Editing Sumo (section)

===Sumo divisions===
{{Main|Professional sumo divisions}}
[[File:Yokohama-Sumo-Wrestler-Defeating-a-Foreigner-1961-Ipposai-Yoshifuji.png|thumb|upright|Foreigner and sumo wrestler, 1861]]

The six divisions in sumo, in descending order of prestige, are:

* {{nihongo|''[[makuuchi]]''|幕内}} or {{nihongo|''makunouchi''|幕の内}}.<ref name="NHKQA"/> Maximum 42 wrestlers; Further divided into five ranks
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jūryō|jūryō]]''|十両}}. Fixed at 28 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Makushita|makushita]]''|幕下}}. Fixed at 120 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Sandanme|sandanme]]''|三段目}}. Fixed at 180 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonidan|jonidan]]''|序二段}}. About 200 wrestlers
* {{nihongo|''[[Professional sumo divisions#Jonokuchi|jonokuchi]]''|序ノ口 or 序の口}}. Around 50 wrestlers

Wrestlers enter sumo in the lowest ''jonokuchi'' division and, ability permitting, work their way up to the top division. A broad demarcation in the sumo world can be seen between the wrestlers in the top two divisions known as {{nihongo|''[[sekitori]]''|関取}} and those in the four lower divisions, known commonly by the more generic term {{nihongo|''[[rikishi]]''|力士}}. The ranks receive different levels of compensation, privileges, and status.<ref name="banzuke">{{cite web |title=Banzuke |work=Beginner's Guide of Sumo |publisher=[[Japan Sumo Association]] |url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/banzuke.html |access-date=June 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630033048/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/banzuke.html |archive-date=June 30, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

The topmost ''makuuchi'' division receives the most attention from fans and has the most complex hierarchy. The majority of wrestlers are {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Maegashira|maegashira]]''|前頭}} and are ranked from the highest level 1 down to about 16 or 17. In each rank are two wrestlers; the higher rank is designated as "east" and the lower as "west", so the list goes #1 east, #1 west, #2 east, #2 west, etc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/faq4.html|title=Sumo FAQ - Professional rankings: The Banzuke|work=scgroup.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001032019/http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/faq4.html|archive-date=October 1, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Above the ''maegashira'' are the three champion or titleholder ranks, called the ''[[Makuuchi#Overview|san'yaku]]'', which are only numbered if the number of wrestlers in each rank exceeds two. These are, in ascending order, {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Komusubi|komusubi]]''|小結}}, {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Sekiwake|sekiwake]]''|関脇}}, and {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Ōzeki|ōzeki]]''|大関}}. At the pinnacle of the ranking system is the rank of {{nihongo|''[[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|yokozuna]]''|横綱}}.<ref name=banzuke />

''Yokozuna'', or grand champions, are generally expected to compete for and to win the top division tournament title on a regular basis, hence the promotion criteria for ''yokozuna'' are very strict. In general, an ''ōzeki'' must win the championship for two consecutive tournaments or an "equivalent performance" to be considered for promotion to ''yokozuna''.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> More than one wrestler can hold the rank of ''yokozuna'' at the same time.

In antiquity, sumo was solely a Japanese sport. Since the 1900s, however, the number of foreign-born sumo wrestlers has gradually increased.  In the beginning of this period, these few foreign wrestlers were listed as Japanese, but particularly since the 1960s, a number of high-profile [[Rikishi#Foreign-born rikishi|foreign-born wrestlers]] became well-known, and in more recent years have even come to dominate in the highest ranks.  In the 10 years since January 2009, five of the nine wrestlers promoted to ''ōzeki'' have been foreign-born,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&sum_range=1&form1_rank=S&form1_m=on&form2_rank=O&offset=150|title=SumoDB Ozeki promotion search|access-date=August 4, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403235516/http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&sum_range=1&form1_rank=S&form1_m=on&form2_rank=O&offset=150|url-status=live}}</ref> and a Japanese had not been named ''yokozuna'' from 1998 until the promotion of [[Kisenosato Yutaka]] in 2017.  This and other issues eventually led the Sumo Association to limit the number of foreigners allowed to one in each stable.