The following were the events in professional sumo during 2016.
Tournaments Hatsu basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 January – 24 January 2016 Hatsu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest12-3-0HarumafujiYHakuho12-3-010-5-0KakuryūYø9-6-0KisenosatoOøTerunofuji3-3-914-1-0KotoshogikuOGōeidō4-11-07-8-0TochiozanSYoshikaze8-7-05-10-0IkioiKTochinoshin6-9-06-8-1AminishikiM1Shōhōzan5-10-08-7-0TakarafujiM2Aoiyama7-8-02-13-0IchinojōM3Kaisei5-10-07-8-0KyokushūhōM4Kotoyūki9-6-00-0-15øŌsunaarashiM5Sōkokurai8-7-04-11-0TokushōryūM6Okinoumi10-5-012-3-0ToyonoshimaM7Tamawashi5-10-08-7-0MyōgiryūM8Takayasu11-4-07-8-0SadanoumiM9Gagamaru7-8-05-7-3ChiyootoriM10Mitakeumi5-8-21-6-8øEndōM11Amūru7-8-08-7-0ChiyotairyūM12Shodai10-5-010-5-0TakekazeM13Takanoiwa9-6-02-4-9øJōkōryūM14Toyohibiki8-7-04-11-0HomarefujiM15Kitataiki7-8-04-11-0KagayakiM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Haru basho Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 13 March – 27 March 2016 Haru basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest9-6-0HarumafujiYHakuho14-1-010-5-0KakuryūYø8-7-0KotoshogikuOKisenosato13-2-012-3-0GōeidōOTerunofuji8-7-04-11-0YoshikazeSToyonoshima3-12-04-11-0TochiozanKTakarafuji6-9-012-3-0KotoyūkiM1Takayasu5-10-08-7-0OkinoumiM2Tochinoshin6-9-07-8-0AoiyamaM3Aminishiki7-8-010-5-0IkioiM4Sōkokurai5-8-26-9-0KyokushūhōM5Shōhōzan4-11-010-5-0MyōgiryūM6Shodai9-6-05-10-0TakekazeM7Kaisei11-4-08-7-0TakanoiwaM8Chiyotairyū3-12-03-12-0ToyohibikiM9Sadanoumi7-8-05-10-0GagamaruM10Tamawashi9-6-011-4-0IchinojōM11Amūru7-8-08-7-0TokushōryūM12Hidenoumi7-8-08-7-0ChiyootoriM13Mitakeumi10-5-08-7-0DaishōmaruM14Daieisho10-5-06-9-0SatoyamaM15Kitataiki3-12-04-11-0AkiseyamaM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Natsu basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 May – 22 May 2016 Natsu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest15-0-0HakuhoYKakuryū11-4-010-5-0HarumafujiYø13-2-0KisenosatoOGōeidō9-6-010-5-0KotoshogikuOTerunofuji2-13-07-8-0KotoyūkiSIkioi4-11-08-7-0KaiseiKOkinoumi6-9-06-9-0MyōgiryūM1Takarafuji7-8-06-9-0ShodaiM2Ichinojō5-10-06-9-0AoiyamaM3øAminishiki1-2-127-8-0YoshikazeM4Tochinoshin10-5-08-7-0TochiozanM5Takayasu9-6-05-10-0TakanoiwaM6Tamawashi4-11-05-10-0ToyonoshimaM7Ōsunaarashi9-6-00-0-15øKyokushūhōM8Mitakeumi11-4-07-8-0SōkokuraiM9Daieisho6-9-07-8-0SadanoumiM10Tokushōryū6-9-08-7-0ChiyootoriM11Shōhōzan11-4-08-7-0TakekazeM12Amūru3-8-49-6-0DaishōmaruM13Hidenoumi5-10-07-8-0NishikigiM14Seirō5-10-06-9-0GagamaruM15Endō11-4-06-9-0ChiyotairyūM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Nagoya basho Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 10 July – 24 July 2016 Nagoya basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest10-5-0HakuhoYøKakuryū2-2-1113-2-0HarumafujiYø12-3-0KisenosatoOøKotoshogiku1-6-87-8-0GōeidōOTerunofuji8-7-07-8-0KaiseiSTochinoshin6-9-02-13-0KotoyūkiKTakayasu11-4-05-10-0MitakeumiM1Tochiozan8-7-08-7-0OkinoumiM2Takarafuji10-5-00-1-14øŌsunaarashiM3Myōgiryū7-8-05-10-0ShōhōzanM4Ikioi5-10-09-6-0ShodaiM5Yoshikaze10-5-08-7-0AoiyamaM6Endō3-12-09-6-0IchinojōM7Daishōmaru7-8-09-6-0ChiyoōtoriM8Takekaze6-9-08-5-2øChiyonokuniM9Sōkokurai6-9-012-3-0TakanoiwaM10Sadanoumi7-8-00-0-15øToyonoshimaM11Daieisho5-10-09-6-0TamawashiM12Tokushōryū6-9-07-8-0ToyohibikiM13øAminishiki0-0-157-8-0KagayakiM14Nishikigi9-6-06-9-0KitaharimaM15Sadanofuji4-11-09-6-0ArawashiM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Aki basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 September – 25 September 2016 Aki basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest12-3-0HarumafujiYøHakuho0-0-1510-5-0KakuryūYø10-5-0KisenosatoOTerunofuji4-11-015-0-0GōeidōOKotoshogiku9-6-010-5-0TakayasuSTakarafuji4-11-06-9-0KaiseiKTochiozan7-8-09-6-0OkinoumiM1Yoshikaze7-8-05-10-0TochinoshinM2Shodai7-8-05-10-0TakanoiwaM3øIchinojō0-0-155-10-0MyōgiryūM4øChiyoōtori1-10-49-6-0AoiyamaM5Mitakeumi10-5-08-7-0ChiyonokuniM6Tamawashi10-5-08-7-0ShōhōzanM7Ikioi7-8-04-11-0DaishōmaruM8Kotoyūki10-5-08-7-0NishikigiM9Takekaze8-7-07-8-0ArawashiM10Sadanoumi8-7-05-10-0SōkokuraiM11øHomarefuji0-4-115-10-0GagamaruM12Chiyoshōma8-7-05-10-0AmakazeM13Toyohibiki6-9-013-2-0EndōM14Kagayaki9-6-06-9-0TokushōryūM15Kyokushūhō8-7-05-10-0DaieishoM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Kyushu basho Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Kyushu, 13 November – 27 November 2016 Kyushu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest11-4-0HarumafujiYKakuryū14-1-011-4-0HakuhoYø9-6-0GōeidōOKisenosato12-3-05-10-0KotoshogikuOTerunofuji8-7-07-8-0TakayasuSOkinoumi5-10-06-9-0MitakeumiKTamawashi10-5-09-6-0TochiozanM1Aoiyama4-11-03-12-0KaiseiM2Yoshikaze6-9-07-8-0EndōM3Shodai11-4-06-9-0KotoyūkiM4Chiyonokuni5-10-08-7-0ShōhōzanM5Takarafuji9-6-04-11-0NishikigiM6Tochinoshin10-5-09-6-0TakekazeM7Takanoiwa6-9-03-12-0SadanoumiM8Ikioi10-5-08-7-0MyōgiryūM9Kagayaki6-9-09-6-0ChiyoshōmaM10Arawashi11-4-03-12-0KyokushūhōM11Hokutofuji9-6-07-8-0DaishōmaruM12Chiyoōtori6-9-04-11-0HidenoumiM13Ichinojō7-8-09-6-0SōkokuraiM14Chiyotairyū7-8-010-5-0IshiuraM15Toyohibiki6-9-08-7-0GagamaruM16 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
News
January 7: Yokozuna Hakuhō, Harumafuji and Kakuryū perform the hono dohyo-iri or New Year ring-entering ceremony before crowds at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. 10: Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend the first day of the New Year tournament in Tokyo, and express their sadness over the recent death of the Sumo Association chairman, Kitanoumi. 24: Kotoshōgiku defeats all three yokozuna to win his first top division championship, becoming the first Japanese born wrestler to win the top division championship since Tochiazuma in 2006. He finishes with a 14–1 record. His only defeat is to maegashira Toyonoshima. Toyonoshima is the runner-up on 12–3, shared with Hakuhō and Harumafuji. Toyonoshima is also given the Outstanding Performance award. The Fighting Spirit Award goes to Shōdai, who scores 10–5 on his top division debut. Yoshikaze achieves an 8–7 record in his sekiwake debut. Hidenoumi, two tournaments after being demoted to jūryō, gets his first sekitori championship with an 11–4 record and will be promoted back to the top division next tournament. Two promising young Japanese wrestlers, Jokoryu (2–4–9) and Endo (1–6–8), both pull out through injury and will be demoted to the second division. Ōzeki Terunofuji also withdraws and will be kadoban in March, alongside Gōeidō who scores only 4–11.
February 7: The 40th Fuji TV Grand Sumo exhibition tournament takes place at the Kokugikan. In addition to the usual knock-out tournament featuring active wrestlers (won by Hakuho who defeats Harumafuji in the final), there are three matches featuring oyakata: Takamisakari (Furiwake Oyakata) vs Hōmashō (Tatsutagawa), Kyokutenhō (Oshima) vs Tokitsuumi (Tokitsukaze), and Kotoōshū (Naruto) vs Kotonishiki (Asahiyama). 29 The banzuke for the upcoming tournament in Osaka is released. Toyonoshima returns to the sekiwake rank for the first time since 2012. There are two makuuchi debutants, amateur champion Daishōmaru and journeyman Akiseyama, while Satoyama, Daieishō and Hidenoumi return to the top division. Ōsunaarashi, Jokoryu and Endo lose makuuchi status due to absence through injury, as do Homarefuji and Kagayaki. There are no new sekitori, but Shōtenrō returns to juryo at the expense of Tokitenkū, who is having treatment for lymphoma.
March 24: Shibatayama Oyakata and one of his wrestlers are ordered by the Tokyo District Court to pay 32.4 million yen (287,500 USD) in compensation to a former wrestler who the court ruled had faced "daily abuse" since joining in 2008 and had to undergo four surgeries for a detached retina, eventually losing sight in the eye in 2013. Shibatayama says he will appeal the ruling. 26: On the final day of the Osaka tournament, Hakuho wins his 36th yusho, and first since July 2015 in Nagoya, by sidestepping Harumafuji at the initial charge. Having won fourteen straight matches after an opening day defeat to Takarafuji, he finishes on 14–1, one win ahead of ozeki Kisenosato on 13–2. Gōeidō has his best tournament as an ozeki, with a 12–3 score. Kotoshogiku, by contrast, finishes on 8–7, his yokozuna hopes dashed. The Outstanding Performance Award goes to Kotoyuki who scores 12–3 and has defeated a yokozuna and two ozeki. Ikioi scores 10–5 but fails to win on the final day and so misses out on the Fighting Spirit Prize. Osunaarashi wins the juryo division championship with a 13–2 record, ensuring his immediate return to makuuchi. The makushita champion is won by Satō with a perfect 7–0 record, guaranteeing his promotion to juryo next time. 28: The results of elections to the Sumo Association's board of directors are announced. Hakkaku Oyakata is confirmed as chairman, a position he has already been in since the death of the previous incumbent Kitanoumi in November last year. His only rival for the post, Takanohana, receives the backing of only two directors, with Hakkaku winning the support of six. 30: The various roles of the new board are announced. Oguruma Oyakata is the senior executive manager, Nishonoseki is the new head of the judging department, replacing Isegahama, Takanohana is in charge of jungyo (regional tours), Kasugano is head of PR, and Kagamiyama will head the planning department. 30: Promotions to juryo are announced. Joining Sato are Ura, a former amateur competitor from Kwansei Gakuin University, and the returning Tamaasuka, a veteran who is being promoted to juryo for the seventh time.
April The spring regional tour visits the following locations: 3: Ise Shrine (Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shine’s precincts), Mie Prefecture 4: Iga, Mie Prefecture 5: Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture 6: Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture 7: Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture 8: Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture 9: Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture 10: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture 12: Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture 13: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture 14: Machida, Tokyo 16: Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture 17: Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture 18:Yasukuni Shrine (Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shrine’s precincts), Tokyo 19: Saku, Nagano Prefecture 20: Toyama, Toyama Prefecture 25: The banzuke for the May tournament is released. Ikioi and Kotoyuki both make their debuts at sekiwake. Kaisei becomes the first wrestler from Brazil to reach komusubi. Nishikigi will make his top division debut, while Osunaarashi, Endo and Seiro all return.
May 22: Hakuho wins his 37th championship with a perfect 15–0 record, his twelfth zensho-yusho (and first since January 2015). Kisenosato is once again runner-up, with a 13–2 score. He is the first ozeki to win at least thirteen bouts in two consecutive tournaments and not get promoted to yokozuna since Hakuho in 2006. Tochinoshin wins his first Technique Prize, while the Fighting Spirit Award goes to Mitakeumi. Terunofuji, struggling with injuries, loses 13 consecutive matches from Day 3 onwards and finishes on 2–13, equal to the worst ever record for an ozeki. The juryo division championship is won by Chiyonokuni.
June 27: The rankings for the upcoming July tournament in Nagoya are released. As in May there are two wrestlers making their debuts at sekiwake, Tochinoshin and Kaisei. This is the first time since 1943/44 that there have been two consecutive tournaments featuring two sekiwake debuts. Kitaharima makes his top division debut 85 tournaments after his professional debut, the ninth-slowest in history. Chiyonokuni returns to the top division for the first time in 13 tournaments, having at one point dropped to the rank of sandanme 28 – the second lowest rank that a wrestler making a successful makuuchi return has fallen since World War II. Toyohibiki, Kagayaki, Sadanofuji and Arawashi also return to the top division. Making their juryo debuts are Daiki and Shimanoumi (formerly Hamaguchi), while Onosho, Kyokutaisei and Kotoeko return.
July