We received the news today that Onosato’s promotion to Ozeki is official. The Kyokai made them stand there and wait for a half-hour before getting down to business. The actual ceremony lasted about 50 seconds. I mean, the kid isn’t used to waiting. He didn’t even wait to get an oicho-mage before earning this promotion. But they waited so long, he might be able to get one now.
Leonid predicted the six Juryo promotions correctly. It did end up being six promotions, not seven. We will probably not know who was demoted, and who escaped, until the banzuke comes out. Do you think Kiryuko stays? The list of promotees is:
Wakaikari (Isenoumi)
Aonishiki (Ajigawa)
Kotoeiho (Sadogatake)
Tochitaikai (Kasugano)
Chiyomaru (Kokonoe)
Nabatame (Futagoyama)
The first three are new to the division. Kototebakari changed his shikona to Kotoeiho. The character for “ei” is the same for Sakae, as in his Saitama Sakae High School. Hō is the same as in his brother’s shikona, Kotoshoho.
This has been a relatively quiet week on the sumo news front. During times like this when there is a lengthy break in sumo action, this quiet voice joins the multitude of others in my head with a soothing but longing refrain, “No basho, no jungyo, no degeiko, no….”
Regardless, many of the top wrestlers are visiting their hometowns and holding promotional events with local supporters. The sumo world exists for its fans and it is during times like these that those fans are able to see their heroes up-close and personal. It is also a chance for guys like Asanoyama and Endo to demonstrate their own support for their communities, struck hard by the earthquake at the beginning of the year.
Hakuho hosted more than a thousand boys, the next generation of Grand Sumo, at the 14th Annual Hakuho Cup. He even donned a mawashi and faced Kotoshogiku’s young son as the sumo world hopes to encourage young men and women to take up the sport…if not professionally but at least to put the keitai down, get up off the couch (or futon) and get some activity into their lives. Nine foreign countries also fielded teams for this years event. There was a total of 160 teams. Third Year middle-schooler Ibata Yuki, claimed the top yusho.
You get the sense from Hakuho that, like Tokushoryu, he still wants to be out there. He seems to wear that white mawashi frequently, in keiko at Miyagino-beya, at the Hakuho Cup, while out getting coffee, taking a stroll in Tokyo… I get the sense that it is included in his rider when taking on a new gig.
“Pictures? It’s time for pictures? Just let me get changed real quick…”
Nearly 10 hours of footage from the tournament…everything at “Dohyo A,” is right here. For those of you with amateur sumo experience, I am interested in the difference between the dohyo on the left and the one on the right. The one on the left looks like what Konishiki had at the Sumo+Sushi event. It seemed to be padded and made for quite the comfortable landing when I got thrown. Did I mention that I got thrown by Tooyama? Yes? Several times? Oh. Well, it was fun. But back to my point, does anyone have experience with the set up on the right? What is the “best” amateur dohyo? What is “best practice?” Anyway, I have heard that the real thing feels hard, almost like concrete.
Kokugikan Concert
For the first time in five years, Kokugikan and Sumida ward were able to host its 5000-person “Dai 9” choral and orchestra concert, which features youth talents from junior orchestras among the musicians. There is a great video about the concert below. When they belt out the famous Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, you can see that it brought tears to the eyes of several in the audience. This video is “pre-pandemic” so I hope there will be another one from this weekend’s performance. I will keep an eye out.
Haru Banzuke One Week Countdown
One week from today, the Kyokai will release the ranking list for Haru Basho. We already know that Kotonowaka will be the fourth Ozeki and we have our list of Juryo promotions. Big questions remain about that makuuchi/juryo boundary. There will be surprises and a good deal of banuke luck. That makuuchi joi will be interesting.
We sumo fans get a bit of a Christmas present this year with the release of the banzuke for Hatsu 2024. That probably goes double for the big Ura fans out there as he was promoted to Komusubi for the first time. Congratulations, Ura, and welcome to sanyaku! And, Congratulations to Leonid, too, for really knocking this banzuke guess out of the park. A few swaps here and there but his forecast really hit the mark.
Other big stories from the new ranking list are the first time promotions of Onosato and Shimazuumi to the top division, while Aoiyama, Kotoshoho and Bushozan make their returns. Takayasu also makes a return…to sanyaku! The former Ozeki ended the year strong and may see 2024 as his best shot to reclaim his rank and/or win a yusho. Well, at least his fans hold out hopes.
Obviously, at the top of the banzuke we have the lone Yokozuna, Terunofuji. Hoping to join him is Kirishima. By virtue of his 13-2 yusho in November, the Ozeki is on his first tsunatori or “rope-run”. If he wins in Tokyo, he will be a lock for elevation to the sport’s highest rank. If he can do it with Terunofuji’s full participation, it could cement his legitimacy.
With Terunofuji’s third consecutive kyujo in November, his seventh in eight tournaments, one wonders if he can not only come back in fighting shape but last another year and a half until Isegahama’s retirement. Or, what is probably more likely is that he could come back and shut me up, entirely, by competing for the yusho. Flame me for being the Debbie Downer, if you will, but I really do wonder what the plan is here and how it might be impacted by a new Yokozuna.
Speaking of promotion candidates, we definitely have a couple of eager Sekiwake here. Either would likely require a yusho for any long-shot promotion after Hatsu; but both can set themselves up for some real promotion chatter in Osaka with strong performances here. I think we would really want to see a strong first week from Daieisho, in particular. He has faltered early in each of his last two tournaments. Beating maegashira with consistency will be a strong sign.
At the other end of the banzuke, we will get to see the first action of Ajigawa-beya recruit, Anhibiki. It will be interesting to see if he can follow the lead of Aonishiki and Anosho and claim the lower division crown. Anosho has already cracked his way into Makushita and Aonishiki will be one to watch in Jonidan. Ex-Aminishiki is developing a nice outfit there to fill up this great looking building.
Well, we here at Tachiai are just eager for the action to start!
The sound of drums has died down around Kokugikan but that doesn’t mean sumo action is “Gone Till November.” This week we will get a bit of a peek at the upcoming November banzuke when we learn about those all-important Juryo promotions. And this weekend, Okinoumi will celebrate his career in a retirement ceremony at Kokugikan. October is chock-full of jungyo dates from October 4 to the 29th, when the banzuke will be finally revealed to the public. So, stay tuned as we try to wipe our minds of what just happened last night.
