Soul

Sumo is a 1,500-year-old preservation of ancient Japanese culture. Originating as a Shinto ritual to entertain the gods (kami) and ensure a bountiful harvest, it evolved into a martial art for samurai before becoming a professional spectator sport in the Edo period.

Today, it remains the only sport where the referee dresses in 14th-century court robes, the roof is modeled after a shrine, and salt is thrown before every match to purify the ring from evil spirits. It is a battle of dignity, balance, and explosive power.

The Great Pyramid of Professional Sumo

Makuuchi

Top 42 wrestlers. The "Major Leagues." Broadcast daily on NHK.

Juryo

The stepping stone to the top division.

Sekitori Line

Wrestlers in the top two divisions are called Sekitori. They receive a salary, have supporters, and wear colorful silk aprons. Everyone below is an apprentice.

Why Sumo Bento?

The Hook

Caught my first live sumo at LA Sumo + Sushi in 2023. Mind = blown. Started watching every tournament on NHK World in 2024. Haven't missed one since.

The Build

Found sumo-api.com in November 2025 and thought "this would be fun to build." Focused on 2020+ to keep things current. If you dig the data, buy the API folks a coffee.

The Product

No sign-ins. No accounts. Just favorite your rikishi and they'll highlight across the banzuke and basho pages. Want to support? Skip the coffee—just drop anonymous feedback. I want to know if anyone's actually using this thing.

横綱 Yokozuna

The pinnacle of sumo

A Yokozuna is considered a living embodiment of sumo itself, part athlete, part cultural treasure, part Shinto priest. The rank was created in 1789 and only 74 men have ever held it.

The Yokozuna wears the sacred tsuna, a massive white rope weighing 25-35 pounds, handwoven from hemp and adorned with zigzag paper strips (shide) like those found at Shinto shrines. Before each tournament, he performs the dohyo-iri, a ritual ring-entering ceremony that purifies the arena and demonstrates his dignity.

Unlike every other rank, a Yokozuna cannot be demoted. But with this privilege comes an impossible standard: he must win, or come close, every tournament. A Yokozuna who struggles is expected to retire voluntarily, to preserve the honor of the rank. There is no graceful decline. Only glory or exit.

Climb to Yokozuna

Understanding the Ranking System

Every two months, a new ranking sheet called the Banzuke is released. Your rank depends entirely on your performance in the previous tournament. Most wrestlers enter as teenagers and spend years climbing through six divisions, living in communal stables.