Komusubi
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Komusubi (小結 komusubi?) literally means "the little knot", the knot referring to the match up between two wrestlers. It is the fourth highest rank in sumo wrestling and is the lowest of the so called titleholder ranks, or sanyaku.
It is the lowest rank where achieving a kachikoshi (or majority of wins) is no longer sufficient to guarantee promotion to the next highest level, which is sekiwake. Promotion to sekiwake depends on either a space being available, which is quite common, or having a record in the previous tournament that is very convincing, typically 10-5 or better.
For many purposes this and the sekiwake rank are treated together as the junior sanyaku ranks, as opposed to Ozeki and Yokozuna where extremely stringent promotion criteria exist. For example records of number of tournaments ranked in junior sanyaku are often referred to in sumo publications.
For wrestlers reaching this rank the benefits are a salary increase and also appearing to flank the chairman of the Sumo Association during the speeches he makes on opening and closing days of the fifteen day tournaments that are held six times a year. He may also be called on to represent the wrestlers on behalf of the Sumo Association at other events, especially if the number of Ozeki and Yokozuna are low. If this is the highest rank a wrestler reaches, even if it is only for one tournament, he will always be referred to as "former komusubi (ring name)" after his retirement, which is an indicator of a fairly successful sumo career.
At any time there must be a minimum of two wrestlers ranked as komusubi. If circumstances require this can rise, typically to three or four. The minimum of two requirement means that a certain amount of luck can lead to wrestlers achieving this rank on occasion, if the performance of other wrestlers leaves no obvious candidates to fill the rank.
Before World War II, there were several instances of komusubi immediately advancing to Ozeki after a nearly winning the tournament but there have been few instances of this since then.
