Kosho A status given to an injured rikishi that guarantees his place on the banzuke for the tournament he will miss due to the injury.  The injury must be sustained during a hon-basho bout.

Kyokai Or Sumo Kyokai. The governing body of professional sumo in Japan.

Kyujo Sitting out a tournament due to injury.

Kyushu Refers to the last major tournament of the year held in Fukuoka in November. Fukuoka is located on Kyushu, the southernmost island of the four major islands which make up Japan. 

Makuuchi The division containing the top five ranks in Sumo: yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi and maegashira.

Mawashi The silk belt that rikishi wear.

Maegashira The rank below komusubi and above juryo; the lowest of the makuuchi division.

Make-koshi A majority of losses.

Makikae Changing the grip on your opponent's belt, usually from outside to inside.

Makushita The rank below juryo.

Matta A false start at the beginning of a bout.

Mizu-iri A break in the middle of an unusually long bout.

Mono-ii When judges meet to discuss the accuracy of a gyoji's decision.

Musubi-no-ichiban The final bout of the day.

Nagoya A city between Osaka and Tokyo where a major tournament is held in July.

Natsu Summer; refers to the major tournament held in May in Tokyo.

Nekodamashi Move first used by Mainoumi where a rikishi claps his hands in front of his opponent's face at the tachi-ai to throw him off guard.

Nihon-sumo-kyokai The Japan Sumo Association.

Okuridashi A winning technique that involves pushing the opponent out of the dohyo from behind.

Osaka A large city in Kansai, south of Tokyo where the Haru-basho, or Spring Tournament, is held in March.

Ozeki The second rank from the top, below yokozuna.

Rank and File Term used by Mike and Kenji to describe the Maegashira-ranked rikishi in Makuuchi.

Rijicho The chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.

Rikishi A Sumo "wrestler."

Sanbangeiko Practice technique where two rikishi fight over and over until exhausted.

Sanyaku The group of rikishi in the Ozeki, Sekiwake, and Komusubi ranks.

Sekiwake The rank below ozeki and above komusubi.

Senshuraku The final day of a tournament.

Shikiri The preliminaries and warm-up before a bout.

Shikiri-sen The white lines in the center of the dohyo from which the rikishi begin a bout.

Shiko The stamping of feet on the ground to strengthen the legs.

Shinpan A judge. Five judges sit around the dohyo to help officiate the bouts.

Shisho A stable master.

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