The Banzuke Committee met today, along with an ad hoc meeting of the Association’s Board of Directors to approve Hoshoryu as the 74th Yokozuna. After his Championship run, the Shimpan Department recommended his promotion which was seconded by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council.
This all happened today because the Banzuke Committee are drawing up the ranking sheet for Haru Basho, which will begin March 9 in Osaka. Hoshoryu will be listed at the top.
Along with the announcement of Hoshoryu’s promotion, we also received official word of promotions to Juryo. These promotions are in line with Leonid’s predictions from the other day.
Wakanosho (Tokiwayama), Kusano (Isegahama), and Otsuji (Takadagawa) earn sekitori status for the first time. I’m a little surprised that there aren’t any new shikona for the latter two, who continue to use their real surnames.
Joining them are Kazekeno (Oshiogawa) and Hitoshi, who return to the division. Hitoshi likely replaces an Oitekaze stablemate, as Daiamami and Daishoho dip back into the part-timers.
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Yay!
Awesome! Much deserved.
He’s fought injured a number of times over the past 4-5 years and always tried to put himself in position to pull off a trip or one of his numerous throws. No quit in this man. Very happy for him and Grand Sumo. A young, healthy Yokozuna will be a JOI To watch
Fantastic news!
I hope he goes from strength to strength, keeps up his seemingly newly rediscovered passion and focus, and has many years of success..
Wow, this is a big deal!
Well done Hoshoryu and Tatsunami stable.
It’s an expensive choice for the JSA if he’s going to keep on being beaten by rank-and-filers and personally, I don’t like the guy either, he seems to have an even worse temper on him sometimes than Hakuho.
That said, if they really need a yokozuna right now then he’s the only choice thanks to Kotozakura’s non-performance. And who am I to criticize? The only way I can match sumo wrestlers is in body mass!
I think time will tell if JSA feel that they made the right choice with Mr Attitude. I hope he lives up to the Yokozuna status in fighting style and mindset so let’s see in March 👍. Personally I’d hoped they wait until after March Basho to see how he does but it’s their decision
Hōshōryū just makes grumpy faces; Hakuhō had to be admonished for excessive dame-oshi and once flung an opponent directly into a shimpan so hard the shimpan’s leg broke.
I don’t particularly like Hoshoryu’s attitude, and I disagree with making him Yokozuna now as I think he still needs to work on some things but it was pretty obvious he had the skills to be a Yokozuna even when he was just entering the top division.
At least I should finally get to see a Yokozuna dohyo-iri when I go in May (Terunofuji was kyujo every one of the 7 times I have been to see sumo live in the last two years.)
I do predict quite a storm of zabuton in the next few tournaments :)
Lucky you sumosquirrel to attend more than 50% of live bashos over last 2 years! I am very jealous. I attended my first and only live Basho in Nov 2023 in Fukuoka, and I was also disappointed not to see Big Teru in person… I had to satisfy with seeing the life size stand up cardboard cutout of Teru in the Kokusai Center lobby…. 😒. I am thinking also to go this May, we’ll see. Hoshoryu!!!! So happy for his promotion, well deserved in my book.
I find these continued “attitude” comments about Hoshotyu fascinating. Many rikishi have “game faces” that they display that are in contrast to their off-ring demeanor. I do not recall him showing any attitude of disrespect to other riskishi during or after a match.
Agreed. I try not to mistake shtick for personality.
I agree jmotzi. They all do it, I think it’s funny and Hosh and Kotozakura are very consistent in theirs. Hoshoryu always makes a half step towards the other rikishi as they go to their corners, glaring fiercely.
It has NO bearing on the man outside the dohyo, as you said.
By all accounts, Hoshoryu’s a gentle goofball !
We all like different rikishi, naturally, but all the glares and pretend stuff in the ring, is I feel, nothing other than psyching themselves up.
I totally agree. There are rikishi I root against on principle because of behavior on or off dohyo (glaring at you, Oshoma, reported to have stood on a stable-mate’s collarbone to break it, and then there’s Hakuyozan). But I’ve never heard anything like that about Hoshoryu, and if he wants to strut around before the match and squint myopically but fiercely in the general direction of his opponent to psych himself up, I have no problem with it.
On sumo forum there’s a really sweet picture of him in the parade car with Meisei and a boy who is the son of Hoshoryu’s “Japanese mother” (I guess someone he was close to in his years in high school in Japan).
There was once a time when he lost and forgot to pay his respects before he left the dohyo. The gyoji called him back in the dohyo to bow. If you watched his matches, when he looses, he give a slight bow not like the other rikishis.
Horror of horrors.
I would like to see him,
Mature a little more. Garnish more skills.
He only really has that spin move to the right.
Remember a few tournaments ago, He was reprimanded for not bowing
Seems to me. He carries a chip on his shoulder
I wonder how many fights of Hoshoryu U‘ve ever even watched.
The opposite of what U suggest is true. He belongs to the most skillful rikishi.
That’s right. There’s few situations which arise during a bout where he’s not able to pull off a throw or reverse what looks like a losing hand. A particular match was last year against Wakamotoharu where WMH had him standing on the rice bails. I would have bet any amount he was done. He turned, pushed WMH to the side and blasted him out. I’ve watched that bout at least 10 times and said every time He’s got Yokozuna skills. “He’s got an attitude”, so what? As memory serves, so did his uncle and Hakuho.
I actually really like Hoshoryu, and rooted for him to win the Yusho. But this promotion was a huge surprise – didn’t think it was possible, and i don’t think it should be, to become a Yokozuna with a jun-yusho and a 12-3 yusho, without having ever done better before, and never gotten a 14-1. A yokozuna should be able to get a 14-1 when no other yokozunas are around, and just 2 ozeki…
It’s risky – he might not be good enough to be worth the rank, and that would have been ok with me; he is what he is. But now… They risk tarnishing his reputation – from a great Ozeki to a cheap Yokozuna.
“…They risk tarnishing his reputation – from a great Ozeki to a cheap Yokozuna…..”
Got to agree with that Dorin. Huge Hoshoryu fan, and as I’ve said, I’d have liked to have seen another couple of sound basho, with all his current vim and vigor, before promotion. Hopefully he can keep his focus, passion, and from what he said at the weekend there, fun!
Is there a reason the JSA can’t do without a Yokozuna for a while? Not years, obvs, but a few months?
Well, they dealt with COVID cancelling a bunch of stuff so I imagine they could deal with anything but there are a bunch of events where the Yokozuna dohyo-iri is a component, if not a major draw.
Oh of course !thanks Andy.
I hope they’re not throwing Hoshoryu under the metaphorical bus!
My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that Kotozakura’s complete collapse had the JSA worried that they had very few future options and going a year or more without a Yokozuna is simply unacceptable. Onosato may reach the rank, but his performances as an Ozeki so far are average at best, and looking down the banzuke there’s 2 young hopefuls, but injuries can quickly derail momentum
What the uncle is saying?
Hoshoryuzeki’s comments during the presser was very poignant, “I believe the first and foremost thing is not to imitate anyone else. So, I want to establish myself on my own.” That’s a great mindset, he’s there. I look forward to witnessing his defense of the rank and his leadership and manners in doing so. He’s only 25, but with a mature perspective and seemingly childlike good nature, he’s already been good for Sumo, in his new role I expect him to be even better.
Bravo JSA and the YDC! Naysayers are going to nay, let them be happy.
His comments were very poignant, but they was also . . . A bit of street slang in there for good measure.
Awesome news! I love his sumo style the most, one of the most entertaining athletes to watch.
As Jake of GSB pointed out in the basho recap, the sumo association explicitly stated that Hoshoryu November performance was a Yusho equivalent. He won in January. That makes it two Yusho or a Yusho equivalent and a yusho back to back as an Ozeki. That makes Yokozuna. Period. I am going to enjoy the ride and if it will be a bumpy one, I will enjoy nonetheless
Given that the Yokozuna normally fights fights a komusubi on shonichi we can look forward to a fairly spicy first yokozuna fight for Hoshoryu against one of Kirishima, Oho or Abi. And thankfully not all that long to wait since the next basho starts on 8 March.
I could need some help counting the days till Osaka :)
Apparently, there’s a place where that’s available.
Thank you for the reset! Nice service indeed.
Based on what I know, a Yokozuna will ususally fight the West Komusubi on opening day, which in this case will likely be either Gonoyama or Abi, as Kirishima and Oho will take the West Sekiwake and East Komusubi slots.
If the West Komusubi is kyujo, do they go with the East or one of the top maegashira?
At least in May 2023 Terunofuji started against K2e Shodai when Wakatakakage was kyujo as K1w. Shodai’s rank was K2e, so he was lower ranked than Wakatakakage at the time. Maybe it is more like highest ranked vs. the lowest ranked in sanyaku on day 1?
I’m hopeful he really thrives. I think his tool set really expanded the last few bashos, especially compared to a couple years ago when it was always a big twisting throw using his leg as well, and thus balancing on the other. Physically impressive, not always prudent.
His bout against tekerufuji on day 14 was impressive. Had a plan, and executed it efficiently, lifting him off the ground and negating any leverage those little pencil legs somehow garner. Seemed like a great recent example of him finding all kinds of ways to beat people. That sounds like a yokozuna to me, studying and improving and not relying on past tactics.