Kinboshi
Kinboshi (金星, lit. 'gold star') is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked (maegashira) wrestler's victory over a yokozuna in a grand sumo tournament (honbasho).
It is believed that the term stems from the usage of the terms shiroboshi (白星, lit. 'white star') to designate a bout victory, and kuroboshi (黒星, lit. 'black star') to designate a bout defeat. Thus a "gold star" designates a special victory.
The word kinboshi first came into popular use in the Taishō era (1912–1926), and the system of monetarily awarding a maegashira who defeated a yokozuna in an official tournament began in January, 1930.
A kinboshi victory increases the balance in the maegashira's mochikyūkin account by 10 yen. This balance is converted using a multiplier, presently 4,000, and added to the wrestler's bonus in every subsequent tournament in which he competes as a sekitori. With six tournaments a year, this one victory corresponds to a pay increase of 240,000 yen per annum for the remainder of the wrestler's sekitori career.
The record for most kinboshi earned is held by former sekiwake Akinoshima who won 16 bouts against six different yokozuna when ranked as a maegashira.[1]
Restrictions
[edit source]Kinboshi are not awarded to san'yaku ranked wrestlers who defeat a yokozuna, nor is it awarded if the maegashira beats a yokozuna with a default win (or fusenshō). It is also not given if the yokozuna is disqualified for using an illegal move (or hansoku).
Other uses
[edit source]Ginboshi (銀星, lit. 'silver star') is also used informally to denote a maegashira victory over an ōzeki. However, there is no monetary bonus for such a win, nor are official ginboshi records kept. The unofficial record holder for silver star victories is Aminishiki, with 47.
The term kinboshi is used outside sumo in informal language. It can mean a major victory, or (in slang) a beautiful woman.
List of kinboshi records
[edit source]Tables for both kinboshi earned (by maegashira) and those conceded (by yokozuna) are given below.
The tables are up to date as of the end of the July 2026 tournament.
List of top kinboshi earners
[edit source]
Kinboshi earned by active wrestlers[edit source]This is a running list of the number of all kinboshi earned by all currently active wrestlers. Dates for a wrestler's professional debut, as well as their first and latest gold star earned are given.[2][3]
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All time most kinboshi earned[edit source]This is a list of the most kinboshi earned by historic maegashira recorded since 1930. Dates for a wrestler's professional debut, as well as their first and latest gold star earned are given.[4][5]
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Kinboshi conceded
[edit source]
Current lowest kinboshi ratio[edit source]This is a running list of lowest kinboshi ratios for the two currently active yokozuna.
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All time lowest kinboshi ratio[edit source]This is a list of the five lowest kinboshi ratios by historic yokozuna recorded since 1930.
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See also
[edit source]References
[edit source]- ↑ Akinoshima - goo Sumo Archived 2014-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Bout Query – Kinboshi – Table". Sumo Reference.
- ↑ "Kinboshi List". Szumo.hu.
- ↑ "Bout Query – Kinboshi – Leaderboard". Sumo Reference.
- ↑ 歴代力士10傑記録 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 27, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2007.