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July 02, 2026
 

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John Gunning
Terunofuji pictured at Isegahama stable on Jan. 29, 2024
SUMO
Mar 5, 2026
Violence in sumo provokes anger but little surprise
Amid a wave of reproachful articles and reports, as well as emotionally charged fan responses online, few people appear to be surprised by the revelation from Isegahama stable.
Newly promoted wrestlers Fujiseiun (left) and Fujiryoga pose with a copy of the <i>banzuke</i> rankings in Osaka on Tuesday.
SUMO
Feb 25, 2026
Physical banzuke ranking reveals sumo’s storylines
Many sumo stories don’t fully reveal themselves unless you are holding a physical copy of the rankings.
Shoketsu (center) watches a bout at Shibatayama stable practice on June 23, 2014.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Feb 18, 2026
Tales of perseverance abound in sumo’s hidden corners
Ahead of the spring tournament, meet three lower-division veterans whose careers reflect sumo’s quieter, grittier side.
Wrestlers from Onoe stable with Fujitsu Frontiers cornerback Al-Rilwan Adeyemi (front) at the Rice Bowl at Tokyo Dome on Jan. 3, 2017
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Feb 11, 2026
Why we’ll never see a yokozuna in the Super Bowl
How much do sumo and the NFL really have in common?
<i>Ōzeki</i> Aonishiki speaks to reporters at Ajigawa Stable on Wednesday.
SUMO
Feb 5, 2026
Rising star Aonishiki shows poise beyond years both in and out the sumo ring
Record-breaking success and incredible assimilation have both been made possible by the young Ukrainian’s diligence, maturity and strong willpower.
Aonishiki (center) defeats Atamifuji to clinch the championship at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sunday.
SUMO / Basho reports
Jan 26, 2026
Incredible Aonishiki continues to edge closer to perfection
After winning back-to-back Emperor’s Cups, the young Ukrainian now stands on the doorstep of promotion to sumo’s highest rank.
Former yokozuna Hakuho at a news conference to promote the 16th edition of his namesake tournament, on Tuesday in Tokyo.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 21, 2026
Hakuho unveils expanded version of his namesake tournament for children
The Hakuho Cup will feature girls and adults as the legendary yokozuna moves his event to the brand-new Toyota Arena Tokyo.
Aonishiki (left) defeats Ura on day one of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sunday.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Jan 14, 2026
Aonishiki sets the pace as New Year Basho title race takes shape
Although there is a long way to go in the current meet, if the 21-year-old takes home a second straight Emperor’s Cup he’ll be in position to earn promotion to yokozuna.
Onosato (right) wrestles during the open practice session at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Monday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 9, 2026
Questions over sumo stars could open door for dark horse champion
Injuries and form concerns cloud sumo’s biggest stars heading into the 2026 hatsu basho.
Yokozuna Onosato (center) performs at the ring-entering ceremony at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Jan 7, 2026
What’s in store for Japan’s national sport in 2026?
All that remains is Saturday’s ring purification ceremony before the battle to see who will be first to lift the Emperor’s Cup in 2026.
Impulse players Les Maruo (left), Jaboree Williams (center) and Kazuya Arimura celebrate after Panasonic repeated as X League champion on Saturday at Tokyo Dome.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Jan 4, 2026
Panasonic Impulse repeat as champions in the last Rice Bowl before X League reorganizes
Despite widespread expectations of a shootout, the 79th edition of Japanese gridiron’s showpiece event quickly became a defensive slugfest.
Onosato is presented with a ceremonial sash in the town of Ami in Ibaraki Prefecture on Friday.
SUMO
Dec 30, 2025
Who would win the ‘Sumo Awards’ for 2025?
Rikishi of the year would naturally be the showpiece award, and for 2025 there’s an obvious recipient.
Aonishiki (right) and Ajigawa stablemaster pose with a <i>banzuke</i> ranking list on Monday in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 24, 2025
Changes abound in sumo’s first banzuke of 2026
Another exciting year of sumo is upon us, with the sport’s rankings sheet offering a hint of what’s to come.
<i>Rikishi</i> train at the Otake stable in April 2017. While the sport of sumo hasn't changed, the ways in which fans engage with it has, and Otake <i>beya</i> recently joined the growing list of stables with their own YouTube channels.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 17, 2025
YouTube proves vital for sumo in era of changing accessibility
At a time when first-person access to “genuine” sumo is increasingly difficult to find, many stables are looking to fill the gap with online platforms.
Aonishiki pushes out Hoshoryu on Nov. 22 in Fukuoka. The undersized Ukrainian's rapid rise up the sumo rankings can be attributed to his elite technique.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 10, 2025
Elite technique behind Aonishiki’s rapid rise to о̄zeki
Aonishiki gives up an average of 7 centimeters and 36 kilograms to his sumo rivals, but the rising star more than makes up for that disadvantage with his technical skills.
Hikaru Samejima (left) in action during the All-Japan Sumo Championship in Tokyo on Sunday
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Dec 3, 2025
Samejima becomes just third college freshman to win All-Japan title
With the historic win, Samejima earned the right to join professional sumo in the third-tier makushita division.
Aonishiki (center) holds a sea bream after his promotion to ōzeki was made official, in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Wednesday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 26, 2025
Aonishiki’s promotion to ōzeki seals 2025 as era-changing year
With two young yokozuna and now a fresh-faced ozeki at the top of the sumo rankings, the future looks bright for Japan’s national sport.
Yoshinofuji (left) beats Onosato by <i>oshidashi</i> at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 19, 2025
Onosato stumbles in quest for first perfect championship
It was a stunning upset given the manner in which the yokozuna had steamrolled the competition over the first nine days of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Onosato (right) beats Wakatakakage via <i>oshidashi</i> at the Fukuoka International Congress Center on Tuesday.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Nov 12, 2025
Onosato dominates in early days of Kyushu tournament
Ex-ōzeki Takayasu, rising talent Hakuoho and former Emperor’s Cup winner Wakatakakage were successively brushed aside with ease.
Yokozuna duo Onosato (right) and Hoshoryu clash for the title on the final day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sept. 28 at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
SUMO
Nov 7, 2025
Yokozuna duo Onosato and Hoshoryu poised for another clash of titans
Should fans be treated to another Emperor’s Cup-deciding yokozuna showdown on Nov. 23, it’s a toss-up for who would come out on top.
Japan triples departure tax in push to combat overtourism
Tourists in Yanaka Ginza, Tokyo, on Wednesday. Japan tripled its International Tourist Tax (departure tax) to ¥3,000 from ¥1,000 on Wednesday for all travelers leaving Japan, regardless of nationality.
More facilities in Japan placing sanitary bins in men’s restrooms
A sanitary bin with an awareness sticker placed in a men&#039;s restroom in the Nagasaki Municipal Government building
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
‘My dream is broken’: Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
A man orders from a kebab shop in the Okubo district in Tokyo.
Six of the best: rikishi of note in each sumo division
Kazuma (right) faces off against future <i>yokozuna</i> Onosato during the All Japan Amateur Sumo Championships at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in December 2020.
Some startups see opportunity in an aging Japan
Yasmin Baba, CTO of Amilis, wins the Grand Prize at the Pitch2Tokyo Grand Final on Feb. 19.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

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The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
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