The Dohyo has been built and consecrated. The purification ceremony was performed last night. Shikimori Inosuke presided over the event. In the words of Mills Lane, “Let’s get it on!” Oh, wait, no…that was Marvin Gaye. No… I think I was right the first time. Anyway, kachi-kuri have been buried, sake has been poured, salt has been sprinkled. It’s time.

How to Watch

If you want to watch LIVE each day, as in wake up at 3am for makuuchi, JME.tv has it for you in North America. Their sumo coverage is a part of their regular Japanese-language programming. Live, top division sumo is shown on the NHK World Premium channel. The service does provide a special channel for re-broadcasts throughout the day, which is a nice feature. You can listen to audio in Japanese and/or English.

We’re still putting in requests for more coverage, including Juryo. But the best way to get more coverage is for them to have more viewers, frankly. Outside of the US, NHK Premium is still the place to get it but accessing it depends on deals with cable networks and such. NHK has a tool on their website to help you find who you need to hassle. Scroll down a bit and then use the drop boxes to choose your region and then your country. Tachiai is big in Finland, for example, where NHK World Premium is available on Tivify and toober. https://nhkworldpremium.com/en/apply

If you can’t watch live or don’t want a subscription service, NHK does offer videos of Makuuchi AND Juryo action. NHK posts these videos a few minutes after each bout. The videos show the entire bout, from just before the tachiai until the winning wrestler receives his kensho and is walking away. This is far superior to the clips on Twitter that just show the action. Why? The reactions. The glares. The drama. Oh, dear, I am already looking forward to tonight.

To recap, Aki-Basho senshuraku coverage is here: Juryo, Makuuchi Part I and Part II

Hidenoyama-beya

Former Ozeki, Kotoshogiku, opened his new heya and brought over four jonidan-ranked wrestlers from Sadogatake. All four wrestlers have new shikona, dropping the Koto- naming convention. Instead, these Hidenoyama’s wrestlers may use Kiku (菊) in their shikona. Seiyu will be the first we will see in action with the new heya. (Hat tip to Asashosakari for the clarification.)

菊琉峰	琴宗形
(きくりゅうほう)
誠雄	琴高口
(せいゆう)
康誠	琴元村
(こうせい)
菊ノ城	琴花城
(きくのしろ)

Juryo

Shirokuma will take on Hakuoho. Shirokuma is coming off an injury which forced him to withdraw early from Aki and demoted back to Juryo. Hakuoho is crawling his way back up the banzuke. With strong performances, both men are in good position to earn re-promotion into the top division and will want to get off to a good start. Someone’s start will not be as good as the other.

This will be an important tournament for Onosho as he faces Daishoho. Just a few months ago, Onosho seemed on a path back to the joi-jin but he banged up his already banged up knee. We’re not sure if he is going to come back and clean house down here in Juryo, linger for a few tournaments like Aoiyama, or take a more rapid sudden drop and an appointment with the barber.

On a more positive note, we have three young sekitori debutants. Aonishiki, Wakaikari, and Kotoeiho (formerly Kototebakari). These youngsters will be fighting hard for kachi-koshi. A handhold on the bottom rungs of Juryo is not a very safe place to be. It’s a different world here, fighting a full 15-day schedule.

Makuuchi

Let’s start in Sanyaku. Terunofuji is out but the rest of the cast is here and it will be a night of heated action, that’s for sure. The final five bouts go: Ura vs Daieisho, Kirishima vs Wakatakakage, Hiradoumi vs Onosato, Oho vs Hoshoryu, all leading into Kotozakura vs Emo King Shodai in the musubi-no-ichiban. Just about everyone here (except for the goofballs in that last bout) gives it their all in each and every bout, leaving nothing on the table. Hiradoumi will be fighting with his hometown fans in the crowd, so I might have to put an extra star next to that fight. Taking a win off the newly minted Ozeki, Onosato, would sure be sweet.

Illustrative of this transition-era, our big rivalry fight is down in the rank-and-file: Tamawashi vs. Takarafuji. These guys have fought each other 32 times, Tamawashi holding the slight edge. This just seems a world away from where we were during the Kisenosato-Kotoshogiku days. Those guys fought an astonishing 66 times with Kotoshogiku taking 36 wins. In 10 years, will we be talking about Onosato vs Oho in the same way as those two legends?

Closing

It’s no coincidence that I close things out on this post with that thought. Both men are now stablemasters in their own right. Kisenosato had a head start, built a castle and has crowned a prince. Now, it’s Kotoshogiku’s turn to see what he can do, developing the next generation of talent. So much to look forward to here in Kyushu…and when we turn to 2025!