Sumo 101: Yobidashi (ring announcers)

Sumo May 23, 2019

Sumo 101: Yobidashi (ring announcers)

by John Gunning

The busiest men in sumo are the yobidashi (ring announcers). Named after their most conspicuous duty, yobidashi do far more than just call rikishi up to fight. In fact, pretty much every behind-the- scenes task in Japan's national sport is taken care of by sumo's unsung ...

Unsung yobidashi keep sumo running smoothly

Sumo | INSIDE SUMO Aug 29, 2018

Unsung yobidashi keep sumo running smoothly

by John Gunning

Who spends the most time in a sumo ring? Wrestlers? Nope. Referees? Uh-uh. As any veteran fan can tell you, it is of course the yobidashi. Sumo's 'ring announcers' not only maintain the dohyo but also build the thing in the first place. Over the course of three days ...