Sanshō (sumo)
''' are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.
Criteria
All wrestlers in the top division below the rank of are eligible. In order to be considered for a special prize, a rikishi must make a or majority of wins during the tournament. Among eligible rikishi, the prize winners are decided by a panel which includes press writers covering the tournament. There is no requirement that the prizes must be awarded, and it sometimes happens that one or more of the are not given. It is also common for an award to be awarded to more than one wrestler.The three prizes are
- , Outstanding Performance prize
- , Fighting Spirit prize
- , Technique prize
It is a de facto standard that a newly promoted wrestler who manages a 10-5 or better record in his first tournament will be awarded a, normally the Fighting Spirit prize. Similarly, a wrestler newly promoted to the ranks above who achieves a 10-5 record can expect a prize for his efforts.
There is no minimum or maximum limit to the number of that may be given. It is not uncommon for more than one wrestler to be awarded the same prize, and similarly there are occasions when one of the three titles is not awarded at all. For example, it is unlikely that the will be awarded if the tournament is won 15-0 by a lone.
Sanshō are announced before the final day's matches, sometimes with a condition that the wrestler must win their last bout to receive the prize. For example, Wakatakakage received the Technique Prize in March 2022 unconditionally but had to win his last match and take the championship with a 13-2 record to also receive the Outstanding Performance prize. He lost the match, and even though he went on to win the championship in a playoff shortly afterwards, was not given the Shukun-shō.
In July 2023, eight were awarded in total, the most ever, while at others only one has been presented. The September 2018 tournament marked the first time since the introduction of in 1947 that none of the three prizes were awarded at all.
sweeps
On a few rare occasions, one wrestler has been awarded all three prizes simultaneously for his performance. This accolade has been given on only six separate occasions to six different wrestlers.| Tournament | Wrestler | Rank | Record |
| July 1973 | Daiju Hisateru | 13-2 | |
| Sept 1973 | Ōnishiki Ittetsu | 11 | 11-4 |
| Jan 1992 | Takanohana Kōji | 2 | 14-1 |
| July 1999 | Dejima Takeharu | 13-2 | |
| Nov 2000 | Kotomitsuki Keiji | 9 | 13-2 |
| March 2024 | Takerufuji Mikiya | 17 | 13-2 |
*record in bold indicates wrestler also took championship
In September 2001, Kotomitsuki, in his championship tournament, came very close to being the only wrestler to receive all three prizes twice, but the Fighting Spirit prize went to then Asashōryū.
Active special prize winners
This is a running list of the number and type of all earned by all currently active wrestlers. Dates for a wrestler's professional debut, as well as their first and latest special prize earned are given.The table is up to date as of the end of the January 2026 tournament.
| Name | Debut | First | Latest | ||||
| 13 | Takayasu | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2005-3 | 2013-1 | 2025-3 |
| 10 | Mitakeumi | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2015-3 | 2016-5 | 2022-1 |
| 8 | Kirishima | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2015-3 | 2020-1 | 2026-1 |
| 8 | Ōnosato | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2023-5 | 2024-1 | 2024-9 |
| 7 | Daieishō | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2012-1 | 2019-11 | 2023-3 |
| 7 | Shōdai | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2014-3 | 2016-1 | 2020-9 |
| 7 | Wakatakakage | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2017-3 | 2021-3 | 2025-5 |
| 6 | Aonishiki | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2023-9 | 2025-3 | 2025-11 |
| 6 | Asanoyama | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2016-3 | 2017-9 | 2019-11 |
| 6 | Kotozakura | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2015-11 | 2021-7 | 2024-1 |
| 5 | Abi | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2013-5 | 2018-1 | 2022-11 |
| 5 | Takanoshō | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2010-3 | 2020-3 | 2025-9 |
| 5 | Tamawashi | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2004-1 | 2016-11 | 2025-7 |
| 5 | Yoshinofuji | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2024-5 | 2025-7 | 2026-1 |
| 3 | Atamifuji | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2020-11 | 2023-9 | 2026-1 |
| 3 | Hakunofuji | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2023-1 | 2023-7 | 2025-9 |
| 3 | Hōshōryū | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2018-1 | 2021-7 | 2023-7 |
| 3 | Kotoshōhō | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2017-11 | 2023-1 | 2025-7 |
| 3 | Sadanoumi | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2003-3 | 2014-5 | 2025-5 |
| 3 | Takerufuji | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2022-9 | 2024-3 | 2024-3 |
| 2 | Ichiyamamoto | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2017-1 | 2023-11 | 2025-11 |
| 2 | Kinbōzan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2021-11 | 2023-3 | 2025-1 |
| 2 | Meisei | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2011-5 | 2021-3 | 2023-5 |
| 2 | Nishikigi | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2006-3 | 2023-7 | 2024-9 |
| 2 | Ryūden | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2006-3 | 2018-1 | 2019-5 |
| 2 | Shimanoumi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2012-7 | 2019-5 | 2020-11 |
| 2 | Tobizaru | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2015-1 | 2020-9 | 2022-9 |
| 2 | Wakamotoharu | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2011-11 | 2023-5 | 2024-1 |
| 1 | Churanoumi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2016-3 | 2025-3 | 2025-3 |
| 1 | Enhō | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2017-3 | 2019-7 | 2019-7 |
| 1 | Fujinokawa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2023-1 | 2025-7 | 2025-7 |
| 1 | Gōnoyama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2021-3 | 2023-7 | 2023-7 |
| 1 | Hiradoumi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2016-3 | 2024-7 | 2024-7 |
| 1 | Midorifuji | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2016-9 | 2021-1 | 2021-1 |
| 1 | Nishikifuji | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2016-9 | 2022-7 | 2022-7 |
| 1 | Ōhō | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2018-1 | 2025-1 | 2025-1 |
| 1 | Ōshōma | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2021-11 | 2024-5 | 2024-5 |
| 1 | Shōnannoumi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2014-3 | 2023-7 | 2023-7 |
| 1 | Tomokaze | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2017-5 | 2019-7 | 2019-7 |
| 1 | Tsurugishō | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2014-1 | 2019-9 | 2019-9 |
| 1 | Ura | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2015-5 | 2021-11 | 2021-11 |