Another Sell Out Crowd.
Saturday in Tokyo, the best and brightest of the sumo world assembled for a one day charity tournament sponsored and conducted by NHK. Although it happened today, it won’t be broadcast until next weekend. As with the prior one-day knockout tournament, the Kokugikan was completely sold out.
All 4 Yokozuna participated, including dohyo-iri. This is a big deal because this is the first time that Harumafuji has made a public appearance since his injury mid-way through the Hatsu basho in January. He looked a bit tender, but it seems clear he is eager to get back on clay and return to sumo. Tachiai sincerely hope he is well and recovered, as stated earlier, Harumafuji has an important role to play in culling the herd for the upcoming tournaments. Although he is prone to donating kinboshi, his offense oriented style of sumo is unparalleled for overwhelming up and coming rikishi.
It’s clear from this, and other recent events that Japan has gone absolutely bonkers over Kisenosato and through extension sumo. Readers may have noticed reduced coverage, which is typical for periods outside of tournaments, but I dearly did not want tachiai to become the “Kisenosato Network”. Frankly the bulk of everything in the Japanese sumo press is all things Kisenosato. I am delighted to know he is enjoying his Yokozuna status, but it’s (at least for now) over the top. Today they were discussing why he didn’t visit his parent’s house on a trip to his home prefecture of Ibaraki.
Some video has snuck out prior to next week’s broadcast, including the three Mongolian Yokozuna singing. I will state that Kakuryu really can sing! We will endeavor to bring you full coverage once the video is broadcast.
Hope you post the result soon. If kisenosato win again, man that would bring lots of joy to Japanese fans. It would bring back the spirit of the 90s, the hawaiaan vs the sibling prince
So at the moment there has been no reporting of results, at least in any form that I can access. I guess everyone is keeping quiet until it’s broadcast next weekend. As you can see from the promo picture at the top of the post, at some point Hakuho goes against Kisenosato.
Clearly NHK is in tune with your suggestion, as every piece of the sumo press is egging that competition on. Sadly I think Hakuho is physically only about 80% right now.
I mean after promotion, i hope it would lit fire to kise’s sumo. To bring good rivalry. The mongolians vs the modern day prince
Sorry for commenting too much but you showed dohyo iri. Who has thr most beautiful/theatrical of all time? My vite goes to harumafuji. @#$% beautiful dohyo iri
No, don’t apologize – good to have folks engaged in discussing sumo. So at the moment I think Hakuho’s dohyo-iri is probably the most polished. A lot of folks think Harumafuji is tops, but I just think Hakuho is more fluid, and shows more stage presence.
Kisenosato is certainly improving. I would assume that everyone told him he was not up to snuff after Meiji, and he has been working to excel.
Sadly we are (as of today) 4 weeks from the start of the Osaka tournament, but that means Kisenosato has time to get his kesho-mawashi built, a proper sword and maybe a bit more fluid in his moves.