Gyōji

A gyōji (行司, lit. 'administering things') 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 gyōji are one of the most visible professions at tournaments (honbasho), being the third person in the dohyō (wrestling ring) and sometimes defined as "an essential part of the sumo spectacle."

Inherited from a tradition of refereeing dating back to the Heian period, gyōji didn't take on their current role until the Tenshō era in the late 16th century. Since the end of the 18th century, gyōji have been entrusted with religious functions, which they perform during the consecration of combat areas, before tournaments or in the stables to which they belong. The gyōji's responsibilities also include drafting the banzuke, the document defining the promotion or demotion of wrestlers, and supervise match selections made by the toshiyori (elders) on each tournament day.