Welcome to Day Ten. For the past few days, the Kyokai’s Twitter account has been featuring some of the makuuchi somenuki yukata each day this tournament and I keep forgetting to post them. I will rectify that now. Today, we have Ichiyamamoto, Fujinowaka, Midorifuji, and Shonannoumi. These yukata are usually notable for their colors, detailed graphic designs, and the wrestler’s shikona prominently emblazoned…usually in white, black, or gold.
Somenuki are special yukata reserved for makuuchi wrestlers, only. It’s yet another one of those privileges that is characteristic of the hierarchies in the sumo world. And they’re only able to wear them during the warm basho from May through September, so after this basho, they’ll get packed away for next year.
We see in this image that Fujinokawa has a somenuki. He has been in makuuchi for a few tournaments now, so he’s had time to raise money and get this custom yukata made for himself. Sometimes if a Juryo wrestler has just been promoted, he won’t have one and will still wear the hakama or kimono we usually see sekitori wear. We also see Hitoshi’s below. I wish we could see the back.
Usually the design is on one side and the shikona is on the other. You know how they talk about mullets as being “business up front, party in the back?” Well, this is nothing like that. Not so rigid. So, forget I mentioned mullets. With somenuki, the party can be in the front and the back. These images from the Kyokai this week are featuring just the front so we’re missing half of the work. I’ll try to find more complete images. In the past, the Kyokai has shown both front and back.
The somenuki term comes from a method of bleaching color out of the fabric, leaving white fabric behind. Let’s say you have a brilliant yellow yukata. You get a portion of it bleached and then put a brilliant design in the white part. The same is done for the shikona, though it’s often left white.
Your NHK videos are here. They included the Juryo bout between Nishikifuji and Fujiseiun. With Mita’s loss he fell to 8-2, tied with the fore-mentioned Nishikifuji, Asanoyama, and Asahakuryu.
Makuuchi Action
Oshoumi (J 8-2) defeated Shishi (6-4). Shishi did a great job of getting Oshoumi turned around but Oshoumi did an even better job of recovering and re-engaging. He got both hands on the front of Shishi’s mawashi, pulled up, and drove forward, depositing Shishi over the bales. Impressive strength. Yorikiri.
Tobizaru (7-3) defeated Nishikigi (1-9). Nishikigi dug deep for this and wrapped up Tobizaru’s shoulders in a way that his arms were flailing skyward, helplessly. Nishikigi then pressed forward and drove Tobizaru over the bales. Gunbai Tobizaru? Video replay shows Nishikigi stepping out before Tobizaru. Good call. Instead of a kimarite, this is one of the “other” losing methods (higi): the step out. Isamiashi.
Asakoryu (5-5) defeated Tomokaze (6-4). Henka! Asakoryu jumped left and slapped Tomokaze down. Hatakikomi.
Ryuden (8-2) defeated Meisei (3-7). Ryuden grabbed Meisei with his powerful right hand uwate and dragged him forward toward the bales. This turned Meisei around so Ryuden followed up with a shove from behind. Okuridashi.
Tokihayate (4-6) defeated Shonannoumi (5-5). Tokihayate grabbed Shonannoumi’s mawashi with both hands and turned him around. Shonannoumi tried to pull away but this just allowed Tokihayate a devastating morozashi. He pressed forward and drove Shonannoumi over the edge. Yorikiri.
Mitakeumi (4-6) defeated Hitoshi (4-6). Henka! The lost art is on display this tournament. Who knew Mitakeumi could move laterally so quickly? Not I! Mitakeumi leaped left, grabbed Hitoshi’s belt deep as he passed, and then dragged him down. Uwatenage.
Sadanoumi (4-6) defeated Fujinokawa (3-7). Sadanoumi’s left hand uwate hold proved more powerful than Fujinokawa’s left hand shitate when he unceremoniously dumped Fujinokawa off the dohyo. Uwatedashinage.
Ura (7-3) defeated Roga (5-5). Ura pressed up into Roga with his powerful hazuoshi and drove him straight back and over the bales. The crowd roared its approval of his display of strength. Oshidashi.
Takanosho (8-2) defeated Shodai (8-2). Takanosho hit Shodai with a nodowa with his right hand and swatted Shodai’s arm away with the left. This got Shodai moving backward. Takanosho hit him again with another nodowa with the left, and then shoved Shodai back and out. Oshidashi.
Oshoma (6-4) defeated Churanoumi (6-4). Oshoma was all business today as he obliterated Churanoumi at the tachiai. He followed up with left hand and then right hand nodowa to force Churanoumi to the edge and then shoved him over. Keyed-in. Oshidashi.
Kinbozan (4-6) defeated Onokatsu (5-5). Onokatsu attempted a pull but Kinbozan bulldozed forward and drove Onokatsu over the edge. Oshidashi.
Halftime
Daieisho (4-6) defeated Kusano (5-5). Daieisho of old hit Kusano repeatedly with tsuppari, driving the youngster back and out. Tsukidashi.
Midorifuji (4-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (3-7). Midorifuji got inside of Ichiyamamoto’s tsuppari so the two settled into a migi-yotsu grapple. Midorifuji dragged Ichiyamamoto to the edge and threw Ichiyamamoto. Both men tumbled down. Gunbai Midorifuji. No mono-ii. Shitatenage.
Oho (6-4) defeated Atamifuji (2-8). Oho just overpowered Atamifuji. Oho shoved forward and forced Atamifuji out with his hazuoshi. Oshidashi.
Abi (1-9) Abi-literated Tamawashi (3-7). Abi hasn’t been looking great lately but he dug deep and shoved Tamawashi hard, forcing Tamawashi to fall backwards. Abi’s losing streak ended and he finally picked up his first win. Oshitaoshi.
Sanyaku
Takayasu (3-7) defeated Gonoyama (0-10). Takayasu demonstrated amazing power. Gonoyama hit Takayasu hard and drove him all the way to the bales. But Takayasu dug deep, pivoted, and forced Gonoyama back over the edge to extend Gonoyama’s losing streak to 10 bouts. Yorikiri.
Aonishiki (8-2) defeated Hakuoho (6-4). Aonishiki got his left hand inside grip and pressed forward. Hakuoho flailed around and tried to do something with his left arm but Aonishiki shoved him back with his right arm while driving with the left. Yorikiri.
Hiradoumi (6-4) defeated Wakatakakage (5-5). The Ozeki run is done. Hiradoumi overpowered Wakatakakage and shoved him out. Wakatakakage hung on as long as he could but Hiradoumi was helped by his powerful gaburi leg thrusts. Oshidashi.
Kotozakura (7-3) defeated Kirishima (5-5). Kotozakura went on the attack and good things happened. Kirishima did a great job of hanging in there and at one point had better position. But Kotozakura established his right hand inside, then got a strong left hand grip outside. Kirishima pulled back to switch his grip and that makikae struck again. Kirishima reared back so Kotozakura pressed forward and forced Kirishima over the edge. Yorikiri.
Onosato (9-1) defeated Kotoshoho (2-8). Onosato dominated Kotoshoho and handed Nagoya’s Yusho winner his make-koshi. Tsukidashi.
Hoshoryu (10-0) defeated Wakamotoharu (6-4). Wakamotoharu tried to give back with Hoshoryu’s niramiai stare-down games before the tachiai. That got the crowd into it. It also motivated Hoshoryu more. Hoshoryu blitzed Wakamotoharu, driving him back to the edge quickly. Wakamotoharu resisted for an instant but Hoshoryu wasn’t having any of it, pivoted, and threw Wakamotoharu roughly to the ground. Geeez! That was impressive. Sukuinage.
Wrap up
I say Wakatakakage’s Ozeki run is over but his toughest bouts are yet to come. If he somehow wins all five of these bouts, who knows? He’ll likely have to beat both Yokozuna and Ozeki Kotozakura in the final stretch. Promotions have been given with 32-win records but I feel like the hype has died down given the first few losses. What’s more likely is he will need 9 or 10 wins to carry any hope of promotion at Kyushu or Hatsu.
The yusho race is down to the Yokozuna now. Hoshoryu leads, undefeated. Onosato trails with one loss. Wow, it feels like it’s been a LONG time since we had something like this…probably going back to Hakuho vs Terunofuji (though I think Terunofuji was Ozeki) or Hakuho vs Kakuryu.
In the lead up to the final weekend, the Yokozuna schedules will get tougher as they fight sanyaku opponents. Tomorrow, Onosato will face Takayasu and Hoshoryu will take on Kirishima. Kotozakura will take on whatever is left of Wakamotoharu. Wakatakakage will fight Kotoshoho and Shodai is being called up to fight Aonishiki. There will be more kensho available in these sanyaku bouts. Will that motivate Girigiri Shodai? Or will Aonishiki chew him up and spit him back out into the dregs of the rank-and-filers?
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Great update as per but disagree yusho race is down to the Yokozuna. The winners of Aonishiki v Shodai and Takanosho v Ryuden will have a decent shot – especially Aonishiki given he will have the chance to face Hoshoryu and Hoshoryu and Onosato will need to face each other.
I keep saying that to myself, too, but in fact Aonishiki should still be one behind both the yokozuna, even after a supposed (and mandatory) victory over Hoshoryu.
Therefore the Ukrainian has to win out and needs at least one upset by another rikishi over the yokozuna to force a playoff. It’s not impossible of course but not very probable either.
Masterful coverage as usual, Andy! I would love a Hoshoryu zensho to forcefully put his slow start as Yokozuna in the rear-view mirror. Otherwise, come on Aonishiki! ^^
Tough I am a big fan of Aonishiki, I would love a Hoshoryu yusho, too.
It was unexpected that he became yokozuna before Onosato and it would be funny if he also was the first of them to take a basho as grand champion!
One or both of the Sekiwake are going to be demoted, to be replaced by Aonishiki. He seems more likely to be the next Ozeki than either of them.
Both of them have 5 wins with almost a week to go and neither has looked so dismal as to think they cannot pull off 3 more wins a piece.
Aonishiki may well be sekiwake in November even if they don’t get demoted though.
They both have to fight two yokozuna enganged in a yusho race. I’m marking those as losses, so 5-7. That means they have to win all the remaining three bouts. No margin for error. I hope they can do it, but doubt very much that both can.
Mitakeumi henkaed Hitoshi?! Goodness gracious. I hope he regains confidence in his sumo soon.
We expect to read about this or that rikishi competing through injuries, but let’s hear it for Kimura Konosuke who started his Day 10 with being squashed, and yet officiated as if nothing happened. Gyoji get to hide their colorful bruises behind colorful clothing, shimpan hide black and blue behind black and white.
Konosuke is the man.
Thank you Andy for the photos from Twitter re the makuuchi somenuki yukata! Beautiful! There’s always something new to note/learn/observe, thanks!
Nothing to add, except the terror of looking at the results every morning is growing exponentially.
Terror? The fear of your favorites losing, I guess? And U can’t talk about it because U don’t wanna jinx anything?
You are absolutely spot on there Herbern! :D 100%
La la la la not listening to any jinxing la la la la LOL!
I‘m practicing something similar. To illustrate it and to avoid jinxing let‘s take the juryo jusho race. I could utter the guess that Asanoyama will win and not Mita. If Asanoyama won, I‘d go „Ha, told U so!“ and of course that would make me feel good. And if Mita won, I’d say „My guess was wrong, but Mita took the jusho!“ and that would make me feel even better. Win-Win, U see?
It‘s impossible to jinx someone you‘re really confident in. The best rikishi are those you can close your eyes on and relax in your seat while enjoying their inevitable success. Kusano was on that train for a while…
Only Hakuho and Asashoryu fit those characteristics for me.
You could practise it with some kid in the driver seat of your car. Worked for me :)
Wowsers Aonishiki continues to impress. The way he wrapped up Hakuoho today was impressive. Just pinned his arms, clamped down and GO. I mean, Hakuoho is no Midorufuji, he is ridiculously strong himself and Aonoshiki made him look helpless. You cannot let him get into your body.
What is wrong with Abi and Gonoyama? unbelievable poor yusho for them, these 2 are so inconsistent
Gonoyama is so earnest and direct in his sumo. It’s endearing. I don’t like to see him suffer but it’s clear that he’s either injured or just outclassed.