Yokozuna

Yokozuna (横綱) is the highest rank in sumo. The name literally means "horizontal rope" and comes from the most visible symbol of their rank, the rope (綱, tsuna) worn around the waist. The rope is similar to the shimenawa used to mark off sacred areas in Shinto, and like the shimenawa it serves to purify and mark off its content. The rope, which may weigh up to 20 kilograms (44 lb), is not used during the matches themselves, but is worn during the yokozuna's dohyō-iri ring entrance ceremony.

As the sport's biggest stars, yokozuna are in many ways the grandmasters and the public face of sumo. As such, the way they conduct themselves is highly scrutinized, as it is seen as reflecting on the image of sumo as a whole. As of July 2021, a total of 73 sumo wrestlers have earned the rank of yokozuna.

[–] Venus@hexbear.net 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Wait, is that saying that there have only been 73 of them ever? I had no idea

[–] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Yes.

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Ninja edit

At the last minute I realized what I had written was probably all wrong. And it was. I shouldn't have been so lazy. For example - the promotion process is explained just a bit lower down on the page.

Criteria for promotion

In modern sumo, the qualifications that an ōzeki must satisfy to be promoted are that he has enough power, skill and dignity/grace (品格 hinkaku) to qualify. There are no absolute criteria, nor is there a set quota: there have been periods with no wrestlers at yokozuna rank, and there have been periods with as many as four simultaneously.

Note to self - at least scroll down a little, dummy!