Although there were previous reports about this in the Japanese press, they had ambiguous language, and were based on “associates”. Today, the report comes in directly from the NSK: “Former Sekiwake Yoshikaze (Real name Masatsugu Onishi) has retired, and taken on the toshiyori name Nakamura”.
His stablemaster, Oguruma oyakata, complimented Yoshikaze for doing straight-forward sumo.
Yoshikaze will now become Nakamura oyakata. The date of his danpatsu-shiki is not known at this time, but given the number of retirements lately, and that Aminishiki’s ceremony will take place on October 2020, there is a distinct possibility of this not happening before 2021.
Eternal respect to Yoshikaze, my favorite.
I would like to take this moment to commemorate Yoshikaze’s last victory over a battle-ready* yokozuna, which came on the first day of Nagoya 2017. It was truly a spectacular performance. Yoshikaze stood toe-to-toe with Harumafuji, ate two forearm blasts to the face, then got behind the yokozuna, maneuvered him to the edge while Harumafuji desperately tried to get turned around the right way, and then picked the yokozuna’s leg with one hand while as part of an irresistible yorikiri.
*This is a cheat, of course. Yoshikaze beat Hakuho in the following tournament in that match where Hakuho didn’t fight because he expected a matta to be called (so not “battle-ready”); he also beat Hakuho and Kisenosato in the basho after that; both of the yokozuna went kyujo.
my man at his finest!
It’s always sad to see some of ours most beloved Rikishi leaving the ring for good. But in his case, we must just see it as a new “beginning”. Because we will now see him plenty more time around the ring. It’ll be delightfull to see him on camera hang around in the alley as security and i’m sure eventually, sitting next to the dohyo has judge.
But most of all, like i said previously, i’m sure he has a brillant futur has an oyakata. It would also be a terrible mistake i think for the NSK to not appoint him to the Jungyo department. Yoshikaze…no Nakamura Oyakata as demontrated a lot of time that he can be a valuable asset toward young blood for the futur of sumo. \o/
what a wonderful post! this has washed all my sadness away!
Thank you Yoshikaze for much pleasure in watching you, and I wish you much happiness in coaching the young and up-and-coming ones, I am sure you will be fabulous!
Let’s hope the best for Yoshikaze on his new job as oyakata.
It would be good to know why danpatsu-shiki take so many months to be organized. I understand the Olympics will be a great schedule factor next year.
When the rikishi is high-profile, there are hundreds of people, some very high-profile themselves, like members of the diet and whatnot, who want to take part, and you have to give them enough advance notice. Also, there are few windows. For danpatsu-shiki in the kokugikan, which are also accompanied by hana-zumo, all the sekitori have to be available in Tokyo, and the Kokugikan itself has to be free of other activities.
Yoshikaze-seki – thank you for all the wonderful memories – and i look forward to you creating new memories for me as Nakamura-Oyakata! You will always be the top of the Sumo Totem Pole for me! Much respect!
A couple of years of starting to watch sumo regularly…a young, feisty-as-hell rikishi caught my eyes. Yoshikaze was his name. Was he one-tough cookie? Yes! Did he gather the respect of his fellow competitors? Yes! Did he make millions of fans around the world? Yes! Did he have the heart of a samurai? Yes! Did he leave his mark on sumo? Why, yes of course! He got EIGHT Kinboshi Gold stars, didn’t he? Ha!
I’ll make this short and say that it was very ENJOYABLE watching this man gambarize and put it all out there, basho-to-basho. It is okay that this particular chapter is about to end (Hey, Father Time is NO JOKE!)…but as others above have said, I can’t wait to see what the new journey is going to reveal!
well said Barry B. well said
G’day and thanks, dentay1612! I do love that fact that we have people ALL around the world giving much admiration to a very popular sumotori like, Yoshikaze! He’s earned it over his long career.
He’s pretty special in my books 😁