Sumo action is NOT over so Tachiai does not hibernate until Natsu basho.
Jungyo (巡業) means tour in Japanese. In the sumo world, the jungyo refers to off-season promotional tour events, usually sponsored by local corporate sponsors and supporter groups. Sometimes there will be visits to important local shrines, like tomorrow’s visit to Ise Jingu to kick-off this tour, and the visit to Yasukuni in the middle of next month. Those events usually feature a Yokozuna dohyo-iri at the shrine. Local communities will try to time these tours to coincide with local festivals or other occasions.
Not all wrestlers participate in Jungyo. Most head back to Tokyo but sekitori, their tsukebito, and some special cases will lead those from lower ranks to participate. Often wrestlers whose hometown is near one of the tour stops will be included in the tour. Kyujo wrestlers will not. For this particular tour there are several kyujo sekitori, including: yusho-winner Takerufuji, Kirishima, Takakeisho, Tsurugisho, Tamawashi, and Shimazuumi. REST, BOYS. To learn more about this tour and see a full schedule with map, click to read more. (I don’t want the visualization to load for everyone visiting the site, unless you actually want to check out the Jungyo map. I think it’s pretty cool.)
Calendar and Map
Kick-off (Ise Grand Shrine)
This particular tour kicks off at the Ise Grand Shrine and will feature a Yokozuna dohyo-iri and will culminated in a single-elimination format tournament among the top 16 Makuuchi wrestlers. Ise is in Mie Prefecture. The Kyokai provided this handy little March Madness-style bracket with a little index of kimarite on the top left and a list of former winners on the right. Hoshoryu is reigning champion. *Update* Hoshoryu also turned out to be kyujo. The yusho was claimed by Kotonowaka in a battle with Ura, who will be fighting as Kotozakura at Natsu in May.
This event will start with keiko and then have bouts from lower-ranking Sandanme and Makushita wrestlers, jinku, shokkiri, taiko drumming before the makuuchi action starts. There will be some makuuchi bouts before the tournament kicks off. The yumitorishiki (or bow-twirling ceremony) was performed by Asanowaka for the first time.
The troupe will then pack their akeni and head back to Osaka for tomorrow’s tour date in Mino, then head over to Hyogo Prefecture before turning back toward Nagoya. They will wrap up Week One in Fukui Prefecture, close to Ishikawa and the distinctive Noto Peninsula which was hit hard by the New Year’s earthquake. The Kyokai will actually host another sumo event at Kokugikan next month as a fund-raiser for the earthquake. That date is not included here in their tour dates.
https://x.com/sumokyokai/status/1774271960324944098?s=20
Mino, Osaka
Under construction
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Very interesting, thanks a lot.
Is there much coverage of these events in the Japanese media or are they merely local?
And what‘s in it for the rikishi? Are they paid for taking part?
It’s a local thing. It’s basically the wrestlers’ job of outreach and a source of funding and how they try to recruit supporters in local communities. It’s also how the local areas do some self-promotion. Tomorrow they’ll be in Shinonsencho and the town’s website is promoting it…and a squid festival. https://www.town.shinonsen.hyogo.jp/
I understand that this kind of outreach is important but I can’t help but feel sorry for the wrestlers. There are only 7 weeks in between basho, so to have to spend 4 of them touring means they barely have time to properly train, never mind rest… And how many tours are there in a year? 3? 4?
3, I think. I should make sure to point out that not all wrestlers have to participate. Many are back in Tokyo right now at their heya. I would be curious to poll the rikishi and see how many enjoy the jungyo vs hate it. It’s probably a mixed bag.
I think it’s 4. And the only way (senior) wrestlers can avoid participation is if they’re kyujo, with an official injury certificate.
Absolutely right. For some reason, I was thinking there were just the three…as the troupe travel home to Tokyo from Osaka, Nagoya, and Kyushu.
SHIKASHI! BUT! There is an Aki tour after the Aki tournament in Tokyo.
Synergy with the regional basho locations might have been the original impetus for scheduling the tours as they are, but it’s definitely not the case now. Nobody stuck around in Fukuoka for a week to wait for the start of the winter tour in nearby Kumamoto last November. Back to Tokyo, then out on the road again.
I would like it as an occasion to leave the hamster wheel of heya training/basho and get around the country instead, visiting new places, have nice and refreshing contact with fans etc. – without competition pressure. There will be time and space for usual training as well, I think. All you have to do is carry along some weights and jumping ropes in the bus, no?
Like any touring artist, I suspect rikishi don’t actually get to see much of the places they visit. The newer guys might still consider it an exciting experience, but I suspect the veterans mainly see it as just another part of the job. And it’s a long time to be away from their family, if they have one.
I agree deeply with that artist thing :)
BTW – very good first performance of the yumitorishiki by Asanowaka. You could easily imagine there was something invisible twisted and spun around the bow. Great ceremony!
I don’t know if I’m correct to mention here, but it is reported that Akebono Taro died last week in Tokyo …
Yeah, I have been tracking down information about it. I plan to post later tonight.
Hasn’t anyone else heard about Akebono passing away?
Yes. He did. I have not had a chance to write it up. I hope to tonight. There was a memorial service. I’m still not sure when he died, though. I keep seeing, “this month”.
I did see an “early this month”, whatever that means. Thanks Andy!
April 16, 2024 Just flew back from 2nHaru Jungyo 4/7 in Toyama with Asanoyama, Endo & Onosato present. Then trained to Fukui just visiting the town of Katsuyama where dinosaur bones were discovered. Hurrying back for more sumo, caught Saitama basho at, Super Arena next to Shintoshin Station. There was Saitama Sakae highschool grads minus couple kyujo rikishis’. I bought a better seats in Toyama and really had a ball. It was my first to follow jungyo. Will plan for another. Any is there jungyo after May basho? or next one is after July basho? Kyokai only has after March basho posted.
Next should be after Nagoya in July.