- Kinboshi
"Kinboshi", (Japanese _ja. 金星, lit: gold star) is a notation used in professional
sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked "maegashira " wrestler's victory over a "yokozuna".It is believed that the term stems from the usage of the terms "shiroboshi" (lit: white star) to designate a bout victory, and "kuroboshi" (black star) to designate a bout defeat. Thus, a "gold star" designates it as a special victory.
A "kinboshi" victory increases the balance in the "maegashira"'s "
mochikyukin " account by 10 yen. This balance is converted using a multiplier, presently 4,000, and added to the wrestler's bonus in every tournament the wrestler competes as a "sekitori ". With six tournaments in a year, this one victory corresponds to a pay increase of 240,000 yen per annum for the remainder of the wrestler's "sekitori" career.The "kinboshi" record is held by former "
sekiwake "Akinoshima who won 16 bouts against "yokozuna" when ranked as a "maegashira". [ [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi.php?A=7 Akinoshima - goo Sumo ] ]List of top "Kinboshi" earners
[ [http://www8.ocn.ne.jp/~porco/sumou/kiroku.html 歴代力士10傑記録 accessed
June 24 2007 ] ]Restrictions
"Kinboshi" are not awarded to "
sanyaku " ranked wrestlers who defeat a yokozuna, nor is it awarded if the "maegashira" beats a "yokozuna" with a default win (or "fusensho "). It is also not given if the "yokozuna" is disqualified for using an illegal move (or "hansoku"). While it is not uncommon for an underperforming "yokozuna" to withdraw midway through a tournament giving a default win to one or more "maegashira" wrestlers, a "hansoku" "yokozuna" loss has only happened once whenAsashoryu was disqualified for pullingKyokushuzan 's hair in the July tournament of 2003.Other uses
The term "kinboshi" is used outside sumo in informal language. It can mean a major victory, or (in slang) a beautiful woman.
"Ginboshi" (or silver star) is also used informally to denote a "maegashira" victory over an "
ozeki ." However, there is no monetary bonus for such a win, nor are official "ginboshi" records kept.ee also
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Glossary of sumo terms References
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