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The outfit worn is loosely based on an old style Japanese workman's outfit, with leggings and split-toed tabi-like boots. Like gyoji, yobidashi typically enter the sumo world as teenagers and work up a career ladder roughly based on the ranking system for wrestlers (see sumo) until their retirement at 65.

In keeping with their workman outfits the Yobidashi are actually the Sumo Association's handymen, or odd-job men, and have a wide variety of tasks. These include on match days: sweeping the ring, providing purification salt and ensuring that no wrestler injures himself on the bucket of chikara-mizu (power water). They also can be seen displaying the advertising banners of companies who sponsor particular match ups between popular wrestlers. They also are responsible for playing drums outside the arena (traditionally to attract customers) on match days.

The yobidashi also build the clay wrestling ring for tournaments and display competitions, and rings for the training stables. There is also a tradition of the yobidashi writing songs, called jinku, based on sumo life.