Yokozuna Kisenosato is continuing to struggle to make himself ready for the upcoming Aki basho, based on reports in the Japanese sumo press. He continues to train with lower ranked rikishi at the Tagonoura stable, but has yet to take training with his normal sparring partner, Ozeki Takayasu. His focus continues to be on ensuring range of motion and some strength exercises for his injured left upper and lower body.
With less than two weeks to go, the fact that he is not actively in matches as part of his training is indicative of a rikishi who is not yet healed enough to complete. While he did some limited training during the jungyo PR tour, he did not actually appear to attempt any actual training bouts.
As we surmised in the Tachiai Aki Banzuke Podcast, we think that he may not even start the basho, and should probably sit out the fall tournament in hopes of returning strong for Kyushu.
The Japanese press is feeding its readers non-news. I suppose that if Kisenosato makes an on-record statement whose content is “Ahem, ahem, is this thing on?”, this will get published the next day, with some background information on his injuries and some commentators embellishing on the connection between the state of his microphone and the state of his health.
But yes, you’re right. Takayasu is the litmus test. Perhaps you should replace the Hakuho meter on the site to a Kisenosato fitness meter, with levels ranging from “Stretching arms with a concentrated gaze at nails”, through “Pushing around Jonidan”, “Pushing around Orora”, “Taking butsukari from makushita”, “Doing sanban with makushita”, “Preventing a maegashira from reaching mawashi”, all the way to the top levels of “Actually letting Takayasu get anywhere near him with hands untied”, “Taking butsukari from Takayasu”, and the ultimate “Going san-ban with Takayasu without asking for any handicap”.
And… you win Tachiai for today! (and maybe the week).
😁
I just had to….
https://tachiai.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/kisenosato-meter.jpg
Bonus points awarded to whomever can correctly identify the mascot in the top right corner…
I do believe this is “Professor Poo”….an emoji-like turd with glasses and a handlebar moustache.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/05/japanese-children-unko-kanji-doriru-professor-poo
Correct! Tachiai has turned to none other than Professor Poop himself to help us accurately gauge Kisenosato’s recovery process.