Makushita (幕下)

Kyushu 2026: A New Crop Arrives in Makushita

hochiyama Kyushu 2026, Kyushu Basho, Makushita (幕下)

The banzuke of the lower divisions does not grab the same headlines as a Day 15 head-to-head Yokozuna match for the championship, or the interviews surrounding recently promoted sekitori. However, each tournament brings another group of hopefuls to one of sumo’s most important milestones: a debut in makushita. The Kyushu 2026 banzuke features a new class of wrestlers making their first appearance in the division, hoping to follow the path upwards towards the salaried ranks. Recent history suggests there is good reason to pay attention.

The Aki 2026 debut class featured three particularly noteworthy prospects in Tenshōyama, Imamura, and Kazemitsuki. While it remains far too early to draw firm conclusions, as is tradition in this space, I will put their performance under the microscope.

Tenshōyama entered professional sumo with perhaps the highest ceiling of the group. Blessed with exceptional size and power, he has shown flashes of the forceful, forward-moving brand of sumo that made him such a compelling prospect before entering ozumo. While some had hoped at the start of the tournament for another rematch between him and Asahifuji for the Makushita championship, it was not to be. Asahifuji suffered an early loss. Tenshōyama was undefeated (5-0) and went up against eventual Division 3 champ, Inami, suffering his one loss of the tournament. He finished 6-1 with wins over former Makushita Tsukidashi Fudōhō and Ryūshō. He also defeated former Sekitori Ōtsuji. The raw material is unmistakable and we will see some rematches with him and Asahifuji as they both wear silk in the salaried ranks.

Imamura’s first taste of makushita competition has provided an opportunity to see if the 6-1 record in Nagoya ranked him too high for his current skillset. He performed well against the lower Makushita-upper Sandanme journeymen and got his first winning record in division 3. He had wins against some wrestlers with decent Makushita experience, like Sadanohikari and Denuma. He lost to both of the Yamahibiki-beya Ieshima brothers. He at least held his own for his first tournament in Makushita. The next tournament will be another evaluation of his skills.

Kazemitsuki was the only one of the Aki rookies to end up with a losing record, falling to Ieshima on Day 14. It was his first career losing record and he will be able to regroup in Sandanme next time. He lost to Yumenofuji (who went up against Inami for the championship), and to Okada. However, he defeated former collegiate wrestler Shimizuumi and Nishonoseki’s Rinko. He will have another chance to climb back into Makushita soon.

Meanwhile, Two Familiar Names Reach Jūryō

While a new generation enters makushita, two wrestlers recently featured in Tachiai profiles have taken another step forward.

Both Asahifuji and Ryūhō, subjects of recent Makushita rookie spotlights, will appear on the Kyushu 2026 banzuke in the second division. For Asahifuji, the promotion completes a rise that has been marked by steady progression and a growing ability to compete effectively against increasingly experienced opposition. His advancement serves as another reminder that patient development often pays dividends in professional sumo. Ryūhō’s promotion is equally noteworthy. Regarded as a wrestler with considerable potential and still only 19 years old, he now receives the opportunity to test himself in the salaried ranks, where expectations, scrutiny, and rewards all increase dramatically.

Somewhere among this latest group of debutants may be the next future sekitori. Kyushu will provide the first clues as to who that might be.

Hakugetsurō (白月狼)

Stable: Asahiyama
Age: 24
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178 / 5’10”
Weight (kg/lbs): 136 / 300
Home country: Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
High School: Tottori Jōhoku High
University: Senshu University
Career Record and notes: 19-2-0 (.905)
Debut: Hatsu 2026
Notes: Jonokuchi Yusho (Natsu 20226) and Jonidan Yusho (Aki 2026)
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Better than 50-50.

Among the newest foreign recruits to enter ozumo in recent years, few arrive with a story quite like Hakugetsurō. The Mongolian newcomer to Asahiyama-beya followed an unusual path. He is the son of a prominent public official, a former judoka, an academically successful university student, and a wrestler who earned Sandanme Tsukedashi privileges three separate times, only to see all three slip away before he ever was able to step foot in the ring.

Born in Mongolia, Hakugetsurō grew up in a family where athletics and public service went hand in hand. His father, now serving as governor of Bulgan Province, was himself an accomplished judoka who once competed at the World Judo Championships. Following his father’s example, the young Hakugetsurō practiced judo through junior high school. Through his father’s friendship with former Yokozuna Hakuhō, Hakugetsurō was introduced to Japan and enrolled at Tottori Jōhoku High School, one of the premier incubators of elite sumo talent.

He quickly adjusted from judo to sumo, reaching the top eight in his weight class at the Chūgoku regional tournament as a freshman, repeated a top eight finish in a in a heavier weight class division as a sophomore, and by his senior year advanced deep into the highly competitive New Year Sumo Tournament. While he was not yet collecting national titles, his high school career showed steady improvement.

Unlike many collegiate sumo stars, Hakugetsurō ‘s route to university reflected more than athletic ability. He entered Senshu University not through a sumo recommendation but through academic merit, a detail that speaks to a side of his character often highlighted by those around him: intelligence and seriousness. In his junior year at university, he captured the East Japan Student Weight-Class Championship in the under-135 kg division, finished runner-up nationally, and advanced to the last sixteen of both the All-Japan Student Championships and the All-Japan Sumo Championships. Those performances earned him the first two of what would eventually become three separate qualifications for sandanme tsukedashi entry. His senior year brought even more consistency. Another national runner-up finish and another appearance in the round of sixteen at the All-Japan Student Championships secured yet another sandanme tsukedashi qualification. By the end of his university career, he had accumulated credentials that many aspiring professionals would envy.

After graduating in 2025, Hakugetsurō joined Asahiyama-beya as a trainee. However, timing, administrative requirements, and visa-related circumstances created an unfortunate outcome. The one-year validity periods attached to his sandanme tsukedashi qualifications expired one by one, including the final qualification he earned during his senior year. Thus, Hakugetsurō found himself entering professional sumo from jonokuchi.

Rather than dwelling on what had been lost, he focused on what had been gained. A full year in a professional stable before stepping foot on the dohyo transformed his physique and refined his technique. By his own account, his sumo changed dramatically during that period, while his strength and muscle mass increased significantly. When he finally became eligible and cleared the necessary procedures, he stepped onto the professional stage at the March 2026 tournament. Of course, he rapidly overwhelmed the competition in the lower divisions, taking successive Jonokuchi and Jonidan championships. He hit his first difficult competition in upper Sandanme in Aki – finishing with a 5-2 record. He had opening losses to Shōsei (see below) and journeyman Marushō before rallying with 5 straight wins.

Upon joining, two things immediately attracted attention.  First, he joined small Asahiyama stable (under former Sekiwake Kotonishiki). The small, and quirky stable has not had much success raising wrestlers even up to Makushita. They once had a different Mongolian recruit rapidly climbing the ranks, but he quit suddenly.  The second thing is his shikona: 白月狼 (Hakugetsurō). This is among the most evocative ring names to appear in recent years. According to those around the stable, the name was devised by the stablemaster’s wife and references the Mongolian lunar new year, while incorporating imagery associated with the wolf. I think the symbolism may run even deeper. The first character, 白 (“haku” or “white”), naturally recalls the influence of Hakuhō, the Yokozuna who helped bring him to Japan. Combined with the middle character, 月 (“moon”), it does reference the “White Moon” festival that marks the Mongolian New Year and occupies a special place in Mongolian cultural and spiritual life. The final character, 狼 (“wolf”), resonates even more strongly with Mongolian tradition. Throughout Mongolian folklore and national mythology, the wolf is not merely an admired animal but a sacred ancestor figure.

At twenty-four years old, Hakugetsurō enters division 3 older than many high-school competitors. Yet he enters with advantages that many younger prospects lack: years of high-level competitive experience, a university education, physical maturity, and extensive stable training already behind him. His Oyakata has praised his intelligence, diligence, and ability to absorb technical instruction. Those qualities often matter as much as physical gifts in determining who can successfully navigate the brutal climb through the lower divisions. For now, Hakugetsurō’s ambitions remain straightforward. He wants to repay the faith shown by his stablemaster, the stablemaster’s wife, and the teachers who guided him throughout his development. He also hopes to follow in the footsteps of wrestlers he admires, including Wakatakakage, Rōga, Wakanofuji, Asahifuji, and Tenshōzan.

Shōryū (象竜)

Stable: Otowayama
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 192 / 6’3”
Weight (kg/lbs): 140 / 308
Home prefecture: Nagano
High School: Unknown (see below)
University: —
Career Record and notes: 60-38-7 (.612)
Debut: 2024 Haru
Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

In a sport that increasingly attracts talent from around the world, few young wrestlers embody sumo’s international future quite like Shōryū. I am referring, particularly to the upcoming Bangkok tour.

A member of Otowayama-beya, the stable founded by former Yokozuna Kakuryū, Shōryū’s story spans two countries, two cultures, and two very different childhoods. Born in Japan but raised largely in Thailand, he arrived in professional sumo with little Japanese language ability, no amateur sumo background, and a body that weighed less than 100 kilograms. Barely two years later, he has climbed into sandanme and become one of the most intriguing prospects in Kakuryū‘s young stable.

Shōryū was born in Nagano City to a Japanese father and a Thai mother who worked as a Thai-language interpreter. Shortly afterward, the family moved to his mother’s hometown in Kalasin Province, in northeastern Thailand, where he spent most of his childhood. Sumo was not part of his early life. Instead, he grew up enjoying a wide range of sports, particularly basketball. As a tall lad, who ended up standing well over six feet tall, basketball was a natural outlet.

In February 2024, Shōryū returned to Japan to join the newly established Otowayama-beya. He was one of the first recruits personally overseen by Otowayama-oyakata. He did not have an easy go at it. According to the stable, he initially understood very little Japanese. Yet his naturally outgoing personality, combined with years of exposure to Japanese through anime and popular culture, accelerated his adjustment. Remarkably, within three months he was reportedly able to communicate comfortably with his fellow wrestlers. His physical transformation was equally dramatic. When he entered the stable, he weighed less than 100 kilograms. Within six months, through stable life, intensive training, and the famously generous sumo diet, he added roughly forty kilograms to his frame.

Few shikona are as immediately memorable. The explanation is unusually straightforward and unusually personal. The first character, 象 (shō), means elephant. According to multiple profiles, it was chosen as a reference to Thailand and his Thai heritage. Few animals are more closely associated with modern Thai identity than the elephant, which occupies a central place in Thailand’s history, culture, and national symbolism. The second character, 竜 (ryū), comes directly from the ring name of his. It is a character that appears frequently among Otowayama wrestlers and serves as a visible bond to the stable’s founder. Thus, Shōryū’s ring name literally means: “Elephant Dragon”

One of the most remarkable aspects of Shōryū’s rise is that, unlike many of those I have written up recently, he did not arrive with an extensive amateur sumo résumé. At the same time, his development appears to have followed a pattern familiar to many successful foreign wrestlers: rapid physical growth, continuous technical improvement, and a steady climb through the lower divisions.

It is quite evident that he uses his lanky frame and long arms to support his aggressive thrusting and pushing sumo. In fact, it is what first caught my eye. He has some great pushing/thrusting skills, and if he can continue to gain weight and hone those skills – he should be able to go pretty high into the third division. His style reminded me of another half-Thai, Nabatame, when he first started his sumo career. Thus, I have been following his progress through the ranks. His last tournament in Sandanme was 6-1 record from Sandanme 18, with his only loss to former Makushita Āron. His wins were all against former Makushita wrestlers, and even former sekitori Kiryūkō. I am wondering if this was actually a large step forward, or if he will find himself overmatched at his new career high.

I still feel he has to continue to learn sumo and develop his skills, as well as “build” his sumo body. Nevertheless, I feel he is an intriguing prospect and one I cheer for in the lower divisions. I look forward to seeing his results in Makushita.

Izumifuji (泉富士)

Stable: Isegahama
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 188 / 6’2”
Weight (kg/lbs): 146 / 322
Home prefecture: Ōsaka
High School: —
University: —
Career Record and notes: 91-80-18 (.532)
Debut: 2022 Haru
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: None

Among the many young wrestlers affected by the upheaval surrounding Miyagino-beya, few have undergone as many identity changes in such a short time as Izumifuji. Izumifuji entered professional sumo in March 2022 under his family name of Detachi and joined the famed Miyagino stable headed by former Yokozuna Hakuhō. He joined as a 15 year old, fresh out of middle school. His March 2022 debut was unusual administratively because the ordinary pre-tournament new-recruit examination and maezumo were affected by COVID-era arrangements.

His early career was unremarkable but steady, as he worked his way through jonokuchi and jonidan while developing a style built around tsuppari and straightforward pushing attacks.

The first major change came in May 2024 when he adopted the shikona Senshōhō (泉翔鵬). The name was notable because it incorporated the character 鵬 (hō), the same character made famous by Hakuhō and frequently associated with wrestlers from the Miyagino lineage. However, by spring 2024, the fallout from the Hokuseihō scandal had led to the effective closure of Miyagino-beya, and its wrestlers were transferred into the care of Isegahama-beya. Senshōhō moved together with the rest of the Miyagino group, suddenly becoming part of one of the largest and strongest stables in professional sumo.

For nearly two years he competed as Senshōhō, climbing into sandanme and showing a few flashes of promise. Then another organizational shift arrived. As the former Miyagino wrestlers became increasingly integrated into Isegahama-beya, many adopted new shikona reflecting their new home. Beginning with the January 2026 tournament, Senshōhō became Izumifuji (泉富士).

The second half of the new name is easy to explain. The 富士 (Fuji) suffix has become one of the hallmarks of the modern Isegahama lineage. The kanji izumi (泉) was already present as the first character in his previous shikona. Izumifuji is from Kaizuka City, Osaka Prefecture, and Kaizuka lies in the Sennan area of the historic Izumi Province. The broader southern Osaka region is commonly called Senshū (泉州), while Izumi (和泉) is the historic regional name. Thus, I think we have discovered some of the possible explanations for his current shikona.

Izumifuji gradually climbed up through sandanme. His record has stabilized after the disruption of changing stables, and he has recently strung together multiple kachi-koshi performances while pushing toward the upper reaches of the division. Still only 20 years old, he remains one of the younger members of the former Miyagino contingent now trying to build a career under the Isegahama banner. His last sandanme tournament had wins against former Makushita Oginohama, Sōma, Kotodaishin, and Kawamura. He had losses to similar caliber wrestlers, indicating he may be ranked around his current skill level in lower Makushita in the next tournament.

Shōsei (翔盛)

Stable: Nakamura
Age: 18
Height (cm/feet-inches): 175 / 5’8”
Weight (kg/lbs): 158 / 347
Home prefecture: Ōita
High School: Nakatsu Higashi High
University: —
Career Record and notes: 24-4-0 (.857)
Debut: 2026 Hatsu
Notes: Jonidan Yusho – Natsu 2026

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

From Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, Shōsei began practicing sumo in the second year of elementary school at the local Nakatsu Sumo Club. From an early age, he was immersed in the highly competitive amateur environment that has produced a surprisingly large number of top wrestlers from Kyushu.

His progression through the amateur ranks was remarkably steady. After attending Ohata Elementary School and Midorigaoka Junior High School, he enrolled at Oita Prefectural Nakatsu Higashi High School, one of Kyushu’s stronger sumo programs. It is there that he established himself as a consistent national-level competitor. He qualified for national tournaments at every age level and regularly posted strong results against elite amateur opposition. Among his most notable achievements was capturing the individual open-weight title at the Kyushu High School Championships.

During his third year of high school, he reportedly sought admission to Nakamura-beya on his own initiative. That stable choice was hardly accidental. Nakamura-beya is led by former Sekiwake Yoshikaze, Like Shōsei, Yoshikaze is an Oita native, and a former student of Nakatsu Technical High, the school that eventually morphed into Nakatsu Highashi High. For an ambitious young wrestler from Oita, there may have been no more natural role model and Shōsei has openly identified Yoshikaze as the wrestler he most wants to emulate.

While still a high-school student, Shōsei made his professional debut at the January 2026 tournament. In March, then competing in jonokuchi, he produced a 6-1 record and advanced all the way to the championship playoff. There he faced a familiar opponent, his own stablemate Āron, ultimately finishing as runner-up. Importantly, he appeared comfortable making the adjustment to professional sumo. He followed it with the Division 5 championship and only two tournaments in Sandanme to advance to Makushita before the end of the year. He sent Hakugetsurō to his first professional defeat on Day 1 of the Aki tournament, only losing to Kasshō (unexpectedly in my opinion). His 6-1 record from Sandanme 2 will advance him deep into mid-Makushita. This is where we will see his real skill level.

His shikona is currently just his first name  – 翔盛 Shōsei. The full shikona “Shōsei Tanaka” is just a reversal of his family and first name. It’s the first time I have seen “Tanaka” used as a first name.

Nagoya 2026: Shin-Makushita (新幕下)

hochiyama Makushita (幕下), Nagoya 2026, Natsu 2026, Natsu Basho

A Look Back at Natsu 2026

Here is how our last tournament debutants did:

Kōseiryū handled his makushita debut quite well, securing a winning record and showing that he can compete credibly at this level. He opened strongly with a 4‑1 start, highlighted by notable victories over former top-division rikishi Kitaharima and makushita tsukedashi Gyōtoku. He even managed a sotogake win, highlighting his jūdō skills. At his best, he showed good composure – which is a reasonable expectation given his age. However, he dropped his final two bouts, which may highlight some lingering limitations in consistency and adaptability. Even so, he will approach mid-makushita ranks in Nagoya.

Kasshō’s first appearance in makushita was a respectable one given his relatively high debut rank. He finished 3‑4, only slipping to a losing record in his final bout, and generally held his own against a deeper field of opponents. There were encouraging victories along the way, including wins over former Jūryō man Mienofuji and Mongolian prospect Tenrōsei. With some added polish and consistency, he could remain competitive in makushita going forward. He will likely rank in the bottom of the division in Nagoya, and I actually suspect we will see him back in Sandanme before the year is out.

Honoikazuchi showed that he likely belongs in makushita, even if his tournament began on uneven footing. He dropped his first two bouts, the first one via a defensive utchari reversal that got away from him possibly due to nerves, but quickly settled and found his rhythm. From there, he reeled off five consecutive wins, including a solid victory over former Nihon University’s Haruyama. The shift was notable not just in results but in style, as he increasingly leaned into belt work, taking four of those five wins by yorikiri. What began as a shaky debut ultimately turned into one of the more convincing finishes among this group, and he should be around mid-Makushita in Nagoya.

Ōmori delivered one of the standout debuts among the shin‑makushita, pushing all the way into the playoff after compiling a strong record in regulation. His only loss came in a highly anticipated bout against Asahifuji (see below), in a match that felt like an early glimpse of two potential future sanyaku contenders, and he otherwise demonstrated a well-rounded and adaptable skill set. In the playoff, he ultimately fell to the eventual winner Ikarigata, but the overall performance was highly encouraging. He showed a clear proficiency for throws, using a variety of techniques to decisively end bouts, while also proving capable against his direct peers with wins over fellow debutants Tatsubayama and Gōnoshō. Taken together, this was a debut that not only confirmed his readiness for makushita, but also hinted at considerable upside. One thing is clear, he will be a popular rikishi among the fans.

Gōnoshō put together a successful makushita debut, ultimately finishing with a winning record. He came out quickly with three straight victories, including a win over Haruyama, before hitting a mid‑basho slump with three consecutive losses as the competition stiffened. Needing a win in his final bout, he responded well and defeated former top-division veteran rikishi Fujiazuma to secure kachi‑koshi. His sumo leaned heavily on belt work, with three yorikiri wins, complemented by a kimedashi, highlighting his preference for grappling. With this performance, he should find himself in the Makushita 40–45 range.

Tatsubayama also turned in a strong makushita debut, finishing 5‑2 after a 4-0 start and positioning himself firmly in the top half of the division heading into Nagoya. He picked up a notable win over Koseiryū, though he came up short against Ōmori and ultimately missed out on the playoff, falling in his final bout to former Jūryō wrestler Tsushimanada. The results were encouraging, but his sumo still appears to be in the process of refinement. Several of his wins came via reactive techniques (two tsukiotoshi, a hatakikomi, and a hikiotoshi).  This left me with some question as to how his style will translate against stronger, more stable opponents higher up the banzuke.

Takahara put together a respectable 4‑3 performance in his makushita debut, including a win over former makushita tsukedashi Fudōhō. He should be ranked in the upper 30s of the division heading into Nagoya. To me, his tournament felt somewhat uneven, with wins and losses coming against what appeared to be similarly matched competition. At his best, he showed the tools to compete effectively, but he was not always able to assert a clear advantage or sustain momentum across bouts. Going forward, the hope is that he can take a step forward in consistency to begin to separate himself from this middle tier as he gains more experience in makushita.

Looking Ahead

Onto the Nagoya 2026 Makushita rookies:

Asahifuji (旭富士)

Stable: Isegahama

Age: 24

Height (cm/feet-inches): 187 / 6’1”

Weight (kg/lbs): 148 / 326

Home country: Ulaanbaatar Mongolia

High School: Asahigaoka High School

University: —

Career Record and notes: 21-0 (1.000)!!

Debut: Aki 2025

Notes: Jonokuchi Yūshō (January), Jonidan Yūshō (March 2026), and Sandanme Yūshō (May 2026). Possibility of reaching sekitori: will say 100%.

Asahifuji arrives in makushita with a level of anticipation rarely attached to a wrestler this early in his career. A native of Mongolia, he followed a now familiar path by attending a Japanese high school (Niigata Asahigaoka, which has some Mongolian success, see below) before joining Isegahama stable in 2021(!). However, his trajectory diverges sharply from the typical prospect. Rather than debuting immediately upon joining the stable, he spent four years in a sort of “enforced limbo” due to the one‑foreigner‑per‑stable rule. This appears to be a delay that, in his case, may have been transformative rather than limiting.

During his high school years, competitive opportunities were somewhat constrained. With Mongolian upperclassmen such as Ōnokatsu and Kyokukaiyū ahead of him, he was not always a central figure in the team’s lineups. The pandemic further reduced his ability to perform in school tournaments at a national level. This left him with only a handful of national appearances. as the leadoff man for Kanagawa. His results at the National High School Championships were more modest, but he did contribute to the team’s top eight finish at the National Sports Festival as a sophomore and finished in the top 32 of the National High School Sumo Championships (losing to current makushita, Nobehara).

What sets Asahifuji apart is what came next. While waiting for his chance to compete professionally, he effectively underwent a prolonged incubation period inside Isegahama stable, training daily alongside high‑level sekitori without the wear and tear of official bouts. Reports from this period include training victories over sekitori (including Kiribayama/Kirishima) added to the growing sense that he was something special. This kind of extended preparation is rare in modern sumo. However, it has clearly produced a rikishi who debuted not as a raw prospect, but as an already polished competitor.

That sense of expectation was formalized when he was granted the shikona Asahifuji, inheriting the name of the 63rd Yokozuna and former Oyakata (currently Miyagino). It is not a name bestowed lightly, and it immediately marked him as a flagship prospect. External hype followed swiftly, with some outlets going so far as to label him the strongest new recruit in recent memory.

Once he finally stepped into the ring, the early results did little to temper that excitement. Back‑to‑back 7‑0 yūshō in Jonokuchi and Jonidan confirmed both his dominance over lower‑division opposition and his readiness for more serious tests. He was able to defeat fellow Mongolian prospect Tenshōyama in each of those first two tournaments and defeated former sekitori Kiryūkō (only low on the banzuke because he is rehabbing from injury) in back-to-back playoffs in for his jonidan and sandanme championships. In his last tournament, he also came up with victories against Fudōhō, Ōmori, and former sekitori Mita. This indicates his skill level is already sekitori caliber. His sumo is built around a fundamentally sound yotsu approach, relying heavily on yorikiri and nage finishes rather than trickery or evasion. He combines size and strength with a composure that is unusual for someone with so little official experience, and he rarely looks rushed or out of position.

Now entering upper makushita (he will be ranked in the promotion zone, where another 7-0 will result in promotion to jūryō), the picture can become more nuanced. In many ways, he is both ahead of and behind a typical prospect as he is technically advanced and physically prepared, yet still relatively untested in terms of adapting across a full range of opponents and match situations. The key question is not whether he has the tools, but how quickly he can translate them against deeper, more tactically varied competition. His high‑profile meeting with fellow standout Ōmori suggests that he is capable of competing immediately, but also that there will be adjustments required as the margin for error narrows. There is little doubt about the upside. Asahifuji looks like a fast‑track sekitori candidate, and perhaps more. The next phase will determine whether he is simply very good or truly something special.

Sachinofuji (幸乃富士)

Stable: Isegahama

Age: 20

Height (cm/feet-inches): 172 / 5’7”

Weight (kg/lbs): 98 / 215

Home prefecture: Saitama

High School: NHK Gakuen High

University: —

Career Record and notes: 82-60-19 (.577)

Debut: 2022 Nagoya

Notes:  Mongolian national

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

While he is also from Isegahama stable, Sachinofuji represents a very different kind of prospect from Asahifuji, one whose development runs counter to the typical narratives attached to both foreign imports and elite amateur standouts. Born in Mongolia as Ganzorig Origil, he moved to Japan at the age of five and grew up in Saitama. This meant that, from the perspective of the NSK, he qualified not as a foreigner but as a domestic recruit. Unlike many other Mongolian wrestlers, he was not recruited with a wrestling pedigree or prior exposure to sumo. In fact, he entered the sport with no competitive background at all, beginning his career from a true blank slate.

This helped me, a 30-plus year sumo fan learn the concept of “tatakiage / 叩き上げ”.  A tatakiage is actually my favorite type of recruit, one who comes straight from middle school without any prior experience and is “built from scratch” in the stable. You will note above that Sachinofuji attended NHK Gakuen High School, but this is a correspondence-based institution that allowed him to train while forgoing the typical amateur circuit.

The beginning of his sumo career reflected both the challenges and opportunities of that path. Injuries disrupted his initial progress, forcing withdrawals in his first year and slowing what might otherwise have been a smoother ascent. Yet once he found his footing, his advancement has been steady rather than spectacular, marked by incremental improvement rather than sudden breakthroughs. His promotion to Sandanme in 2024 was less a moment of arrival than a confirmation that the underlying development process was working.

Physically, Sachinofuji faces immediate constraints. At around 172 cm and 98kg, he is undersized by modern standards, particularly as he moves into the upper reaches of the lower divisions. Heck, he even weighs less than I did in my famous “Sumo and Sushi” bout (well, at least it is famous in my mind…). His sumo has begun to reflect an adaptation to those limitations. He tends to work from a lower position, relying on balance, leverage, and patience rather than attempting to overpower opponents.

His stylistic influences are also telling. As a tsukebito to Midorifuji, someone who has openly identified as his role model, Sachinofuji has front row seats to see what characteristics are needed for a smaller rikishi to succeed. That is, he needs to work on his precision, persistence, and the ability to exploit positioning rather than to sheer force.

Off the dohyo, his profile reinforces the impression of a grounded, well-integrated heya product. His preferences, karaage, mobile gaming, and a generally understated demeanor, are beginning to give him a small fandom, with some media attention even focusing on his composed and “handsome” presence after bouts. As he makes his makushita debut, the challenge will be significant: opponents will be larger, faster, and less forgiving of technical imprecision.

His ceiling may ultimately be determined by how far his technique can compensate for his size. If he can continue to refine his belt work and sharpen his finishing ability, he has a viable path forward as a technical grinder capable of carving out a role in the division and earning many fans along the way as a “giant killer”. While he did not inherit a shikona, like Asahifuji, his shikona is a combination of the Isegahama ~fuji suffix and the kanji for good fortune/happiness, which we can infer that is something that is hoped for in his professional career.

Kaida (甲斐田)

Stable: Kasugano

Age: 18

Height (cm/feet-inches): 191 / 6’3”

Weight (kg/lbs): 150 / 330

Home prefecture: Tōkyō

High School: Adachi Shinden High School

University:  —

Career Record and notes: 11-3 (.786)

Debut: 2026 Haru, Sandanme Tsukedashi

Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

Kaida follows the more traditional path into professional sumo, one rooted in early exposure, structured development, and steady accumulation of amateur results. Born in Ōita Prefecture in 2007, he is a second‑generation rikishi, with his father having competed briefly out of Kasugano stable and serving as a tsukebito to current Kasugano Oyakata . While his father’s career topped out in jonidan, it provided Kaida with something arguably more valuable than rank – that is an early familiarity with stable life, its training routines, and the expectations of professional rikishi. That foundation is often difficult to quantify, but it tends to show in the small details. Aside from the family ties to Kasugano, he was scouted by Kiyomigata Oyakata (former Sekiwake Tochiōzan).

Unlike late converts or crossover athletes, Kaida began sumo early in elementary school and progressed in a textbook fashion. By the time he reached Adachi Shinden High School, he was already smoothly operating within a competitive environment. His high school development was steady rather than meteoric, but his final year results marked a clear breakthrough. He finished in third-place at the Inter‑High School Championships and secured a runner‑up performance at the National Sports Festival. This earned him a sandanme tsukedashi status (only the third as I count for high schoolers, following Anhibiki (who rejected it) and Ikarigata). This allowed Kaida to bypass the lowest professional divisions and enter sumo with immediate expectations.

That starting point is significant. Tsukedashi entrants are not just fast-tracked, they are implicitly expected to justify their ranking from the outset. In Kaida’s case, early results suggest that his amateur success was no fluke. He secured winning records right away, indicating that his fundamentals translate effectively against professional opposition. His sumo reflects that background: straightforward and balanced. He is comfortable both pushing and grappling.

Looking ahead, Kaida projects as a steady riser. The combination amateur success and technically complete sumo suggests a wrestler with a higher ceiling, even if it remains to be defined. Makushita will present a more demanding test, but the early indications are that he will not be easily taken out of the ring. Still, he may not overwhelm the division in the way some elite prospects do, and could settle into this division for a few years before breaking out.

Natsu 2026: Shin-Makushita

hochiyama Makushita (幕下) ,

Here is how our last tournament debutants did:

Agōra handled his makushita debut about as well as could reasonably be expected given his background and late start. He secured enough wins to remain competitive without ever looking overmatched. There were clear limitations in speed and adaptability against sharper technicians, He will need more experience to hold his own against makushita level opponents, something he will gain via a drop back to Sandanme for Natsu 2026. He defeated fellow rookie Yabugasaki, but lost to Gōhakuun.

Okada’s first makushita appearance was uneven but informative.His style produced early momentum in some matches, particularly when he was able to dictate terms at the tachiai, but more experienced opponents exposed his relative lack of polish once initial attacks stalled. He managed to defeat the Shikoroyama-beya prospect Tenrōsei, and fellow rookie Yabugasaki. He can expect a small jump up the banzuke.

After three straight kachi‑koshi earned his promotion, Gōhakuun just snuck in to Makushita at the bottom rank (60 West). He finished with a losing record and will be back in Sandanme for Natsu. His first victory was a fusen, and even with that he started 1-3. He managed a small comeback, defeating two in a row (including Agōra) before losing to Fudōhō in is last bout., The slide back should provide another opportunity to rebuild momentum.

Yabugasaki finished 2-5, with losses to Okada and Agōra. He also was unable to defeat Tenrōsei. It appeared that he was not yet able to match the speed and strength of his opponents or control his bouts consistently.

I am taking a small time-out here, as there were some questions raised as to why I did not really rank Yabugasaki as a sekitori prospect, despite his rapid ascent up the rankings. There were questions as to how I decided to lump in his chances with those of Okada. Let’s just say that there is little statistical underlying my assessments. It is more of a feeling of how I think each wrestler will progress given the bouts that I have seen and their pedigree.

In this case, Yabugasaki is not a “cream of the crop” high school talent. Many of these high schoolers who are not in the elite tend to peak in mid-to upper makushita unless they make some serious changes. In the matches I saw earlier in his career, he just did not have the “special something” that I see in some real talents. I am happy to be proven wrong. Please remember that my grading style is more of an art form than a science (and I have no official border lines between my subjective judgement calls) and that lots can happen in sumo to alter the trajectory of a career. Anyway, back to Sandanme with Yabugasaki for Natsu.

Ryūhō had a higher debut and started with a 4-0 streak before finishing 5-2. His makushita debut further reinforced his status as one of the sport’s elite young prospects. He carried over the maturity and balance that defined his lower‑division run, dispatching experienced opponents with calm grip work and disciplined ring sense. He lost to Sandanme champ (and former sekitori) Nabatame and former Sandanme champ Daimasakari. However, he defeated some high-school prospects (Fujinoyama and Anōshō) as well as former sekitori Kaishō. Unlike the others on this list, he competed quite consistently and convincingly in Makushita and will be in the top half of the division in Natsu. Among this group, he emerged as the clearest near‑term sekitori candidate.

Kinoshita, who received the shikona of Fudōhō (不動豊) got his winning record on the last day against Gōhakuun. He had a bit more trouble against the borderline Makushita/Sandanme wrestlers than would normally be expected of a Makushita Tsukedashi with such a university pedigree His bouts did not show that he was overly ranked, but with wins and losses against opponents of a similar depth, I can say that it was a bit of a disappointing debut. A jump toward the top of makushita will happen as he gains professional seasoning. His shikona was given my his master, intended to convey an “unshakable heart” and with the 豊 coming from the stable’s naming convention. The Fudō is “immovable” or steadfast and is often associated with a symbolizing Buddhist resolve and discipline.

Onto the Natsu 2026 Makushita rookies (and a bonus catch-up):

Kōseiryū (光星竜)

Stable: Otowayama
Age: 25
Height (cm/feet-inches): 174 / 5’8”
Weight (kg/lbs): 125 / 275
Home prefecture: Tokyo
High School: Yasuda Gakuen
University: University of Nevada
Career Record and notes: 29-8-5 (.784)
Debut: Hatsu 2025
Notes: Jonidan Yūshō in January 2026
Father is former Maegashira Akinoshū
Possibility of reaching sekitori: I’ll say likely, as it would make a great story.

Kōseiryū has a rather unconventional background and atypical pathway into professional sumo. He is the eldest son of former top-division wrestler Akinoshū (安芸ノ州). However, sumo was not at the forefront of his activities for much of his life. Instead, he excelled in jūdō and his studies, going so far as to get a degree in aerospace engineering in Nevada. In other words, he seemed closer to being a rocket scientist than a master of the dōhyō.

Apparently, he was greatly cherished by his father’s senior stablemate Terao, who was so delighted at Kōsei’s birth that he named him, and even celebrated it as if he were his own child. Despite growing up in the sumo world, he took his competitiveness onto the jūdō mat and became known on the national level – placing third in the National Junior Championships while in 4th grade (only losing to a future Olympic silver medalist). He excelled during his time at Yasuda Gakuen Middle and High School (the alma mater of Terao). He moved to the US and managed to balance his engineering studies.

He first enrolled at Orange Coast College, a community college in Costa Mesa, California where he studied aerospace engineering, served as the president of the Japanese Student Association. In 2022, he won the National Collegiate Judo Championship and the U.S. Open Judo Championships. After graduating from Orange Coast College, he transferred to the University of Nevada to complete his aerospace engineering degree. His goal was to work in rocket manufacturing. He was invited to join the U.S. national judo team, but he declined because it would have required changing his nationality.

The turning point for him came in 2023 when former Sekiwake Terao passed away. Terao had been a great friend of his father, and supposedly helped to even name the newborn Kōsei.. Before his death, Terao supposedly said “I wish I could have seen you in a mawashi” and those words weighed heavily on Kōseiryū as he approached the sumo entrance age limit. He dipped his toes into sumo during the 2024 U.S. Sumo Open, where he finished second in the light heavyweight division.

As the Sumo Association had just allowed inexperienced individuals under 25 to join (after taking a special physical ability test), he quit the US Judo circuit and joined the new Otowayama stable under Kakuryū. Kakuryū belonged to Izutsu stable, the same as Terao and his father. He took the shikona Kōseiryū as a way to honor Terao (by using his given name) and combining it with the dragon (ryū) from his stablemaster. His younger brother attends Chuo University where he is a member of the school’s sumo club.

He describes his sumo as an application of his physics education – applying leverage, balance, center of gravity, and timing to compensate for his lack of traditional sumo training. He favors jūdō-like throws and counters. Following an injury that knocked him back to jonidan, he took the yūshō (despite cracking the middle finger on his left hand on Day 1) and rocketed up the rankings. His promotion to makushita will mark a great test of his abilities against some seasoned vets and upcoming prospects.
His hobbies include surfing, golf, baseball, stargazing, building LEGO Star Wars sets, watching comedy, and appreciating art.

Kasshō (滑翔)

Stable: Yamahibiki
Age: 23
Height (cm/feet-inches): 176 / 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 136 / 300
Home country: Hyōgō
High School: Tsushima High
University: —
Career Record and notes: 110-87-13 (.558)
Debut: 2021 Haru
Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very unlikely

Another name to watch as he settles into the makushita ranks is Kasshō, a Hyōgo native whose rise has been closely followed back home. Hailing from Shinonsen Town (Hamasaka area), Kasshō is celebrated locally as part of a rare trio of active professional rikishi produced by the same small community, alongside Gōhakuun of Takekuma stable (see last post about shin-makushita for Haru 2026) and Daishōki of Oitekaze.

Kasshō’s sumo roots were planted at Hamasaka Junior High School, where he was already active in the sport before moving on to Tsushima High School, a program known for steady national‑level participation. He became a key member of the sumo team, performing well enough in inter‑high and national tournaments to get on the radar of professional scouts. Sumo is very much a family affair as well – his younger sisters (one a university sophomore and the other a high‑school freshman) are both active members of their respective school sumo clubs.

His sumo career came full circle during a spring jungyō two years ago, when Kasshō returned to his old high school while touring as a professional. For a wrestler still early in his career, the visit symbolized both how far he had already come. He started his career with some very good results in 2021-2022, despite missing two tournaments with injury. He was in Sandanme in less than two years from his debut. It took some time for him to settle into the division, where he had been since Haru 2024. He finally settled into the top half of the division in mid-2025 and on the back of two 5-2 records will enter Makushita.

His shikona means to glide (if you look at it on Google, you will see lots of images of hang-gliding). It could also be interpreted as “moving smoothly and effortlessly” and was likely given to him by his stable master as a sort of objective. Additionally, the shikona uses a part of his first name, Hishō.

Honoikazuchi (火雷)

Stable: Ikazuchi
Age: 22
Height (cm/feet-inches): 191 / 6’3”
Weight (kg/lbs): 166 / 365
Home prefecture: Kanagawa
High School: Mukainooka Technical High
University: Nippon Sports Science University
Career Record and notes: 0-0-0 (.000)
Debut: 2026 Natsu, Makushita Tsukedashi
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Quite likely

One of the more intriguing new faces to reach makushita is Bill Christopher Lee, a Kawasaki native whose development reflects both a long athletic arc. Growing up, Lee split his time between basketball and karate before committing to sumo at the Kawasaki Sumo Club during elementary school. By high school, his physical gifts were already evident: standing 191 cm, he attended Kanagawa Prefectural Mukonooka Technical High School, a program with deep sumo credentials (and lots of recruits in Futagoyama stable).  He helped the team to a third‑place finish at the Inter‑High, putting him as a top level university recruit.

Lee’s true breakthrough came after being recruited to Nippon Sport Science University (NSSU), where the club’s legendary director helped him to use his raw power and develop his own style. Despite his size, Lee was intentionally steered away from reactive or tentative sumo and instead drilled relentlessly in forward‑moving oshi‑sumo, a transformation that paid dividends. By his sophomore year, he finished third at the All Japan Student Sumo Championships, and as a senior he emerged as the team’s captain.

His senior year at NSSU capped his amateur career. Lee finished runner‑up at the National Sports Festival and added another strong finish (3rd place) at the All‑Japan Student Championships. These performances earned him the makushita tsukedashi eligibility. Long an admirer of former NSSU sumo club legend, Ōnosato, Lee has noted that his goal has evolved from simply looking up to the yokozuna to one day testing himself directly against him. Lee enters makushita as a physically imposing, purpose‑built prospect whose ceiling will be measured by how quickly that forward pressure translates against seasoned professional opposition. On April 17, it was announced that his shikona is Honoikazuchi (火雷), with the latter character coming from the stable name.

Despite his English sounding legal name (a result of his mixed heritage), he was born and raised in Japan and will not count as a foreign rikishi. Ikazuchi-beya already has its foreigner slot occupied by the Ukrainain, Shishi.

Ōmori (大森)

Stable: Oitekaze
Age: 22
Height (cm/feet-inches): 185 / 6’0”
Weight (kg/lbs): 120 / 264
Home prefecture: Ishikawa
High School: Kanazawa Gakuin High
University: Kanazawa Gakuin University
Career Record and notes: 0-0-0 (.000)
Debut: 2026 Natsu, Makushita Tsukedashi
Notes: ..

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Quite likely

Ōmori enters grand sumo with a Strong amateur background.  From Ishikawa prefecture, he began sumo in the first grade inspired by watching the legendary Chiyonofuji with his father. He continued with sumo through elementary school, but then quit during middle school to join the baseball club. 

At the end of middle school, he resolved to return to sumo and “become strong”. He left his hometown to live in the dorm at Kanazawa Gakuin High School. By the time he was a junior, he had become a national level contender in tournaments, finishing as runner-up in both individual and team competitions at the Inter-High High School Championships and the Kanazawa High School Sumo Tournament. He proceeded up the direct pipeline from the attached high school to Kanazawa Gakuin University.

As a freshman, he won the West Japan Rookie title. As a Junior, he won the individual and team championships at the 78th National Sports Festival in Saga. Suffering from a dislocated shoulder as a senior (one that required surgery), he was still 2nd at the All-Japan Sumo Championships. This earned him the coveted makushita tsukedashi status he now takes advantage of.

He is quite lighter than many others coming in via the tsukedashi route, with his sumo built on speed, balance, and forward pressure. His technical grounding and versatility should enable him to make an immediate impact on the dohyo. He was persuaded to go professional though his hometown ties to Kitajin Oyakata (former Endō) and has expressed a desire to represent his earthquake-impacted hometown on the national stage. Like Kaki, he is likely an uchi-deshi of Endō and may branch out, should Kitajin decide to open his own stable. There has not yet been any media reporting of a proper shikona and my feeling is that he will start under his family name.

Gōnoshō (豪ノ勝)

Stable: Takekuma
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 189 / 6’2”
Weight (kg/lbs): 144 / 318
Home prefecture: Saitama
High School: Saitama Sakae High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 36-20-0 (.643)
Debut: 2024 Kyushu
Notes: Brother is Gōseiryū

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

Gōnoshō is a steadily developing rikishi from Aomori prefecture, who has followed his elder brother, Gōseiryū, into sumo. He began sumo at age four, influenced by his older brother. He continued through school, appearing in elementary, middle, and high school All-Japan tournaments.

He attended powerhouse Saitama Sakae High School (which is the fishing grounds for former alumn Takekuma Oyakata). Under his high school coach, he developed a technically grounded style that heled his team win the Kantō High School Championship and qualify the team for the Inter-High. Individually, he finished in the top eight at the All-Japan High School Tournament and the top 16 at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai). This reveals that he is a competitive prospect, but not quite the level of a breakout star.

Many college recruits tried to lure him to their programs, including NSSU and Nihon University. Nevertheless, he opted to become pro right after high school on advice from his father that he would develop quicker and more rounded through regular professional keiko rather than amateur competition. He selected Takakuma stable, to join his brother. He had also been impressed by Takekuma’s training regime during his visits.

He has made steady progress through the lower divisions. He made it to mid-Sandanme before his first make-koshi. His 6-1 record in March from Sandanme 44 was a nice breakout tournament that earned the promotion to Makushita. At this point in his career, Gōnoshō is a clear yotsu‑zumo specialist, favoring belt engagement over extended pushing exchanges. He shows a preference for a right‑hand inside grip and forward‑moving sumo, with yorikiri as his most common winning technique. Gōnoshō already possesses the size expected of a future sekitori, but his career profile to this point suggests a longer‑horizon development path rather than an immediate rise. His Shikona from oyakata, his first name, and 豪ノ勝 literally means “mighty victory” or “victory through strength.”

Tatsubayama (龍葉山)

Stable: Tokitsukaze
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 189 / 6’2”
Weight (kg/lbs): 153 / 336
Home prefecture: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
High School: Meitoku Gijuku High School
University: —
Career Record: 23-3-2 (.885)
Debut: Natsu 2025
Notes: Jonokuchi Yūshō Nagoya 2025

Possibility of reaching sekitori: I believe so, from what I have seen so far – provided injuries do not derail him

Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as Buyantogtokh Munkh‑Erdene, Tatsubayama began athletic training in Mongolian wrestling (Bökh) as a child. That background provided a natural foundation for his eventual transition to Japanese sumo. Tatusbayama was scouted at age 15 and moved to Japan to attend Meitoku Gijuku High School, one of the strongest amateur sumo programs in the country and famously the alma mater of Yokozuna Asashōryū. He became a regular presence on the national stage. During his high‑school career, he appeared in major tournaments, steadily building experience against elite domestic competition.

In his third year (2024), he served as a key pillar of the team, helping his high school team to secure a top‑eight finish in the team competition at the Inter‑High School Championships. Individually, he reached the later rounds of several major national events, including the National High School Sumo Invitational Tournament in Umi and the Kanazawa High School Sumo Tournament, and represented Kochi Prefecture at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai), advancing into the final stages of the individual competition. At the Inter‑High School Sumo Championships, he reached the quarterfinals, finishing one win short of qualifying for sandanme tsukedashi.

Tatsubayama was recruited into Tokitsukaze stable by Tokitsukaze oyakata (former maegashira Tosayutaka) and, with special permission, he began training at the stable while still completing his high school studies, to help him transition into professional life. Although initially cleared to debut in May 2025, his professional start was delayed by an early setback: in January 2025, he underwent surgery to address a recurring dislocation of his right shoulder, postponing his entry into ozumō until the 2025 Nagoya basho.

He was given the shikona “Tatsubayama”, a name explicitly designed as a tribute to two of the sport’s greatest figures. The “Tatsu (dragon)” (龍) is taken from Asashōryū, his high‑school senior at Meitoku Gijuku, while “bayama” (葉山) comes from Futabayama, the legendary 35th yokozuna and founder of his  Tokitsukaze stable.

In his first official tournament in September 2025, he went 7–0 to claim the jonokuchi yūshō, displaying composure and physical dominance despite recently recovering from surgery. In the November 2025 tournament, he was 6-0 and ready to go into the final bout to force at least a playoff (if not take the championship outright) but was forced to withdraw after contracting cellulitis, which required eight days of hospitalization and resulted in a loss of roughly 10 kilograms.

Still only 20 years old, Tatsubayama profiles with a high ceiling. He is a technique‑reliable prospect whose amateur pedigree, physical readiness, and early professional results point toward an easy transition to makushita in the near term. The key question ahead is not whether he belongs above sandanme, but whether his deliberate, grip‑centric style can continue to hold up against heavier, more tactically disruptive opponents as the margin for error narrows.

Takahara (髙𠩤)

Stable: Futagoyama
Age: 19
Height (cm/feet-inches): 173 / 5’8”
Weight (kg/lbs): 116 / 254
Home prefecture: Kanagawa
High School: Asahigaoka High School
University: —
Career Record and notes: 22-6 (.786)
Debut: Nagoya 2025
Notes: —

So much optimism this time – as I think its likely!

Takahara is a Kanagawa‑born prospect whose profile blends long‑term competitive sumo training with explosive athleticism and an unusually strong mental drive. Takahara began practicing sumo in elementary school, starting in the 5th grade. Takahara attended Odawara Municipal Izumi Junior High School, where his development accelerated. He achieved an individual third place result in a regional tournament and helped his middle school team qualify for the national middle‑school championships, a first for his school. They finished in the top 32 nationally.

In parallel with sumo, Takahara pursued full‑contact karate at Sōtenjuku. His results were very impressive as he was a national runner‑up in 2020 and won a national championship in 2021. His dual‑sport background is widely credited with contributing to his explosive tachiai, body control, and speed. These are all traits that distinguish him from more orthodox amateur sumo prospects.

Takahara continued his sumo career at Shinmei Gakuen Asahigaoka High School, one of the stronger sumo programs (that of prospect Asahifuji). His high‑school achievements include winning the Kanagawa Prefectural Inter‑High qualifier in the open‑weight division and advancing to the top 32 nationally at the 2024 Inter‑High School Championships. As a sophomore, he won the Kantō Select Tournament and in 2024 he won the Kanagawa Prefecture individual open‑weight title. His sumo club coach provided good direction, technical instruction, and connections to the professional world. Takahara entered the “Mita connection”, a loose but influential pipeline of wrestlers developed under the guidance of the father of Mita (Futagoyama-beya). Mita’s father is a respected figure in amateur sumo training and one who has been influential in channeling his pupils to Futagoyama‑beya. Recruitment came directly and personally, as Futagoyama Oyakata visited Takahara’s school after being impressed. He joined Futagoyama stable immediately after high school despite suffering a significant setback: a shoulder surgery during his last year of high school.

Inside the stable, Takahara has quickly developed a reputation for intensity. He is frequently featured in Futagoyama‑beya’s YouTube channel, where he stands out for his go‑getter attitude, willingness to push himself during training, and visible competitiveness. Despite saying he is naturally shy, those around him note a clear “switch” that flips during training, marked by heightened focus, aggression, and decisiveness. He has also spoken openly about his admiration for senior stablemate Nabatame. His victories in mae-zumo against Tatsubayama (see above) and Nishimura (Ryūhō, see last entry) solidified him as a prospect among keen sumo watchers like Kintamayama – who automatically added him to the coveted “lover division celebs” list. His long‑term objective is explicit and ambitious: to reach sekitori status by the age of 20, a goal he has stated publicly and framed as a personal benchmark.

Takahara is a high‑energy, high‑intent prospect whose ceiling will depend on how effectively his athleticism can be integrated into the more punishing, tactically complex environment of Makushita. He represents one of Futagoyama stable’s most intriguing prospects.His shikona is currently his family name, but he uses kanji variants for both the Taka (like Takayasu) and the Hara characters.

Ōkaryū (大花竜)

Stable: Tatsunami
Age: 24
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178 / 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 159 / 31349
Home prefecture: Aomori
High School: Sanbongi Agricultural High
University: Kinki University
Career Record and notes: 57-27-0 (.679)
Debut: Natsu 2024: Sandanme Tsukedashi
Notes: —

Possibility of reaching sekitori: 100%

I should miss a few of these entries more often. I was too busy with work to make the Kyushu 2024 update of this series and missed two “future” sekitori – both Toshinofuji (see last entry) and Ōkaryū. Maybe skipping these posts is good luck for new makushita aiming for the salaried ranks?

Ōkaryū’s rise to sekitori status has been built on elite amateur credentials, physical density, and a notably efficient transition from student sumo to the professional ranks. He comes from a deep sumo lineage. Like both his grandfather and father, he is an alumnus of the Sanbongi Agricultural High School Sumo Club, one of Aomori’s most productive amateur pipelines. He distinguished himself early at the national level: as a freshman, he placed third at the National Selection Hirosaki Tournament; as a sophomore, he reached the top eight at both the National Selection Towada Tournament and the National Sports Festival (Kokutai); and in his junior year, he placed third in the All‑Japan Weight‑Class Junior Heavyweight Division (100 kg+), and again reached the top eight at the Towada national selection event.

After graduating high school, Ōkaryū enrolled at Kinki University (Kindai). His breakthrough came in his third university year, when he captured the National Student Individual Weight‑Class Championship in the 135 kg+ division, defeating Ōnosato of Nippon Sport Science University (who was already amateur Yokozuna) in the final. This victory was Ōkaryū’s first national individual title and established him as one of the leading heavyweights in university sumo. As a senior, he served as vice‑captain of the Kindai team that  won the National Student Sumo Championship, ending a prolonged team title drought for the school. Individually, he advanced to the round of 16 at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai), a result that secured him sandanme tsukedashi eligibility. Over the course of his university career, he accumulated four major amateur titles. Through ties that included junior teammate Kiryūkō at Sanbongi High, he elected to join Tatsunami stable upon graduation.

On his professional debut as a Sandanme tsukedashi in May 2024, he took the shikona Ōkaryū (大花竜). The meaning of his shikona blends family symbolism with ambition. The character “花” (flower) was chosen deliberately, as it appears in the names of both of his sisters, while “竜” (dragon) reflects the aspiration to rise powerfully and continuously. At his first professional bout, the name was repeatedly misread aloud as “Daikaryū”. In his debut, he finished 6-1, with his only loss coming to Kyokukaiyū.

Technically, Ōkaryū is a fundamentals‑heavy yotsu specialist. His most frequent winning technique is yorikiri, though he is equally comfortable finishing with oshidashi or capitalizing on overextensions via hatakikomi. His sumo is built around absorption and control rather than speed, a style that has translated particularly well as the quality of opposition has risen.

Hatsu 2026: Shin-Makushita

hochiyama Makushita (幕下)

Here is how our previous debutants did in Kyushu:
Kazeeidai was overranked after his 6-1 record at Sandanme propelled him to Makushita 38. He finished 2-5, and will likely be at a rank more around his current ability for Hatsu. Still, he defeated former top division’s Daishōmaru and prospect Yonezawaryū (by non-technique tsukihiza). He did have a tough schedule, facing former Makuuchi Akua and former Jūryō Tsushimanada, though.

Kyokumizuno similarly leaped up the banzuke from his 6-1 record at Sandanme 23 to be ranked Makushita 44 and pulled out a 4-3 record. He defeated former top division Daishōhō and some Makushita veterans for his kachi-koshi.

The new year starts with eight 3rd division debuts and one catch-up for me. There is a good mix of former collegiate wrestlers, high schoolers, and few young prospects entering Makushita at the age of 17 – already reaching this level with many more years of potential development ahead of them! Let’s hope for their bright futures. However, lets start with some age before beauty!

Mukaida (向田)

Stable: Naruto
Age: 27
Height (cm/feet-inches): 186 / 6’1”
Weight (kg/lbs): 141 / 309
Home prefecture: Hyōgō
High School: Yanagi Gakuen
University: —
Career Record and notes: 157-143-8 (.523)
Debut: Natsu 2018
Notes:

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very unlikely

Mukaida has taken seven years to reach Makushita, despite almost reaching it in Kyushu 2021 (ranked Sandanme 2). While typically a lower Sandanme wrestler, he has improved over the 2025 to settle into the top half of the division and reach Sandanme 3 in Aki 2025.

Mukaida had no sports experience until high school. He started Judo at Yanagi High (now Sōkai High) and managed to get to the top 16 of the over 90kg category at the prefectural high school championships his junior year. After graduating, he secured a job on Awaji island but decided to pursue his dream of entering the sumo world. As a child he had been fascinated watching sumo on TV, so after a year of slogging it out in the private sector he entered the sumo world.

He joined Naruto stable, led by his idol – former Ōzeki Kotoōshū. He remarked that even after many years in retirement, he can hardly push his master out of the ring. His current shikona is his family name.

BUCKCHULUUN (ブフチョローン) – proper shikona TBD

Stable: Kasugano
Age: 24
Height (cm/feet-inches): 182 / 5’11”
Weight (kg/lbs): 126 / 277
Home country: Mongolia
High School: Nittaidai affiliated Kashiwa High
University: Nittai Daigaku (Nihon Sports Science University – NSSU)
Career Record and notes: 0-0
Debut: 2026 Hatsu – Makushita Tsukedashi

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

Buckchuluun (Buck, for now) is the 2024 Student Yokozuna. He had to sit out the requisite time as a foreigner before securing his work visa and only took the new entrant exam in Kyushu. It has been a while, as he entered Kasugano as a trainee in February 2025. As a university Yokozuna and winner of the National Student Championships he qualified for special dispensation to enter at the bottom of Division 3. At his entrance exam he expressed his impatience to join “I feel like the moment has finally come. I want to work hard and aim for the top.” We do not yet know his shikona.

He first came to Japan at the age of 16 as a wrestler. Shortly after this, his father passed away. His father, a former Mongolian wrestler, had urged him to become a sumo wrestler. Thus, he is working to honor his late father’s words by growing stronger and taking the path of a sumo wrestler. After becoming a high school wrestling champion in freestyle wrestling – 92 kg (Inter-High, National Sports Festival, National High School Selection), he joined the Nittaidai sumo club with confidence. He is following in the path of fellow Mongolian, Ōshōma, by making the transition from high-school “regular” wrestler to sumo after joining the university.

During his time at the university, he was known for his powerful throwing techniques. As a freshman, he weighed in the 90kg range and debuted in the East Japan Student Rookie Tournament, losing in the second round. The next year, however, he made a name for himself – helping Nittaidai win the East Japan Student Championship and claim its 3rd consecutive team title. In the final match he (as a Sophomore). He faced Nihon University’s Kawakami (current Oitekaze-beya’s Ryūshō) and defeated him with an uchi-muso (inner thigh grab). Following that, he won two consecutive open weight titles at the National Student Weight-Class Championships.

His Junior Year, he was 3rd at the Wakayama University/Corporate tournament, 3rd at the East Japan Studen Championship, he won the 115kg weight class at the National College Sumo Individual Weight-Class Championship taking on Kusano (current Yoshinofuji) in the open-weight class division – the first match was too close to call, and a rematch was called, where Buck defeated Kusano with a kake-nage, and 3rd at the National Student Championship.

His senior year, he was 3rd again at the Wakayama tournament, 3rd at the East Japan Championship, 2nd at the Kanazawa University Selection tournament and then – he won the open-weight title his senior year. Finally, he earned the title of University Yokozuna at the National Student Sumo Championship in 2024. His championship match was the first ever for the National Student Championship between two foreigners (he took on Delgerbat, a NSSU freshman).

He is the fifth foreign born student Yokozuna, the first since Chojil (current Ōnokatsu). He said he wants to follow in the paths of Ōshōma. Ōnosato, and Ōnokatsu who all came from NSSU and earned their Makushita Tsukedashi qualification.

Kaki (可貴)

Stable: Oitekaze
Age: 23
Height (cm/feet-inches): 190/ 6’2”
Weight (kg/lbs): 139/ 306
Home prefecture: Ishikawa
High School: Kanazawa Gakuin Associated High
University: Kanazawa Gakuin Daigaku
Career Record and notes: 20-1 (.952)
Debut: Natsu 2025
Notes: Jonokuchi Yusho (Nagoya 2025), Jonidan Yusho (Aki 2025), Sandanme Yusho (Kyushu 2025)

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

Kaki, a Kanazawa Gakuin University graduate is from Oitekaze stable and likely an uchi-deshi of fellow-Ishikawa home-towner Kitajin Oyakata (former Endō). Endō specifically scouted Kaki to join Oitezake stable. Known for his deep stance and use of his 190 cm height, he has notable achievements such as a third place team finish at the National Junior High School Championships, and runner-up at the National High School Usa Tournament. After high school, Kaki enrolled at Kanazawa Gakuin University and was a member of the school’s sumo club, finishing runner-up in the under-135 kg category at the National Student Weight Class Championships and third in the Western Japan Student Championships. He became the third wrestler from Kanazawa Gakuin University, following current makushita wrestlers Enhō and former makushita Yoshiyasu. His shikona is currently his family name.

He has won three-straight lower division titles since becoming pro – exactly like his senior Enhō. He has been receiving excellent advice from recently retired Endō saying “I’m grateful to Kitajin stablemaster for watching my training, and I hope this victory is a small way to repay him” as Oitekaze Oyakata was hospitalized at the end of the tournament and was unable to provide last minute support before the championship match on Day 13. I recall him suffering an ankle injury in his last official Jonokuchi bout, but he came back to win a tomoe-sen against Kyoda (Futagoyama stable) and Yabugasaki (Yamahibiki stable).

Rakanji (羅漢児)

Stable: Nishonoseki
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178/ 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 130/ 287
Home prefecture: Oita
High School: Nakatsu Higashi High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 84-70 (.545)
Debut: Haru 2022
Notes: Yumitori shiki performer

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

Rakanji is already known among sumo fans even though he has only wrestled so far in Division 4 and below. This is because he performs the bow twirling ceremony at the end of each day. Traditionally, the one who performs the bow twirling ceremony (yumitori shiki) is from the same stable as the top ranked (and participating) Yokozuna. Being part of Nishonoseki stable, he typically is performing following a win by stable-mate Ōnosato. He only began performing this ceremony in August, and was already able to join the London tour and perform internationally a few weeks later. As performer of the yumitori shiki, he is already able to wear his hear in the ōichō style during the tournament and to wear a keishō mawashi (of the Nihon Sumo Kyokai). He is already asked for autographs, which he must decline as he is not a sekitori.

His motto is “different strokes for different folks” coming from a 4-kanji combo literally meaning 10-people, 10 colors. His shikona comes from a historic zen temple in Nakatsu City (Oita). Rakan means one who has attained enlightenment. Since he is still a trainee, the suffix “ji”, meaning child, was added.
He appears to be a solid case for a “poached” uchi-deshi, something that I think happened during the time Nakamura Oyakata was a part of Nishonoseki stable. Nakamura Oyakata is from Oita, fought at the same sumo club and attended the same high school – so he is his senpai. He was the first from this high school since Yoshikaze in 18 years (another was just recruited and was in mae-zumo last tournament).

Apparently, Rakanji even used Yoshikaze as the subject matter for a speech that won a national-level high school competition. So, it is curious that he did not join Nakamura stable when it branched out. Let’s not also forget that Yoshikaze is a NSSU graduate that has (had?) a lot of strong connections to the university, bringing in fellow alumni Tomokaze and Miyanokaze. He also likely played a strong role in recruiting Ōnosato, Shirokuma, and Kayō to Nishonoseki – but somehow only managed to “keep” Kayō. My suspicion is that neither Rakanji nor Ōnosato would be in Nishonoseki without Nakamura Oyakata – yet they did not join him when he was able to branch out for some reason. Just another piece of bad luck for Nakamura Oyakata?

Sōma (相馬)

Stable: Futagoyama
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 179/ 5’10”
Weight (kg/lbs): 146/ 321
Home prefecture: Tochigi
High School: Kurobane High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 66-46 (.589)
Debut: Haru 2023
Notes: Three-brother combo

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

Sōma is one of three bothers in Futagoyama stable.  The first to join in 2018 is Kotakiyama, the chanko-cho of the stable.  The younger brother, Shunta, joined Futagoyama stable last spring.  Currently, the only brother using the family name as his shikona, Sōma may have the biggest prospects.  He began with sumo in elementary school. He was part of Tochigi Prefecture’s first-ever national junior high school team championship in 2019 and helped Kurobane high school reach the Top 8 at the Interhigh before becoming a pro. He is one of the Tochigi-Futagoyama pipeline, along with fellow Kurobane High graduate Mita and fellow former sekitori, Nabatame. Futagoyama had been repeatedly pleading for Sōma to join the sumo world.

Following on the outstanding performance to lead Tochigi’s junior high team to the championship, he joined Kurbane High school. He helped them to enter the top 8 for the first time in over a decade in the 2022 Interhigh.  He also finished consecutively in third place at the Kanto High School Individual Competition’s open weight division.

All this time, he trained under coach Naoki Mita – who is the father of Mita – Sōma’s stablemate at Futagoyama and one who has channeled the Sōma trio, his own son, and Keiga to Futagoyama. 

One final family connection to sumo – the Great Grandfather of the three brothers was also apparently a former sumo wrestler called Kotakiyama. Apparently, they were able to use their Great Grandfather’s keisho mawashi for their introduction to the sumo world.

Kiyonohana (清の花)

Stable: Dewanoumi
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178/ 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 104/ 229
Home prefecture: Fukushima
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 105-88-3 (.544)
Debut: Haru 2021
Notes: Another three-brother combo

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very Unlikely

Taking a moment out of the newbies to catch up on one of my missed basho (I did not submit this report for Hatsu 2025, when Kiyonohana made his division 3 debut). He is returning now to division 3, so this is a time to catch up with him. Kiyonohana is another 1/3 of a set of brothers at his stable, Dewanoumi. He joins Kiyota and Kiyonoyama. Kiyota is 22, and joined in 2019. The youngest is 17-year-old Kiyonoyama.

All three are the sons of former Makushita wrestler Kiyonoumi (not the current Kiyonoumi). Like the Ōnami brothers are heroes in their local community, the three Kiyota brothers wish to become well known in Fukushima and to encourage the local community. His shikona comes from his name (Kiyota) with a typical Dewanoumi ending of “nohana”, like the Oyakata former Oginohana.

Kiyonohana joined at the age of 15, so he does not have any high school sumo experience. He likes ramen, baseball, and café-au-lait. He wants to visit China. He was very skinny when he joined and could not do proper splits (matawari). He has gradually been building his weight and working on his uwatenage. For just being now over 100kg, he has steadily climbed the ranks to reach division 3 in his teens. He has managed three 6-1 records over his career and, despite a large jump in rank from Sandanme 42 to Makushita 55 in Hatsu 2025, he still managed a 3-4 record. He spent the past year in division 4, and may be at a point where he can become a lower division 3 regular.

Seiyū (誠雄)

Stable: Hidenoyama
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 173/ 5’8”
Weight (kg/lbs): 128 / 282
Home prefecture: Fukuoka
High School: Omuta High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 46-24 (.657)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: 50/50

The first Makushita wrestler out of the newly formed Hidenoyama stable is Seiyū. He initially joined Sadogatake stable, but as an uchideshi of former Kotoshōgiku, he branched out when Hidenoyama stable started. His initial ring-name, Kotokōguchi (the Sadogatake koto prefix plus the family name) was changed to his first name “Seiyū” when the new stable was formed.

He has connections to Kotoshōgiku, being that they are both from Yanagawa City, Fukuoka. He had experience as a sumo wrestler as a child. During his time at Higashi-Miyanaga Elementary School—also the Oyakata’s alma mater—he excelled in sumo tournaments. He was scouted out of Omuta High School, where he was Vice-Captain of the judo club. In his senior year, he helped his team place third in the team competition at the Kinshuki High School Judo Tournament.

Despite being primarily a judoka at high school, he has returned to his sumo roots. Although his coach hoped he would continue judo at university, after Seiyū expressed his determination, the coach gave him a warm send-off. Seiyū says, “when you think of Yanagawa, you think of sumo. I had wanted to become a wrestler since childhood, but I was advised, ‘Start with judo first,’ so I pursued judo for a while. Later, when my stablemaster decided to open a new stable, I joined.”

Koguchi admired the way Hidenoyama did sumo head-on, and that he did keiko without compromise. Although fairly small in stature at 173cm and 128kg, Hidenoyama believes Seiyū has a solid foundation in judol, and wants him to use it.

Yumenofuji (夢之富士)

Stable: Isegahama
Age: 17
Height (cm/feet-inches): 183/ 6’0”
Weight (kg/lbs): 151 / 333
Home prefecture: Ehime
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 60-45-7 (.571)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: I think so.

The first of the two young 17-year-olds making their Makushita debut is Yumenofuji. Taking his shikona from his first name (Yumejiro) and the “nofuji” suffix of Isegahama stable, the young lad from Ehime is poised to become a force at an already powerful stable. Not too humble, upon joining he said his dream (yume) is to become Yokozuna. He started sumo in 4th grade. In middle school, he finished 5th in a national tournament where he was noticed by an Isegahama stable supporter who referred him to join. He had originally planned to go to Nomura high school but elected the sumo world instead.

He already has picked up a large following on social media (for those who scour the lower divisions for talent). In his debut tournament, he blew away his opponent with two thrusts. Sumo fans commented that he had “so much presence!” and asked that he “go easy on” his fellow division 6 opponents. His size and aura already seemed out of place in the lower divisions and may be more of a fit in Makushita.

Yumenofuji has been on a tear to get to Makushita. After muddling around in jonidan for a year and a half (despite his aura), he was injured and fell back to jonokuchi. Since, he has been on a 6 bashō winning streak – moving from Jonokuch 11 to Sandanme 7. His best record was a 6-1 performance at Sandanme 61 in September. The kachi-koshi record of 4-3 from Sandanme 7 will bring him into lower Makushita to start 2026.

Uzumasa (太秦)

Stable: Isenoumi
Age: 17
Height (cm/feet-inches): 183/ 6’0”
Weight (kg/lbs): 128 / 282
Home prefecture: Kyōtō
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 44-26 (.629)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Yes!

The second of the 17-year-old phenoms to make Makushita is Uzumasa. A Kyōtō native, possibly scouted by former Maegashira (and Uzumasa’s idol) Ōikari, he uses the shikona “Uzumasa” from the name of his middle school. Uzumasa also is a place name in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City where there was a clan temple of the Hata family. The Hata family was given the title of “Uzumasa” because were so rich they could pile silk ‘in high heaps.’ Later in history, this many film companies flocked to the area, and Uzumasa came to be called ‘Japan’s Hollywood.

This Uzumasa is the third of four brothers. He started sumo in the second grade of elementary school and reached the best 32 at the national middle school championships before joining the sumo world. He aims to become like Kabutoyama-oyakata.

While Yumenofuji already had a career setback (injury that sent him back to division 6), Uzumasa has only had two tournaments with losing records and appears to be gaining power and skill with each passing bashō. His 6-1 record from Sandanme 18 will see him firmly into mid-Makushita.