Toshiyori

A toshiyori (年寄) is a sumo elder. To become an elder, a retiring wrestler must have fought at least one tournament in the sanyaku ranks, or else 20 tournaments in the top makuuchi division or 30 as a sekitori (makuuchi or juryo division). However, membership can only be obtained by purchasing toshiyori-kabu, or elder stock, in the Japan Sumo Association. There are only 105 shares available for purchase, and the increasing lifespan of elders has meant that they take longer to become vacant. As a result, their decreasing availability has caused their price to greatly increase, with stock now reportedly selling for up to 500 million yen. Often the only way wrestlers, even very successful ones, can afford a share is if they have a large and wealthy group of supporters and financial backers.

An exception to the purchase requirement is made for the most successful former yokozuna who may be offered a one-time membership of the Association. Three former wrestlers, Taihō, Kitanoumi and Takanohana obtained this status. A fourth, Chiyonofuji, was offered this status but preferred a normal share. These four all achieved more than twenty tournament championships in their active career.

Alternatively, any former "yokozuna" can stay in the Japan Sumo Association for up to five years under their "shikona" or ring name, while former "ozeki" can stay for three. Musashimaru and Tochiazuma are current examples as of 2008. Ex wrestlers below that rank, since the abolition of the "jun-toshiyori" system in December 2006, have no such grace period and must leave the sumo world permanently unless they have either already purchased a share or can borrow one from a "rikishi" still active in the ring. It is not uncommon for a former wrestler to go through several elder name over the years while searching for a permanent one. Former sekiwake Kotonishiki for example, is currently (as of 2008) borrowing Kaio's Asakayama elder name, having previously used the Takenawa and Wakamatsu name.

All toshiyori have a mandatory retirement age of 65. It is rare for a man with a permanent toshiyori name to leave before that time, but former yokozuna Wajima was asked to resign in 1985 after putting up his stock as collateral on a loan, and former komusubi Futatsuryu, head of Tokitsukaze stable, was expelled in 2007 because of his involvement in the death of one of his young recruits.

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo stables

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/kyokai_in/oyakata/oyakata.php Complete list of toshiyori at the Japan Sumo Association]