The Peek Behind the Curtain (幕の内): The Conclusion

hochiyama Japanese Culture, Kyokutaisei, Sumo Tourism, Travel ,

This is the second part of Justin’s article about his experience at Kyokutaisei’s sumo training venue. For the earlier post, click here.

Suriashi and Psychological Warfare:

Next came suriashi or “sliding feet”.  The goal is to combine that low posture from the squats with forward movement, keeping feet close to the ground. You should almost slide forward on the rough sand rather than step. The goal is to improve balance, strength, stability, and (or course) proper footwork. Each of us had to take our turns moving from the tachi-ai stance across the dohyo where we met up with Kyokutaisei standing at the other side.

This is where he introduced a bit of mischief. He was directing us which way to go along the perimeter of the circle. However, he was pointing in one direction while turning his body and head in the other, almost daring us to follow the wrong signal.

Already suffering from some leg exhaustion, it was not easy to maintain concentration and some slight missteps ensued – producing some laughter in the heavy air of the sumo ring. Still, it brought home an important lesson: sumo requires attention and discipline even during the most basic movements.

Not moving very far, but legs already filing an official complaint. A few days later, we walked up to the top of Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyōtō and still did not hurt as much as a few steps across the ring.

My son vs. Physics

My son is working on his undergraduate degree in Astrophysics. He knows the theory and loves math and explaining the fundamental rules that govern nature. He arrived with the equations. Kyokutaisei came with empirical evidence.

We had reached the part of the morning training called butsukari-geiko. This is where we had to charge forward from one end of the ring right into the chest of our opponent. They would receive the impact, and we would attempt to push them back to the other end of the ring and out. Of course, they did not make it easy. Our goal was to show our “explosive power” from the tachiai, our endurance and fighting spirit, and proper technique and footwork. 

My son considered this an exercise in “a supposedly unstoppable force against an immovable object”.  Of course, our force was not really that “unstoppable”. But his description was not far from the truth. First off, there is a bit of hesitation to collide with somebody and bury your face right into their chest. Be it sweat or timidity, you must quickly overcome it. Otherwise, you will not generate any forward power or momentum. And really, there is no substitute for this experience. We got to throw ourselves up against someone who had spent years training to resist this kind of forward onslaught. These retired rikishi still had the innate ability to lower their center of gravity and become that immovable object.

Yes, this picture was used earlier as a spoiler. I just love showing my bald head. But look at those slide marks across the dohyo. We were pushing them back!

The exercise provided a tiny glimpse into what lower-ranked wrestlers experience daily: absorbing charge after charge while developing technique, toughness, and endurance. I now was feeling a lot more respect for the daily routines of my heroes in the ring. My feet were scratched, my knuckles bleeding from scraping the ground. Sweat pouring from my brow. My respect for those who have chosen this lifestyle was growing by the second.

Congratulations were given when we finally drove them out

I will take a brief timeout to mention that their staff took all these pictures and videos while we were training and enjoying the experience. Thus, we were not tethered to our cameras the entire time. Furthermore, they provided an interpreter. To be fair, I handled almost all the conversations in my rusty Japanese. However, if you did not learn Japanese from drunken old men in an izakaya 30-years ago, you can still fully enjoy the experience and get everything explained in English. Do not let any language barrier stop you from enjoying. Really, how many people around the world get to say they wore a mawashi, did morning training exercises and took sumo against real former top division rikishi?

They took each of us aside and gave us some instructions on technique. My son was given lessons in tsuki-oshi (aiming high chest and neck until you have the opponent at the edge of the ring and bending backwards, then go low towards the belly to finish them off). My wife was given hatakikomi (looking for the opponent to be low or off balance and slapping them down). To me, they gave uwatenage. I was told to keep my head in their chest, lower my center of gravity, and pivot using my hips to generate power while turning my entire body into the throw). Now, I do have some ancient jūdō background (I got a black belt from the Kōdōkan jūdō association in 1995). I was hoping to have some sort of muscle memory.

Speaking of that… Are We Actually Fighting?

Then we moved on to matches.

Let me preface all this by saying that my family and I are not fighters. While my son is captain of his university’s foil fencing team, we are not really into contact sports. I only got the black belt 30 years ago because the Master of the izakaya was 6th degree and an elite teacher. There is no way I would have passed the exam, except for a secret technique he taught me the night before the test. That is a story for another time.

For a sumo fan, there are some moments that can bring an oversized amount of joy – such as performing the rituals you only ever watched from the stands. I was there, in the ring, and completed the chiri-chōzu – without a mistake. This earned the respect of the coaches. The movements are simple enough, but surprisingly more difficult to remember when you are confronting a rikishi. Doing the chiri-chōzu made me feel, just for a moment, a part of the long history and tradition of sumo. I consider my flawless performance a personal “kinboshi” of a sort. And now, here we were. Suddenly crouching at the shikiri-sen, preparing for tachiai against former professional wrestlers.

The moment of truth. And yes, you get to throw the salt!

There is no going back now! Unlike the Sumo and Sushi experience, I am wearing a mawashi. I am going to have a proper tachiai. A real collision.

Man-to-man showdown. 男と男の真剣勝負 (Otoko to otoko no shinken shōbu)

This was it!  This is a real sumo challenge. It was not easy for 50-something, non-athletic, scrawny guy to go up against even former Hakuyō (the referee in the pic). Let alone a former top division wrestler! So, they let us have some fun against them. The funniest moment came during my wife’s very first match. She is a fast learner. Drawing on my “technique” from the Sumo and Sushi match, she opened with a spectacular nekodamashi.

Are you awake?

Kyokutaisei froze for a split second, and before anyone could process what had happened, she had pushed him back and secured a quick victory.

To the victor go the spoils

The room erupted in laughter. Everyone recognized that she was also, apparently, a long-time fan to be able pull off such a move. I was told “your wife must definitely be watching some sumo with you, after all!” Among all the things I expected to witness that afternoon, my wife winning a bout with a trick was not one of them.

Even with a thin grip on reality, I had a good grip on Hakuyō.

We had matchups against Kyokutaisei and Hakuyō. Photos would not do justice for my son’s match against Kyokutaisei. My son charged forward and collided with him with such speed that Kyokutaisei sidestepped, expecting my son to defeat himself and go out of the ring with his own forward momentum. As Kyokutaisei deftly moved out of the way, my son headed straight to the tawara with enough speed to carry him right out. But somehow, he slammed on the breaks at exactly the right moment, stopping himself at the very last opportunity.

Older folks like me would have easily stepped out. My son, however, immediately regained his balance, turned and re-engaged. That tenacity, him not giving up on the bout after nearly losing it, must serve him well in fencing, too! It is something I had not witnessed in him before. This real fighting spirit and tenacity to win. This match was far from over. My son re-engaged a second time and the same thing happened again.  His attack was wild and frenzied and almost carried him out of the ring, such that Kyoktaisei stopped fighting and just stood there. 

Big mistake. He was caught off guard by my son’s third engagement and was now on the edge himself. My son, with his feet still moving and his momentum now aimed correctly at a target on the edge of the ring completed a textbook oshidashi!  Photos could not capture these recoveries, the persistence, and my son’s determination that the bout would not be over until he won!  Congrats were seriously in order.

Although he could work on his Ottsuke

My wife was back, literally. Jumping on the back of Hakuyō attempting to pull off a hataki-komi.

Eventually, she was successful

I will never forget her jumping on the back of a sumo wrestler.  One of the funniest things I have witnessed.

Wearing a Keishō Mawashi

After our good workout, they were kind enough to take their photos with the family. First, all in our regular mawashi:

Sandwiched between former Ōshima-beya rikishi!

Then we had a chance to wear a keishō mawashi. A keishō is much more than decorative, it is a rikishi’s expression of identity, gratitude, sponsorship, education, tradition, and status. Only sekitori are allowed to wear them during the ring-entering ceremony, and it can signify reaching professional status and financial independence in sumo. In the Middle Ages, only the knights could have a coat of arms or heraldic banner. This is the sumo equivalent. For any sumo fan, it is a memorable and humbling moment to be given permission to don this attire.

at this point, the photos are really secondary to the experience

The apron is surprisingly heavy. The connection to the wrestlers is the real treasure and turned out to be our best souvenir. In this case, we were literally wearing culture, not just observing it.

AK-69 may say: 道開けろ！Bring it on!

Conclusion: Sumo is more than a sport

This experience was a rare chance to interact directly with people who devoted their lives to this singular pursuit. I came expecting to sample sumo and share it with my family. We left with a better understanding of the daily lives and dedication of the wrestlers. We left with a better understanding of the spiritual side of the sport and felt a connection to the centuries of tradition and Shinto practice.

When we were reflecting on the experience later that evening, my wife and I came to a realization. We are not fighters. We are not violent people. Yet, in the ring, we were colliding full force with people we just met, holding them by the throat (nodowa), and pushing/slapping at them. We are just in a fight. Not an angry or violent fight intended to hurt someone, but a real physical contest that pushed us out of our comfort zones and to our physical limits.

Many visitors will come thinking they will observe a cultural activity, but the experience with Kyokutaisei is much more than that. You learn through experience. You push yourself more than you know, and your legs will hate you very much walking up and down all those Tokyo steps in the metro for the next few days.

Throughout the session you will also notice subtle reminders that these men had paid a high price for their careers. You notice the old injuries, the surgical scars, the lingering evidence of pushing their bodies to the limits. Their sacrifices for the sport are visible in ways not easily caught on camera.

We came to the understanding that these exercises are merely the beginning. First, a new entrant has to survive the training routine, then climb into the ring against someone twice your size, and then do it again tomorrow and the day after, and the day after that. This experience reminded me that underneath all of the glory of rankings, championships, and intrigue each bashō, there lies something much deeper: discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and a sense of community. If only an hour and a half of training left my legs shaking for the rest of the day, I can scarcely imagine the commitment required to make that life your own.

I would like to take the last words to express how grateful my family is to Kyokutaisei, Hakuyō, and Kyokuhikari. The other side of the violent, combat sport world coin is a calm kindness. Each of them was entirely patient with us, curious to know why and how foreigners came to know so much about sumo, and happy to note (with some pride) how we were all enjoying the experience. They helped us with the mawashi, gave us clear instructions, answered all our questions, and were glad to share their stories and their connections to the sumo world with us. We could not have chosen better guides to help us take those important steps into the culture and world of a sumo wrestler.

Thank you for reading. I plan on some article about viewing Tatsunami-beya’s morning practice a few days later.  And with a much greater appreciation for what we were to see there.  Look for it in the next few days.  If there is interest, I am considering an article about the Japan trip and our itinerary – for those who may be curious about what someone with some Japan experience 30 years ago recommended for his own family.

Nagoya 2026: Nakabi

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho , , ,

Day 8, the “middle day” in Nagoya. No new kyujo to report.

On Nakabi, the Kyokai displays its new Jonokuchi wrestlers. If you’ve been under a rock, or ignored the maezumo coverage earlier this basho, this cohort includes Eisei, a recruit in Minato-beya from Hull, in the UK.

In Jonokuchi, Kakizoe, son of Ikazuchi-oyakata, is in 4-0 tie with Miyafuji. However, he will fight Chiyoaoi, who is 3-1. In Sandanme, Hikarumusashi got his first win of the tournament against Kenshin. Big bout in Makushita tomorrow as Asahifuji will take on Nabatame. Well, one of several big bouts as the 4-0 competitors square off but that Asahifuji-Nabatame bout is about promotion implications, as well as the yusho race.

In Juryo, Enho got both arms up in Kazekeno’s shoulders, pivoted and hauled him down to the ground. Sukuinage. Arashifuji lost to Nishinoryu, ending his winning streak and preventing him from securing a kachi-koshi. He is still alone in the lead because Shirokuma lost again, and now joins four other guys in the chase group. So, the Juryo yusho race is Arashifuji on one loss and Asasuiryu, Tokihayate, Toshinofuji, Midorifuji, and Shirokuma on two.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asakoryu (4-4) defeated Daiseizan (3-5). Asakoryu got his left hand deep on Daiseizan’s belt, pivoted, and pulled Daiseizan down. Shitatenage.

Shishi (7-1) defeated Kinbozan (5-3). Kinbozan opened with a flurry of tsuppari. Shishi was able to push through and get a left hand uwate grip. This forced the fight to shift to a yotsu grapple. Shishi showed his strength by overpowering Kinbozan and forcing him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kazuma (3-5) defeated Nishikifuji (6-2). Kazuma’s right hand over arm grip helped him resist Nishikifuji’s initial dirve. Nashikifuji pulled backward but Kazuma used the change in momentum to attack. He thrust Nishikifuji off-balance and forced him to fall to the dohyo. Tsukiotoshi.

Mitakeumi (1-7) defeated Takerufuji (6-2). Mitakeumi needed a change. He shot forward after the tachiai and forced Takerufuji to the bales. Takerufuji resisted and countered Mitakeumi. After pressing Mitakeumi back, he tried to pull Mitakeumi by his belt but Mitakeumi launched forward and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Asanoyama (6-2) defeated Onokatsu (1-7). Asanoyama used his left-hand inside grip to drive forward and force Onokatsu over the bales. Yorikiri.

Abi (5-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (2-6). Chiyoshoma tried to pull but Abi just chugged forward with his tsuppari and forced him out. Oshidashi.

Tobizaru (3-5) defeated Asahakuryu (2-6). Tobizaru connected with a kick at Asahakuryu’s lead right foot, forching him to fall. The crowd always enjoys a good kick or trip. Kekaeshi.

Shodai (4-4) defeated Fujiryoga (5-3). Shodai pivoted after the tachiai, catching Fujiryoga off-guard and deflecting his momentum toward the bales. Fujiryoga stopped just short of the edge and re-engaged with Shodai. But Shodai grabbed his belt with his right hand, dragged him around the dohyo and threw him. I want to see more of this Shodai. Why don’t we see this Shodai every day? Uwatenage.

Roga (3-5) defeated Fujiseiun (4-4). Roga used his left hand over-arm grip to pull Fujiseiun forward and throw him to the ground. It was a really beautiful throw in a well-contested back-and-forth battle. Uwatenage.

Ura (2-6) defeated Takayasu (6-2). Ura pressed forward after the tachiai instead of sliding back like butsukari. The two settled into a lean at the center of the dohyo as they felt each other out. Takayasu’s lead left leg got dangerously close to Ura and Ura noticed. Ura made Takayasu freak out when he tried to get that leg. Takayasu suddenly spun away, but spun himself right over the bales. “At least I kept my leg.” Oshidashi.

Halftime

Oshoma (3-5) defeated Wakamotoharu (3-5). Wakamotoharu chased Oshoma around the ring with tsuppari but tired and settled for a lean. He then lost the second he decided to pull as Oshoma chased him out. Oshidashi.

Kotoeiho (7-1) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-4). Ichiyamamoto immediately went into pull mode and tried to slap Kotoeiho down. But Kotoeiho blitzed forward and forced him out. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (2-6) defeated Gonoyama (3-5). Churanoumi blasted Gonoyama with powerful thrusts. A straight-forward win for the big Okinawan. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Yoshinofuji (4-4) defeated Fujinokawa (3-5). It was rather crazy to see Fujinokawa wrap his leg around Yoshinofuji. It looked like he was trying to climb a tree there. Yoshinofuji returned the tactic and wrapped his right leg around Fujinokawa’s left, while yeeting Mighty Mouse backward. Fatality. This is where the Instagram screen goes black-and-white and the skull emoji pops up in your face. Sotogake.

Aonishiki (7-1) defeated Takanosho (3-5). Both men traded tsuppari as Aonishiki tried to get his left hand inside. Takanosho pulled at just the right time and Aonishiki lost his balance and stumbled across the ring…but Takanosho had stepped out. I think he lost his sense of where he was in the ring. But Uh-oh. Aonishiki tumbled down the dohyo and had a real hard time getting back up. Grimaced in pain and everything. Dude’s ankle seems to be just held together with duct tape at this point. The worst part is that he’s got Onosato on tap for tomorrow. Oshidashi.

Hakunofuji (6-2) defeated Kotoshoho (3-5). Hakuno-Henka! Hakunofuji jumped to his left and Kotoshoho flopped forward. The crowd did not appreciate that one but I sure did. Beautiful form. I like it because I think Hakunofuji is thinking, “Yusho.” He’s in the race and wants to win the whole thing. And honestly, I hope Aonishiki was watching and got some inspiration…not for his bout against Onosato but against Hoshoryu. I think Hoshoryu will fall for it but Onosato won’t. Tsukiotoshi.

Kirishima (7-1) defeated Atamifuji (5-3). Atamifuji pulled himself right out of the dohyo. Frankly, he lost this one moreso than Kirishima won it. Kirishima was still trying to find a grip and an attack. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (4-4) defeated Hiradoumi (1-7). Kotozakura’s first pull didn’t work but his second did. One thing I liked from Kotozakura here was the way he delayed his second pull-down attempt. He was about to try again but he knew Hiradoumi was ready and would run him out. So he leaned back into Hiradoumi and adjusted his grip and his weight. Then, he pulled Hiradoumi from the shoulder. If you’re going to win by pulling, be an artiste. Hikiotoshi.

Hoshoryu (6-2) defeated Daieisho (5-3). Daieisho committed to the pull and Hoshoryu committed to the win. Hoshoryu’s footwork was solid as he charged forward into Daieisho and forced him from the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Onosato (5-3) defeated Oho (1-7). Oho put his left hand up and tried to pull Onosato down. Onosato adjusted his charge by a few degrees to the right and charged Oho out. Denshamichi. Yorikiri.

Wrap-Up

Yusho Arasoi

  • 1-Loss: Kirishima, Aonishiki, Kotoeiho, Shishi
  • 2-Losses: Hoshoryu, Hakunofuji, Takayasu, Asanoyama, Nishikifuji, Takerufuji

Hoshoryu will fight Yoshinofuji. Onosato will battle Aonishiki, if the latter doesn’t go kyujo. Kirishima will take on Churanoumi and Kotozakura will face Hakunofuji.

Atamifuji will fight Ichiyamamoto, Kotoshoho will take on Hiradoumi, and Oho gets Fujinokawa.

Down in the rank-and-file, Kotoeiho will fight Fujiryoga and Shishi will fight Abi. Takayasu will fight Nishikifuji, Asanoyama faces Daiseizan, and Takerufuji will fight Asakoryu.

Nagoya 2026: Day Seven

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho

Day Seven in Nagoya. Wakanosho is kyujo. Apparently, the concern is for the right knee. Minatogawa-oyakata is getting it checked out and they will address it when they know more about the prognosis. Kinbozan will receive the fusen victory.

In Makushita, Nabatame, Asahifuji, Mita and Kaisho are undefeated at 4-0. Asahifuji went bowling. He sidestepped Ryuho, grabbed his belt and flung him into the expensive seats. There are six more guys at 3-0 who will fight tomorrow with dreams of Makushita yusho: Osanai, Tokunomusashi, Obara, Fudoho, Anosho, and Hananoumi. Nabatame is also close to securing his return to Juryo. He might be set already but another win won’t hurt. There are a few guys who could leapfrog him if they have strong finishes and he flops in Week 2. So, there’s a lot to fight for here.

In Juryo, Enho remained upright while walking forward and therefore beat Kayo. Both men are 3-4. Shirokuma suffered his first defeat, to the Iron Man (4-3). Arashifuji keeps charging head, this time beating Hitoshi to move to 7-0. Meisei finally got his first win against Nishinoryu and Shonannoumi fell to Kazekeno.

Meanwhile, I am extremely excited because I got a delivery of madai, the red fish which is famous in the sumo world for being the fish of celebration. You often see pictures of guys holding one (or two) aloft after winning the top division title or earning promotion to Ozeki or Yokozuna. I’ll be posting about it in a few days. I want to see what I can do with this. So far, so good. My first attempt was amazing and super simple: just a dash of salt and threw it in a pan. Served with rice and a sprinkle of ponzu. Absolutely Delicious.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asakoryu (3-4) defeated Tomokaze (Juryo 2-5). I wonder if Tomokaze gets called for hairpulls more than average because he put his hand back behind Asakoryu’s head and left it there the whole bout as he tried to pull Asakoryu down. I find that degree of one-dimensional sumo annoying. Asakoryu successfully resisted and pushed Tomokaze out before both men fell. Gunbai Asakoryu, no mono-ii. Oshidashi.

Takerufuji (6-1) defeated Onokatsu (1-6). Takerufuji got his left hand inside Onokatsu’s shoulder. He twisted and drove toward the bales, trying to execute a sukuinage. As they neared the edge, Takerufuji shoved Onokatsu over the bales. Oshidashi.

Nishikifuji (6-1) defeated Shishi (6-1). Oh no! No Shishi yusho! Nishikifuji’s tsuppari disrupted Shishi’s usual attack. Shishi found no way to get inside and began to back away. Nishikifuji pursued well and kept battering Shishi. Shishi turned away and Nishikifuji shove him out from behind. Okuridashi.

Abi defeated Kazuma. Likewise, Abi beat Kazuma silly with tsuppari. Kazuma tried to keep up with Abi and dish out his own tsuppari but Abi-zumo was too intense and Abi thrust Kazuma from the ring. Tsukidashi.

Daiseizan (3-4) defeated Asahakuryu (2-5). Migiyotsu. Daiseizan got his left hand outside, quickly and kept pressing to get his right hand inside. He patiently chugged forward and drove Asahakuryu out. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (5-2) default win over Wakanosho (5-2).

Asanoyama (5-2) defeated Mitakeumi (0-7). Mitakeumi executed his best “turn-of-tables” attack at the edge as he twisted and nearly toppled Asanoyama. Asanoyama’s left-hand outside grip actually helped him stay upright. He kept pulling on Mitakeumi and eventually heaved Mitakeumi over. I must say, Mitakeumi did not go gentle into that good night, that’s for sure. He gave it his all. Uwatenage.

Fujiryoga defeated Chiyoshoma. Chiyoshoma hit Fujiryoga with a kachi-age and blast him with tsuppari. He then snapped with a slapdown. Chiyoshoma pulled so hard that he threw himself off-balance and both men fell. I thought Fujiryoga came down a beat ahead of Chiyoshoma. Gunbai Chiyoshoma. Mono-ii. The judges wanted a rematch, so we got a rematch. In the rematch, Chiyoshoma slapped the crap out of Fujiryoga while retreating to the edge, trying to avoid Fujiryoga’s tsuppari. A pissed off Fujiryoga cornered Chiyoshoma and pushed him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Wakamotoharu (3-4) defeated Tobizaru (2-5). Wakamotoharu tried to slap Tobizaru down. When that failed, he realized he would have to MOVE FORWARD and attack Tobizaru. So he did. And he won. Imagine that. Oshidashi.

Kotoeiho (6-1) defeated Roga (2-5) You know when Kotoeiho climbs onto the dohyo by the “Oohs and Aahs” from the crowd. I remember when Abi used to get the same appreciative reaction from the crowd. It seems like there’s always one who does it best and then he passes on the torch after he becomes grim and jaded and mummified. At the tachiai, Kotoeiho latched on quickly with his left hand at the front. He got his right hand inside and steered Roga back and over the edge. Powerful sumo from the youngster. I hope the shiko remains strong with this one for a long time. Yorikiri.

Takayasu (6-1) defeated Shodai (3-4). Shodai waited at the edge for Takayasu to attack before trying to shift right and pull Takayasu forward. That failed and Takayasu shoved him out. No tsuppari from Shodai. No fighting for a belt grip. Just one dimensional, “I’m going to stand on the tawara and try to pull you forward when you attack me.” I swear, there was a time when he actually would MOVE FORWARD, and it was great. By the way, every time you see “move forward” in all caps, that’s because my I have my cousin’s voice in my head. In this sport, it really is the key and I shall adopt it as my mantra. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Fujiseiun (4-3) defeated Ura (1-6). Fujiseiun pressed Ura to the edge. Ura attempted a pull and slapdown but Fujiseiun kept Ura in front and rode him down to the ground. “OK, Ura, I’ll go down. But you go first.” Yoritaoshi.

Oshoma (2-5) defeated Daieisho (5-2). Daieisho tried to slap Oshoma down but failed and ended up at the edge. Oshoma shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Ichiyamamoto (4-3) defeated Churanoumi (1-6). Ichiyamamoto hit Churanoumi with a flurry of tsuppari and drove him back to the edge. Churanoumi resisted at the bales but his leg buckled awkwardly as he went down. Ichiyamamoto showed concern but Churanoumi hopped right up. “Oh, I’m fine, dude. Just flexible.” Oshitaoshi.

Sanyaku

Gonoyama (3-4) defeated Oho (1-6). We started Migi-yotsu. Gonoyama pulled Oho forward and attempted a shitatenage. Oho resisted but yielded a double-inside belt grip. Gonoyama kept Oho high and pressed forward, steering Oho back over the edge. Excellent sumo from Gonoyama. That looked so much better than his usual top-heavy attack. More of that, please. Yorikiri.

Takanosho (3-4) defeated Yoshinofuji (3-4). Takanosho turns up the heat when his opponent is not ranked Ozeki or Yokozuna. He hit out with tsuppari then slapped Yoshinofuji down as Yoshinofuji launched forward. Like Churanoumi, Yoshinofuji seemed to go down really awkwardly but got back up quickly. I am determined to acquire that degree of flexibility before I’m fifty. My bones are starting to creak and I don’t like it. Abisetaoshi.

Aonishiki (6-1) defeated Fujinokawa (3-4). Super-flying henka from Fujinokawa. Fujinokawa grasped for the back of Aonishiki’s belt. But Aonishiki reacted well, pivoted into Fujinokawa and chucked him off the dohyo. Geez, Aonishiki still needs four more wins. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (5-2) defeated Kotozakura (3-4). Kotozakura just didn’t look like he even wanted to win. He rather half-heartedly shifted left and tried to twist Atamifuji; it looked like Shodai on anti-steroids. Atamifuji just shoved him out. Kotozakura’s most difficult opponent might be himself and until he wins whatever internal battle it is that he’s got going on, he’s not going to win on the dohyo. Yorikiri.

Kirishima (6-1) defeated Kotoshoho (3-4). Kirishima got his left hand deep on Kotoshoho’s belt and held him in a way that kept Kotoshoho’s right arm flailing skyward. Suddenly, Kirishima pivoted and put his left leg in front of Kotoshoho’s right. He heaved Kotoshoho forward over his leg. What a throw! Uwatenage.

Onosato (4-3) defeated Hakunofuji (5-2). Nothing fancy. Densha-michi. Onosato lifted Hakunofuji’s right arm at the elbow and got his left arm inside. Throttle to notch 8! See what you can do when you, MOVE FORWARD!! Yorikiri.

Hoshoryu (5-2) defeated Hiradoumi (1-6). Hiradoumi charged ahead but Hoshoryu got that right arm inside, planted that left leg and twisted, throwing Hiradoumi to the dirt. Sukuinage.

Wrap-Up

We won’t really have a yusho race until tomorrow, which is good because there’s a crap ton of guys at 6-1 and even more at 5-2. Seven guys are 6-1 and eight at 5-2.

Two dominant wins from the Yokozuna-tachi. Great to see. Geez, we’re already at nakabi? Time flies like a purple zabuton. Hoshoryu will fight Daieisho tomorrow and Onosato will fight Oho. Both are dangerous. It never gets easy when you’re Yokozuna. Kayo or Tomokaze or Tamashoho are never on your schedule.

Kirishima will fight Atamifuji, Kotozakura will fight Hiradoumi and Kotoshoho gets Hakunofuji. Aonishiki will fight Takanosho and Yoshinofuji will take on Fujinokawa. All are great matchups. I’m super conflicted with Takanosho. I’d love to see him win but that would mean Aonishiki would have lost.

Asanoyama and Takayasu won our former Ozeki battles today. Unfortunately, that does not mean the schedulers set them to face each other. That would have been awesome but Takayasu will fight Ura and Asanoyama will face Onokatsu in one of five first-time match-ups on the board for tomorrow. Shodai vs Fujiryoga, Mitakeumi against Takerufuji, Nishikifuji versus Kazuma and Kotoeiho versus Ichiyamamoto are the others. That Kotoeiho versus Ichiyamamoto bout will be another where I’ll be happy to see whichever guy wins and sad for the loser.

Hasta mañana!

Nagoya 2026: Day Six

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho

Day Six in Nagoya. No new kyujo to report but please check out Justin’s sumo experience with former Makuuchi wrestler, Kyokutaisei. There is so much sumo content and so many sumo shows nowadays, it’s great to see these options. Konishiki’s Sumo and Sushi tour is coming back and there’s even a new group in London, featuring Hidenoumi and Shiden. Sumo’s going global, which is great because tickets are getting more and more difficult to acquire.

Speaking of going global, Abema’s sneaking out more and more content to the public, too. Abema’s pinned Twitter post is this quiz question. On the Banzuke, what does this “御免蒙” say? YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER. IT IS B. ごめんこうむる。The Anatomy of a Banzuke post explains it.

The Sumo Kyokai’s website has these great quiz questions and it was featured on that, as well. I’ve got a direct link to it on the right-hand navigation, under the link to the Konishiki pages, in case you need to find it again. Anyway, when I saw the quiz question, I just about jumped out of my chair because I was like, “I learned about that!!”

Back to the tournament at hand. Asahifuji encountered some resistance from Fujisodai, so he threw him down in the middle of the ring and remains undefeated at 3-0. He has off tomorrow and will presumably go for kachi-koshi on Nakabi. Will anything put a stop to Isegahama’s protege? Makushita debutant Kaida lost to Aratakayama and fell to 1-2. Tanji defeated Nishikigi and improves to 3-1. One more win and he can claim his ticket to Juryo.

Shirokuma and Arashifuji won their bouts in Juryo and improved to 6-0. Enho (2-4) lost to Kagayaki (3-3). Asasuiryu and Shonannoumi chase at 5-1.

The NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Onokatsu (1-5) defeated Kazuma (2-4). Onokatsu got his left hand inside grip and kept pressing forward, very patiently, and very slowly driving Kazuma toward the edge. After a long struggle, he finally worked Kazuma over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (4-2) defeated Dewanoryu (3-3). Kinbozan quickly charged straight through Dewanoryu and forced him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Shishi (6-0) defeated Asakoryu (2-4). Shishi calmly and patient pressed Asakoryu back to the edge. Asakoryu’s foot slipped as he tried to brace against the straw bales, he stepped out and went down. Oshidashi.

Nishikifuji (5-1) defeated Daiseizan (2-4). Daiseizan tried to turn the tables on Nishikifuji but Nishikifuji wasn’t having any of it and dropped Daiseizan over the ledge. Yoritaoshi.

Takerufuji (5-1) defeated Asahakuryu (2-4). Asahakuryu tried to pull on Takerufuji’s right arm but Takerufuji drove Asahakuryu back and out before losing his balance at the edge. Yorikiri.

Asanoyama (4-2) defeated Abi (3-3). Asanoyama pressed his way inside Abi’s tsuppari and forced Abi over the edge. Yorikiri.

Fujiryoga (4-2) defeated Wakanosho (5-1). Fujiryoga and Wakanosho traded tsuppari in quite the brawl. Fujiryoga’s slaps forced Wakanosho back to the edge. Wakanosho’s knee or Ankle buckled as he braced in the straw bales. He could not stand back up under his own power and to get assistance from the team of wakaimonogashira to climb into the big wheelchair. Really sad turn of events for a guy who had been having a great tournament so far. Oshitaoshi.

Tobizaru defeated Mitakeumi. Tobizaru got both hands inside and steadily forced Mitakeumi back to the edge. At the edge he used gaburi hip thrusts to force Mitakeumi over the bales. Mitakeumi does not look long for this division. Yorikiri.

Chiyoshoma (2-4) defeated Roga (2-4). Henka! Chiyoshoma leapt to the side and slapped Roga down. Tsukiotoshi.

Shodai (3-3) defeated Wakamotoharu (2-4). You can sense Wakamotoharu’s displeasure at having to “move forward!!” against Shodai, so he pivoted and pulled, trying to slap Shodai down. Shodai stayed on his feet long enough to see Wakamotoharu back out over the bales first. At first, I was struck by how this was a “first half” match-up. After the event, I am not surprised. Oshidashi.

Kotoeiho (5-1) defeated Ura (1-5). Kotoeiho grabbed Ura’s left arm and dragged him over the bales. Kotenage.

Halftime

Takayasu (5-1) defeated Oshoma (1-5). In the most anti-climatic ending to a bout — ever — Oshoma withstood Takayasu’s tsuppari but fell out to a wee shift and a slap. I got a collective, “WTF?” vibe from the crowd’s reaction. Like, “¿Qué?” Let’s move on. Tsukiotoshi.

Fujiseiun (3-3) defeated Ichiyamamoto (3-3). Fujiseiun stuck with Ichiyamamoto’s tsuppari long enough for Ichiyamamoto to transition into his pulling phase. When Ichiyamamoto pulled, Fujiseiun drove forward and forced him back and out. Oshidashi.

Daieisho (5-1) defeated Churanoumi (1-5). Daieisho got Churanoumi off-balance with some misdirection and quickly followed up with a shove from behind. Okuridashi.

Sanyaku

Takanosho (2-4) defeated Kotoshoho (3-3). Takanosho forced Kotoshoho back to the edge and then slapped him down as Kotoshoho dug in at the bales. Tsukiotoshi.

Atamifuji (4-2) defeated Fujinokawa (3-3). After an initial matta, I got the sense Fujinokawa jumped the gun early. But Atamifuji still had the wherewithall to avoid Fujinokawa’s misdirection and kept him centered as Fujinokawa cycled around the ring. Atamifuji cornered him at the bales (yeah, this ring has corners, okay?) and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Aonishiki (5-1) defeated Oho (1-5). Aonishiki used his left hand inside and pulled Oho forward suddenly. Somehow, Oho was the one who seemed to be walking gingerly back up the hanamichi. One thing’s for sure, Aonishiki’s ankle is still an issue. Shitatehineri.

Kirishima (5-1) defeated Yoshinofuji (3-3). Kirishima fought to keep Yoshinofuji’s hands off, drove forward and forced Yoshinofuji out. Oshidashi.

Gonoyama (2-4) defeated Kotozakura (3-3). Kotozakura braced against the bales like he was going to try some counter attack but forgot how to counter attack. Gonoyama just kept shoving. Oshidashi.

Hakunofuji (5-1) defeated Hoshoryu (4-2). Hoshoryu did not care that Hakunofuji locked in with both hands inside. Perhaps he should have. After a wild tussle, Hoshoryu went for the trip and tried to heave Hakunofuji down but Hakunofuji freed his massive tree trunk legs and drove Hoshoryu into the ground. Hoshoryu appeared to land on his ass first but gunbai Hoshoryu. Mono-ii. Hoshoryu did, indeed, fall first. The call was overturned and Hakunofuji rightly given the win. We expect Inosuke’s resignation letter on Hakkaku’s desk in the morning, and for it to be quietly ripped up. Kinboshi! Kirikaeshi.

Onosato (3-3) defeated Hiradoumi (1-5). Onosato absorbed Hiradoumi’s lightning tachiai and then overpowered him. He remained calm as Hiradoumi resisted at the edge, got his left hand inside and forced Hiradoumi out. Yorikiri.

Wrap-Up

Shishi leads. It’s his yusho to lose at this point.

Turning to tomorrow’s action, Hoshoryu will face Hiradoumi and Onosato will take on Hakunofuji. Kirishima will fight Kotoshoho in a big match-up. Though, I think Kotozakura versus Atamifuji technically counts as a bigger match-up since both guys break the scales. Aonishiki will fight Fujinokawa, Yoshinofuji will fight Takanosho, and Oho will try to regroup against Gonoyama.

Down in the rank-and-file, Shodai will face Takayasu and probably run away. And Asanoyama will take on Mitakeumi as the shadows of four former Ozeki collide. Shishi will also get a real test in his bout against Nishikifuji. Nishikifuji has been in fine form this tournament and looking healthy.

I’ll also keep my eyes out for news about Wakanosho but I’m expecting at least a few days of kyujo. Ankles are funny, though. I’ve twisted mine and been unable to walk…then fine after a little rest. His ankle was already taped, though, so I’m not as optimistic that he’ll just walk this one off.

I’ll be back mañana.