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List of sumo stables

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The following is an alphabetical list of heya or training stables in professional sumo. All belong to one of five groups, called ichimon. These groups, led by the stable by which each group is named, are in order of size: Dewanoumi ichimon, Nishonoseki ichimon, Tokitsukaze ichimon, Takasago ichimon and Isegahama ichimon. Occasionally there have been independent stables, but the Japan Sumo Association agreed at a director's meeting in July 2018 that all sumo elders must belong to one of the five ichimon.[1] The founding dates listed below are for the current incarnation of each stable; in most cases this is not the first stable to exist under a given name, however.

The number of stables peaked at 54, with the opening of Onoe stable in August 2006. In order to limit the over-proliferation of stables, the Japan Sumo Association introduced new rules the following month that greatly raised the qualifications needed by former wrestlers wishing to branch out (namely, those ranked below yokozuna or ōzeki must have spent at least 60 tournaments in the top makuuchi division or 25 in the titled san'yaku ranks). Discounting the temporary closure of Kise stable from 2010-2012, over six years no new stables established while eleven folded, bringing the number of stables to 43. The streak of closures ended with the opening of former yokozuna Musashimaru's Musashigawa stable in April 2013, hence the opening and closing of stables has stabilized. There are 44 stables, all of which are located in the Greater Tokyo Region, especially in Tokyo's Ryogoku district.

The governing body of professional sumo is the Japan Sumo Association. Six tournaments are held every year: three in Tokyo (January, May and September) and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November). Each tournament lasts 15 days during which wrestlers compete in one bout per day. All sumo wrestlers are classified in a ranking hierarchy (banzuke), which is updated after each tournament based on the wrestlers' performance. Wrestlers with more wins than losses go up while those with negative records are demoted. The top division is Makuuchi and the second division is Juryo. At the pinnacle of sumo hierarchy is yokozuna.

Pronunciation note

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Due to a Japanese speech phenomenon known as rendaku, when the word for stable, heya, comes second in a compound word, the "h" in heya changes to "b" to become beya. A sumo stable is pronounced in Japanese as "sumo-beya" and Arashio stable, as an example, is pronounced "Arashio-beya".

Active stables

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There are 46 stables as of May 2024.

Name Ichimon Year opened Notable active wrestlers Notable past wrestlers Other notable information
Ajigawa Isegahama 2022 Aonishiki [ja] head is former Aminishiki, branched off from Isegahama stable
Arashio Tokitsukaze 2002 Daiseizan [ja], Kōtokuzan, Wakatakakage, Wakamotoharu Sōkokurai head is former Sōkokurai, made headlines when it welcomed back exonerated Sōkokurai in 2013
Asahiyama Isegahama 2016 head is former Kotonishiki, branched off from Oguruma stable
Asakayama Isegahama 2014 Kaishō head is former Kaiō, branched off from Tomozuna stable
Dewanoumi Dewanoumi 1862 (c.) Mitakeumi Chiyonoyama, Mainoumi, Mienoumi, Tochigiyama head is former Oginohana, demotion of its last sekitori left the stable without any sekitori for the first time since 1898
Fujishima Dewanoumi 1981 Bushozan, Fujiseiun [ja] Shōtenrō, Dejima, Miyabiyama, Musashimaru, Musōyama, Wakanoyama head is former Musōyama, was the strongest stable in early 2000s, name was changed from its previous incarnation as Musashigawa
Futagoyama Dewanoumi 2018 Nabatame [ja], Rōga Head is former Miyabiyama, branched off from Fujishima stable
Hakkaku Takasago 1993 Hokutōfuji, Kitanowaka Hokutōriki, Kaihō, Ōiwato [ja], Okinoumi head is former Hokutoumi, branched off from Kokonoe stable
Hanaregoma Nishonoseki 1990 Ichiyamamoto, Shimazuumi Shōhōzan head is former Tamanoshima, branched off from Futagoyama stable
Hidenoyama Nishonoseki 2024 head is former Kotoshōgiku, branched off from Sadogatake stable
Ikazuchi Dewanoumi 1993 Shishi Masatsukasa, Yōtsukasa, Sagatsukasa head is former Kakizoe, who inherited the stable from former Tochitsukasa who branched off from Kasugano stable
Isegahama Isegahama 1979 Atamifuji, Nishikifuji, Midorifuji, Takarafuji, Takerufuji, Terunofuji Aminishiki, Asōfuji, Harumafuji, Homarefuji, Kasugafuji, Terutsuyoshi head is former Asahifuji, until 2018 one of the most well represented stables in the upper divisions, renamed from its original incarnation as Ajigawa stable
Isenoumi Tokitsukaze 1949 Nishikigi, Wakaikari [ja] Hattori, Ikioi, Kashiwado, Tosanoumi head is former Kitakachidoki, the Isenoumi name has one of the longest traditions in sumo
Kasugano Dewanoumi 1925 Tochimaru [ja], Tochimusashi [ja],Tochitaikai [ja] Aoiyama, Tochinishiki, Tochinoshin, Tochinoumi, Tochihikari, Tochinowaka, Tochiōzan head is former Tochinowaka, active since the Meiji era, currently one of the most successful stables
Kataonami Nishonoseki 1961 Tamashōhō, Tamawashi Tamaasuka, Tamakiyama, Tamaryū head is former Tamakasuga, branched off from Nishonoseki stable
Kise Dewanoumi 2003 Churanoumi, Daiseidō [ja], Shiden [ja], Hidenoumi, Kinbozan, Shimanoumi, Ura Akiseyama, Gagamaru, Higonojō [ja], Jōkōryū, Kiyoseumi, Kizenryu [ja], Kizakiumi [ja], Tokushinho,Tokushōryū head is former Higonoumi, was dissolved over a ticket selling scandal, then allowed to reform two years later, well represented in two top divisions
Kokonoe Takasago 1967 Chiyomaru, Chiyonoō [ja], Chiyonoumi, Chiyosakae [ja], Chiyoshōma Chiyonofuji, Chiyonokuni, Chiyoōtori, Chiyotaikai, Chiyotairyū, Chiyotenzan, Hokutoumi, Kitanofuji, Kitaseumi, Takanofuji head is former Chiyotaikai, as of March 2018 five of its 17 wrestlers were sekitori
Minato Nishonoseki 1982 Ichinojō head is former Minatofuji, who is the only top division wrestler the stable had ever produced until Ichinojō in 2014.
Miyagino[a] Isegahama 1960 Enhō, Hakuōhō, Kihō, Tenshōhō [ja] Hakuhō, Myōbudani, Mutsuarashi, Kōbō, Ryūō, Ishiura, Hokuseihō, Daikiho [ja] head is former Hakuhō, has had a convoluted series of successions
Musashigawa Dewanoumi 2013 Wakaichirō head is former Musashimaru, who is only the second foreign born wrestler to open his own stable
Naruto Nishonoseki 2017 Ōshōma, Ōshōumi [ja] head is former Kotoōshū, branched off from Sadogatake stable
Nakamura Nishonoseki 2024 Kayo [ja], Tomokaze head is former Yoshikaze, branched off from Nishonoseki stable [2]
Nishiiwa Nishonoseki 2018 head is former Wakanosato, branched off from Tagonoura stable
Nishikido Takasago 2002 Mitoryū Gokushindo [ja] head is former Mitoizumi, was home to the only Kazakh wrestler
Nishonoseki Nishonoseki 2021 Ōnosato, Shirokuma founder and head is the former Kisenosato, the 72nd yokozuna; branched off from Tagonoura stable
Oitekaze Tokitsukaze 1998 Daiamami, Daieishō, Daishoho, Daishōmaru, Endō, Hitoshi [ja], Tobizaru, Tsurugishō Hayateumi, Kokkai, Hamanishiki head is former Daishōyama who branched off from Tatsunami stable
Onoe Dewanoumi 2006 Baruto, Satoyama, Tenkaihō, Yamamotoyama head is former Hamanoshima, branched off from Mihogaseki stable, lost three sekitori wrestlers due to match fixing scandal in 2011
oŌnomatsu Nishonoseki 1994 Ōnokatsu, Ōnoshō, Yuma [ja] Daidō, Katayama, Wakakōyū, Amūru, Keitenkai [ja] head is former Daidō, forced out of Nishonoseki ichimon and joined Takanohana ichimon in 2010
o Ōshima Isegahama 1941 Kyokutaisei Kyokushūhō, Asahishō, Kaiō, Kyokutenhō, Kyokudōzan, Kyokushūzan, Sentoryū, Tachiyama, Kaisei head is former Kyokutenhō, incarnations have a long and prestigious history, absorbed a number of strong wrestlers in 2012 from a previous, now defunct Ōshima stable
Oshiogawa Nishonoseki 2022 Amakaze, Kazekenō [ja], Yago head is former Takekaze, branched from Oguruma stable upon its closure
oŌtake Nishonoseki 1971 Ōhō Ōzutsu, Rohō, Ōsunaarashi head is former Dairyū, the previous head (former Takatōriki) was forced out in a gambling scandal
Otowayama Tokitsukaze 2023 Kirishima II founder and head is the former Kakuryū, the 71st yokozuna; branched off from Michinoku stable
Sadogatake Nishonoseki 1955 Kotoeihō [ja], Kotoeko, Kotozakura, Kotoshōhō, Kotoyusho [ja] Hasegawa, Kotokaze, Kotomitsuki, Kotonishiki, Kotoshōgiku, Kotoōshū, Kotozakura, Kotoyūki head is former Kotonowaka, has produced many wrestlers in makuuchi and san'yaku over the years
Sakaigawa Dewanoumi 1998 Hiradoumi, Sadanoumi, Tsushimanada Gōeidō, Hochiyama, Iwakiyama, Myōgiryū, Sadanofuji, Toyohibiki head is former Ryōgoku, has produced many sekitori
Shibatayama Nishonoseki 1999 Daishōchi, Daiyubu [ja], Sakigake [ja], Wakanoshima [ja] head is former Ōnokuni, in 2013 absorbed its parent stable (Hanaregoma), its only home-grown sekitori quit under acrimonious circumstances
Shikihide Dewanoumi 1992 Sensho [ja] head is former Kitazakura, took almost 20 years to produce a sekitori in 2012
Shikoroyama Nishonoseki 2004 Abi, Oki [ja] Hōmashō, Seirō, Irodori [ja] head is former Homasho, stable founded by former Terao
Tagonoura Nishonoseki 1989 Takayasu Kisenosato, Rikiō, Takanowaka, Takanoyama, Wakanosato head is former Takanotsuru, founded by yokozuna Takanosato but renamed from Naruto and moved to Ryōgoku following his death
Takadagawa Nishonoseki 1974 Dairaidō [ja], Kagayaki, Ryūden, Hakuyozan [ja], Shōnannoumi Kenkō, Maenoshin, Shobushi head is former Akinoshima, stable was ousted from Takasago ichimon in 1998, finally accepted into Nishonoseki ichimon in 2013
Takasago Takasago 1878 Asabenkei, Asanoyama, Asagyokusei, Asakōryū, Asanowaka [ja], Asashiyu [ja] Asashio, Asashōryū, Azumafuji, Konishiki, Maedayama, Takamiyama head is former Asasekiryū, the second oldest and arguably one of the most successful stables throughout its history
Takekuma Dewanoumi 2022 Gōnoyama head is former Gōeidō, branched off from Sakaigawa stable
Tamanoi Dewanoumi 1990 Fujiazuma, Tōhakuryū, Yoshiazuma Azumaryū, Ryūkō head is former Tochiazuma Daisuke, passed onto him by his father, the stable's founder Tochiazuma Tomoyori
Tatsunami Dewanoumi 1916 Akua, Hōshōryū, Kiryūkō [ja], Meisei Annenyama, Futabayama, Futahaguro, Haguroyama, Hanakaze, Mōkonami head is former Asahiyutaka, one of the most prestigious stables in sumo but declined by the 1980s
Tokitsukaze Tokitsukaze 1941 Shōdai, Tokihayate Yutakayama, Kitabayama, Kurama, Ōshio,
Tokitenkū, Aogiyama, Toyonoshima		 founded by Futabayama, head is former Tosayutaka who took over when previous head (former Tokitsuumi) was expelled for failure to follow COVID-19 protocols
Tokiwayama Nishonoseki 2004 Takanoshō, Takakento Masunoyama, Takagenji, Takakeishō, Takanofuji, Takanoiwa head is former Takamisugi, branched off from Kasugano stable
Yamahibiki Dewanoumi 1985 Kitaharima, Nionoumi [ja] Hakurozan, Kitazakura, Kitataiki, Ōrora head is former Ganyū who inherited it on the death of founder Kitanoumi, who branched off from Mihogaseki

Mergers and closures (1994 to present)

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Name changes (2003 to present)

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b As of April 2024, the stable is temporarily closed and its staff transferred to Isegahama stable.

References

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  1. ^ "JSA denies putting pressure on Takanohana to clear its name". Asahi Shimbun. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  2. ^ https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202405300000523.htm [bare URL]
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