Sumo’s aki tournament starts this Sunday
Sumo is back this weekend, with the 15-day aki basho (autumn tournament) kicking off on Sunday (September 8) and ending on September 22. The tournament will feature daily bouts featuring all the divisions in Japan’s pro sumo ecosystem. The top division (makuuchi) bouts air last, taking place during prime time in Japan. For folks on the US east coast that means the top bouts will be happening around 3 a.m.
This tournament will be taking place in Tokyo at the historic Ryoku Kokugikan.
Preview and rankings
Word came down a few days ago that yokozuna Terunofuji would not be competing in this tournament due to persistent injuries. Ahead of the last tournament, the Nagoya basho, we weren’t sure if Terunofuji would compete. But he did. And then he won the whole thing (something he does whenever he is healthy enough to compete).
With Terunofuji out of the picture for this month, this leaves a wide open window for someone else to snatch the Emperor’s Cup. The favorites to win the tournament will now be Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, who are both ranked ozeki (directly below yokozuna). Other interesting storylines at play this tournament are former ozeki Takakeisho needing 10 wins to restore his ranking and the debuts of impressive youngsters Shirokuma and Onokatsu.
For a more in-depth preview, check out the following post “Five Reasons to Watch the 2024 Aki Basho”.
See below for the complete banzuke (rankings) for the top division.
| East | Rank | West |
| Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | |
| Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 |
| Abi 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Onosato 🇯🇵 |
| Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Takakeisho 🇯🇵 |
| Daieisho 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 |
| Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | M2 | Oho 🇯🇵 |
| Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 |
| Shodai 🇯🇵 | M4 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 |
| Ura 🇯🇵 | M5 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Meisei 🇯🇵 | M6 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 |
| Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M7 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Endo 🇯🇵 | M8 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M9 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 |
| Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M10 | Roga 🇷🇺 |
| Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 | M11 | Kagayaki 🇯🇵 |
| Bushozan 🇯🇵 | M12 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 |
| Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M13 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 |
| Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M14 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 |
| Takayasu 🇯🇵 | M15 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 |
| Shirkouma 🇯🇵 | M16 | Kitanowaka 🇯🇵 |
| Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | M17 |
Broadcast Details
Grand Sumo coverage is presented on NHK World and NHK’s JME.tv app with English commentary. NHK World is available on many US cable packages.
Each day of the tournament NHK broadcasts thirty minute programs showing all the top division bouts. However, they do this on a 24-hour delay. NHK broadcasts these programs on their official YouTube channel also.
JME.tv broadcasts two hour long programs showing all the top division bouts along with the rituals in between. JME broadcasts those programs daily at 2 p.m ET/11 a.m. PT, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
JME also broadcasts condensed highlights, in Japanese, after the third and fourth airings of the two hour broadcasts.
Sumo content on JME.tv is only available with a paid subscription, which costs $25 a month.
You can watch sumo live through the Abema TV app. Abema costs around $8 a month and is entirely in Japanese with no English translations.
Matches can also be viewed on the official Grand Sumo app, which has some English translations. The Grand Sumo app features unavoidable spoilers. The free version includes ads, which are often twice as long as the actual bouts.
Many streamers on Twitch and YouTube mirror sumo broadcasts from Abema and NHK. Some of those streams are available on demand.
More sumo coverage on Combat Press
Combat Press will provide more coverage of the 2024 Aki basho. We will have results at the mid-way point and end of the tournament!
For more sumo news and analysis subscribe to Sumo Stomp! on Substack.