Fresh off the Fuji TV tournament, Kokugikan will host another sumo exhibition tomorrow (2/11) afternoon. This time the even is hosted by NHK. The program starts just after noon with some Taiko drumming. I have a video here of some Taiko drumming from the Shinshun matsuri (New Spring Festival) that was held here in DC two weekends ago.
The program continues with a comedy sumo routine (Shokkiri), Jinku singing, the Makuuchi Dohyo-iri, and some exhibition bouts. A great sample of some Jinku singing is in the video below from Inside Sport Japan. *Update via Herouth below, the professional singers featured on the brochure and on the website will compete with makuuchi wrestlers in a singing competition. Your guess is probably better than mine as to who, other than Ikioi, will be participating.* There won’t be a tournament with a purse, and no shot at a Hakuho-Enho bout, but it should still be a fun, relaxed sumo event.
You forgot the main part of the event – the song contest! Selected Makuuchi rikishi paired with professional singers and singing oldies in two competing groups.
Aside from Ikioi, do you know who the Makuuchi singers are? They had a list of the pros. Oh, crap, I forgot the link, too. Will add.
No idea. I don’t even know that Ikioi will be one of them. I’m going to put my money on Enho, though. Maybe they’ll match him up with the idol group.
Takayasu?
Enho with Kashiwagi or Iwasa would be nice although Enka Enho
Has done it several times already. In fact, he met his wife there.
Chiyomaru + Kashiwagi Yuki
Onosho + Mizmo (水雲）
Hokutofuji + Okayu
Ryuden + Iwasa Misaki
Ikioi + Oka Midori
Ikioi could really opt for a tv career after sumo;)
Hokutofuji apparently married last month, if I got that right.
Sounds like great fun, especially the singing contest where the rikishi will be paired with famous singers! Hopefully videos will be posted of that part at least.
Ikioi for the win if he enters!
Any indication when it will be broadcast?
February 22nd on NHK G.
So i’m currently watching this. The winner is clearly Chiyomaru who was paired with Kashiwagi and performed some akb48 dance together with her singing a capella ;) That’s with the show only half way.
Ikioi has obviously the best voice, but Hokutofuji wasn’t too bad either. Atm Onosho (who was paired with MIZMO(?)) is solo performing Story by AI. Not bad at all.
They had some sort of comedy sumo as shokkiri at the start, which was totally popular among the kids.
Thanks to Herouth for the heads up, I probably wouldn’t have turned on TV that early.