As reported today in Nikkan-Gendai Jiji News, Yokozuna Kisenosato will sit out the summer sumo tour of northern Japan. The Jungyo (literally, making the rounds) is a daily traveling sumo show that takes a set of some 50 rikishi to medium sized cities across Japan to bring sumo closer to the fans and the public, and is responsible for driving and maintaining sumo’s popularity.
His absence should be view as part of the larger program to heal up the very popular Yokozuna, and may be a sign that he will or currently is undergoing expanded medical treatment for what could be a career ending injury to his left pectoral muscle.
Corrected: Thanks to Herouth for catching the wrong link. I need to sleep instead of wading through Kisenosato news. The other article is more focused on his injuries. You can find it here.
Are you sure you linked to the correct article? I didn’t see the Jungyo mentioned there. It did contain some mention of a physical trainer explaining that the injury itself has healed, as far as X-rays and MRIs can say, but that nerves in that area may cause debilitating pain for a while yet. I’m not sure if he’s speaking from direct information or just speculating, though.
Anyway, other outlets say that all Yokozuna but Hakuho, as well as Terunofuji and Endo will be absent from the tour.
Ah bugger, I had two tabs open and grabbed the wrong one. This is the correct one, let me update the article.
http://www.jiji.com/sp/article?k=2017072600749
I seem to still be impacted by lack of sleep brought on by the tiny sumo fan.
I wouldn’t read too much into this absence just yet. Plenty of rikishi have skipped jungyo tours to deal with injuries only to show up to the next basho in woeful shape anyway. (Terunofuji multiple times, for one.)
Yes, I am reading a lot of Japanese sumo web news looking for any hint that he is under active medical treatment. That goes for Kakuryu and Terunofuji as well.
Any news on Goeido’s foot? I hope that doesn’t turn into a nagging thing, like Haru’s elbow, Teru’s knees, Ichinojo’s back…
Seems like there is a chance that another Yokozuna (Harumafuji) may miss Aki – depending on whether he’ll need surgery for his elbow, whose inflammation is the reason for his withdrawal from the Jungyo. And Terunofuji currently in hospital. At least Isegahama is not as secretive as Tagonoura.
https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1863043.html