The Kokugikan Barber Shop will be busy in 2025. Aki Basho 2024 has become a real turning point for professional sumo. We have been discussing a “changing of the guard,” and three popular wrestlers have decided to call it a career. When Takakeisho announced his retirement mid-basho, it was rather apparent that others would follow.
On Tuesday, we learned that two more sekitori would trade in their mawashi for blue jackets and become elders in the Japan Sumo Association: Myogiryu and Aoiyama. Fans of oshi-tsuki are losing three top Pusher-Thrusters in one fell swoop. These announcements come just before the Kyokai will make the Kyushu banzuke and announce Juryo promotions.
Takakeisho
Takakeisho, the former Ozeki, retired in the middle of the tournament after going kyujo. His injuries were too great, and he had lost the ability to compete at this high level. His childhood dream was always to become Yokozuna, so it was very hard to let it go and call it a career when he was so tantalizingly close to achieving it. Demotion plus kyujo meant he would be chasing the dream from the rank-and-file in Kyushu and the goal was slipping farther from his grasp.
He had started his career as Sato back it 2014 in Takanohana-beya. Starting in maezumo, he rose up the ranks relatively quickly, securing three yusho in Jonokuchi, Jonidan and Juryo on his way to his Makuuchi debut in 2017. His rise was well timed as the stable was ensnared in the Harumafuji, Takanoiwa, Takanofuji, and Takagenji scandals.
His career and his success, along with stablemate Takanosho, likely served as a bouy for current Tokiwayama-oyakata during those difficult times as he took the reigns from Takanohana. There may have been storm clouds all around but T-Rex was on the straight-and-narrow, and will serve the Kyokai well. Takakeisho will remain with the Kyokai as Minatogawa-oyakata.
Myogiryu
Myogiryu (Sakaigawa-beya) was a successful amateur wrestler from the prolific Saitama Sakae High School who then joined the sumo powerhouse Nihon Sports Science University (NittaiDai). His career earned him a Makushita debut and he rose quickly to Juryo in 2010, but was injured in his debut tournament.
He fell back to Sandanme as he recovered but rose into Makuuchi where he established himself as a regular and a favorite. He was regularly in sanyaku during his prime, topping out at the rank of Sekiwake. His six kinboshi and six technique prizes help to pad his resume and monthly bonus check. The knee injury continued to plague him and forced him to drop out of this latest tournament. He will become Furiwake-oyakata.
Aoiyama
Aoiyama (Kasugano-beya), one of the few wrestlers from Europe (Bulgaria), was always a big hit with foreign sumo fans. Like Takakeisho and Myogiryu, Aoiyama was known for his oshi-zumo. When that V-Twin was fired up, opponents would get battered or slapped to the ground with no mercy granted. He rose quickly through the ranks, winning yusho in Jonokuchi, Jonidan, and Makushita.
Aoiyama blasted his way into the top division at Kyushu in 2011, taking 11 wins and going home with a special prize. He had been a Top Division mainstay until injuries really took their toll earlier this year. His peak rank was Sekiwake. Hat tip to reader, Checkit, for reminding me to include his future plans. He will take on the elder name, Iwatomo.
More to come?
Kabu-watch is in full swing. I will bring you more retirement news as soon as I hear it. With all of these announcements, I will update you with news on when the ceremonies will be. They won’t happen before 2025, that’s for sure. These guys need time to promote the events.
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Does anyone know approximately when Aoiyama retirement will be? Where would such information be posted? Thank you!
When I get the details, I will post it. The Kyokai has a calendar of events on their website sumo.or.jp that I use as my source. Lately the wrestlers, like Ishiura and Chiyonokuni created Twitter and Instagram accounts to publicize their haircuts. But they won’t be until 2025, probably mid- to late- 2025. The wrestlers need time to sell tickets because they’re big fund raisers for their new careers.
Well, for Myogiryu, i had a good hunch that he was going to hang his mawashi after this basho’s kujo. But for Aoiyama, it was still a small surprise.
You were kinda annoncing at the start of this news that he (Aoiyama) would be trading his mawashi for a blue jacket. But below in your paragraph about him, didn’t mention at all if he would stay in the sumo association as a elder and which kabu he will take. Is he really staying as a coach ? Or does he have other plans ?
Oh, shoooot. I must have left that off. Yes, he’s got a kabu. He will be Iwatomo-oyakata. I’ll add that.
Ah ! Thank you !
That’s great news.
As always Andy…solid job on providing your readers this news! You know, I’m going to miss these guys, so I wish them the absolute best in retirement. Ain’t it amazing, that most rikishi will never climb to the heights of what Takakeisho, Myogiryu and Aoiyama have achieved! I really do hope that the next chapters in their post-career lives are as engaging, rewarding and fulfilling. They beat the odds, right…had very successful careers, made a lot of money for themselves and their families, left their own individual marks in Sumo history, etc. I know the dream of every rikishi is Yokozuna (how many times have we have that one, huh?)…but to be mainstays in Makuuchi all those years is pretty incredible, in my book! Kudos to each and every one of them!
Three big men leaving the dohyo at once seems a huge loss for current ozumo. Most heartrending to me is Takakeisho‘s intai, he was the only definitely established and experienced top sanyaku man I came to know in sumo – before the Yokozuna turned up again. First I felt a bit repulsed by his puffing, sweating, eye closing appearance and the windmill moves, since I discovered that he was all a total work of art and his successful sumo was deeply in connection with all his health issues. And he was so brave and enduring and still trying to smash through with his dream, that I really, really like him for that. Thank you for inserting the interview! (Wait, I‘ve got something in my eye.) I wish I could visit the danpatsu-shiki. I guess it will be in the Kokugikan? They sure need a drainage in the building for that day.
Yes, his danpatsushiki will be at Kokugikan. There should be plenty of time to plan but the date is not announced yet. I’ll post when I find out.
The Hamster was one of many Rikishi to find their path to the top blocked by the immovable object that was Hakuho. Terunofuji has been an injury stricken replacement as Yokozuna, but Takakeisho, himself bedevilled with injuries, could see the emerging younger generation of Rikishi, who would be battling to replace Terunofuji. My favourite Rikishi, Takarafuji, showed during the Aki Bajo that rank and file in the top division is no disgrace and having returned to the top division after a stint in Juryo, his kachi Joshi must have savoured of victory. Asanoyama may be back to challenge, Shodai is past his fighting best, but the future of Sumo lies with the likes of Onosato, Takerufuji and Hidenoumi. I have no doubt that Kirishima and Hoshoryu will continue to influence tournaments going forwards, however, I do not see Kotozakura emulating his grandfather’s achievements and it hurts me to admit that Takayasu will never win a Yusho and may be forced to retire earlier than he expected!
I don’t think Takakeisho was impeded by Hakuho. He first basho at Ozeki was May 2019, and Hakuho was gone by September of 2021, so that’s only 13 basho. Moreover, Hakuho only finished 4 tournaments during this time. Two of those Takakeisho sat out, in the others he went 9-6 and 7-8. So it’s not like he was finishing second behind Hakuho, like e.g. Kisenosato.
Takakeisho had in September and November 2020 results 12-3 J and 13-2 Y, which was really the closest that Takakeisho was to becoming Yokozuna. Shodai won the September with 13-2 and won the match against Takakeisho on day 13. If Takakeisho had won that match, and all the other results had stayed same, Takakeisho would have been Yokozuna after November. Hakuho was absent during these tournaments.
You reminded me of a stat that I had tweeted a few months ago:
“Of Hakuho’s 45 yusho, 12 wins was good enough for the yusho only once: #5. Nine times he got a jun-yusho with 13+ wins. It was just a totally different era.”
I will always defend the Kyokai’s decision not to promote Takakeisho on that. At the time, people were pointing to Kakuryu and Kisenosato but I just cannot pretend those two runs are in the least bit equivalent.
The de facto yokozuna promotion standard in the Hakuko era has been 26+ wins over two basho, with at least one of them a yusho and the other at least a jun-yusho. Takakeisho narrowly missed on that one occasion and appropriately wasn’t promoted. (Kakuryu was 14-1 D 14-1 Y, Kisenosato 12-3 J 14-1 Y after a run of incredible consistency).
Hidenoumi??????
Must have meant Hiradoumi.
Do you think that the young Onosato San can be the next giant to fill the gap?
Yes.
Strange feeling to hear Aoiyama retire. His bout against Hakuho, day 7 of Nagoya Basho in 2014 is the first sumo bout I can clearly recollect (also the first time I went to see Sumo).
Hakuho won easily by hatakikomi.