozuna.
2002 in sumo - Takanohana misses five of six basho due to injury. Asashōryū wins his first title.
Kotomitsuki wins his only title and sweeps all special prizes
.

Musoyama, Takatōriki, and Kaiō win their first titles, Akebono wins his 11th and final title. Wakanohana
retires.

1990s

Chiyotaikai and Dejima
win their first championships

maegashira

rank

Futagoyama

wrestlers continue championship dominance

Takanonami

one for a near year sweep

1995 in sumo - Takanohana takes 4 championships to dominate; his brother Wakanohana takes 1
1994 in sumo - Musashimaru wins 1st championship, Takanohana achieves necessary criteria for promotion to yokozuna
1993 in sumo - Akebono becomes first foreign-born yokozuna, has most dominant year at 4 championships, Futagoyama brothers take one each
Mitoizumi
Kotofuji
win their only championships
Chiyonofuji
, the second win would be Chiyonofuji's last

*Takahanada would later become the 2nd

Takanohana

.

1980s

Konishiki
gets first tournament win
1988 in sumo - Asahifuji has first win, Chiyonofuji takes the last four tournaments and record for longest bout winning streak in modern sumo history - later surpassed by Hakuho
Futahaguro
is forced to retire
1986 in sumo - Stablemates Chiyonofuji and Hoshi* claim all six Yusho with five and one respectively. Futahaguro is promoted to Yokozuna. Takanosato retires.
1985 in sumo - Chiyonofuji wins 4 of the 6 tournaments, Asashio IV wins his first and only yusho, Hokuten'yū wins 2nd and last yusho. Kitanoumi retires. The new Ryōgoku Kokugikan is opened.
1984 in sumo - Wakashimazu takes home his 1st and 2nd yusho, Kitanoumi wins his 24th and final yusho, Takanosato wins 4th and final yusho as well, surprise maegashira 12 Tagaryū claims a yusho, Chiyonofuji claims 10th yusho.
1983 in sumo - Both Chiyonofuji and Takanosato win 2 yusho, with Kotokaze and Hokuten'yū winning the other two. Takanosato is promoted to Yokozuna. Wakanohana II retires.
1982 in sumo - Chiyonofuji dominates winning 4 yusho, Kitanoumi and Takanosato win the other two.
1981 in sumo - Chiyonofuji and Kitanoumi vie for dominance at three and two championships respectively, Kotokaze gets first tournament win. Chiyonofuji promoted to Yokozuna. Wajima retires.
1980 in sumo - Kitanoumi wins 3 titles, Mienoumi, Wakanohana II, and Wajima win their last titles. Mienoumi retires.

*Hoshi would later become Hokutoumi

1970s

1979 in sumo - Kitanoumi wins three tournaments, Mienoumi, Wajima, and Wakanohana II win the other three. Mienoumi is promoted to Yokozuna.
1978 in sumo - Kitanoumi dominates with 5 yusho, with Wakanohana II taking the other. Wakanohana II is promoted to Yokozuna.
1977 in sumo - Wajima and Kitanoumi again vie for dominance with 3 and 2 yusho respectively, Wakamisugi II* wins his first Championship.
1976 in sumo - Kitanoumi and Wajima vie for dominance with 3 and 2 yusho respectively, Kaiketsu wins his second and last yusho.
1975 in sumo - Kitanoumi and Takanohana I take 2 yusho, while Mienoumi and Kongo both take their first.
1974 in sumo - Wajima wins 3 yusho while Kitanoumi takes his first 2, Kaiketsu wins his first title. Kitanoumi promoted to Yokozuna. Both Kitanofuji and Kotozakura retire.
1973 in sumo - Wajima wins 3, Kotozakura wins 2, and Kitanofuji wins his last yusho. Kotozakura and Wajima are promoted to Yokozuna.
Takamiyama, Tochiazuma I
, and Wajima winning one yusho a piece. Takamiyama becomes first foreign born top division champion.

1971 in sumo - Kitanofuji and Tamanoumi II again vie for dominance with 3 and 2 yusho respectively, while an ageing Taihō wins his last title and retires. Tamanoumi dies suddenly in October after a delayed appendectomy.
1970 in sumo - Kitanofuji and Tamanoumi II vie for dominance with 3 and 2 yusho respectively, while Taihō manages just one. Kitanofuji and Tamanoumi are promoted to Yokozuna.

*Wakamisugi II would later become Wakanohana II