🌐 Location: Machida, Tokyo
Two more events to report! This one is back in Tokyo, in Machida city, and although not a whopper like the Yokohama event was, we certainly have a lot of material today, so, you know: kids, dog, coffee, and let’s go!
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— ginbura 🦍 (@watchman0211) April 27, 2019
🌐 Location: Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture
Note: some of the videos in this post may not show up as one of the Twitter accounts I was embedding them from has changed status around the time I finished the post. I hope the owner decides to change back soon, but if not, I’ll edit those references out. Sorry about that!
As you have seen, the Natsu banzuke is up. In between excited Reiwa news, various rikishi like Enho and Shimanoumi hold press conferences due to their promotions.
The Jungyo is over. Yes, generally speaking, the Jungyo is always over before banzuke day. The Jungyo is based on the previous banzuke. As of yesterday, Tochinoshin is no longer Ozeki, Takanofuji and Wakamotoharu have no right to wear white mawashi or to have tsukebito.
But we still have three Jungyo events left unreported, and this one, at Yokohama, is a doozie. I was hoping to have it posted before the banzuke announcement, but…
You see, Yokohama is the largest city in Japan, with a population of nearly 4 million (Tokyo is a metropolis that includes several municipalities and rural regions, so technically it’s not a city). In addition, it’s Golden Week! It seems half the sumo fans in the Kanto region made a pilgrimage to this event, including Tachiai reader Janelle Rhodeback, some of whose photographs you’ll see here in this report – thank you, Janelle!
So I was deluged with material, and missed my deadline… Gomennasai! Sumimasen!
So, you know the drill. Tuck in the kids. Take the dog for a walk. Set your DVR to record your favorite program. Make a thermos of coffee. Here we go!
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🌐 Location: Ome, Tokyo
Although today’s event takes place in a town that’s part of the greater Tokyo, it seems most Tokyoite fans are actually waiting for the bigger event the next day at Yokohama. So we have another short report for you today – but use the time to buy some popcorn and find a babysitter – because the next installment will be a lengthy one.
First, I want to update the sick list. Unfortunately, Kagayaki came up with a rather late case of the flu, and departed from the Jungyo together with his tsukebito.
OK, so in the hand-shake corner, Tsurugisho decides to simulate a crucifix. Shimanoumi is amused:
There are not many people who can dwarf Mitakeumi, but his tsukebito, Dewanojo, certainly seems to have the knack:
Inside the main hall, Abi gets ready to stretch his fine legs, and Daieisho is doing his shiko, and searches for Takakeisho with his eyes:
Up on the dohyo, Takakeisho has some practice with Onosho:
He had seven of these bouts, won 4-3.
Onosho was then given some butsukari by Kakuryu:
Takayasu took Ichinojo for a spin, and as is usual with him, destroyed the boulder 7-1.
This completed the practice part. Everybody hurries to the shower. Apparently, it’s Takakeisho’s shampoo day:
The photographer who took this then found the special Ozeki-and-Yokozuna-only shower room, and set up camp there in hope of capturing the shin-Ozeki when he goes in and out of the shower.
However, the shin-Ozeki is probably still not used to the idea of Ozeki privilege, or maybe he doesn’t want Hakuho to stare at him in the shower… whatever the reason, he failed to show up, much to the lady’s disappointment.
The only bout I got any record of was this Abi-Onosho one. Onosho seems to be really fascinated with Abi’s shiko – despite having seen it many, many times already:
In that bout, Abi proceeded, as usual during the Jungyo, by attacking Onosho’s mawashi:
Hmm… where did the gyoji go?
Anyway, Abi won this bout.
And yes, that’s my report for today. I couldn’t even find a decent photo of Enho for the pin-up corner. So instead, though I can’t in good conscience call a Yokozuna a “pin-up boy”, I give you a photo of Kakuryu being nice to kids although it’s time for his bout soon:
🌐 Location: Hidaka, Saitama prefecture
We have a short one for you today. The Jungyo is back in Saitama, which means these guys are once again in the spotlight:
“Hey, hey, hey, wait a second! What about me?!”
Yes, Abi, you’re a home boy, too. Now stop obscuring the other ones.
Not many visuals from the sidelines today, except Chiyoshoma, quietly doing his shiko in the hanamichi while others are practicing on the dohyo:
The practice on the dohyo includes some attention to Wakamotoharu, who has been very popular with the upper echelon this Jungyo:
Can’t say whether that’s a full fledged kawaigari or just plain butsukari. Meisei is also getting some quasi-Ozeki attention. But in his case, it’s pretty clear that when you look like this from the front:
And like this from the back:
…it’s kawaigari. Tochinoshin is making good use of his last days at Ozeki.
Practice bouts: Shimanoumi-Wakatakakage, Endo-Sadanoumi (with a bit of Yokozuna shiko at the end):
Hokutofuji-Kaisei:
Actually, the more interesting san-ban is taking place away from the dohyo. Kotoshogiku and Toyonoshima are having at it in the corner:
Then again:
And again:
Good stuff!
Enho – we can’t do without Enho in any report – has finished his practice and wants to go get a shower, when all of a sudden, a team of hoodlums gangs up on him:
“Shortstuff, meet Yuki. He is my VP of Beating People To Pulp”
“Now, for some reason it looks like you think I was born yesterday, but I was not.”
“So I can’t get you to see reason? OK, Yuki, you have a go at making him see reason”
Poor pixie… Got in trouble with the Tamawashi-gumi.
I have absolutely nil material from the afternoon part of this event, sorry. All I have is Hokutofuji serenely having his head shampooed.
Rikishi don’t wash their hair every day, and when they do, it’s basically done with car-mechanic-grade grease remover, because the suki-abura used for their hairstyles is pretty much like having a head full of butter.
So I bid you farewell with our pin-up of the day, Tsukahara, from Kasugano beya, who is also a Saitama home boy:
