It’s that exciting time of the even-numbered month again: The Japan Sumo Association has announced the Banzuke (rankings) for the March 2024 Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka. Here’s the full rankings for the top 2 tiers and other notes (it should be cautioned that the rankings were actually determined shortly after the January tournament so they do not take into account recent events such as Hokuseiho’s forced retirement last week, the Banzuke is not announced to the public and wrestlers until 2 weeks before the next tournament-only promotions from Makushita, the 3rd highest division, to Juryo, the second highest, are announced early as well as Ozeki promotions):
Makuuchi (top tier):
Yokozuna-Terunofuji (January Champion)
Ozeki-Kirishima, Hoshoryu, Takakeisho, Kotonowaka
Sekiwake-Daieisho, Wakamotoharu
Komusubi-Abi, Nishikigi
Maegashira 1-Ura, Asanoyama
Maegashira 2-Atamifuji, Meisei
Maegashira 3-Oho, Takanosho
Maegashira 4-Tobizaru, Hiradoumi
Maegashira 5-Midorifuji, Onosato
Maegashira 6-Tsurugisho, Gonoyama
Maegashira 7-Kinbozan, Tamawashi
Maegashira 8-Onosho, Takauasy
Maegashira 9-Hokutofuji, Kotoshoho
Maegashira 10-Shodai, Mitakeumi
Maegashira 11-Ichiyamamoto, Sadanoumi
Maegashira 12-Shonannoumi, Shimazuumi
Maegashira 13-Ryuden, Churanoumi
Maegashira 14-Nishikifuji, Kitanowaka
Maegashira 15-Myogiryu, Roga
Maegashira 16-Endo, Daiamami
Maegashira 17-Takerufuji (January Juryo Champion)
Notes/topics: There are 4 Ozeki this time with Kotonowaka promoted from Sekiwake. About the name change, it was clarified that he won’t become Kotozakura-his grandfather’s name-until the May tournament. Takakeisho is in kadoban status and must win at least 8 matches to maintain his Ozeki rank-he was forced to withdraw early in January due to injury. Wakamotoharu returns to Sekiwake just one tournament after being demoted out of Sanyaku. There is virtually no chance of any Ozeki being promoted to Yokozuna after this tournament, unless perhaps Kirishima wns with at least 13 or 14 wins and finally beats Terunofuji for the first time in his career.
At the lower ranks, some big surprise moves up-Oho leaped to a career high of M3, Meisei back to M2-and some not so big surprises as Onosato leaped all the way up to M5 and Asanoyama went back up to M1 despite missing a few days due to injury. Ura fell out of Sanyaku after struggling in his Komusubi debut, but only went to M1, while Shodai took a big drop to M8. Endo barely hung on to his top tier status at M16, but he was also injured in January. Takerufuji is a surprise top tier debut at M17 after winning the Juryo Championship in January, while Nishikifuji is back after one tournament down as is Roga, the Russian who reached Makuuchi for the first time in November. Daimami is also back up as well. Notably gone, though, is Takarafuji. He’s not a Maegashira for the first time since 2012.
Finally, Hokuseiho just retied Friday ahead of what would have been a forced retirement as disciplinary sanctions. Had he stuck around, he would have fallen from M6 to Juryo.
Juryo:
Juryo 1-Tokiahyate, Takarafuji
Juryo 2-Tohakuryu, Mitoryu
Juryo 3-Hokuseiho(*), Tomokaze
Juryo 4-Kagayaki, Oshoma
Juryo 5-Bushozan, Shirokuma
Juryo 6-Hakuyozan, Chiyoshoma
Juryo 7-Hidenoumi, Daishoho
Juryo 8-Asakoryu, Shishi
Juryo 9-Shimanoumi, Tamashoho
Juryo 10-Shiden, Wakatakakage (January Makushita Champion)
Juryo 11-Oshoumi, Aoiyama
Juryo 12-Kotoeko, Tsushimanada
Juryo 13-Akua, Hakuoho
Juryo 14-Kitaharima, Chiyosakae
Notes/topics: Check out that lower half of Juryo. LOADED. It starts at J1- with Wakatakakage, the former Sekiwake working his way back from injury that saw him demoted to Makushita and now back in the second tier after 12-2 the last 2 tournaments, including his second Makushita championship last time, then at J13 is the super-rookie Hakuoho, also back up after being demoted from the top tier due to injury. It seems like it won’t be long before he’s back in the top tier, probably by July based on his rank. Kitaharima also returns to Juryo for the first time in several years as he tries to make it back up for more than a cup of sake-he reached Makuuchi once in his career, a high rank of M15. Aoiyama & Kotoeko took big falls after injury-forced withdrawals (Aoiyama was the equivalent of 0-15), and Takarafuji was demoted to Juryo for the first time in nearly 12 years. Akua was lucky to hang on to his spot and epic salt throw imitations as he fell to J13.
(*)-Hokuseiho is now retired even though he was ranked at J3, so he will be listed as such and not as a withdrawal. As noted earlier, the rankings are composed the week after the tournament, well before Hokuseiho was forced to retire last week.
No Shin-Juryo this time, but Wakatakakage, Hakuoho, Kitaharima & Tsushimanada are all Sai-Juryo, returning to the second tier after demotions.
Lower tier notes:
Demotions to Makushita include Chiyomaru (Ms1), Yuma (Ms2), Tochimusashi (Ms3) and Tenshoho (Ms1). Notably slotting in at Ms14 is January Sandanme champion Fujiseiun, putting Juryo back in reach after being demoted last September (and down to Sandanme due to missing 3 tournaments). In the Sandanme, the one to watch is January Jonidan Champion Aonishiki, the second currently active rikishi from Ukraine (but not currently in the same stable as fellow countryman Shishi), who will try to go 3-for-3 (3 titles in first 3 tournaments) from Sd18. The Sandanme remains at 90 ranks as the number of active wrestlers has continued dwindling in recent years. This is also evident in the Jonidan, which is down to only 97 ranks this time, but an influx of debuting wrestlers help the Jonokuchi start with 15 ranks and a total of 30 wrestlers.
There have been 6 announced shikona, or ring name changes, so far ahead of the tournament, but all are in the Sandanme or below.
The March Tournament runs from 3/10-3/24 at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka. All tickets for all days are now sold out.
UPDATE: Here are some of the notable Banzuke topics/talking points:
Not countong rikishi who debuted in Makushita, Takerufuji ties for the fastest promotion to Makuuchi ever, in just 9 career tournaments. It’s also the 7th time in history a wrestler reached the top tier after they debuted in Juryo the prior tournament (the last one to do it was Endp in September 2013).
Kitaharima becomes the 2nd-oldest wrestler ever to return to Juryo after being demoted to Makushita or lower at 37 years, 6 months, 29 days. He was 15 days older than Kitazakura, now third oldest. The oldest to return is Oshio in July 1987 at 39 years, 5 months. Kitaharima also ties the record for most times promoted back to Juryo after being demoted in a career, this is his 9th time getting back up.
There are no Juryo debuts for the first time since May 2021.
