Gunbai

The gunbai (軍配, short for 軍配団扇 gunbai-uchiwa) is a type of signal baton and Japanese war fan.

Once held by military leaders (such as daimyō) and priests in the past, it is used in the modern day by umpires in sumo wrestling.

The main use is at the end of a bout, when the gyoji decides the victor and points the gunbai to either the east or west position (each wrestler is assigned to start from either the east or west position each tournament day).

If this is called into question and the judges hold a consultation, a decision to uphold the gyōji's judgement is announced as gunbai-dōri (軍配通り), literally "according to the gunbai", while a decision to overturn it is gunbai-sashichigae (軍配差し違え), literally "gunbai mispointed".

Additionally, there are different styles to how a gyōji will hold his gunbai depending on which family he is in.