🌐 Location: Ome, Tokyo
Although today’s event takes place in a town that’s part of the greater Tokyo, it seems most Tokyoite fans are actually waiting for the bigger event the next day at Yokohama. So we have another short report for you today – but use the time to buy some popcorn and find a babysitter – because the next installment will be a lengthy one.
First, I want to update the sick list. Unfortunately, Kagayaki came up with a rather late case of the flu, and departed from the Jungyo together with his tsukebito.
OK, so in the hand-shake corner, Tsurugisho decides to simulate a crucifix. Shimanoumi is amused:
There are not many people who can dwarf Mitakeumi, but his tsukebito, Dewanojo, certainly seems to have the knack:
Inside the main hall, Abi gets ready to stretch his fine legs, and Daieisho is doing his shiko, and searches for Takakeisho with his eyes:
Up on the dohyo, Takakeisho has some practice with Onosho:
He had seven of these bouts, won 4-3.
Onosho was then given some butsukari by Kakuryu:
Takayasu took Ichinojo for a spin, and as is usual with him, destroyed the boulder 7-1.
This completed the practice part. Everybody hurries to the shower. Apparently, it’s Takakeisho’s shampoo day:
The photographer who took this then found the special Ozeki-and-Yokozuna-only shower room, and set up camp there in hope of capturing the shin-Ozeki when he goes in and out of the shower.
However, the shin-Ozeki is probably still not used to the idea of Ozeki privilege, or maybe he doesn’t want Hakuho to stare at him in the shower… whatever the reason, he failed to show up, much to the lady’s disappointment.
The only bout I got any record of was this Abi-Onosho one. Onosho seems to be really fascinated with Abi’s shiko – despite having seen it many, many times already:
In that bout, Abi proceeded, as usual during the Jungyo, by attacking Onosho’s mawashi:
Hmm… where did the gyoji go?
Anyway, Abi won this bout.
And yes, that’s my report for today. I couldn’t even find a decent photo of Enho for the pin-up corner. So instead, though I can’t in good conscience call a Yokozuna a “pin-up boy”, I give you a photo of Kakuryu being nice to kids although it’s time for his bout soon:
Fantastic news as always, cheers.
Short and sweet still scratches the sumo itch :D
Thanks for all that you do mate. Awesome site, part of my mandatory daily browsing routine… Great stuff thanks for all the hard work. And as usual your analysis is spot on: I wouldn’t want hakuho to stare at me in the shower either. :-)
All these photos of Takakeisho smiling are making me like him so much more.
Great to hear of Abi winning on the mawashi.
Dewanojo really needs to lose some weight….
Can’t wait to see Abi working on the mawashi in the next basho. Kakuryo is trying to look tough but his sweet side shines through. Thanks Herouth for her excellent reporting. It makes the time to the next basho fly by.
Do the rikishi take off their miwashi when taking a shower? (I’m hoping the answer is no because I’m still disturbed by the news that they never wash their miwashi.)
How springs eternal… But would you feel better knowing they don’t wash their you-know-what? Yes, they remove them. That’s when their tsukebito hang (or lay) them out to dry.
Do sumo wrestlers incorporate swimming as part of the cross-training? I know some (Ishiura) lift weights to have more strength in the upper body.
I don’t think it’s very common. Most pump iron. Hokutofuji does water squats but I haven’t seen any actual swimming. They don’t do aerobics.