The following are the events in professional sumo during 2019.
Tournaments
Hatsu basho
Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 January – 27 January
Haru basho
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 10 March – 24 March
Natsu basho
Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 12 May – 26 May
Nagoya basho
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 7 July – 21 July
Aki basho
Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 September – 22 September
Kyushu basho
Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Kyushu, 10 November – 24 November
News
January
7: In a series of practice bouts held in front of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, all three yokozuna participate. Kisenosato goes 1–3 against Kakuryū and 2–0 against Gōeidō, while Hakuhō wins all five of his bouts against November 2018 tournament winner Takakeishō. 16: After suffering three straight losses in the Hatsu tournament, Kisenosato announces his retirement. He had been unable to recover from a left arm injury sustained in the March 2017 tournament, which caused him to miss or withdraw from eight consecutive tournaments from May 2017 to July 2018. His record as a yokozuna was 36 wins against 35 losses, with 97 bouts missed. He is staying in sumo as a coach under the Araiso elder name. 18: Kakuryū pulls out with a recurrence of his ankle problem. 20: Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend Day 8, the 23rd and last time before the Emperor's abdication in April that they have watched sumo in an official capacity. 26: Hakuho withdraws with knee and ankle injuries, meaning all three yokozuna have failed to complete 15 days for the second tournament in a row. 27: Sekiwake Tamawashi is the surprise tournament champion with a 13–2 record, sealing his first yusho by defeating Endō on the final day. At 34 he is the second oldest first-time yusho winner in the six tournaments per year era (post-1958), after 37 year-old Kyokutenhō in 2012. Takakeisho could have taken part in a playoff if Tamawashi had lost and he had won, but in the event he finished two wins behind on 11–4 after losing to Gōeidō. That defeat, and a 9–6 record in September 2018, means he will not be promoted to ōzeki despite winning 33 bouts in three tournaments and being the sole runner-up here. Tamawashi receives special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Fighting Spirit, while Takakeisho wins the Technique Award. Mitakeumi is awarded a share of the Outstanding Performance Prize for defeating all three yokozuna and Tamawashi despite missing some of the tournament through injury. The jūryō division championship is won by Shimanoumi. Retiring along with Kisenosato are Takanoiwa, former sekiwake Takekaze, and Sasayama, the brother of jūryō wrestler Daiseidō. 30: Promotions to the jūryō division for the forthcoming March tournament are announced. Returning are and Takanofuji (who changed his shikona from Takayoshitoshi in January). There are two newcomers – Michinoku stable's Kiribayama from Mongolia, and Arashio stable's Wakamotoharu. The latter has two brothers in sumo, one of whom (Wakatakakage) is already in jūryō. This means there will be three sets of brothers in the jūryō division in March (Hidenoumi and Tobizaru, and Takanofuji and Takagenji being the others).
February
9: The 52nd NHK charity ozumo tournament is held at the Kokugikan. 10: The 43rd Fuji TV one day tournament is held at the Kokugikan. Takayasu defeats Yoshikaze in the final. (Hakuho is knocked out in the second round.)