Gyōji

"[1] Inherited from a tradition of refereeing dating back to the Heian period, gyōji did not take on their current role until the Tenshō era in the late 16th century.

The gyōji's responsibilities also include drafting the banzuke, the document defining the promotion or demotion of wrestlers, and supervise match selections made by the toshiyori (elders) on each tournament day.

[5][6] During the same period, the term "gyōji" also appeared, but the role of the staff bearing this title, all sixth-tier courtiers, was confined to administrative organization and various tasks linked to the court ceremony alongside the sumo tournaments.

[7] In 1570 (Genki era), however, Oda Nobunaga appointed two warriors from his retinue to the role of gyōji and gave them the task of organizing the shogunate's sumo tournaments.

[2] With the incorporation of Shinto elements into sumo traditions during the Tokugawa shogunate, the role of gyōji took on even greater importance, emerging as surrogate priests.

[8] Before the national standardization of sumo organizations, the sporting landscape was divided between several associations scattered around the country, the largest developing in Edo, Kyoto and Osaka.

[8] During the mid-Edo period, the role of gyōji asserted itself and began to take on its current form, with the use of the gunbai (war fan) and the wearing of the ceremonial kimono.

[10] Within these two families, the names of the two highest-ranking members never change and the two top gyōji are always called Shikimori Inosuke (式守 伊之助), the junior tate-gyōji, and Kimura Shōnosuke (木村 庄之助), his senior.

[11] With the rise in importance and popularity of sumo during the Edo period, many hereditary lines of referees became codified, and some sought the patronage of the House of Yoshida Tsukasa.

[12] Around 1770, several lineages existed simultaneously and officiated throughout Japan under the influence of the Yoshida, such as the Iwai Sauma in Kyoto, Shakushi Ichigaku in Osaka, Hattori Shikiemon in Higo and Suminoe Shikikuro in Nagasaki.

[14] Between 1765 and 1774, one of his descendants, named Shikimori Inosuke, established himself as a prominent figure and was appointed as one of the highest referee, second only to Kimura Shōnosuke; thus de facto taking the lead in his line.

[26] New recruits do not have to meet height or weight requirements and it is even implied that a small gyōji is preferable, for aesthetic reasons, as it creates a greater contrast with the taller and bigger wrestlers.

[31] Promotions were mainly based on seniority,[26] but from 1972 onwards, greater consideration was given to the personal qualities of referees, such as their ability to judge, the tone and power of their voice and also their work ethic.

[26] There are exceptions, notably the 27th Kimura Shōnosuke [ja] who was promoted to Shikimori Inosuke at the age of 48 in 1973, making him the youngest tate-gyōji in the history of the sport.

[16] Gyōji ranked near the top of the hierarchy can use an akeni (明荷), a bamboo and washi luggage box dating back to the Edo period, to transport their personal belongings.

[53] These socks, originally designed only for walking on tatami mats and not on the hard and sandy surface of a dohyō, wear out very quickly after a day of matches.

[34] This was notably the case during an Osaka-based sumo association match during the Edo period, when a local tate-gyōji by the name of Iwai Dannosuke (岩井 団之助) had to defend himself against an aggressive elder who was unhappy that his wrestler had been declared the loser.

[59] During the same period, Takasago Uragorō launched a protest movement forcing the association to adopt measures aimed at improving their image, in particular by ending the possession of the final judgement of a match, which was changed from gyōji to shimpan.

[39] It is the gyōji's responsibility to watch over the wrestlers as they go through the initial prebout staring contests (the shikiri), during which he first stands facing the shikiri-sen, the white starting lines in the centre of the ring, then sideways with the gunbai raised and in profile.

[68] Although there are no strict rules on what to do when a match is paused, it was noted during the November 2023 tournament that a procedure inspired by then-makuuchi referee Kimura Hisanosuke, consisting of using salt to mark the positions of the wrestlers' feet, was reused because it was considered elegant and effective.

[77] When a final verdict is reached, the gyōji again points his gunbai at the victorious wrestler and announces his shikona, or ring name, in a clear voice.

[68] If the match had received corporate sponsorship and kenshō banners had been displayed before the start of the fight, the gyōji brings over the envelopes containing the money on his gunbai.

[78] The same day, a more discreet ceremony is held in the stables' training rings by junior-ranked referees belonging to the same clan, in the presence of the stablemaster and the wrestlers.

[78] The three gyōji, dressed in the same way as a kannushi, wear formal white robes (called hō), larger eboshi hat, tabi socks and straw sandals.

[85] He then recites a prayer and walks around the four corners of the ring waving a sakaki tree branch serving as an ōnusa at the attendants, in an act called kiyoharae (清秡).

[101] In the lower left-hand section of the motogaki, the senior gyōji write vertically the sentence Senshū banzai daidaikanō (千穐万歳大々叶), a prayer for the wrestlers' safety in the ring.

[102] The distribution of gyōji in these departments depends on the tate-gyōji and on a committee of three senior referees (currently ranked as makuuchi and san'yaku) who are elected every two years by their peers.

[30][102] The second department to which the gyōji belong is that of the referees who stand close to the ring during matches and announce over the microphone which kimarite (winning technique) have been used by the wrestlers.

[102] Once the matches have been decided, it is up to the gyōji to write up the sheets (called kaobure gonjō) that will be presented after the makuuchi ring entry ceremonies on tournament days.

[113] Sasaki Ichirō, a sumo journalist at Nikkan Sports, shared an informal comment on his Twitter account expressing Tamajirō VI's displeasure at not being promoted to the rank of tate-gyōji.