In sumo wrestling

Sumo

is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...

, a kanreki dohyō-iri (Japanese: 還暦土俵入り) is a ring-entering ceremony (dohyō-iri) performed by a former yokozuna in celebration of his 60th birthday (called kanreki in Japanese). If he is a toshiyori

Toshiyori

A toshiyori is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association. Also known as oyakata, former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible...

 (a sumo elder), the ceremony is usually held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan

Ryogoku Kokugikan

, also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...

, the main sumo hall in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

. Otherwise, if retired, at another location. A red tsuna is worn, instead of the usual white tsuna. This is commonly known as an akatsuna (赤綱) but this term is unofficial. If the dew-sweeper or sword-bearer is a former yokozuna, he wears his own tsuna.

Kanreki performed at Kokugikan

Wrestlers are listed using their ring name, followed by their then toshiyori name in brackets.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"
|-
!Year
!Wrestler
!Dew-sweeper
!Sword-bearer
|-
|1952
| Tochigiyama

Tochigiyama Moriya

Tochigiyama Moriya was the 27th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling from 1918 till 1925. Generally he is considered one of the pioneers of modern sumo. He is the lightest yokozuna with a weight of 104 kg...

 (Kasugano)
| Akinoumi Setsuo

Akinoumi Setsuo

Akinoumi Setsuo was a sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Japan. He was the sport's 37th Yokozuna.-Career:Akinoumi made his professional debut in February 1932 and reached the top makuuchi division in January 1938. He was the man who ended Futabayama's record 69 bout winning streak in January 1939...

 (Fujishima)
| Haguroyama Masaji

Haguroyama Masaji

Haguroyama Masaji was a sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi, Niigata, Japan. He was the sport's 36th yokozuna. He was a yokozuna for a period of twelve years and three months dating from his promotion to that rank in May 1941 until his retirement in September 1953, which is an all-time record...

 (active)
|-
|1956
| Tsunenohana Kan'ichi

Tsunenohana Kan'ichi

Tsunenohana Kan'ichi was a sumo wrestler from Okayama, Japan. He was the sport's 31st Yokozuna.-Career:...

 (Dewanoumi)
| Chiyonoyama Masanobu

Chiyonoyama Masanobu

Chiyonoyama Masanobu was a sumo wrestler from Fukushima, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 41st Yokozuna. He was also the founder of Kokonoe stable.-Career:...

 (active)
| Futabayama Sadaji

Futabayama Sadaji

Futabayama Sadaji , born as Akiyoshi Sadaji in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945. He won twelve top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with...

 (Tokitsukaze)
|-
|1985
| Tochinishiki Kiyotaka

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was a sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. He was the sport's 44th Yokozuna. He won ten top division yusho or tournament championships and was a rival of fellow yokozuna Wakanohana I...

 (Kasugano)
| Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Sadanoyama Shinmatsu is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 50th Yokozuna...

 (Dewanoumi)
| Wakanohana Kanji I

Wakanohana Kanji I

was a sumo wrestler, the sport's 45th Yokozuna .Wakanohana's younger brother was the late former ozeki Takanohana Kenshi and he was the uncle of Takanohana Koji and Wakanohana Masaru...

 (Futagoyama)
|-
|1988
| Wakanohana Kanji I

Wakanohana Kanji I

was a sumo wrestler, the sport's 45th Yokozuna .Wakanohana's younger brother was the late former ozeki Takanohana Kenshi and he was the uncle of Takanohana Koji and Wakanohana Masaru...

 (Futagoyama)
| Takanosato Toshihide

Takanosato Toshihide

Takanosato Toshihide was a sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori, Japan. He was the sport's 59th Yokozuna from 1983 to 1986 and won four top division tournament championships...

 (Naruto)
| Wakanohana Kanji II

Wakanohana Kanji II

Wakanohana Kanji II is a former sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori, Japan. He was the sport's 56th Yokozuna. He is now the head coach of Magaki stable.-Early career:...

 (Magaki)
|-
|2000
| Taihō Kōki

Taiho Koki

Taihō Kōki is the 48th Yokozuna in the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. He is generally regarded as the greatest sumo wrestler of the post-war period. He became a yokozuna in 1961 at the age of 21, the youngest ever at the time, and he won a record 32 tournaments between 1960 and 1971...

 (special toshiyori)
| Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

, born June 1, 1955, as in Hokkaidō, Japan, is a former champion sumo wrestler and the 58th yokozuna of the sport. He is now the head coach of Kokonoe stable....

 (Kokonoe)
| Kitanoumi Toshimitsu

Kitanoumi Toshimitsu

Kitanoumi Toshimitsu is a former sumo wrestler and former Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. He was the dominant yokozuna in sumo during the 1970s. Toshimitsu was promoted to yokozuna at age 21, becoming the youngest ever to achieve sumo's top rank, and he remained a yokozuna for a record 63...

 (special toshiyori)
|-
Kagamisato Kiyoji

Kagamisato Kiyoji

Kagamisato Kiyoji was a sumo wrestler from Aomori Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 42nd Yokozuna.-Career:...

 (Tatsutagawa), Tochinoumi Teruyoshi

Tochinoumi Teruyoshi

Tochinoumi Teruyoshi is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori, Japan. He was the sport's 49th Yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head coach of Kasugano stable.-Career:...

 (Kasugono), Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Sadanoyama Shinmatsu is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 50th Yokozuna...

 (Sakaigawa) and Kotozakura Masakatsu

Kotozakura Masakatsu

Kotozakura Masakatsu was a former sumo wrestler from Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 53rd Yokozuna. He made his professional debut in 1959, reaching the top division in 1963...

 (Sadogatake) wore red tsuna but did not perform dohyō-iri. Asashio Tarō

Asashio Taro III

Asashio Tarō III was a sumo wrestler from Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He was the sport's 46th Yokozuna. He was also a sumo coach and head of Takasago stable.-Career:...

 (Takasago) had a red tsuna made, but died aged 58 without performing the ceremony.

Kanreki performed at other locations

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"
|-
!Year
!Wrestler
!Dew-sweeper
!Sword-bearer
!Venue
|-
|1937
| Tachiyama Mineemon

Tachiyama Mineemon

Tachiyama Mineemon was a sumo wrestler from Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 22nd Yokozuna. He was well known for his extreme strength and skill...

| Tachienoumi Namiemon (Kise)
| Tachihikari Den'emon (Naruto)
| Ueno Seiyōken
|-
|2002
| Kitanofuji Katsuaki

Kitanofuji Katsuaki

Kitanofuji Katsuaki 北の富士勝昭 is a former sumo wrestler, born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 52nd Yokozuna. He was also the head coach of Kokonoe stable.-Career:...

| Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi

Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi

Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. He is the sport's 61st Yokozuna. He is now the head coach of Hakkaku stable.-Early life:...

 (Hakkaku)
| Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

, born June 1, 1955, as in Hokkaidō, Japan, is a former champion sumo wrestler and the 58th yokozuna of the sport. He is now the head coach of Kokonoe stable....

 (Kokonoe)
| Hotel East 21
|-
|2007
| Mienoumi Tsuyoshi

Mienoumi Tsuyoshi

(born February 4, 1948 as is a former champion sumo wrestler, the 57th yokozuna of the sport. He is the founder of Musashigawa stable and a former chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. He was born in Matsusaka, Mie prefecture, Japan.- Career :...

 (Musashigawa)
| Miyabiyama Tetsushi

Miyabiyama Tetsushi

Miyabiyama Tetsushi is a sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. He has been ranked in the top division of professional sumo since 1999, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001...

 (active)
| Dejima Takeharu

Dejima Takeharu

Dejima Takeharu is a former sumo wrestler from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1996, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year...

 (active)
| Hotel Grand Pacific Meridian
|-
Minanogawa Tōzō

Minanogawa Tozo

Minanogawa Tōzō was a sumo wrestler from Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. He was the sport's 34th Yokozuna.-Career:...

, Akinoumi Setsuo

Akinoumi Setsuo

Akinoumi Setsuo was a sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Japan. He was the sport's 37th Yokozuna.-Career:Akinoumi made his professional debut in February 1932 and reached the top makuuchi division in January 1938. He was the man who ended Futabayama's record 69 bout winning streak in January 1939...

 and Wajima Hiroshi

Wajima Hiroshi

is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler from Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan. He was sumo's 54th Yokozuna. He won a total of 14 tournament championships or yusho during his career and retired in March 1981....

 also reached the age of sixty years whilst retired, but did not perform a kanreki dohyō-iri. Mienoumi performed an early kanreki dohyō-iri seven months before his 60th birthday, on the 25th anniversary of the founding of Musashigawa stable

Musashigawa stable

Fujishima stable is a heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Dewanoumi group of stables. It was set up on 29 August 1981 by Musashigawa Oyakata, the former yokozuna Mienoumi, who branched off from Dewanoumi stable...

.

External links

• Mainichi Shinbun article about Mainoumi's kanreki dohyō-iri (in Japanese, with picture)