As we previously mentioned it, Shodai decided to keep his shikona following his promotion to the ozeki rank. Let’s try to figure out how much we know about rikishi’s shikona, shikona changes and real names…
As usual, try your best to get your kashi koshi!
1. Let’s start this quiz quietly. Ama became ozeki…
a. Goeido
b. Kakuryu
c. Harumafuji
d. Baruto
2. Which one of these wrestlers is currently fighting with his real name ?
a. Takarafuji
b. Takayasu
c. Takanosho
d. Takagenji
3. Who started wrestling using his real name – Fukuoka ?
a. Hokutofuji
b. Okinoumi
c. Ryuden
d. Daieisho
4. Who is the other Mr. Fukuoka in makuuchi ?
a. Abi
b. Terutsuyoshi
c. Meisei
d. Enho
5. Who started his sumo career with the shikona Wakamisho ?
a. Kiribayama
b. Tamawashi
c. Ichinojo
d. Terunofuji
6. The Bulgarian wrestler Aoiyama was given his current shikona after being asked a few questions about things he likes. What does “Aoiyama” mean ?
a. Red wind
b. Red mountain
c. Blue wind
d. Blue mountain
7. And by the way, Big Dan’s (Aoiyama) real name is…
a. Petkov
b. Dimitrov
c. Kotov
d. Ivanov
8. Let’s now have some fun (and a few headaches !) with Sadogatake’s wrestlers. Who used to be called Kotokikutsugi ?
a. Kotoosho
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoyuki
d. Kotoshogiku
9. Kotokamatani, on the other hand, is now known as…
a. Kotonowaka
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoshoho
d. Kotoshogiku
10. Whereas Kotoenomoto has become…
a. Kotooshu
b. Kotoeko
c. Kotoshoho
d. Kotoyuki
11. And finally, Kototebakari is currently known as…
a. Kotoshoho
b. Kotoyuki
c. Kotonowaka
d. Kotoshogiku
12. Takanohana and Wakanohana are one of sumo’s most famous brothers. Their real name is :
a. Hanada
b. Koga
c. Sawai
d. Hagiwara
13. Which one of these rikishi used to be called “Sato” and changed his shikona as he got promoted to makuuchi ?
a. Takakeisho
b. Asanoyama
c. Mitakeumi
d. Shodai
14. Hanakaze is known for his incredibly long career, which started back in 1986 (!). Under how many names has he wrestled so far ?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four
15. And finally, the great Hakuho has changed shikona :
a. Once
b. Twice
c. Thrice
d. He never changed his shikona
The answers :
1. Let’s start this quiz quietly. Ama became ozeki…
c. Harumafuji. Of course ! He took that name after his promotion to ozeki, following the Kyushu basho 2008.
2. Which one of these wrestlers is currently fighting with his real name ?
b. Takayasu Akira.
3. Who started wrestling using his real name – Fukuoka ?
b. Okinoumi. He actually semmed to have some remorses after changing his shikona to Okinoumi, in March 2009. Two basho after, he went back to Fukuoka Ayumi, during just one basho. He then changed once again – for good – to Okinoumi Ayumi.
4. Who is the other Mr. Fukuoka in makuuchi ?
b. Terutsuyoshi. He has used only one shikona so far : Terutsuyoshi Shoki.
5. Who started his sumo career with the shikona Wakamisho ?
d. Terunofuji. Terunofuji likes changes : he used to be called Wakamisho Yoshiaki, then Wakamisho Noriaki, then Wakamisho Yoshiaki again, then Terunofuji Yoshiaki, then Terunofuji Haruo.
6. The Bulgarian wrestler Aoiyama was given his current shikona after being asked a few questions about things he likes. What does “Aoiyama” mean ?
d. Blue mountain. Aoiyama likes blue color, and prefers mountain over sea.
7. And by the way, Big Dan’s (Aoiyama) real name is…
d. Ivanov. Daniel Ivanov, to be exact.
8. Let’s now have some fun (and a few headaches !) with Sadogatake’s wrestlers. Who used to be called Kotokikutsugi ?
d. Kotoshogiku. His real name is Kikutsugi Kazuhiro.
9. Kotokamatani, on the other hand, is now known as…
a. Kotonowaka. Outside the dohyo, he’s Kamatani Masakatsu
10. Whereas Kotoenomoto has become…
d. Kotoyuki, also known as Enomoto Yuki.
11. And finally, Kototebakari is currently known as…
a. Kotoshoho. His real name : Tebakari Toshiki
12. Takanohana and Wakanohana are one of sumo’s most famous brothers. Their real name is :
a. Hanada. Koga is Kaio’s name ; Sawai is Goeido’s name and Hagiwara is former Kisenosato’s name. Some great wrestlers down there.
13. Which one of these rikishi used to be called “Sato” and changed his shikona as he got promoted to makuuchi ?
a. Takakeisho. Asanoyama did change his shikona, but after promotion to juryo. Mitakeumi took just one shikona, whereas Shodai is fighting under his actual name.
14. Hanakaze is known for his incredibly long career, which started back in 1986 (!). Under how many names has he wrestled so far ?
c. Three. He started fighting under his real name, Yamagushi Daisaku, then switched to Tatsuyamagushi Daisaku, and to Hanakaze Daisaku. He holds that name since July 1999 !
15. And finally, the great Hakuho has changed shikona :
d. He never changed his shikona. Hakuho Sho. That’s the GOAT’s shikona.
It’s not just Hakuho’s shikona. It’s now officially his real name as well.
Ha, that’s true!
Isn’t the answer to 6, d. mountain? wind would be Aoikaze? It’s the only one I thought I knew the answer to.
Absolutely!
Foreign wrestlers always start with a proper shikona rather than their real name as a wrestlers name needs to be represented by kanji. They are also less likely to change it: Hakuho, Kakuryu, Ichinojo, Asashoryu, Akebono, Tochinoshin, Takamiyama, Kaisei, Konishiki etc all stuck with the same shikona throughout their careers.
But still there are exceptions like Wakamisho/Terunofuji, Takakasuga/Tanegashima/Kyokusoten/Tamashoho, Shoma/Chiyoshoma (that was due to the previous Kokonoe/Chiyonofuji’s policy to only give “Chiyo” when reaching Sandanme), Wakatora/Sakigake, Sadahikari/Sadanohikari.
Not unhappy with my 10-5.
Yokozuna kach koshi 😉
The Kotos destroyed me, too, which is annoying because I can remember discussing them with the other names but connecting them now…so odd.
Yes. I think it’s impossible to end up 13-2 or 14-1. There were some easier questions that could allow a decent Kashi koshi.
I’d like to be on the contestant side one day to give it a try, not on the creation side! ☺️
I went 14-1 but I am guessing Herouth has got a zensho
Only missed on Hanakaze, I thought he had 4
The Kotos where the only part I had completely right, thought I was only 100% sure for Kototebakari and Kotokamatani. 11-4 is not too bad, I guess I’m on the verge of an Ozeki run ;)
I got banished to Juryo with Ikioi and Shohozan.
Hi Timothee, if possible will you write a blog on meaning of some widely used Shikona like fuji, Yama, Asa etc. It will be interesting.
Hi Kiran, that’s an interesting idea! I’ll try to do so, depending on my meagre Japanese knowledge and the information I could retrieve! Thanks!
Only thing I wasn’t absolutely certain on was Hanakaze’s number of shikona, though I had no clue as to the other person with real name Fukuoka, so I was absolutely certain I had no idea! So give me a 13.5-1.5 as I never really committed to a Hanakaze answer though 3 was a possibility.
One thing I’m reminded of when Aoiyama’s real name was mentioned is that Amuru had the same last name. It’s not all that weird, essentially being the Slavic “Johnson”, but it was pointed out on Sumo Forum the one time they met (Haru 2016).
I forgot to mention the reason I was “absolutely certain” on 13 of them is that I didn’t need to look at the multiple choice options to answer. Hanakaze I did look at the options and thought it was 3, but I also thought 2 of them were the same, and was wrong in that regard.
9-6 would have preferred double digits, but it’s still a kachi koshi so I’m going up the banzuke regardless.