The first basho of the year 2021 surely sparked a lot of fun. Soon enough, pandemic issues were, perhaps not forgotten, but set aside.

But how much can we remember about the Hatsu basho 2021?

1. Let’s start this quiz in juryo. How many sekitori have made their juryo debuts?

a. One

b. Two

c. Three

d. Four

2. How many wins did they get combined?

a. Nine

b. Eleven

c. Thirteen

d. Fifteen

3. Daieisho had a stunning basho. He actually won with a two win lead other the following rikishi. Who was the last maegashira to achieve that?

a. Tokushoryu

b. Tamawashi

c. Tochinoshin

d. Kyokutenho

4. By the way, when did a maegashira 1 last lift the Emperor’s Cup?

a. It never happened

b. 1982

c. 1992

d. 2002

5. And the way, Daieisho has been defeated during this basho by…

a. Takanosho and Takayasu

b. Takarafuji and Onosho

c. Takayasu and Takarafuji

d. Takanosho and Onosho

6. Meanwhile, Daieisho’s last rival for the Cup, Shodai, faltered during the tournament’s last days, losing to Terunofuji on day 14 and to Asanoyama on senshuraku. Prior to that, he matched Daieisho’s record, losing just twice, to eventual winner Daieisho and…

a. Onosho

b. Takayasu

c. Mitakeumi

d. Tamawashi

7. Shodai narrowly missed his second yusho. When did two basho have last been won in a row by two different ozeki?

a. 2003

b. 2006

c. 2009

d. 2012

8. How many sekitori (makuuchi and juryo) have been kyujo due to the pandemic?

a. Eleven

b. Thirteen

c. Fifteen

d. Seventeen

9. Who ended up kashi koshi?

a. Myogiryu

b. Hokutofuji

c. Endo

d. Okinoumi

10. And who couldn’t avoid make koshi?

a. Shimanoumi

b. Meisei

c. Kiribayama

d. Yutakayama

11. Hoshoryu started with five losses, then won nine in a row, then lost on senshuraku.

a. True

b. False

12. Hoshoryu had a good tournament, ending up 9-6. He defeated Shimanoumi on day 13 uing a rare kimarite called…

a. Uchigake

b. Uchimuso

c. Ushiromotare

d. Utchari

13. How many rikishi on the banzuke (competing or not) have won at least two makuuchi yusho?

a. Three

b. Four

c. Five

d. Six

14. Takakeisho will be kadoban in March. Taking into account both of his ozeki stints (and the March 2021 kadoban status) how many times overall have Takakeisho, Asanoyama and Shodai been kadoban?

a. Three times
b. Four times
c. Five times
d. Six times

15. Terunofuji’s incredible rise goes on, being now on his way to a second ozeki promotion. When’s the last time he got a losing record, either while fighting or while being kyujo?

a. January 2018
b. May 2018
c. January 2019
d. May 2019

The answers

1. Let’s start this quiz in juryo. How many sekitori have made their juryo debuts?

b. Two: Oho and Tokahuryu. Both took occasion of their sekitori debut to change their shikona: Oho is former Naya, while Tokahuryu is former Shiraishi.

2. How many wins did they get combined?

c. Thirteen. If Tokahuryu is set to remain in juryo (8-7), Oho will have to get his way back (5-10).

3. Daieisho had a stunning basho. He actually won with a two win lead other the following rikishi. Who was the last maegashira to achieve that?

c. Tochinoshin. The Georgian went 14-1 in January 2018; Takayasu was the runner up with a 12-3 record. Tokushoryu also went 14-1 in January 2020, but Shodai snatched 13 wins. Tamawashi did lift the Cup with a two win lead, but he was a sekiwake in Hatsu 2019. Kyokutenho won the Natsu basho 2012 in a playoff against Tochiozan.

4. By the way, when did a maegashira 1 last lift the Emperor’s Cup?

c. 1992. Mitoizumi (13-2), during the Nagoya basho 1992. Remarkably, he also finished with a two win lead. He went as high as sekiwake.

5. By the way, Daieisho has been defeated during this basho by…

b. Takarafuji and Onosho, on day 9 and 11.

6. Meanwhile, Daieisho’s last rival for the Cup, Shodai, faltered during the tournament’s last days, losing to Terunofuji on day 14 and to Asanoyama on senshuraku. Prior to that, he matched Daieisho’s record, losing just twice, to eventual winner Daieisho and…

c. Mitakeumi, on day 8. Daieisho got the upper hand on day 3.

7. Shodai narrowly missed his second yusho. When did two basho have last been won in a row by two different ozeki?

a. 2003. It’s indeed necessary to go that far back: Asashoryu won the Hatsu basho 2003, which saw him being promoted from ozeki to yokozuna. Ozeki Chiyotaikai won the next basho.

8. How many sekitori (makuuchi and juryo) have been kyujo due to the pandemic?

c. Fifteen. The Miyagino, Arashio, Tomozuna and Kokonoe beya have all been kyujo due to Covid cases. It largely impacted makuuchi (Hakuho, Wakatakakage, Chiyonokuni, Chiyotairyu, Chiyoshoma, Kaisei) and juryo (Ishiura, Chiyomaru, Chiyonoo, Enho, Kyokushuho, Wakamotoharu, Chiyootori, Kyokutaisei, Chiyonoumi). Kakuryu has been kyujo too, but for injury related reasons.

9. Who ended up kashi koshi?

a. Myogiryu, with a 8-7 record. The three others finished 7-8

10. And who couldn’t avoid make koshi?

d. Yutakayama, with a 7-8 record. Shimanoumi went 9-6, whereas Meisei and Kiribayama ended up 8-7.e

11. Hoshoryu started with five losses, then won nine in a row, then lost on senshuraku.

a. True!

12. Hoshoryu had a good tournament, ending up 9-6. He defeated Shimanoumi on day 13 uing a rare kimarite called…

a. Uchigake. The definition is “inside leg trip”.

13. How many rikishi on the banzuke (competing or not) have won at least two makuuchi yusho?

c. Five: Hakuho, Kakuryu, Takakeisho, Terunofuji and Mitakeumi

14. Takakeisho will be kadoban in March. Taking into account both of his ozeki stints (and the March 2021 kadoban status), how many times overall have Takakeisho, Asanoyama and Shodai been kadoban?

c. Five times: it’ll be Takakeisho’s third Basho being labelled kadoban, whereas Asanoyama and Shodai were both kadoban in January this year. That’s quite a lot for such young oaeki careers.

15. Terunofuji’s incredible rise goes on, being now on his way to a second ozeki promotion. When’s the last time he got a losing record, either while fighting or while being kyujo?

c. January 2019