gyōji
Also known as gyoji
thumb|200px|A sumo , the , in full traditional dress
~38 min read
Article
17 sectionsContents
- History
- Career and ranking
- Ring names
- System of promotion
- Traditional dress
- Responsibilities
- Refereeing a match
- Religious role
- Presiding over ring-entering ceremonies
- Writing the {{transliteration|ja|banzuke}}
- Other tasks
- Controversies
- See also
- References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|200px|A sumo , the , in full traditional dress
A is a referee employed by the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for a variety of activities which concern the organisation of the sport in general and the refereeing of matches, as well as the preservation of professional sumo culture, deeply rooted in Shinto traditions. Subject to the same strict hierarchy and traditional appearance as the other professions gravitating around professional sumo, the are one of the most visible professions at tournaments (), being the third person in the (wrestling ring) and sometimes defined as "an essential part of the sumo spectacle."