A sewanin performs miscellaneous tasks during a tournament.
Sewanin (世話人) means an assistant. A retired wrestler (usually from the makushita division) who remains a member of the Sumo Association within his own stable to assist with various tasks, administrative or otherwise, in the stable and at tournaments and regional exhibitions.
Overview[]
Most sewanins serve as an assistant for the wakaimonogashira or clerk during tournaments. As a sewanin it is customary for them to take the name of the shikona they had during their highest rank as an active wrestler. The job was established in the later held of the Meiji period. It was removed in November 1959, but reissued in July, 1994. There aren't exactly any requirement, except you must be an experienced wrestler (20 years or longer) and usually a former juryo ranked wrestler, except there have been exceptions for makushita wrestlers who meet similar requirements. The maximum number of sewanins was 8, but in 2004 it was changed to a limit of 13, and the retirement age is still 65.
List of Active Sewanin[]
- Fukuryudake Shigeo, former juryo - since November 1992
- Tochigeno Yasuyuki, former makushita - since May 1995
- Ohidake Eiryu, former juryo - since March 2004
- Mutsuhokkai Katsuaki, former juryo - since March 2004
- Aranonami Jiro, former makushita - since March 2004
- Ranbo Shosuke, former makushita - since July 2013
- Tochinoyama Hiroshi, former makushita - since July 2013
- Nishikikaze Shingo, former makushita - since May 2015
- Kairyu Genki, former makushita - since May 2024
- Okinofuji Kazuya, former makushita - since May 2024
- Yuki Shunji, former makushita - since May 2024