Jonokuchi

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Jonokuchi (序ノ口) is the lowest division in the professional sumo ranking system of six divisions for wrestlers. All wrestlers, apart from those who have had successful amateur careers and are given special dispensation to enter Makushita directly, start in this division.

In addition to the new wrestlers the division tends to consist of other recent recruits to sumo wrestling as well as some older wrestlers who have fallen to the bottom of the ranks due to injury.

A new wrestler's initial position in the Jonokuchi division is determined by his performance in mae-zumo, a tournament held among new wrestlers at the time of the grand tournament before they are ranked for the first time.

The Jonokuchi division varies in size and typically includes between 70 and 100 rikishi, with the high mark being reached for each Natsu Basho as the number of recruits appearing in mae-zumo is generally largest during the preceding Haru Basho when the Japanese school year ends.

Jonokuchi is also used as an expression to describe when something has just began.