Juryo

Juryo (十両) is the second-highest division in professional sumo. It sits directly below Makuuchi, the top division, and above Makushita, the third division. Along with Makuuchi, Juryo forms the group known as the sekitori, whose wrestlers receive a salary and other benefits. The division is traditionally composed of 28 wrestlers and competes in the same 15-day tournaments (honbasho) as the other divisions, with the banzuke rankings updated after each tournament.

Promotion and relegation between divisions are determined by the outcomes of each tournament. At the end of a honbasho, the bottom two entrants in Juryo are relegated to Makushita, while the top two from Makushita are promoted to Juryo. A wrestler’s ability to stay in or move up within Juryo is typically linked to achieving a winning record (kachi-koshi) in a tournament; a losing record (make-koshi) increases the chance of relegation. Actual movement can be affected by injuries, vacancies, and the overall balance of results in that cycle.

Significance: Reaching Juryo marks the entry into sekitori status, which confers salary, housing, and other professional privileges within the Japan Sumo Association. Juryo wrestlers compete at parity with those in Makuuchi in terms of schedule and venues during each honbasho, and their performance helps determine the next year’s banzuke across the sport. The division thus serves as the critical bridge between the amateur or lower professional ranks and the premier, fully professional level of sumo competition.