Overnight US time, Tagonoura beya sumotori Takayasu Akira was promoted to Ozeki, sumo’s second highest rank. As with these promotions, messengers from the Nippon Sumo Kyokai arrived at a hotel conference room that had been configured for a formal ceremony in front of the press.
Westerners may find it interesting there are microphones on the floor, but once the messengers arrive, members of both the stable’s party and the NSK’s party assume a deeply respectful saikeirei bow during both the announcement and the acceptance.
But like so many things in the wonderful country of Japan, once all of that formal stuff is over, it’s time to celebrate. To the delight of many fans, Yokozuna Kisenosato was present for the celebration (among many others). Kisenosato and Takayasu have been long term training partners and stable mates, and it is my opinion that neither would have reached their current rank without the other’s constant support.
Congratulations to Takayasu, you earned it!
Some additional video from NHK here
I hope he can stay healthy! I think his development is heading in the right direction to make him a good ozeki, I hope he continues to get stronger. The main thing he will need to work on is how to beat the yokozuna and Terunofuji – he could not seem less phased facing other rikishi but he often stumbles against the absolute top rikishi.
It’s amazing to me how much of Takayasu’s results are driven by his mental state, more so than almost any other rikishi. As I have noted in the past, he seems to get befuddled after a loss, and can’t recover his sumo for several matches. I hope that like Kisenosato, now that he holds an esteemed and semi-permanent position in Sumo, some of his uncertainty will fade, and he will allow himself to win more.
For some great examples of when (my opinion) Takayasu was more “on fire” than the last couple of basho, take a look at his matches from Aki 2016, or Nagano 2016. There is another notch up on the Takayasu dial, I hope he can access it more frequently.
I am new to your site Bruce but i already love it. As you mentioned in the post, it provides very interesting insight on the amazing cultural and customs in Japan.
Congratulations to Takayasu! Do you think he has a chance of becoming a Yokosuna and how long do rikishi typically stay in the Ozeki position before they get promoted of demoted?
It is likely to be some time before Takayasu is considered for any follow on promotion. The bar to make Yokozuna is so very very high. He could start this effort by winning a Yusho, which he has not done in Makuuchi.
This may be unpopular, but I personally think that Ozeki Takayasu is just fine if he goes no further than Ozeki. But if you see Takayasu win a Yusho, it would be indicative that his sumo has improved to the level he might qualify for Yokozuna.
Thanks for the kind words, and I am very glad you come by Tachiai to read our ramblings on sumo and Japan.
Except for kisenosato who I think will recover better, the other 3 Mongolian will retire soon I believe. They are hurt and aging. Plus there is nothing much to achieve for Hakuho and Haruma. They have been so dominant.
In my opinion, Takayasu should train with the Mongolians to learn technical skills. Lool at the last match between hakuho and haruma. Haluho was so technical on how he remo ed the left hand grip of haruma. Not much force but just pure technique. In a split second Hak won by yorikiri with no resistance. Takayasu learns more techniques, he be Yokozuna
The Mongolian invasion brought so much technicality, and they are so entertaining. If Takayasu can read and study even just 25% of the encyclopedia Hakuho was reading, he will achieve so much.