While Harumafuji was holding a post-yusho news conference, the Yokozuna Deliberation Committee was convening for its regular post-basho meeting.
“Ouch, my elbow!” – his joke, not mine
The meeting is held to assess the situation of existing Yokozuna, and also discuss future prospective Yokozuna. And the hero of Aki 2017 was complimented all around, and seems to have passed his assessment with flying colors.
“While we can’t compliment him for his early losses and negative record of the first week, we can only consider his tenacity and resolve following that with the utmost respect” said Masato Kitamura, the chairman of the YDC. Other members expressed similar opinions.
Compared to the other Yokozuna, Harumafuji was in the least advantageous position, with his previous yusho having been won more than a year ago. But after his performance in Aki, despite his recent kyujo and less-than-brilliant star balance, there will be no pressure on him for any make-or-break decisions.
And indeed, he is not considering intai at the moment. In that press conference, he said that his goal now is to win his 10th yusho and achieve double-figures, and that he will practice and prepare with that goal in mind. Attaboy!
Regarding the other three Yokozuna, the YDC issued its standard message that “it hopes to see them return to active duty in perfect condition”. The jun-yusho winner, Goeido, was not brought up in the deliberations. Goeido and his stablemaster both admitted that there is no chance of this jun-yusho to be considered part of a rope-run. “Not with 11-4, especially not in a basho where three Yokozuna and two Ozeki were absent” said Sakaigawa oyakata.
Goeido as captured by Futagoyama oyakata
Goeido himself had a casual meal with Futagoyama oyakata earlier today. He still seems shell-shocked.
The song in question being, of course, Kimi-ga-yo (the Japanese National Anthem), which is sung right after the yusho is won.
Nice try, old foe.
In 1993, after about six months without a single Yokozuna, Akebono, the American Ozeki, managed to string together two yusho, and the YDC finally gave in and admitted that foreign-born rikishi can, in fact, have the “hinkaku” – the “spirit” – worthy of a Yokozuna. Akebono was the first foreign-born Yokozuna.
Like many Japanese concepts, that “hinkaku” doesn’t have a clear definition. It’s clear you can’t have a losing record. It’s clear that you can’t have drunken brawls or anything that hints at them (right, Asashoryu?). But what is it that you are supposed to have?
Well, if you want a practical lesson in the art of the hinkaku, just re-watch foreign-born Yokozuna Harumafuji in the Aki basho. He would have put the YDC members of the 1990s to shame. Read or listen to his interviews, where he spices that hinkaku with jokes (“I think I’ll go kyujo!”). Make sure any young and aspiring athlete around also watches, reads and internalizes. Tachiai was not the only source speculating about his retirement, and questioning his abilities. He was under huge pressure. “Class act” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Fighting his own demons, as well as his old friend, Pain, he still made sure each of his rivals leaves the dohyo with all his limbs – and his dignity – intact.
The Japanese media has a habit of not interviewing the losers. But if Goeido was interviewed after the playoff, I can only hope that his response would be “benkyo ni narimashita”. Which roughly translates to “This was educational”. I hope he is not too old to learn. For one, managing your crises is a good thing to learn. Harumafuji had his crisis and near-breakdown in the first week, but came to the finishing line as sharp as a razor. Goeido fell apart in money-time. Never a good thing for an athlete.
There is an old Israeli song that ends in “Moral of the story: once you get yourself f—ed, it’s hard to kick the habit”. This is another thing Goeido needs to learn. Once you start thinking backwards, defensively, henka-oriented, it’s hard to kick the habit. You’re an Ozeki. Think Ozeki. If you’re healthy, the Terunofuji attitude is much better than yours. Come to every bout believing you’re going to swallow your rival whole and spit the bones, and only stop and scratch your head in amazement when it doesn’t work. Because with your size and abilities, and possibly some intelligence and tactics, it’s supposed to work 14 times out of 15.
Harumafuji himself also has to learn something: he needs to adjust his style to his abilities and the increasing age difference between him and his rivals. Like Hakuho, who started to give every rival a hearty slap just to add a couple of years to their age for the critical minute, Harumafuji should put more effort into studying his rivals and coming ready rather than trusting in his intuition and his speed. His preparations for the playoff today were exactly what he needs to do even when he is going to fight a maegashira #5, because chances are that the maegashira #5 is 20 years old and genki, and can move faster than lightning.
Now on to some actual sumo. The regulation bout started with the Yokozuna on the west and the Ozeki on the east. Tachiai. The Ozeki begins to push forward, dragging the Yokozuna backwards. But the Yokozuna already has a maemitsu grip, and half way to the tawara, gets his second hand in for a mae-morozashi. Unlike Mitakeumi, Harumafuji knows how to utilize a morozashi. One ozeki, out. Yori-kiri. There’s a playoff.
Both sides get some time to prepare and regroup. And the Yokozuna works on his tachiai. He asks Terutsuyoshi to play the rival. Not something you normally ask of a sekitori. When asked about that he joked that they wanted to give Terutsuyashi some air time…
Also, Terutsuyoshi is much smaller than Goeido. Doesn’t matter. What the Yokozuna wants is to sharpen his tachiai, knowing he is facing a slippery eel. Then, when the bout actually starts, the Yokozuna on the east, the Ozeki on the west – and the yokozuna perform what is later referred to as his best tachiai of the year. The bout was all tachiai, and all Harumafuji. And it’s just amazing to be able to see a move practiced and then executed exactly according to plan like that. Game over before it even started, and we get to enjoy Harumafuji’s heavy Mongolian-accented Japanese in his yusho interview. I think I’ll install his “zen-shin zen-rei” as my phone’s message alert just for laughs. Or even better, his “arrrrrgh! igato”
Here’s the NHK special summary of the regulation and playoff bouts, for those of you who understand Japanese. Long interview with the Yokozuna there at the end. Interesting to note that when asked about the new generation of young talents, his first reaction is “Mmmm… I feel relieved”.
Now on to some other points in this senshuraku.
Asanoyama was paired with Chiyotairyu today, and I wasn’t expecting him to pull his 10th win against somebody ranked so much higher. But he did. And with it, he landed the Fighting Spirit award.
Onosho is a man on a mission. And he, too, secured his double-figure today for a Fighting Spirit award. But while I predict Asanoyama will stick to the lower ranks for the time being, Onosho, even if he has a few setbacks here and there, is not going to stop at komusubi, which is where he is heading right now. In his post-bout interview he said that he discovered several weak points he has, and that he will work on improving them. Good boy. Exactly the correct attitude. When he dropped back to Makushita in the middle of his Juryo stint, he was bold enough to ask Kisenosato for help when the then-Ozeki visited his stable. I would advise him to do the same again. Kisenosato is a master of keeping his center of gravity always between his feet and low, which makes him a human roly-poly toy. Very hard to sidestep. If Onosho learns that, he’ll be half way to invincibility.
Kokonoe oyakata was very proud today. Of his 16 participating rikishi, 9, including all 4 Makuuchi, are kachi-koshi. This includes, of course, the rubber band, Chiyonokuni, who won today in wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am style. Chiyoshoma, who keeps inventing new ways to throw people around, likewise finished his business quickly and got his kachi-koshi. The one who took his time was Chiyomaru, who once again employed yotsu-zumo, and employed it well. If the Ever-Round is going to add skills to his sumo like that, he’ll find himself bouncing up the banzuke in short order. It was a pleasure to watch him this basho, and I hope the problem in his upper chest there at the end is only a minor cramp.
Takarafuji worked really hard against Kotoshogiku, preventing him from hugging and bonking him in his favorite style. But Kotoshogiku is showing his mettle, and twisted the solid Isegahama man first one way and then the other for a nice Wazaari. Oops, wrong sport. Kotenage.
Nishikigi bids his farewell to Makuuchi, but not before a very impressive win against Tochinoshin on the mawashi, of all things. Nishikigi, where were you this whole basho?
If any of you still have sake left from yesterday, Yoshikaze came through with the promised bleeding. Mitakeumi was somehow sure he lost. But neither his foot went out nor his hand in Yoshikaze’s hair considered intentional. So he was surprised into accepting the kenshokin and keeping his sekiwake rank. And he needs to work hard in the coming 45 days, as he was less than brilliant this basho, and that without any of the frightening top rankers to show him the door.
Tamawashi keeps diving. Takakeisho picked an Outstanding Performance prize for beating both the Yokozuna and the Ozeki. Onosho could have been awarded that, but I guess they thought that winning against the Kyujo Kaiju was not that great an achievement and in any case he already had a sansho.
One last honorable mention: Ichinojo, despite being thrown into the joi, secures his kachi-koshi. This time he didn’t give up when Daieisho started pushing him, and pushed right back and out. Ichinojo, be a good boy and lose 20kg. I don’t want you to be sad all the time, and I’m sure getting more respect from the other rikishi will improve your mood.
And from the largest man in Makuuchi, to the smallest man in Sandanme, who has adopted one of Hakuho’s habits: he just wins and wins and wins. I wonder how far he can get with that stature, though. Here is his playoff bout from today, in front of a rather larger audience than he is used to:
And his interview (english translation, yay!)
And that’s the end to this late (and lengthy) summary. Can’t wait until Kyushu!
As the smoke clears around the kokugikan, the camera zooms through the carnage, and among the rubble, only two are left. An Ozeki and a Yokozuna. And this dohyo is not big enough for the two of them. Hide your women!* It’s a showdown!
First down was, of course, Asanoyama. Onosho had him from the tachiai. The rank differences were stark and clear. No yusho for the rookie, but he can still earn a sansho, and will deserve it. Onosho still has a shot at double digits and equaling 38th Yokozuna Terukuni’s achievement (three consecutive double digits since advancing to Makuuchi – a record Hakuho didn’t match). Though of course Terukuni kept it up all the way into his Yokozuna-hood. Onosho still needs a good long training with a balance master before he thinks of going double-digits all the way to a white rope…
So we were left with the Ozeki and Yokozuna. And tate-gyoji Inosuke once again amazed the audience with his strange matta decisions. Two matta’s called which, it seems, only Inosuke saw. One thing was clear from both false tachiais – this time the Goeido we saw on the dohyo was the Ozeki, not his wimpy line-dancing identical twin. Once the actual bout started, the Ozeki also proved that he was well capable of keeping his balance in the face of sidesteps – which Takanoiwa tried three times. To use Bruce’s metaphor, Goeido booted up in version 2.1 Pro Edition.
On to the Yokozuna. Mitakeumi was desperate for a win to keep his sekiwake rank. He did manage to secure a rather firm morozashi. But perhaps he would have been wiser to keep the handhold on the Yokozuna’s upper body rather than his mawashi, though it’s not easy with a rival taller than you by 7cm. He held on to the Yokozuna’s mawashi, and the Yokozuna paused and considered the situation. The height difference also means that the Yokozuna has slightly better reach, so he was able to still have a firm grip even though both arms were outside. And with Mitakeumi passive, the Yokozuna took the initiative and pushed for the Yorikiri. If this was Mitakeumi of the previous basho, it might have ended differently. But the Yokozuna was clearly the better man on the dohyo today.
And with this we can safely say that the Yokozuna chased away the shade of the barber, securing what he himself calls a “Yokozuna’s kachi-koshi”. I am still not certain if, after the basho is over, he won’t decide that it’s time to retire anyway, given the huge struggle this basho has been for him. But I don’t think he will be under overt pressure to do so from the Kyokai or the YDC. Especially if he wins the yusho.
So tomorrow on the musubi-no-ichiban, if Goeido wins, he takes the Yusho. If Harumafuji wins, he forces a playoff. I know I’ll be on my chair’s edge, hitting the reload button again and again on the Kyokai’s results page (no live feeds here that I know of, and I’m at work anyway at that time).
But the Yusho race was not the only highlight of day 14. Actually, the arasoi rolled out much as expected, which can’t be said of some of the other torikumi.
Take Tochinoshin vs. Ishiura, for example. Desperate Ishiura tried to pull a henka on Tochinoshin, who managed somehow to brake a few centimeters short of the tawara. Once he turned back, he was pretty pissed off. And decided to find a clever and creative way to punish the small punk. So now he has a new kimarite under his belt (25 so far) – a Harimanage. Congratulations! And if you watch closely, you’ll see Ishiura once again trying to play around with Tochinoshin’s mawashi knot. I think he even got a hold onto the butt-strap. Luckily the bout ended before the wardrobe malfunction. Whew.
If you played Tachiai’s drinking game while watching, I’m pretty sure you’re fairly drunk just on the henkas of the day. The very first started with Takekaze’s attempt on Okinoumi. But like the above, Okinoumi sees the henka, and raises Takekaze a hatakikomi and a make-koshi. I hope Takekaze will not drop out of Makuuchi altogether. I want to see his bout with Aminishiki – “Sumo comes to Jurassic Park”.
And that comedy show between Arawashi and Yoshikaze… Matta! And then both matta and henka together! What does that score in the drinking game? Third time’s the charm… A monoii! Got another bottle of sake? Torinaoshi. That’s it. Yoshikaze has had enough, probably knowing that the next drinking challenge will require him to bleed. Arawashi gets the white star.
Chiyoshoma – Tokushoryu. Another matta. Hick!
Chiyonokuni vs. Kaisei was worth the price of admission. Chiyonokuni starts with a rain of nodowa, which doesn’t faze the Brazilian who advances. The Kokonoe rubber-band finds himself at the tawara, quickly side-steps. But Kaisei really knows where his feet are, and turns right back for a serious pushing attack at Chiyonokuni. This back-and-forth continues. Kaisei even tries an underarm throw, but somehow Chiyonokuni slips away, continues to attack and wins by tsukiotoshi. Bravo to both sides. Chiyonokuni kachi-koshi.
Ichinojo woke up and remembered his days as Sekiwake, apparently. Nishikigi no match, but really, seeing Ichinojo just move forward in a determined fashion is nice. I wish I knew what’s going on behind that sad, big face of his. He has a chance at kachi-koshi tomorrow, though Daieisho is no Nishikigi.
Sadanoumi wins again! This has not been a good basho for the rikishi of the single kanji (Ikioi and Kagayaki). Sadanoumi sidesteps. Kagayaki survives this, but hesitates a second, and Sadanoumi shoots at him as if he was completely healthy.
Shohozan rolls the Ever-round Chiyomaru down off the dohyo like he was a beachball. Kachi-koshi for Shohozan. Hick!
Tamawashi might still secure his kachi-koshi. Which Shodai will not. I was surprised Tamawashi didn’t have him at the Tachiai.
That’s it. Not sure if I was watching sumo, The Benny Hill Show, Abbot and Costello, or High Noon. But… tomorrow is going to be a brand new day! Senshuraku, here we come!
P.S. In Juryo there’s also going to be a showdown. Aminishiki and Homarefuji both decided they don’t want to risk an intra-heya playoff, and dropped out of the Yusho race (at least temporarily). Kotoyuki leads, with a list of 9-5s behind him, but only Abi able to do anything about it. That is, tomorrow Kotoyuki vs. Abi. If Kotoyuki wins, he has the Juryo yusho. If Abi wins – it’s a playoff between them – and any of the 9-5s who wins a 10th white star.
[edited: I didn’t figure the other’s 9-5s into Abi’s possible playoff in the first version].
* Make sure they have Internet and cable where you hide them, though, or you’ll have seriously angry women on your hands.
Hey, where is everybody? Yesterday we had 10 men chasing after Goeido. But now we have only the Good, the Bad and the Rookie.
10-3
Ozeki Goeido
9-4
Yokozuna Harumafuji
Maegashira #16 Asanoyama
Looking at the bouts, it seems like many of the kachi-koshi guys just decided they want nothing to do with the Yusho race or with this basho anymore now that they have secured their places. Only Asanoyama, as usual, climbs up to the dohyo and just tries to win. And finds himself in a theoretical position for a three-way playoff for the Makuuchi title with an Ozeki and a Yokozuna. Ain’t sumo great?
Those with eagle eyes will also notice that the lead has shrank again. The Ozeki who only two days ago looked like nothing can stop him found a worthy foe: himself. They can call this a Hatakikomi, but it was a clear slippiotoshi. In other words – this time the Ozeki sidestepped himself. Both yesterday and today he switched to reverse gear again, but this time, it didn’t work out as it did in the first week.
Now it’s all in the hands of the Yokozuna. The yusho is actually his to lose.
Watching the above bout must have set fire under the Yokozuna’s toes. Today he lunged at Yoshikaze and finished him up before the man in the green mawashi could even blink. Within four seconds, all we were left with was the sight of the Yokozuna’s prettier set of cheeks.
So the old lion (horse by name, lion by nature) is one step away from his “yokozuna kachi-koshi” (reminder: he claims it’s 10 wins), and two to four steps away from lifting the Emperor Cup again. Who set off the improbability drive again?
Other Yusho races
In the lower divisions, where they engage in only 7 bouts, championships were decided today. Well, all but Sandanme, that is.
The champion of Jonokuchi is 23 years old Shoji from Musashigawa, winning 7-0.
The champion of Jonidan is 18 years old Narutaki from Isenoumi beya, also winning 7-0.
The champion of Makushita is the former sekitori, Mongolian Kagamio, also with a 7-0. Still has a long way to go to air out his kesho mawashi, though.
What about Sandanme, you ask? Well, #18 Enho wins a difficult torikumi against Tanabe and goes 7-0, tied with #82 Matsuda. Tanabe has only ever lost two bouts before, both to Enho. Here is the video from One and Only, a bit shakier than usual:
The playoff will take place on Senshuraku.
And in the Juryo division, my favorite uncle, Aminishiki, had a relatively protracted match with Hidenoumi.
He is now in the running for the Juryo yusho. If he wins it, he will be the oldest rikishi to have ever done so, by a margin of over two years of age! However, there are two other Juryo with a 9-4 record at the moment – Kotoyuki and Homarefuji. It could end up with Aminishiki having a playoff with his own stablemate!
So what did we have on yet another wacky day of Aki?
Sadanoumi wins his first bout of this tournament! Congratulations. Unhappy Nishikigi is make-koshi.
Asanoyama is all over Daieisho. At this rate he might even beat Onosho (and deny him the double digits) tomorrow. I really don’t know which of the to root for.
Hapless Yutakayama gets another loss for his birthday. Takekaze may secure his kachi-koshi yet.
Ishiura falls again right off the tachiai. Moti says he has a neck injury. I knew he had something, as he didn’t participate in the summer jungyo, but this solves the question of “why no bandages”. In any case, he didn’t continue the good sumo from yesterday, and I have to wonder why a neck injury would lead him to fall again and again right off the tachiai.
Daishomaru secures his kachi-koshi against Arawashi. Tongues will wiggle at this one, but anyway, Daishomaru got a firm grip at Arawashi’s belt and quickly introduced him to the salty dirt.
Chiyomaru the Ever-Round also secures his kachi-koshi in his usual genki manner. Takanoiwa seemed to be disappointed at dropping from the Yusho race, clenching his fists right there at the end. Endo, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to offer Takarafuji much resistance, possibly preferring to keep his leg safe rather than chase a seemingly futile yusho, and the old Isegahama man finally secures his kachi-koshi. The only sekitori yet to secure it from that heya is Juryo man Terutsuyoshi, who is in the danger zone now.
Chiyoshoma again falls together with his rival, this time Okinoumi, but this time he fell on top of him, so no need for monoii or torinaoshi. Neither of them is in kachi-koshi land yet.
Kaisei’s bout with Ikioi was interesting. Ikioi managed to sidestep him and kaisei sailed to the edge of the dohyo. Ikioi came from behind to give him the final push, and found himself caught and thrown by the Brazilian. Very nice save there.
Onosho-Shodai was also a save at the edge. Again Onosho’s overcommitment was his undoing. He got Shodai all the way to the edge and into a rather loose morozashi, but Shodai managed to slip away. Onosho desparately pushed him aside, but Shodai danced on the tawara, and Onosho’s inertia carried him outside, while still looking at Shodai’s feet to see if they are inside or outside. Now to get double digits Onosho needs to win his next two bouts.
Chiyotairyu tried to keep himself in the Yusho race, and tried to drop Hokutofuji to the floor, but somehow Hokutofuji regained his balance, and instead Chiyotairyu overshot and found himself on the floor.
Kotoshogiku also managed to survive Chiyonokuni’s first waza, turned back, but Chiyonokuni grabbed him for an uwatenage. Both fell down together, and Kotoshogiku was still expecting a monoii to be called as he slowly stepped back to the west edge, realized it was not coming, nodded his head and exited, stage right.
Shohozan got Tochinoshin into a strong morozashi. Tochinoshin, with a clear height advantage, lifted Shohozan like 20cm up and tried to get him out. But he was not able to convert. Strong yorikiri there by Shohozan.
Perky kagayaki hands Tochiozan his make-koshi, with determined tsuppari followed by a quick arm lock and an oshi-dashi. Kudos for not giving up despite his own make-koshi.
Strange matta there between Aoiyama and Tamawashi.
Ichinojo seems unable to transform any power through his feet. I’m amazed at how easy he is to push for his weight. He shouldn’t have put back all those kilograms.
Yep, the banzuke looks like a game of Crazy Eights.
The Japanese media has a habit of not interviewing the losers. But if Goeido was interviewed after the playoff, I can only hope that his response would be “benkyo ni narimashita”. Which roughly translates to “This was educational”. I hope he is not too old to learn. For one, managing your crises is a good thing to learn. Harumafuji had his crisis and near-breakdown in the first week, but came to the finishing line as sharp as a razor. Goeido fell apart in money-time. Never a good thing for an athlete.
