What was the original name of the Japan Sumo Association when it was established in 1925?

The Japan Sumo Association was established in 1925 under the original name Dai Nippon Sumo Kyokai.

The organization is the governing body for professional sumo in Japan. Its responsibilities include organizing the six annual grand tournaments, maintaining the ranking system, supervising training stables, licensing referees and elders, and managing the sport’s traditional ceremonies. The association’s modern Japanese name is Nihon Sumō Kyōkai, commonly rendered in English as Japan Sumo Association.

Dai Nippon Sumo Kyokai is therefore a historical name, not the name of a tournament or a wrestler’s stable. “Dai Nippon” is an older formal expression meaning “Great Japan,” and “kyōkai” means association or organization. Sources may romanize the historical name in slightly different ways, but the standard English rendering uses Dai Nippon Sumo Kyokai.

The association’s creation formalized the administration of professional sumo during the early twentieth century. Its current structure evolved through later legal and organizational changes, while the sport retained its connection to the Japan Sumo Association.