Reader jmotzi had a very interesting question that I felt needed more/better explanation on my part. First of all, the reports do not indicate that Isegahama-oyakata will be appointed to supervise Miyagino-beya. As jmotzi points out, Isegahama had his own bullying controversy which resulted in the loss of his powerful position on the Kyokai’s board. Instead of Isegahama-oyakata, the reports indicate that an oyakata will come from Isegahama-ichimon and if that name has been determined, I have not seen it reported.
“Interesting that the caretaker is from Isegahama-beya which had it’s own bullying episode in 2022. Or maybe I am confused by the names. Anyway we can hope that this puts everybody on notice regarding these type of behaviors and all stables become more proactive.”
jmotzi
The various (usually around 40) stables are organized into associated groups, or factions, called Ichimon. I’m not going to dive into the politics and the leadership contests and leadership struggles because, well, I am still just trying to bring myself up-to-speed on that. But if you are trying to run an organization and achieve consensus on issues, it’s easier to work with a smaller group of factions than 40 independent leaders, no?
The Isegahama Ichimon includes Miyagino-beya, as well as Oshima, Asakayama, Asahiyama, and Ajigawa. The latter two of these stables do not have subordinate oyakata, or coaches but the others have a number of subordinate coaches who might be able to pick up the mantle here. I have not seen any indication that the Kyokai is planning to choose a current stablemaster, or a subordinate oyakata. If anyone has seen that, please let me know.
Isegahama Ichimon
I would not be surprised if the Kyokai would prefer an existing stablemaster. Then again, I would not be surprised if the Kyokai thinks it would be too much and would prefer the caretaker be one of the subordinates. I have listed a table of the oyakata available here and there are a number of very interesting possibilities. I think a lot of people would love to see Kaisei take a leadership role but that would be quite the surprise, no?
Former Komusubi, Homasho, has officially inherited Shikoroyama-beya. He has been acting stablemaster since the death of Terao. He now takes over full time and officially switches kabu and changes name from Tatsutagawa to Shikoroyama. I need to update my kabu dashboard and will try to get an update out this weekend.
Homasho was the first wrestler to reach sanyaku under the tutelage of Terao. Fans appreciated his style as well as his distinctive, deep, respectful bows to his opponents…in victory and defeat. Abi is currently the heya’s top wrestler, or heyagashira. Congratulations to Homasho, I mean, Shikoroyama-oyakata.
After Hokuseiho’s sudden kyujo in January, the rumor mill began churning that the absence had been punitive and based on bullying allegations, not injury. This week, we have learned the rumors were true, and the Kyokai has acted decisively. Hokuseiho has resigned and is coach, Miyagino-oyakata, has been handed a severe punishment for basically ignoring the allegations when they were brought to him and obstructing the Kyokai’s investigation, but he stays in the Kyokai — for now.
The Japan Sumo Association’s Compliance Committee found that Hokuseiho had been inflicting on-going, regular, casual abuse upon two lower-ranking wrestlers. He would assault them with his hands, sticks and strips of mawashi and even burn them with burners and cans of bug spray. He was also stealing from fellow wrestlers. In light of these facts, the Kyokai has accepted Hokuseiho’s resignation. I would expect to see a blank spot in Juryo when the Haru-basho banzuke.
Though Miyagino-oyakata was alerted to the abuse during the Nagoya basho in July 2022, for which there was photos but he didn’t look at the pictures. He did not report it to the Kyokai, nor did he work with the wrestlers to end it. He just seemingly ignored it and then blocked Kyokai inquiries. He will be demoted two ranks, from iin to toshiyori, which is the lowest rank among the oyakata. He will also be hit with a 20% pay cut for three months.
Yesterday we saw news from Justin, over on Twitter, that Michinoku-oyakata intends to close his eponymous heya upon retirement. He turns 65, the mandatory retirement age, in early April. That means the Osaka tournament would be his last as shisho, or stablemaster. Another interesting detail regarding this closure is that he will ask the members of his heya where they would like to be transferred, beginning with the heyagashira, Kirishima.
There has been quite a bit of speculation surrounding the fate of the Michinoku kabu, in particular. Kabu are shares in the Japanese Sumo Association. There are a fixed number of shares available and strict eligibility rules. Among them is the rule that Yokozuna are granted a special 5-year kabu upon their retirement. Essentially, this buys them time to find a permanent kabu. Takanohana was a famous exception where he was granted a permanent Takanohana kabu. That did not end well and might be why Hakuho was not offered a similar privilege. (Chiyonofuji had famously turned down the offer and decided to acquire the Kokonoe-heya, which he held until his death.)
On Kabu
For non-Yokozuna, that means there is a good deal of horse-trading. Some guys, like Endo, acquire a kabu while they are active and loan it out to others. There has not been an independent heya named Kitajin. Endo has loaned his kabu to Shotenro, Kotoyuki, and its current holder, Tenkaiho. Michinoku, himself, retired into the Shikoroyama kabu, owned by Wakabayama before trading into the Katsunoura kabu and finally acquiring Michinoku.
Thus, there are some kabu with storied histories, like Kokonoe, and others with evidently less cachet which seem to be temporary “homes” and trade hands often, like Sanoyama. The last time Sanoyama-beya was displayed outside a stable door was in the 1950s and 60s. Since then, it has been owned by Konishiki, Chiyotaikai, and now, Chiyonokuni. However, it has been loaned out to guys with less illustrious names like Toki, Zaonishiki, Dairyu, and Satoyama.
Michinoku Beya
Which do we have here in Michinoku? While not as legendary as Kokonoe, Sadogatake, or Isegahama, it has been a successful heya under its current leadership since 1997, as well as two other Michinoku-oyakata going back to the mid-1970s. That makes it perfect for a Yokozuna to take it over, right? Maybe not. There have been scandals, including a bullying scandal from last year. Kakuryu was only under the Michinoku banner for a brief time, anyway. Why transfer its skeletons to a guy who is trying to start fresh?
Then, there is Michinoku-oyakata’s own plans. While retirement will be thrust upon him this spring, he can stay on in an advisory (san’yo) role for another five years. Who knows how fun the experience of negotiating these kabu really was? That Katsunoura trade might have been an absolute nightmare. Maybe he bought high and sold low, stung by a rough deal? He is absolutely entitled to sit on the kabu he holds, like Oguruma-oyakata did. Takekaze had to split out into Oshiogawa and Yoshikaze left for Nishonoseki.
The manner in which Michinoku plans to handle the closure seems fair and considerate toward his charges. They will be consulted on where they want to go rather than shuffled off en masse to one stable. Who are they, anyway? Let’s take a look at who we have here.
Michinoku Beya Charges
First, we can take a glimpse of the management team, aka, other coaches, oyakatas, and wakamonogashira. We have two oyakata, Tatsutayama and Urakaze, who fought under the shikona of Sasshunada and Shikishima, respectively and both reached their best rank of Maegashira 1. With them is the Wakamonogashira, Fukunosato. Next up, we have a top level hairdresser in Tokodai and a Makushita yobidashi, Shin.
Yuki
When we turn to the wrestlers, we have quite the mix, up-and-down the banzuke. Kirishima is at the top, currently Ozeki and the only sekitori in the bunch. We know that it would be a huge feather in ex-Kirishima’s cap if current Kirishima wins the yusho and earns promotion to Yokozuna. Maybe then, Kirishima can sit on his san’yo kabu for five years and pass the name on to a Yokozuna that he brought up, rather than one he inherited from Izutsu.
Dainichido
Next is Yuki in Makushita. He is an often featured assistant for Kirishima at open practices, degeiko, along the jungyo trail, and at other heya events. The bowler and baseball fan is known for his flexing poses in PR pictures. He started his sumo career in 2005 and rose steadily.
Michinoku has three wrestlers in the rough-and-tumble third division: Dainichido, Nikko, and Kamitani. Though currently in sandanme, Dainichido has had a few good stretches in Makushita since starting sumo in 2015. Nikko is still pretty early in his career, having started in September 2020. (That must have been a rough time to start your sumo career.) Most tournaments he has been in Jonidan but lately his judo background has helped him crack into Sandanme. Kamitani started sumo in 2018 and has made it as high as Makushita 19 after claiming a sandanme yusho.
In Jonidan, we have Chikureisen, who started in 2017 and Kirinohana. In Jonokuchi, we have Kirimaru, who has bounced around in the lower two divisions since starting his career in 2001.
