Rikishi Salary Question...

[Ryukaze]

I am just wondering how accurate these figures are....

"As of March 2001, the monthly salary figures for sekitori (in Japanese Yen) were:[3]"

* Yokozuna: 2,820,000

* Ozeki: 2,350,000

* Sanyaku: 1,700,000

* Maegashira: 1,300,000

* Juryo: 1,030,000

Seems I have read elsewhere on these figures, if true I've never really realized just how underpaid these guys are (especially when compared to athletes here in the U.S.) How do these guys survive when their sumo careers are over??? Even a guy who for instance pounds out a successfull 10 year career in Juryo or Makuuchi can't retire permenantly from the workforce when he retires, what do these guys do? And does the Kyokai do anything to help them out?.....

Edited July 25, 2006 by Ryukaze

[Otokonoyama]

I believe they coast for a couple months to a couple years as junior oyakata, retire from the NSK, take up training in K-1 or Pride, get their asses handed to them, and become pro wrasslers...

[Asashosakari]

The 10-year veteran sekitori type of rikishi obviously has a good shot at becoming oyakata which, while paying less than their active salary, means they're pretty much set (and comfortably so) until age 65, especially if they don't open a stable of their own.

Random other stuff I can think on five-minute notice...

- part of the money earned from kensho is apparently held in some sort of savings scheme for each rikishi, to be used as a retirement fund. I think "retirement" in this context means retirement from active competition, though I'm not sure right now. And obviously, the non-deferred part of the kensho earnings can be a nice bonus, as well. The average mid-level maegashira will get maybe 10-20 kensho each basho, so that's something around 3,000,000 yen per year in non-deferred earnings. A lot more for Ozeki/Yokozuna or guys like Takamisakari, of course.

- yusho and sansho pay substantial amounts of money (Makuuchi yusho 10m yen, Juryo yusho and each sansho 2m yen), but these are obviously hard to come by for most rikishi.

- high-level rikishi receive a lot in donations and gratuities (not necessarily of a monetary nature) from heya supporters and their personal koenkai members. I think mado-san had something on the importance of this in the Tamanoi blog thread recently.

- for true veterans, the regular income can be augmented quite substantially by their basho bonuses...for instance, Kaio got a bonus of 1,662,000 yen for Nagoya basho, more than a third on top of what he gets in regular salary for July/August. And to pick a non-superstar veteran at random for comparison, Tamakasuga got 638,000 yen (about a quarter on top of his regular), so this is definitely not limited only to the top-rankers.

- and finally, as long as they're single, they really don't have a lot of expenses if they don't want to. Room and boarding is given by the heya, after all.

[Misisko]

for sekitori it sounds clear... but what about non-sekitori rikishi? Is there some way how the NSK helps them afret retirement?

[AOZORA]

Here's information about salary and other compensations of wresters in each level. Sorry it's in Japanese.

http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/treat.htm

[Ryukaze]

Here's information about salary and other compensations of wresters in each level. Sorry it's in Japanese.

http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/treat.htm

"Sho" thanks for the info bro very informative. And Asamoe thanks for the link unfortunately without any "furi-gana" I dont think I'll be able to make to much use of it, (as truly amazing as my Japanese is alas!....lol)

Just seems like the active period during which these guys can "work" is so short though, and with everything the way it is nowadays, (most notibly perhaps in Japan one of the most expensive places to live in the world) they'd be out on the streets looking for work after a backbreaking career. Its no wonder the Kyokai is being flooded with all these mongolians etc who have alot more to gain and alot less to loose if they don't make the big time.

Hell my own dad own's his own construction business and cracks a good $300,000 - $400,000 a year salary, yet he's damn worried hes gonna have to work well into his sixties (My fallout plan is to take over the family business if college doesn't pan out the way I want it to (Sign of approval) .) Anyways.....

[AsaMoe]

And Asamoe thanks for the link unfortunately

Sorry, i am Asamoe, but we use the same avatar from the standard library. And i would never provide a link in japanese.