Sumo’s Kyushu tournament starts this Sunday
Sumo is back this weekend, with the 15-day Kyushu basho kicking off on Sunday (November 10) and ending on November 24. 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 at Fukuoka Convention Center in Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu.
Preview and rankings
Grand sumo’s yearly curtain closer, the Kysuhu basho, starts up this weekend. Over 15 days all of Japan’s fit and able pro sumo wrestlers will compete in Fukuoka on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. For the makuuchi (top division), one wrestler will walk away with the Emperor’s Cup.
The only thing we know for sure is that Terunofuji, the sport’s lone yokozuna, will not win the title this time around. He just announced his intentions to sit out this tournament, just like he did in September.
The main threats to win the title in place are Onosato, Kotozakura and Hoshoryu. Onosato won the last tournament and has since been promoted to ozeki. Kotozakura and Hoshoryu are the other ozeki on the banzuke currently. Takerufuji is another name to watch, though. Terunofuji’s stablemate will be competing in the top division for the first time since his improbable debut championship victory in March.
For a more in-depth preview, check out the following post “Five Reasons to Watch the 2024 Kyushu Basho”.
See below for the complete banzuke (rankings) for the top division.
| East | Rank | West |
| Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | |
| Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 |
| Ozeki | Onosato 🇯🇵 | |
| Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Daieisho 🇯🇵 |
| Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Shodai 🇯🇵 |
| Oho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M2 | Ura 🇯🇵 |
| Abi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M4 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 |
| Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M5 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 |
| Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M6 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 |
| Endo 🇯🇵 | M7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 |
| Roga 🇷🇺 | M8 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 |
| Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M9 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 |
| Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M10 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 |
| Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M11 | Meisei 🇯🇵 |
| Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M13 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M14 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 |
| Shishi 🇺🇦 | M16 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 |
| Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M17 | Bushozan 🇯🇵 |
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.
JME.tv can be viewed on desktop, mobile devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and most other smart TV set-ups.
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 Kyushu 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.