Winning the tournament (yusho) is sumo's ultimate prize, but Grand Sumo tournaments distribute a rich ecosystem of additional honours that celebrate different forms of excellence. Understanding these awards adds significant depth to the experience of following the sport.
The Three Special Prizes (Sansho)
At the end of each tournament, the Judging Division awards three special prizes to outstanding performers who are not necessarily the tournament champion:
Shukun-sho (殊勲賞) — Outstanding Performance Prize
Awarded to a wrestler who recorded a notable victory against a Yokozuna during the tournament. It is sumo's acknowledgment that defeating the sport's highest-ranked wrestlers is itself an achievement worthy of recognition, regardless of overall record.
Kanto-sho (敢闘賞) — Fighting Spirit Prize
Awarded for displaying exceptional spirit and determination throughout the tournament. Often goes to a lower-ranked wrestler who punches above their weight — finishing with a strong record despite fighting opponents much higher in the rankings.
Gino-sho (技能賞) — Technique Prize
The rarest of the three, awarded for demonstrating superior technical skill and variety in winning methods. A wrestler who uses multiple different kimarite (winning techniques) with artistry and precision is most likely to receive this prize.
Each sansho carries a prize of ¥2,000,000. Multiple prizes can be awarded in one tournament, and a single wrestler can win more than one if their performance warrants it. Prizes can also be withheld if no wrestler meets the committee's standard.
Kinboshi — The Gold Star
The kinboshi (金星, "gold star") is awarded each time a maegashira (lower-ranked) wrestler defeats a Yokozuna. It is not just symbolic — a kinboshi carries a permanent monthly salary bonus of ¥10,000 for life, paid for as long as the wrestler remains active in the salaried ranks. A wrestler who accumulates many kinboshi receives a meaningfully higher income throughout their career.
Some wrestlers build careers as "Yokozuna killers," earning kinboshi regularly despite never threatening the top ranks themselves. Kinboshi also represent a Yokozuna's vulnerability — multiple kinboshi losses in a tournament triggers concern about whether they are performing to Yokozuna standard.
Kensho — Sponsored Prize Envelopes
Kensho (懸賞) are cash-filled envelopes that corporate sponsors attach to specific bouts. When a popular match is announced — especially top-ranked wrestlers facing each other — sponsors pay to have their company banner carried around the ring and their name called. The winner of that bout receives the kensho envelopes.
Each envelope contains ¥62,000 (after the JSA deducts a portion for the wrestler's retirement fund). A marquee bout between Yokozuna might attract 80+ kensho envelopes — worth over ¥4.9 million to the winner in a single match. The January 2026 tournament set a record with 3,469 total kensho envelopes registered across the full 15 days.
Yusho (Championship) Prizes
The tournament winner receives:
- The Emperor's Cup (returned; a replica is kept)
- ¥10,000,000 base prize money
- The Yomiuri Trophy
- The Cabinet Minister's Cup
- A one-year supply of rice from the Tokyo Grain Exchange
- A giant trophy from the Sumo Association sponsors (often from international organizations — a trophy from the United States, from the Czech Republic's beer producers, etc.)