# List of yokozuna

Yokozuna is the highest rank of sumo wrestling. It was not recorded on the banzuke until 1890 and was not officially recognised as sumo's highest rank until 1909. Until then, yokozuna was merely a licence given to certain ōzeki to perform the dohyō-iri ceremony. It was not always the strongest ōzeki but those with the most influential patrons who were chosen.
The first list of yokozuna (with 17 names in total) was compiled by the 12th yokozuna Jinmaku Kyūgorō in 1900 but was not regarded as official until 1926 when it was published by the newly formed Japan Sumo Association and updated to 31 names. Since that time, 43 more yokozuna have been promoted. The Sumo Association have overseen all promotions since Chiyonoyama's in 1951. Two consecutive tournament championships or an "equivalent performance" at ōzeki level are the minimum requirement for promotion to yokozuna in modern sumo.
The longest serving yokozuna ever was Hakuhō, who was promoted in 2007 and retired in 2021.
The number of top division championships won by each yokozuna is also listed. Those listed for yokozuna active before the summer tournament of 1909 are historically conferred from the win–loss records of the time as no system of championships existed up to this time.

## List

| ? | Information is uncertain |
| † | Wrestler died as yokozuna |
| ¤ | Elder left their position early and quit the Sumo Association |
| No. | Name | Name | Top division championships | Stable | Home town | Promoted | Retired | Ring-entering style | Elder name |
| No. | Rōmaji | Japanese | Top division championships | Stable | Home town | Promoted | Retired | Ring-entering style | Elder name |
| 1 | Akashi Shiganosuke | 明石 志賀之助 | — | — | Utsunomiya, Tochigi ? | ? | 1649 ? † | — | None |
| 2 | Ayagawa Gorōji | 綾川 五郎次 | — | — | Tochigi ? | ? | 1765 ? † | — | None |
| 3 | Maruyama Gondazaemon | 丸山 権太左衛門 | — | Nanatsumori | Tome, Miyagi | 1749 | 1749 † | — | None |
| 4 | Tanikaze Kajinosuke | 谷風 梶之助 | 21 | Isenoumi | Sendai, Miyagi | 1789 | 1795 † | — | None |
| 5 | Onogawa Kisaburō | 小野川 喜三郎 | 7 | Onogawa | Ōtsu, Shiga | 1789 | 1797 | — | Onogawa |
| 6 | Ōnomatsu Midorinosuke | 阿武松 緑之助 | 5 | Shikoroyama | Noto, Ishikawa | 1828 | 1835 | — | Onomatsu |
| 7 | Inazuma Raigorō | 稲妻 雷五郎 | 10 | Sadogatake | Inashiki, Ibaraki | 1830 | 1839 | — | None |
| 8 | Shiranui Dakuemon | 不知火 諾右衛門 | 1 | Urakaze | Uto, Kumamoto | 1840 | 1844 | — | Minato |
| 9 | Hidenoyama Raigorō | 秀の山 雷五郎 | 6 | Hidenoyama | Kesennuma, Miyagi | 1847 | 1850 | — | Hidenoyama |
| 10 | Unryū Kyūkichi | 雲龍 久吉 | 7 | Jinmaku | Yanagawa, Fukuoka | 1861 | 1865 | Shiranui | Oitekaze |
| 11 | Shiranui Kōemon | 不知火 光右衛門 | 3 | Sakaigawa | Ōzu, Kumamoto | 1863 | 1869 | Unryū | Minato |
| 12 | Jinmaku Kyūgorō | 陣幕 久五郎 | 5 | Hidenoyama | Matsue, Shimane | 1867 | 1867 | — | None |
| 13 | Kimenzan Tanigorō | 鬼面山 谷五郎 | 7 | Takekuma | Yōrō, Gifu | 1869 | 1870 | Shiranui | None |
| 14 | Sakaigawa Namiemon | 境川 浪右衛門 | 5 | Sakaigawa | Ichikawa, Chiba | 1877 | 1881 | — | Sakaigawa |
| 15 | Umegatani Tōtarō I | 梅ケ谷 藤太郎 (初代) | 9 | Tamagaki | Asakura, Fukuoka | 1884 | 1885 | — | Ikazuchi |
| 16 | Nishinoumi Kajirō I | 西ノ海 嘉治郎 (初代) | 2 | Takasago | Satsumasendai, Kagoshima | 1890 | 1896 | — | Izutsu |
| 17 | Konishiki Yasokichi I | 小錦 八十吉 | 7 | Takasago | Yokoshibahikari, Chiba | 1896 | 1901 | — | Hatachiyama |
| 18 | Ōzutsu Man'emon | 大砲 万右衛門 | 2 | Oguruma | Shiroishi, Miyagi | 1901 | 1908 | — | Matsuchiyama |
| 19 | Hitachiyama Taniemon | 常陸山 谷右衛門 | 8 | Dewanoumi | Mito, Ibaraki | 1903 | 1914 | — | Dewanoumi |
| 20 | Umegatani Tōtarō II | 梅ヶ谷 藤太郎 (二代) | 3 | Ikazuchi | Toyama | 1903 | 1915 | Unryū | Ikazuchi |
| 21 | Wakashima Gonshirō | 若島 権四郎 | 4 | Nakamura | Ichikawa, Chiba | 1905 | 1907 | — | Wakashima ¤ |
| 22 | Tachiyama Mineemon | 太刀山 峰右衛門 | 11 | Tomozuna | Toyama | 1911 | 1918 | Shiranui | Azumazeki ¤ |
| 23 | Ōkido Moriemon | 大木戸 森右衛門 | 10 | Minato | Kobe, Hyōgo | 1912 | 1914 | — | Minato |
| 24 | Ōtori Tanigorō | 鳳 谷五郎 | 2 | Miyagino | Inzai, Chiba | 1915 | 1920 | Unryū | Miyagino |
| 25 | Nishinoumi Kajirō II | 西ノ海 嘉治郎 (二代) | 1 | Izutsu | Nishinoomote, Kagoshima | 1916 | 1918 | Unryū | Izutsu |
| 26 | Ōnishiki Uichirō | 大錦 卯一郎 | 5 | Dewanoumi | Osaka | 1917 | 1923 | Unryū | None |
| 27 | Tochigiyama Moriya | 栃木山 守也 | 9 | Dewanoumi | Tochigi | 1918 | 1925 | Unryū | Kasugano |
| 28 | Ōnishiki Daigorō | 大錦 大五郎 | 6 | Asahiyama | Yatomi, Aichi | 1918 | 1922 | Unryū | None |
| 29 | Miyagiyama Fukumatsu | 宮城山 福松 | 6 | Takadagawa | Ichinoseki, Iwate | 1922 | 1931 | Unryū | Shibatayama |
| 30 | Nishinoumi Kajirō III | 西ノ海 嘉治郎 (三代) | 1 | Izutsu | Kirishima, Kagoshima | 1923 | 1928 | Unryū | Asakayama |
| 31 | Tsunenohana Kan'ichi | 常ノ花 寛市 | 10 | Dewanoumi | Okayama | 1924 | 1930 | Unryū | Dewanoumi |
| 32 | Tamanishiki San'emon | 玉錦 三右衛門 | 9 | Nishonoseki | Kōchi | 1932 | 1938 † | Unryū | None |
| 33 | Musashiyama Takeshi | 武蔵山 武 | 1 | Dewanoumi | Yokohama, Kanagawa | 1935 | 1939 | Unryū | Dekiyama ¤ |
| 34 | Minanogawa Tōzō | 男女ノ川 登三 | 2 | Sadogatake | Tsukuba, Ibaraki | 1936 | 1942 | Unryū | Minanogawa ¤ |
| 35 | Futabayama Sadaji | 双葉山 定次 | 12 | Tatsunami | Usa, Ōita | 1937 | 1945 | Unryū | Tokitsukaze |
| 36 | Haguroyama Masaji | 羽黒山 政司 | 7 | Tatsunami | Niigata | 1941 | 1953 | Shiranui | Tatsunami |
| 37 | Akinoumi Setsuo | 安藝ノ海 節男 | 1 | Dewanoumi | Hiroshima | 1942 | 1946 | Unryū | Fujishima ¤ |
| 38 | Terukuni Manzō | 照國 万蔵 | 2 | Isegahama | Yuzawa, Akita | 1942 | 1953 | Unryū | Isegahama |
| 39 | Maedayama Eigorō | 前田山 英五郎 | 1 | Takasago | Yawatahama, Ehime | 1947 | 1949 | Unryū | Takasago |
| 40 | Azumafuji Kin'ichi | 東富士 欽壱 | 6 | Takasago | Taitō, Tokyo | 1948 | 1954 | Unryū | Nishikido ¤ |
| 41 | Chiyonoyama Masanobu | 千代の山 雅信 | 6 | Dewanoumi | Fukushima, Hokkaido | 1951 | 1959 | Unryū | Kokonoe |
| 42 | Kagamisato Kiyoji | 鏡里 喜代治 | 4 | Tokitsukaze | Sannohe, Aomori | 1953 | 1958 | Unryū | Tatsutagawa |
| 43 | Yoshibayama Junnosuke | 吉葉山 潤之輔 | 1 | Takashima | Ishikari, Hokkaido | 1954 | 1958 | Shiranui | Miyagino |
| 44 | Tochinishiki Kiyotaka | 栃錦 清隆 | 10 | Kasugano | Edogawa, Tokyo | 1954 | 1960 | Unryū | Kasugano |
| 45 | Wakanohana Kanji I | 若乃花 幹士 (初代) | 10 | Hanakago | Hirosaki, Aomori | 1958 | 1962 | Unryū | Futagoyama |
| 46 | Asashio Tarō III | 朝潮 太郎 | 5 | Takasago | Tokunoshima, Kagoshima | 1959 | 1962 | Unryū | Takasago |
| 47 | Kashiwado Tsuyoshi | 柏戸 剛 | 5 | Isenoumi | Tsuruoka, Yamagata | 1961 | 1969 | Unryū | Kagamiyama |
| 48 | Taihō Kōki | 大鵬 幸喜 | 32 | Nishonoseki | Teshikaga, Hokkaido | 1961 | 1971 | Unryū | Taihō |
| 49 | Tochinoumi Teruyoshi | 栃ノ海 晃嘉 | 3 | Kasugano | Inakadate, Aomori | 1964 | 1966 | Unryū | Kasugano |
| 50 | Sadanoyama Shinmatsu | 佐田の山 晋松 | 6 | Dewanoumi | Shin-Kamigotō, Nagasaki | 1965 | 1968 | Unryū | Nakadachi |
| 51 | Tamanoumi Masahiro | 玉の海 正洋 | 6 | Kataonami | Gamagōri, Aichi | 1970 | 1971 † | Shiranui | None |
| 52 | Kitanofuji Katsuaki | 北の富士 勝昭 | 10 | Kokonoe | Asahikawa, Hokkaido | 1970 | 1974 | Unryū | Jinmaku |
| 53 | Kotozakura Masakatsu | 琴櫻 傑将 | 5 | Sadogatake | Kurayoshi, Tottori | 1973 | 1974 | Shiranui | Sadogatake |
| 54 | Wajima Hiroshi | 輪島 大士 | 14 | Hanakago | Nanao, Ishikawa | 1973 | 1981 | Unryū | Hanakago ¤ |
| 55 | Kitanoumi Toshimitsu | 北の湖 敏満 | 24 | Mihogaseki | Sōbetsu, Hokkaido | 1974 | 1985 | Unryū | Kitanoumi |
| 56 | Wakanohana Kanji II | 若乃花 幹士 (二代) | 4 | Futagoyama | Ōwani, Aomori | 1978 | 1983 | Unryū | Magaki |
| 57 | Mienoumi Tsuyoshi | 三重ノ海 剛司 | 3 | Dewanoumi | Matsusaka, Mie | 1979 | 1980 | Unryū | Musashigawa |
| 58 | Chiyonofuji Mitsugu | 千代の富士 貢 | 31 | Kokonoe | Fukushima, Hokkaido | 1981 | 1991 | Unryū | Kokonoe |
| 59 | Takanosato Toshihide | 隆の里 俊英 | 4 | Futagoyama | Aomori | 1983 | 1986 | Shiranui | Naruto |
| 60 | Futahaguro Kōji | 双羽黒 光司 | 0 | Tatsunami | Tsu, Mie | 1986 | 1988 | Shiranui | None |
| 61 | Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi | 北勝海 信芳 | 8 | Kokonoe | Hiroo, Hokkaido | 1987 | 1992 | Unryū | Hakkaku |
| 62 | Ōnokuni Yasushi | 大乃国 康 | 2 | Hanaregoma | Memuro, Hokkaido | 1987 | 1991 | Unryū | Shibatayama |
| 63 | Asahifuji Seiya | 旭富士 正也 | 4 | Ōshima | Tsugaru, Aomori | 1990 | 1992 | Shiranui | Isegahama |
| 64 | Akebono Tarō | 曙 太郎 | 11 | Azumazeki | Oahu, Hawaii, United States | 1993 | 2001 | Unryū | Akebono ¤ |
| 65 | Takanohana Kōji | 貴乃花 光司 | 22 | Futagoyama | Nakano, Tokyo | 1994 | 2003 | Unryū | Takanohana ¤ |
| 66 | Wakanohana Masaru | 若乃花 勝 | 5 | Futagoyama | Nakano, Tokyo | 1998 | 2000 | Shiranui | Fujishima ¤ |
| 67 | Musashimaru Kōyō | 武蔵丸 光洋 | 12 | Musashigawa | Oahu, Hawaii, United States | 1999 | 2003 | Unryū | Musashigawa |
| 68 | Asashōryū Akinori | 朝青龍 明徳 | 25 | Takasago | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 2003 | 2010 | Unryū | None |
| 69 | Hakuhō Shō | 白鵬 翔 | 45 | Miyagino | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 2007 | 2021 | Shiranui | Miyagino |
| 70 | Harumafuji Kōhei | 日馬富士 公平 | 9 | Isegahama | Govi-Altai, Mongolia | 2012 | 2017 | Shiranui | None |
| 71 | Kakuryū Rikisaburō | 鶴竜 力三郎 | 6 | Izutsu | Sükhbaatar, Mongolia | 2014 | 2021 | Unryū | Otowayama |
| 72 | Kisenosato Yutaka | 稀勢の里 寛 | 2 | Tagonoura | Ushiku, Ibaraki | 2017 | 2019 | Unryū | Nishonoseki |
| 73 | Terunofuji Haruo | 照ノ富士 春雄 | 10 | Isegahama | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 2021 | 2025 | Shiranui | Terunofuji |
| 74 | Hōshōryū Tomokatsu | 豊昇龍 智勝 | 2 | Tatsunami | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 2025 | active | Unryū | — |