From Chiba, we head west to Kanagawa prefecture. Since these Jungyo reports are actually posted a couple of days after the event, we now know that Typhoon #19 has been through many of the areas the Jungyo was planned in. You’ll see a happy town of Sagamihara today, but two days later, it will be disaster area. Post-typhoon events are likely to be accompanied by rounds to comfort the survivors. But today we’ll concentrate on the happy side.
🌐 Location: Sagamihara, Kanagawa
Two rikishi we all know and love hail from Kanagawa: Tomokaze and Hattorizakura. While Hattorizakura is not likely to ever be on a Jungyo (even if we did see his heya-mate Urutora), Tomokaze’s kyujo as a disappointment to the locals.
However, turns out he actually sneaked into this event!
He was not an official part of the Jungyo, and the tweet from which this photo came said that he was there for some matsuri. Not that he is supposed to do that… But anyway, it’s nice to see him around.
Endo looks pretty happy today, doesn’t he?
It is on this day that the press learns that the sneaky komusubi has been married since May this year. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth among the hordes of sumo-joshi. The media were particularly surprised that he was married to “an ordinary woman”, not a celebrity of any sort.
So if you have spotted more smiles on the face of the stoic golden boy recently, you now know the reason.
So let’s shake hands with Kotoshogiku and Tsurugisho before hurrying inside the venue to see what’s up.
Going inside, we have Onosho doing a combination of stretch and suri-ashi:
Ichiyamamoto is taping up:
Sokokurai is doing his stretches and watching the day unfold:
While his heya-mate, Wakatakakage, is doing his exercises with two Nishikido-beya guys:
Looks like Gokushindo is making this exercise very tough for the youngest Onami.
Goeido looks happy today:
Is he married or about to enter into that state? Well, he is practicing his kneel fol sure:
No, Ozeki, you are supposed to stay on that knee and offer up a ring!
Tochiozan is attempting to do some resistance training, but he doesn’t seem like his heart is in it.
And Yutakayama is coaching Kagayaki in the finer points and techniques of…
…nose picking! This is, of course, the “Paparazzi pick”, which is used when people take photos of you without permission. Ah, oops…
Up on the dohyo, here is Chiyomaru, and here is Chiyomaru’s belly:
Oh, and here is someone I haven’t expected to see in Jungyo. Remember yesterday I informed you that Futagoyama oyakata is back from kyujo? So he brought a tsukebito with him:
I guess Roga worked his way back into the oyakata’s favors after the public hissy fit Futagoyama had at him for losing to Terunofuji in Nagoya. This may have to do with the fact that he’s been getting very decent kachi-koshi since he was recruited, that he is one of only two members of the heya to go beyond 4-3 in Aki, and that he is the effing Futagoyama heyagashira.
So let’s take a look at the Juryo practice session:
This also includes Tochinoshin doing that mixed moshi-ai-butsukari he has been doing almost every day. I wonder if he finds value in it for his own goal of 10 wins in Kyushu.
The Makuuchi practice goes like this:
Lots of interesting stuff in there, like Shodai being frustrated even when he wins. Kagayaki still not managing to find his deashi. And Mitakeumi looking in practice like what Mitakeumi looks like in practice.
On to the program of the day. Today’s shokkiri team is Tochimitsuru and Tochisato:
Tochisato 
Tochimitsuru
If you want to compare the acts, I have another lengthy video today, though not as good as yesterday’s.
The hair dressing demonstration is done on two rikishi simultanously. I give you the Snorks:
Time for the Juryo bouts. Kiribayama becomes an assistant PA:
And pretty soon, it’s time for the Makuuchi dohyo-iri. Abi still hangs out with his Snork buddy, and even sits him on his knee and gives him a massage:
If it was anybody other than Enho, I’d warn Abi about damage to his knee. But with this wee pixie, it’s fine.
But for others, the time before the dohyo-iri means pain:
Today’s victim: Daieisho. And yes, Tamawashi is in there.
The Yokozuna dohyo-iri reveals a sad fact to us. Ishiura is kyujo. He is replaced by…
Terutsuyoshi. Who is technically still ranked above Enho, which makes him the tachi-mochi, while Enho is on the other side doing the dew gathering duties.
The aforesaid Yokozuna is doing his usual kore-yori-san-yaku thing. But this time, Goeido is making him laugh:
Yep, Goeido is in a super good mood today.
Here is the Yokozuna match for you:
Now, for the longer video:
- 00:00 – Abi vs. Mitakeumi, in screen corner, accompanied by dramatic music.
- 01:07 – Local dignitary making a speech.
- 02:35 – Makuuchi dohyo-iri
- 03:26 – Sumo Jinku
- 11:15 – Shokkiri (Tochimitsuru/Tochisato)
- 16:03 – Hair styling demonstration
- 20:09 – Rope tying demonstration
- 23:08 – Hakuho dohyo-iri with Terutsuyoshi and Enho
- 25:18 – Yokozuna bout
- 29:33 – Yumi-tori shiki (Kasugaryu)
Finally, your pin-up for the day is Takanosho!
Unfortunate to hear Ishiura is not okay. Hopefully he will be healthy by the basho, as his Aki performance was pretty good and lower makuuchi looked very exciting to me while I was getting my banzuke predictions together. He would be missed.
Chiyomaru is very charismatic as usual. Him especially I want to see do well in that area of the banzuke.
Is there any information on Aoiyama? He was not looking himself last basho. I also want to see him do well in Kyushu, of course.
There is nothing in particular about Aoiyama. He participates in practices as well as the official matches.
Congratulations to Endo! Marriage seems to have done wonders for his sumo. On another note, Tamawashi annoys me to no end.