Honbasho (Sumo Tournaments) Tokyo

If there is something that signifies Japanese culture along with its sports and the rich heritage worldwide than it has to be the art of the famous Sumo wrestling. The sports renowned worldwide for its super heavy weight wrestlers and the great passion with which it is competed. The fame of the sports not just limited to Japan only rather now a days it is not surprising to find a non- Japanese sumo wrestler in the ring combating it out to be the champion. A sumo wrestler in Japan is always poured with loads of praises and adulation. A champion in the sports of Sumo wrestling is coveted with the title of 'Yokuzuna' or the grand Champion. The champions are decided in the official tournaments held annually and six times in a calendar year. The official professional tournaments held for deciding the champions in the country are called as the Hon-basho (Sumo Tournaments). The outcome in the Hon-basho matters the most as the results decides the position or rankings of the players in the official circuit. The promotions and the demotions of the wrestlers lot depends on their performances in the Hon-basho.

In literal terms Hon-basho means 'main or real tournament'. The Hon-basho distinguishes between the elite tournament and the ones which are associated with money known as display basho; organized as a part of the sumo tours in between Hon-basho. These tournaments does not account for the positions of the wrestlers as such. These tournaments are not taken seriously by the wrestlers and are even referred to as little flower-sumo.

The first Hon-basho of the year is organized in the month of January. It is often referred to as the Hatsu (Opening) Basho. It is held on the 1st or 2nd Sunday of the month and is held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.

The race for the title or Hon-basho continues for 15 days. The wrestlers are placed in two groups. The ones in the top two divisions named makuuchi and juryo fight it out once a day while those in the lower divisions come against each other once every alternate day. The win ensures the wrestlers to achieve the kachikoshi, or a majority of wins. Subsequent wins makes sure of promotion to the next Hon-basho tournament.

The wrestler wins himself a guaranteed championship prize for moat wins. If there is a tie, the the same is broken with the help of a playoff on the final day.

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