{{Short description|Attendant in sumo}} {{Italic title}} {{Refimprove|date=July 2008}} [[Image:Asashoryu Ring Entry Jan08.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Asasekiryū (left) acts as ''tachimochi'' during his stablemate Asashōryū's ''dohyō-iri'' in January 2008.]] [[File:Retirement ceremony from Minanogawa Scan10053.JPG|thumb|right|An example of a ''yokozuna'' acting as a ''tachimochi'', at Minanogawa's retirement ceremony at the Yasukuni Shrine in 1942.]] In professional sumo, the '''''tachimochi''''' (太刀持ち; lit.: sword carrier) is one of the two attendants that accompany a ''yokozuna'' when he performs his ''dohyō-iri'', or ring entrance ceremony. The other attendant is called the ''tsuyuharai''.
During the ceremony, the ''tachimochi'' will follow the ''yokozuna'', carrying his sword in his right hand, to the ring and squat on his right hand side. The ''yokozuna'''s sword is a traditional indication of his samurai status. After the ''yokozuna'' has completed his ceremonial dance, the ''tachimochi'' will once again follow him off the ''dohyō''.
The ''tachimochi'' must be a ''makuuchi'' ranked sumo wrestler (or ''rikishi'') and is, if possible, from the same training stable (or ''heya'') as the ''yokozuna''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/03/13/sumo/attendants-play-important-role-ring-entering-ceremony/#.XIlVN-SWyUl|title=Attendants play important role in ring-entering ceremony|last=Gunning|first=John|date=13 March 2019|publisher= |work=Japan Times|accessdate=13 March 2019}}</ref> If there are no appropriate choices from within the stable then the ''tachimochi'' will normally be from another related stable (from the same stable grouping called an ''ichimon''). The ''tachimochi'' is always the higher ranked wrestler of the two attendants.
All three wrestlers will wear a matching set of ''keshō-mawashi'' belonging to the ''yokozuna'' during the ceremony, and as the ceremony is directly after the ring entry ceremony for the ''makuuchi'' division wrestlers on a tournament day this means that the ''tachimochi'' will also wear the ''yokozuna'''s ''keshō-mawashi'' for his own entrance.
A wrestler who is scheduled to fight the ''yokozuna'' on a particular day of a ''honbasho'' (or tournament) will not act as his ''tachimochi''.
In normal circumstances, the ''tachimochi'' will not be another ''yokozuna'' or an ''ōzeki''. An ''ōzeki'' can act as a ''tachimochi'' during a wrestler's very first ''dohyō-iri'', held at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. A ''yokozuna'' will only usually fulfil this role at another ''yokozuna'''s retirement ceremony, or at a special event after the other ''yokozuna'' has announced his retirement, but before the final ceremony.
==References== {{Reflist}} Category:Sumo terminology