Onosato leads a small field of sumo wrestlers with Ozeki potential, One of the most interesting facets of professional sumo is the banzuke – a ranking of all wrestlers in the sport’s six divisions, displayed in a unique calligraphy style on one large sheet of paper.
Updated after each tournament, the banzuke is a snapshot of the state of sumo at a given point in time, with the names of top division wrestlers written large and barely legible in the lowest levels.
With around 600 names all grouped so close together, it’s easy to see how far away a particular name is rikishi is to the top of the pyramid. Place several consecutive banzukes side by side and the progress of the best wrestlers is quickly identified.
