Kotoeko Retirement Ceremony

Andy Retirement, Yokozuna (横綱)

On Saturday, the Kokugikan hosted the retirement ceremony of Kotoeko as he shifts to becoming Oguruma-oyakata. Kotoeko always occupied a special place in my mind as a sumo fan. It’s no mean feat to come from the great Sadogatake beya and establish yourself as a solid member of the rank and file in the top division at roughly 5 foot 10, 260 lbs. After all, this was the same stable which gave us the 400 lb gaburi-yotsu master, Kotoshogiku.

Kotoeko’s success came when the sport and the division seemed to get bigger and bigger, heavier and heavier. I feel his success portended a surge of smaller tacticians. Now, there seems to be a real surge in dynamic, solid grapplers like him. So, I am glad that Kotoeko has traded in his trademark lilac shimekomi for one of those fancy new Uniqlo navy jackets of the Kyokai oyakata to welcome a new crop of talented grapplers.

Speaking of lilac, Mrs. Oguruma wore it very well with her beautiful kimono.

Kotoeko’s retirement event included the usual hanazumo as well as hair-dressing, where Kotoshoho and Kotoeiho got to model together.

This event also featured Hyuga Hyottoko dancing which is particularly popular from Miyazaki Prefecture’s Hyuga Hyottoko Summer Festival. I am sure you’ve seen the masks of the dude with the puckered lips and the mug only a mother could love, as well as the cats’ face, okame, etc.

Whatever its origin, it looks like the face of a dude who got kneed in the nuts when he tried to steal a kiss from his apparently unrequited sweetheart. Come to think of it, I’ve got a few of these. Because of course I do. Right next to my pair of geta and fundoshi.

Andy knows what gets the ladies hot.

Back to the sumo. Kotoeko’s retirement ceremony was auspicious because it was the first public performance of Onosato’s Yokozuna dohyo-iri at the Kokugikan. Interestingly, there was a bit of a switch here. Takayasu was the sword-bearer but for dew-sweeper, we have Takanosho! I wonder if that’s a sign that Ryuden has been demoted to Juryo. There’s surely a whole host of guys from the Ichimon who would be eligible. Congratulations, Takanosho.

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26 thoughts on “Kotoeko Retirement Ceremony”

  1. I always learn something new on tachiai.org and this is no different!
    Hyuga Hyottoko dancing? Off to look this up. These retirement ceremonies can be quite an event, can’t they? Thanks for sharing the info.

    Geta and fundoshi Andy? A killer combo, what else can I say?! Not even a yukata to keep the chill off?

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  2. I always learn something new on tachiai.org and this is no different!
    Hyuga Hyottoko dancing? Off to look this up. These retirement ceremonies can be quite an event, can’t they? Thanks for sharing the info.

    Geta and fundoshi Andy? A killer combo, what else can I say?! Not even a yukata to keep the chill off?

    Reply

  4. Fortunately we don’t know what you look like, so no visuals conjured up of you with the fundoshi.

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  5. In his earlier days, Onosato participated in trainings by Takakeishō and Takayasu (and also in high school by Wakamotoharu). With Takakeishō now retired, perhaps they needed another Taka (sumo descendants of Takanosato), so Takanosho.

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  6. Great report. Thanks!

    The Mainichi is reporting based on a source that Miyagino né Hakuho is retiring.

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  7. Kotoeko‘s lavender appearance was something special to me. Very distinctive!

    These dohyo-iri scenes remind us that Onosato is still a very young rikishi. What a lightning fast carreer this has been up to now! Some day he will manage to get his face under control while proceeding the movements :-)

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  8. Hi Andy or jmotzi (or anyone else, all commentators here seem very knowledgeable), I’m not as familiar as you guys with how things work outside the dohyo in sumo, please help:

    Kotoeko becoming an oyakata – don’t you need to have achieved at least komusubi to be a coach? Or is oyakata another term for elder stock? I have a vague idea but I’m not sure what elder stock means exactly either.

    I see these terms used a lot so it would be nice if tachiai’s sumo sages could elucidate it in simple terms.

    I’m learning a lot, thanks.

    PS this is not that important so I would understand it this last question is ignored, but who do you guys have picked at M1 to M3 for the next basho … I want to understand the nuances of promotion and demotion a little better: M1 Wakam & Oho M2 Takayasu & Abi M3 Onokatsu & Kinbo [my choices, but I want to see what I presumably did wrong].

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    • No, one does not have to reach the rank of at least Komusubi, though that is one criteria. One can be in Makuuchi for 20 tournaments or be sekitori (at least Juryo) for 30 to be eligible for a kabu. Akiseyama is probably a good example of someone who retired recently who did not attain sanyaku rank and was not even in Makuuchi long, but still was eligible for a kabu. Enho is one tournament shy of the 30 tournament threshold, thus his comeback attempt. If he reaches Juryo he will be eligible.

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      • Though if rumors are true (Sanspo article quoted in sumo forum), the Miyagino kabu is going to Isegahama when Terunofuji takes Isegahama’s. So if Hakuho is gone, will Enho want to keep going? I guess we wait and see.

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  9. I always had a soft spot for Kotoeko. He had such an earnest demeanour about him when he competed and I don’t recall him ever ‘giving up’ a bout, always giving it his all until it was over. Good luck to him and his future.

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  10. Kotoeko, my man in lilac, was always one of my favorites. He was always game. Injuries made it hard. I wish him well.

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  11. I liked Kotoeko very much and was sad to see him go. He was skilled and always gave his all, so his matches were usually really fun to watch.

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  12. Thank you so much for this. Does anyone know whether the legendary Gambare Kotoeko! song made a final appearance?

    Reply

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