Tobizaru

Tachiai Interviews Priyanka Yoshikawa: “Sumo carries so much of the Japanese culture”

Josh K Interview, Tobizaru , ,

Over the years at Tachiai, we’ve been privileged to speak with a number of people who are inside of or adjacent to the sumo world. We love being a part of the journey that international sumo fans make when they connect to sumo and learn more about it. Other content creators are an increasing part of that ecosystem, and it’s always enlightening to hear about their journey into the sport and what they are doing to share it with other international fans.

It was somewhat of a surprise when I discovered Priyanka Yoshikawa on the Live in Tokyo podcast. A former (and historic) Miss World Japan and star of Love is Blind: Japan, the businesswoman is enthusiastic in her sumo fandom and is embarking on a journey to share it with others. Recently, we met for coffee in Tokyo to chat about it, and this is the result of that conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity.

Tachiai: We always want to talk to interesting and notable people in the sumo community, so thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us. For our audience who might become aware of you and your work for the the first time through this interview, how would you introduce yourself?

Priyanka Yoshikawa: I’m part Indian and part Japanese. I was born in Tokyo, but I was raised in Sacramento, California. I lived in India for a bit, and then I came back [to Japan] when I was 11. Since then, I’ve been living in Tokyo. People know me the most from Miss World Japan in 2016. It was a little controversial because I was the first biracial person to win Miss Japan. And then they know me from Love Is Blind: Japan which was two years ago. It was a Netflix Original, a spinoff of the US version. Those two are the main things that people recognise me from or how they know me. Sumo’s not work, so nobody really recognises me from sumo, but people are catching on and saying “oh, she’s really into sumo these days!”

I think there are a lot of people who are interested in sumo around the world, but they don’t really know how to get into it. It’s very niche and unique: everybody knows sumo but not a lot of people talk about it. You don’t see an English language influencer that only talks about sumo. One of my friends, who I used to be in the same agency with, started her career in her teens and her job as a tarento is all about sumo. So she does tv shows and reports all about sumo, but she only speaks Japanese. She encouraged me to do stuff in English, and that way we won’t be competing with each other. Maybe it will extend to something more [in the future].

Let’s talk about your origin story in sumo. Most people have an “a-ha” moment when they discover or get into the sport, or they were introduced by an older family member or friend. Did you go to basho when you were younger? What was the moment that really got you excited?

I had never gone to a sumo match [in person] until last year (2023). I’m still very new to the sumo world, but I really love it. I’m so into it. I’ve always been interested. I used to go to my grandparents’ home during the weekends, and the sumo matches were on. Obviously it’s 15 days in a row and happens during the weekdays as well, but it covers multiple weekends and I would see it, because we’d watch NHK, and I was like “oh my god this is interesting!” This is after I came back to Japan, so I was in middle school. I told my grandpa that I was so interested and I wanted to see it, and one day he said  “let’s go together when you’re a little bit older.” He passed away, so I couldn’t go see it with him. That stuck with me, and I said “I want to see a sumo match, I want to see a sumo match,” and I kept saying it, and then last year (2023) finally I got the chance to go.

I was so fascinated. You think you know how it’s going to go, but some matches are less than ten seconds. It’s hard to describe why I love it so much, but it just got me hooked. On that day, I saw my favourite sumo wrestler now for the first time, Tobizaru. And I said “that sumo wrestler is cute!” My friend told me that he’s actually known for being cute. So I was like, “oh… interesting.”

You are quite the fan of the flying monkey, Tobizaru, and you post him from time to time on your SNS.

I only post about him!

I actually like Ura as well. I wanted to pick my top favourite, but now I have three or four favourites because of how short the matches are! If I only cheer for one wrestler the whole day, the match could be over in seconds, so I needed more people to cheer for! Then I can enjoy it for a bit longer. Although, even if they’re not my favourites, watching all of the matches is incredible because when you learn a bit about the techniques, you realise what a good torikumi really is. So, Tobizaru became my favourite, and then I started to look up rules and got into it more.

Many of our readers are big fans of Tobizaru, actually.

Oh! I’m so happy.

And he’s apparently made an effort to learn English! So what is it for you about him that makes him your favourite rikishi?

Yeah, he has! He’s a very social rikishi to start off with. Ura and Tobizaru both have similarities. They’re small – if you don’t know sumo wrestlers, they’re big – but for us, they’re small. Small sumo wrestlers have a different approach. I actually like Midorifuji as well – these three are my top favourites. Then Atamifuji – he’s huge but he just looks like a mochi! Everybody should like him, he’s just so cute.

With The Flying Monkey and Ura’s techniques and how they do the torikumi, even if they lose, it’s still a good match that everybody enjoys. You don’t know what’s going to happen that day. They come with a strategy, sometimes it doesn’t work, but still the opponent [needs to figure out] what’s going to happen, what are the tactics are going to be that day? That’s very exciting. Tobizaru has also been stable for the past two years, he came down from Komusubi but he’s even won against Terunofuji twice. His matches are always fun to watch. And he’s cute! [laughs]

Is there a particular style that you enjoy the most, is it kind of the crazy guys who get your attention? Or do you appreciate different styles as well?

This year I went to all of the basho, not 15 days in a row, but all of them – and then I realised what I personally liked. Obviously these were smaller wrestlers. Atamifuji is just a huge mochi teddy bear, you want him to win. He’s everybody’s neighbourhood child. But Ura, Tobizaru, Midorifuji, they’re smaller sizes and you don’t know what to expect. Sometimes you feel they’re going to lose and in the last minute it just goes all the way around.

As for the bigger guys, like Onosato, he’s so strong! Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, these guys are great wrestlers… but when it came to these two [against each other] I was cheering for Kotozakura. It’s not like I never cheer for Hoshoryu. I do like the bigger rikishi too, but they’re just not the ones that I cheer the most for.

Do you have an OG favourite as well, someone who you were watching on your grandparents TV in the old days?

Hakuho. Before I became this much of a SuJo (Sumo Joshi), I was a fan of Hakuho. I got to meet him this year. I also met him 5 years ago, when I was an MC for an event where he was appearing as a guest, and I took a photo with him and another MC. Obviously he doesn’t remember me, but this year I saw him at the Fukuoka basho and we took a picture, and he was so nice. Hakuho used to be my favourite even before I got to know so much about sumo.

Do you have a favourite yusho or just even like an iconic moment from the last few years that sort of really stands out for you?

Well, I didn’t get to see it live [in person], but when Tobizaru won against Terunofuji and everybody was throwing the zabuton, I liked that. This year [2024], the last musubi-no-ichiban. The two of them (Kotozakura and Hoshoryu) are doing so well, mentally as well. Hoshoryu, when he loses, he loses in a second, but he also wins in a second. But this last musubi-no-ichiban, he didn’t lose in a second and nobody could tell who was going to win. Also, the Kyushu basho itself sold out for all 15 days after 28 years. Sumo is back!

Obviously you’ve been to all six basho this past year. For people who are new to the sport and just discovering it for the first time, what’s the one thing you wish that new fans to the sport will get out of the live sumo experience?

I didn’t know anything [at first], but I was like “I love this!” It happens so fast, that if you’re new to it maybe you wouldn’t know what just happened, or understand how to enjoy it. Even if you don’t have experience of sumo from the beginning, I think if you are interested, go again, stick with it.

I want people to like it more. When you think about it, it’s a little bizarre. A lot of people don’t know, but they can’t wear anything besides a kimono and yukata in their daily lives. They always have the hairstyle, it’s not like they can wash their hair every day. There are so many meanings to it, the salt being for purification… it just carries so much of the Japanese culture. When you think about Japan, you think of the kimono, or the tea ceremony, the samurais and all. None of my generation who are not a sumo wrestler who would dress up like that, right? Some people wear kimono, but not the hair!

They’re fat, but they actually have a ton of muscle. They train, and when you think about how fat they are, just them being not sick and being able to do this sport is a miracle! Apparently it’s a very lucky sport just because of that.

There are so many things to enjoy about it, but in the beginning you just don’t know as much. One tip is you could find a sumo wrestler to follow that’s makushita or below and fights in the mornings. If you’re that into sumo, that amount of dedication, that’s a different way to enjoy it. But if you’re a beginner, I don’t really recommend to go to the basho in the AM. I go in around 2pm, then I take photos, I eat, and then by makuuchi I’m there.

I think that’s really good advice, because you wouldn’t believe there are so many people – and maybe there are those in the gaikokujin sumo community who have a tendency to dunk on people who are going for the first time or whatever, that’s not what I’m saying here – but you do see a lot of people who are there, maybe on vacation, who are just looking for something to do. They go and don’t really know what they’re seeing, they come to Kokugikan having never seen it before, and they come at 11am and then by 3pm they’re like “I’m done, I’ve seen enough, I don’t know what this is,” and then they don’t see all the top guys. So it’s like, “come later, it’s ok!”

No, it’s too early! Obviously you can watch from Juryo. [It’s only] if I’ve ever heard any rumours or stories of a rikishi having a bad personality that I can’t become a fan of them.

So that begs the question: “Love Is Blind: the Rikishi Edition.” Would that work?

Yeah, that would work!! Oh, maybe it wouldn’t work! I don’t know [laughs]. I’m into sumo. Some people are like, “you’re into plus sizes” and I’m like “dude, no, I just like the sport.” You know, some people like baseball, you find your favourite athlete right? It’s just like that. If it’s a sumo wrestler, I’m ok.

So if five rikishi went on TV, on a reality show, do you think people would watch? Would you watch?

I would watch! I would raise my hand to be on it! I was auditioning for and got called in for a casting for another dating show. And they were asking, “what kind of guy do you want us to cast?” And I said “these are the kinds of people in my past relationships, I guess I have a tendency to fall for these characters, but if you can cast the Flying Monkey, I’m so down!” [laughs]

Here’s why I think it’s an interesting idea: if you said, “I’m really into this kind of a Tobizaru kind of character” but then they match you on the show with someone like Chiyomaru (no offence to Chiyomaru)…

No, no… that wouldn’t work.

But it would make for good TV!

Yeah, true! I would be like “whoa!”

Priyanka with Kumamon at the 2024 Kyushu basho

As someone who has been an ambassador for the country and the culture on the world stage, can you relate at all to the sense of curiosity that the world has towards the national sport? Is there anything in your experience that allows you to empathise with how people look at other aspects of the culture? These guys obviously represent Japan by virtue of what they do, and you have obviously been out there representing Japan through the work that you’ve done.

Their world is very unique and they technically live in a different world from the rest of us normal Japanese people. Tobizaru or Ura, those guys are 2 years older than me, but the lifestyle that they have is completely different to the lifestyle that I have. Being fat, the hair and stuff too, it’s just a different world. If they were to wear normal clothes or whatever, without the hair, they would stick out, whatever they do. Even though it’s very niche, they stand out. In western culture, the look of a sumo wrestler is also an image of Japan. But they’re just bigger, that’s all.

In the lives they live, there are so many rules, the Sumo Kyokai is like their agency. They’re kind of isolated in this sumo world. I’m not a sumo wrestler so I can’t relate, but they have their own unique experiences that we can never have. I don’t think they are given enough opportunity to go outside of Japan, but maybe they can go have a jungyo outside of Japan and that’s a way that they can take the culture outside of Japan.

Apparently they were trying to do (the London trip) before COVID. Tobizaru told me he had never gone outside of Japan. Just listening to that I thought, “you’ve never gone outside of Japan!?” And he said “No, I haven’t.” For me it was a little sad to know that, because they have a good life if you’re above a certain level. Still, I wish people would know more about sumo and have more opportunities to meet sumo wrestlers.

You mentioned the Kyokai being like their “agency.” When you were doing Miss World – and you mentioned there’s someone you go to create content with and she’s still represented by an agency – are there ways that you can almost relate in the sense of having an agency represent you, these guys have the Kyokai that manages their time and what they’re able to do. Like you said it’s different to what the experience is for the average woman growing up in Japan…

From the experience of being in the public eye – as fans I think it’s important to remember that these wrestlers are athletes who deserve our respect. While they may be famous and even have a charming presence, at the end of the day, they are men and human beings. We think that they’re so special and different – and they are different, but they’re normal humans as well. A K-Pop star is different, but still human, a little more relatable if much more famous. They live, they get married, they have kids. We can’t forget that.

Anyone who comes to a basho is aware of the large and diverse amounts of sumo merch that’s produced and sold by the Kyokai. On Max Capo’s Live In Tokyo podcast you said, “sumo is where I spend my money.” So, what are your can’t miss merch items, or some of the favourites in your personal collection?

Oh yeah! Definitely the towels. There are two towel [designs] the kyokai made, and then there’s another towel the Kyokai made that’s a little more creative – The Flying Monkey with his face drawn on it. I have a Midorifuji uchiwa (fan). I became a fan of Midorifuji when I went to go see sumo last May, and he had a really good match. One of the guys we were sitting with just bought a random Midorifuji uchiwa because he won and it was such a good match, that I was like “oh my god, I think I’m going to root for him.” So, [the other fan] gave me that uchiwa and I carry it with me. But the towels are a must-have. I have a Tobizaru pen, but I only need so many pens. The Tobizaru iPhone case is very random, I just bought that.

Do they sell that at the tournament?

No! It’s a CasePlay and Sumo Kyokai collaboration. They ran an ad on Instagram, and the algorithm targeted me [laughs]. And I was like, “OK… Instagram knows that about me!”

Because we’re having this conversation at the end of the year, do you have a sumo wish for 2025?

I especially want the ones that I root for to not get injured! Ura had that big massive injury, it was so bad. I don’t want them to get injured. Tobizaru is turning 33, not actually young for a sumo wrestler. Because I root for him the most, if he can get back to sanyaku, that would be amazing.

I saw you mention that you’re going to start a new sumo TikTok account – is there anything you’d like to tell us about that?

It is TokyoSumoGirl! It’s my [side project], I just want to post my short videos from sumo.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

To go see a sumo match right now is a little hard, tickets are selling out so fast. Don’t go from the early morning! Just go from 230, it finishes at 6pm sharp because they air it on NHK. And also, [pay attention to] the sumo wrestler’s routines before the bouts.

So who’s your favourite pre-match routine? Hokutofuji obviously gets really fired up.

Oh, Atamifuji. It’s so long, he has so many routines. When you know all of that, you know when the match is going to happen. Then when they receive the kensho, Onosato has a style that comes from his oyakata. Everybody has their little styles, I look at this. I never spent my money going to see concerts or anything, sumo is the only thing. So much dedication! Thank you so much.

Always Regrettable Predictions: Haru XL Edition

Josh K Abi (阿炎), Asanoyama (朝乃山), Atamifuji (熱海富士), Churanoumi (美ノ海), Daiamami (大奄美), Daieisho (大栄翔), Endo (遠藤), Gonoyama, Haru Basho 2023, Hiradoumi (平戸海), Hokutōfuji (北勝富士), Hoshoryu, Ichiyamamoto (一山本), Kinbozan (金峰山), Kirishima, Kitanowaka (北の若), Kotonowaka, Kotoshoho, Meisei, Midorifuji, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Myogiryu (妙義龍), Nishikifuji (錦富士), Nishikigi, Oho (王鵬), Onosato (大の里), Roga (狼雅), Ryuden (竜電), Sadanoumi (佐田の海), Shimazuumi (島津海), Shonannoumi, Shōdai (正代直也), Takakeishō (貴景勝), Takanosho, Takayasu (高安), Takerufuji (尊富士), Tamawashi (玉鷲), Terunofuji (照ノ富士), Tobizaru, Tsurugisho, Ura (宇良), Wakamotoharu (若元春), Ōnoshō (阿武咲)

The Kyokai’s delivered us a wonderful banzuke, lksumo has explained its relation to the Crystal Ball and now the countdown to sumo begins. Enough of this scandalous talk, how about some of our Tachiai Always Regrettable Predictions™ in literary format?

Y Terunofuji (last result: 13-2, yusho): That was a big yusho for the Yokozuna. I think he bought himself – and the sport – quite a bit of time with his results at the Hatsu basho. It was a very confident performance and quite a few of the wins didn’t appear to even need max effort, which is critical for him. Remember those idiots grumbling a few years ago about all of the “part time Yokozuna?” You should be careful what you wish for, we used to have four and now we’re lucky to have one part time Yokozuna. He is never fully fit, and I don’t think he’s going to need to finish this basho if he starts it. But he’s still – for now – the best. Prediction: Kyujo

O1E Kirishima (11-4): I’ve written recently that Kirishima’s hatsu could have gone a very different way and altered the immediate future of the sport entirely. It didn’t, but it’s a credit to him that, on a rope run, he put up a very competent performance over 15 days. I think he’s in contention this time until the end as well, although it’s not going to get any easier. This is his last tournament under the current shisho before he moves stables, and he will want to punctuate it with Yusho number 3. I think he will get it, with some bumps along the way. Prediction: 13-2 Yusho (or 12-3 and a playoff win).

O1W Hoshoryu (10-4-1): I think he was wise to withdraw following his injury in the last tournament once it was clear he couldn’t win it, having already been safely kachi-koshi. The injury will be a question mark, and his mentals always seem to mean he lets himself down in a match or two, but he has taken another step forward and I think he is in the yusho race. Prediction: 12-3 jun yusho.

O2E Takakeisho (2-2-11, kadoban): He needs 8 wins to retain his ozeki rank and I am going to make a big non-call here and say it’s a coin flip. At his best, he is an immediate yusho contender, but his chronic injury problems are difficult to ignore. I do think he will get his 5th yusho at some point, but it won’t be here. His shisho retires in 2 years and while it’s questionable whether the Kyokai would give the keys to a 29 year old (especially in light of recent events), it wouldn’t surprise me if he hung up the mawashi at that point. In any case, the schedulers have been wont to pull Ozeki from the big matches late on if they are out of contention (“doing a Shodai”), and Takakeisho could get a similar favour (or indignity) here. Prediction: 8-7.

O2W Kotonowaka (13-2 playoff loss, promoted to Ozeki): We’ve seen big names struggle upon promotion or to come back after a yusho win, after all of the various festivities. Kotonowaka has been on a big promo tour recently, but I think not winning the yusho actually helps him here: there will have been enough fanfare, but I also think he’s probably mentally strong enough to deal with it, and he comes from a vaunted sumo family. He already made plans to dispose of his father’s shikona when he took it on Juryo promotion, saying he’d take his grandfather’s name when he became an Ozeki. Big words, and he’ll allegedly back them up in May when he takes the Kotozakura name. Some folks on Sumo Forum have been slinging around a lot of “what if he’s kadoban” chat. If he’s healthy, he won’t be. Prediction: 11-4.

SE Daieisho (9-6): He’s riding a streak of 7 consecutive kachi-koshi, all with at least 9 wins and 4 in the double digits. He has been so good and so consistent and it sometimes goes a bit under the radar. It was tough to see his Ozeki run fall apart last summer, and the heat might get turned up a bit over these next few tournaments. I think he’s replaced Tamawashi as the serial thruster of the lower-san’yaku ranks. Prediction: 9-6.

SW Wakamotoharu (10-5): He’s deservedly back in san’yaku after a very competent tournament last time out where he took several scalps (including the Yokozuna’s in order to clinch his first kinboshi). I think the level is now too high for him to mount a serious Ozeki challenge but these brothers are for real. If Kirishima opts for Arashio beya after his stable closes down, it could be a real powerhouse for the next few years with the Onami brothers and the Ozeki getting crucial torikumi advantages. Wakamotoharu was a late bloomer and all the Ozeki ahead of him are his junior but I think he’ll do OK here. Prediction: 9-6.

KE Abi (8-7): I do love Abi and on every occasion that he’s been demoted from san’yaku, he’s bounced straight back with a winning record. A lot of his wins last time were against guys having awful tournaments and at this rank, I don’t know that you can really count on that to get you through. I think he’s going to yo-yo back down to the rank-and-file. Prediction: 6-9.

KW Nishikigi (8-7): Late in his career, he’s had a real blossoming into someone who’s been able to take advantage of the dearth of upwardly mobile stars over the past few years while the top division was in stasis. That period seems to be coming to an end (despite the extremely generous “there wasn’t anyone else” promotion). When you compare his dance card from last basho with what he’s likely to encounter this time, I’d be fearful he’s headed for double digit losses, at least. But I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt due to his track record, and hold him at an even ten. Prediction: 5-10.

M1E Ura (6-9): Last tournament’s respectable record on his Komusubi debut leaves him squarely in the joi and I’m just not sure that’s the place to be right now. He will spring a shock or two and I think he will be highly motivated to get back to Komusubi or better, but I don’t think it’s going to happen here. My gut tells me to tip him for 11 losses or more. If it was anywhere other than his home basho in Osaka with the crowd 200% behind him and creating a raucous atmosphere, I do think it would be a lot uglier. Prediction: 6-9.

M1W Asanoyama (9-3-3): He was firmly in the yusho hunt last time with seven straight wins, before his loss to Tamawashi took him out of the tournament. He did well to come back and get kachi-koshi. He is starting to look sharper although it will be a worry that he’s only completed two of the five top division tournaments he’s entered since returning from suspension. Turning 30 before the basho, there’s a real danger he lost his best years and he’ll be desperate to get himself back among the honours. I wouldn’t be surprised if he notches another special prize here and he also seems like a good candidate to beat the Yokozuna early in the basho, but I don’t fancy him for the yusho. Prediction: 10-5.

M2E Atamifuji (6-9): Three straight 11 win tournaments were always going to be tough to follow up, especially for someone making such a big jump forward having never previously competed higher than M8. A 6 win performance really isn’t all that bad. I think he’ll go one better this time as he acclimates. Prediction: 7-8.

M2W Meisei (9-6): It feels like he’s been established at this level for a while now, and his true talent level is much higher than where he fought the previous basho. I like his style of sumo a lot, I think the danger when looking at where he can go from here is that he has been passed along the way by a handful of top talents. He’s another one whose career, to me, reads Myogiryu: similar style of sumo, will probably bother the san’yaku ranks on occasion until he gets into his mid 30s. I’ll back him for a narrow KK here. Prediction: 8-7.

M3E Oho (10-5): He’s just so inconsistent. At first we thought maybe he’ll be a rival for Hoshoryu as they came up together, then maybe Kotonowaka as he was coming up. When I originally wrote this I thought it looked like maybe Hokuseiho would the guy who settles in for a long career of bouts against him in the rank and file, so he’ll have to find another rival again. Oho reached the top division early enough that he should easily qualify for an elder share and in 15 years we may all be talking about how exciting it is that he’s reviving his grandfather’s stable. But I wouldn’t want to be him in the joi right now. None of his previous trips above M10 ended with winning records and he never even faced san’yaku guys in those tournaments. He won’t be able to avoid it this time, and if he outperforms this score by any number of wins it’ll be a real credit to him. Prediction: 3-12.

M3W Takanosho (10-5): He turns 30 later this year, but he’s still good enough on his day that it’s staggering to think he’s been in the lower half of the rank and file for much of the last 18 months. One big issue is his inconsistency, which has long been a factor, and even more so after the 2022 injury that knocked him out of the joi after a decent run in the division’s upper reaches. His game planning also seems to be a bit faulty, as evidenced by the bout against Hoshoryu in the last basho where his tachiai gift wrapped the Ozeki one of his signature throws. He does “his brand of sumo” to a fault, even when he won’t beat a better opponent strength to strength. He probably also suffers from having his main training partner in the stable unavailable for long stretches of time due to the Ozeki’s own injury woes. Saying all of that, I think Takanosho will more or less get the job done – but it could go horribly wrong. Prediction: An 8-7 that could just as easily be a 4-11.

M4E Tobizaru (7-8): The worst thing for Tobizaru is probably that he’s not got a demotion here. Don’t get me wrong, he’s definitely shown he’s capable of producing the goods at this level, but I just think the upper tiers of the division are healthier now than they were when he was taking scalps from a listless Ichinojo and Mitakeumi in san’yaku back in 2022. Since he first reached the joi he’s been remarkably consistent, but I think he’s due a clanger and it’s coming this time. Prediction: 5-10.

M4W Hiradoumi (8-7): He’s still only 23 and finding his way. I really like his style of sumo, it’s classic Sakaigawa-beya sumo, fast tachiai, in and under the opponent’s arms. We’ve seen it from Goeido and Myogiryu and Sadanoumi and now Hiradoumi. At his age, I think he can probably shoot to replicate Myogiryu’s career. He might just about hold serve this time as long as he doesn’t crumble if and when he drops bouts against the top, top opponents. Prediction: 7-8.

M5E Midorifuji (5-10): The question mark here is over how many matches he gets sucked into against the big guns. He’s shown he can beat absolutely anyone on his day, and he’s not a one trick pony although everyone does know his signature move. He’s started poorly in four of the last five tournaments, and when you’re in the top half it’s hard to see past that. Prediction: 6-9.

M5W Onosato (11-4): It was as good of a debut basho as he reasonably could have hoped for last time, in yusho contention but for his run-ins with the big dogs in week two when his inexperience showed. To be totally honest, I don’t think he’s looked absolutely amazing in any of his basho so far, but he has continued to get better. Haters seem to think he’s the next Ichinojo, dreamers think he’s the next dai-Yokozuna. The truth is probably somewhere in between. Prediction: 10-5.

M6E Tsurugisho (9-6): Whatever you say about him, you can’t deny he’s a fighter. With maybe one good leg, the big man has shown a variety of skills to overcome his physical limitations and get the job done. Remember: this isn’t survival of the fittest, it’s survival of the fit enough. That all being said, he’s gone north of M10 twice in his career and has 20 losses to show for it, and I think that will be at least 30 after this basho at his new career high rank. Prediction: 5-10.

M6W Gonoyama (5-10): By his standards you’d say it was an awful tournament in January, but the truth is that he’d been slowing down with each tournament and clearly it has been a challenge to adjust to life in the joi. I think he’s very, very good and could be a star but it might take another year or so until he’s in his prime. He’s 3 for 3 on kachi-koshi in his hometown basho and I think he’ll do it again, just. Prediction: 8-7.

M7E Kinbozan (7-8): The last ten months haven’t been especially kind to the Kazakhstani, with most of his wins coming against those ranked lower than him. He should be able to mostly avoid the big hitters this time out. There’s something just a bit awkward about his sumo right now, he hasn’t been a great watch. Prediction: 8-7.

M7W Tamawashi (8-7): The iron man just continues to do what he does. It’s been a couple years since that magical 2022 where he notched a flurry of kinboshi and a yusho. I still don’t think the Yokozuna will be keen to see the 39 year old again soon, but I think that won’t happen for a while yet unless he puts on another yusho challenge from the lower reaches of the division this year. It’s been almost six years since he put together three consecutive winning tournaments, and I bet that stretch will continue, if only just. Prediction: 7-8.

M8E Onosho (10-5): Here’s a guy who can have an absolutely tragic score and still look pretty good, or put up double digit wins without looking like he got out of first gear. Apart from Kotoshoho, it was only the absolute top guys who put dirt on him last time (including a hilariously naive loss to the Yokozuna). It’s very rare for him to notch back to back kachi-koshi but I probably have too much faith. Prediction: 9-6.

M8W Takayasu (2-4-9): By and large, he starts pretty well in tournaments and then the wheels come off in the second week, either due to stamina and injury or the increase in competition. I’d back him for a decent tournament if he’s good enough to get through 15 days. He’s 34 but he’s still good enough for this level. Prediction: 10-5.

M9E Hokutofuji (4-5-6): Like Takayasu, he’s one where if he’s fit, he’s just too good for the lower half of the division, even as he’s now almost 32. There’s a little more competition for places now though, so I do question whether he can properly assert himself now that makuuchi is slightly healthier than it has been the last few years. Prediction: 9-6.

M9W Kotoshoho (9-6): He’s still fairly young at 24 but needless to say, things have not worked out quite the way we envisioned when he rocketed to the top of the division after his debut. It’s possible he went too fast too soon as – fitness aside – he never really seems to have recovered in terms of form since that brutal 2-13 three years ago. He’s got some super training partners in the heya and his brother is on the way, but it’s hard for me to buy the upside right now. Prediction: 8-7.

M10E Shodai (4-11): Only Shodai could simultaneously grab a kinboshi off the champion and also put in a performance so bad that he’s at one of the three lowest ranks of his entire top division career. He can’t be happy to be at this level, but the last 18 months have been tragic and he’ll do well to stop the rot. I think he will, temporarily. He’s never had a make-koshi when ranked below Maegashira 5 so it would be absolutely shocking for him not to turn things around in Osaka. Prediction: 9-6.

M10W Mitakeumi (6-9): Two former Ozeki at Maegashira 10. Some days he still has it, but when he hasn’t got it, he looks really awful. There is no “if he gets healthy,” stage of his career to follow: this is about how he manages his injuries on the decline. He’s put up two winning tournaments in the past two years, but I do think he’ll get a third here. Prediction: 9-6.

M11E Ichiyamamoto (5-10): In one sense it’s mission complete as we finally saw the space-time continuum ripped apart by his match against Abi. He’s never had a kachi-koshi above M14 in his thirteen top division tournaments and I don’t think he gets one in the fourteenth. Prediction: 6-9.

M11W Sadanoumi (6-9): Somehow, this is his 51st basho in the top division and so he only needs to hang on for another year and a half to qualify to open his own heya. Whether he has the backing for that is another question, but it has been a remarkable late career resurgence from a guy who spent most of his career in the lower reaches of the division. Of course, much of that run across 2022 and early 2023 is probably also attributable to the drop in quality in the division in that period, but you can only beat what’s in front of you. He’ll be 37 when Natsu approaches but he can still do a job here if – and it’s a big if – he manages his fitness. Prediction: 8-7.

M12E Shonannoumi (4-11): He took an absolute beating in Tokyo and a lot of the losses were racked up against lower ranking opponents. That’s three make-koshi in four top division basho and I think he’s going to get another one. Prediction: 7-8.

M12W Shimazuumi (9-6) – The story of his career has mostly been solid, steady, slow progress, and he looked impressive enough in his debut basho. The competition this time out might be a bit too steep. Prediction: 6-9.

M13E Ryuden (3-12): He’s been all over the place in terms of his top division performances since his return from bad boy status. He’s just so inconsistent, and when he gets on a bad run you ask when it’s ever going to end. Equally, when he’s on, he’s one of the most tenacious fighters you’ll see in sumo. But I think he’s lost a bit of that spark. I think he’s in a Darwin match on Day 15: it could go either way but I’m calling tails. Prediction: 7-8.

M13W Churanoumi (7-8): He looked fairly assured in the first weeks of his two top division basho, but faded a bit in the second week of both. He had a good 2023, but based on what I’d seen of him in Juryo it’s hard to be totally convinced. He could be in trouble. Prediction: 5-10.

M14E Nishikifuji (10-5 at J2): He made a promising enough start to his top division career but then the wheels absolutely fell off. He stopped the rot in a Juryo division he clearly doesn’t want any part of. I don’t think he gets a kachi-koshi, but I do think he’ll get a result that keeps him up for another go. Prediction: 7-8.

M14W Kitanowaka (10-5 at J3): He certainly has his fans as I saw in person at Kokugikan in January, although I also see a guy who is very talented but hasn’t quite been able to put it all together. He could well reach san’yaku before his boss Hakkaku retires in a few years, but I think it’s a gradual process. His most common score in Juryo was 8-7 and that feels about right here. In any case, I think he’ll stay up. Prediction: 8-7.

M15E Myogiryu (5-10): He had a dip to Juryo a few years ago, but by and large, anytime he’s really been in danger he’s been able to pull out a positive result to sustain him for 6 more months, until he needs another one. Always a fan favourite and even more so in front of his “home” crowd, the man from Hyogo-ken actually hasn’t had a winning record in Osaka in 8 years. I’d back him to snap that streak here, maybe even on senshuraku. Prediction: 8-7.

M15W Roga (9-6 at J3): Marginal gains is a buzzword in sport these days and that seems to be the order of the day for Roga, whose rise has been steady if unspectacular since those in the biz were tipping him for big things five years ago. He still has great potential, but since his first promotion to Makushita, he has a 14-21 record in the matches after he attains kachi-koshi. That’s approaching a meaningful sample size that, to these eyes, shows a real lack of killer instinct and raises a question mark over whether he could ever win a yusho at any level. I think it’s a coin flip here as to whether he gets the wins he needs to stay up. Prediction: 7-8.

M16E Endo (5-10): No one will be cheering louder for him than the friendly Tenkaiho, whose seat in the Kyokai (thought to be on loan from Endo) must be feeling rather warm, as Endo spent the last basho dancing around the trap door. A veteran of precisely four basho outside the top division in his entire career, it seems potentially unlikely that the 33 year old would want to mess around outside of the big stage (especially as he’s already met the requirements to open his own stable some day). He did just about enough to keep himself up last time, but two consecutive double-digit make-koshi has him in a dangerous spot and his sumo has looked at times listless. I don’t think this is going to be a comfortable ride but I think he’ll do enough. Prediction: 8-7.

M16W Daiamami (8-7 at J1): He’s spent 11 tournaments in the top division, posted losing records in 8 of them and double digit losses or the equivalent in 5 of those. The eye test both recently and over the longer term doesn’t convince me either. If I’m going to bet on these other guys to stay up, someone needs to go back down. Prediction: 4-11.

M17E Takerufuji (13-2 Yusho at J10): He’s been more or less dominant to this point with a career record of 56-8. This is going to be the biggest one-basho leap – in terms of opponent quality – of his career to-date. This might be some bias based on the Isegahama-beya track record, but he hasn’t been overawed or overmatched at any level yet and I’m going to tip him for a sansho. Prediction: 10-5.

Kirishima and the Sliding Doors Moment

Josh K Kirishima, Kotonowaka, Terunofuji (照ノ富士), Tobizaru, Yokozuna (横綱)
Let’s just hope he doesn’t start selling new age accessories on his online shop

Well, that was an unbelievable basho, in a lot of ways. It had everything, including some incredible individual moments and performances. It had the best guys in the sport putting up the biggest wins and the best results, it had both the predictable and the unpredictable. Probably the only real regrettable things about the basho were that Asanoyama and (predictably) Takayasu’s fitness couldn’t sustain themselves for 15 days. Asanoyama is otherwise in the yusho race or at least putting up a score that vaults him to the top of the rank-and-file.

Two of my other top moments were scenes you could just telegraph: Terunofuji reading Onosho’s tachiai perfectly to showcase his ability to win with the minimum of hit points to his beleaguered physique, and Hoshoryu’s perfect read of Takanosho’s in-and-under-the-arms tachiai into what has become his signature throw. Kirishima of course was involved in two of the most significant bouts of the tournament, against the other top dogs.

Sumo has a lot of these “Sliding Doors” moments, incredible victories that signal a turn in results or that have an impact on the banzuke or a rikishi’s career well into the future. Moments that could have well gone another way. These incidents are normally forgotten. In sumo, it’s not really about what almost happened, it either happened or it didn’t. You get no points for “almost.”

Heading into senshuraku, there was an altogether other set of events that could have occurred and profoundly altered the future of sumo in 2024 (and beyond) as we know it. But neither match broke in the direction that was required: Kotonowaka knocked off a stubborn Tobizaru to deal the flying monkey his makekoshi, clinching Kotonowaka his Ozeki promotion and – at least – a trip to the yusho playoff. Terunofuji, of course, won against the Ozeki Kirishima in dominant fashion to clinch his own playoff spot.

Kirishima entered the final day one off the pace, at 11-3. A win and a 12-3 record would not ordinarily be the kind of result that would set the weavers in motion, but had these results broken the other way, it would have landed him in a three way yusho playoff and with the chance to seal a second consecutive yusho (and third overall) which would have certainly established an overwhelming claim to promote him to the sport’s highest rank.

After all, Terunofuji entered this basho following a run of seven kyujo from his previous eight tournaments, and with increasing speculation as to his long term future in the sport. Most observers – including the NHK Sumo Preview team – didn’t seem to place much faith in him still being in the sport at year’s end, and with Terunofuji’s shisho set to step down in 2025 (upon reaching mandatory retirement age, presumably leaving the heya in the Yokozuna’s care after Ajigawa-beya’s recent branch-out), it is likely that there will be a need for a new Yokozuna sooner than later. It’s possible that a Kirishima defeat of the Yokozuna and his presence in a playoff (win or lose, but probably contingent on a win) might have been enough to see the Michinoku-beya man promoted and the long term future of the rank secured.

However, for that to have happened, Kirishima would also have needed Tobizaru to have secured kachi-koshi against Kotonowaka. While the feisty underdog put forward a spirited challenge, the Sadogatake man-mountain was simply immovable.

In the end, of course, Kirishima’s 11-4 restarts his challenge. But, it certainly is the best performance we’ve seen from a yusho-winning Ozeki under the circumstances since Terunofuji’s own yokozuna promotion. It is difficult to say that Kirishima didn’t take the challenge all the way to the death, although he is doubtlessly counting the cost of losses to Midorifuji and Tobizaru, which in the end are the reason why his promotion challenge was so cruelly undermined.

A reversal of Tobizaru’s fortunes wouldn’t have done much for his own standing in Osaka, but Kotonowaka would have been sitting on a less attractive 32 wins from the previous three basho. While there is no de facto standard for Ozeki promotion, it can be argued that the Kyokai might have asked for another strong tournament in light of the fact he’d only need to upgrade on the 9 wins in the tournament at the beginning of the run. As is, the 9-11-13 nature of improvement, all at the Sekiwake rank, and taking the Yokozuna literally to the edge (in a playoff that was in fact closer than it might have looked), was enough to get the job done.

While Kotonowaka will fight at least one more basho under the ring name of his father and shisho (before presumably succeeding to the vaunted name of his grandfather Kotozakura), the future propects of another man carrying the weight of his shisho’s shikona are less certain. Kirishima will again enter the Haru basho as one of the favourites, but now on level standing with three other Ozeki who will all have hopes of fulfilling the criteria to become the 74th Yokozuna this year.

The upcoming Haru basho will be the final basho to take place with the current iteration of Michinoku beya intact, and Kirishima will not have be able to make the step up to the sumo’s ultimate rank before his stablemaster reaches retirement age: had the fates aligned differently, Kirishima II would have reached Yokozuna in Kirishima I’s final basho as head of Michinoku beya. If the Ozeki ever does make it, it will be under yet-to-be determined leadership at a different heya (presumably, one of the five other heya within the ichimon) at some point in the future.

Looking forward, Takakeisho will be looking for a repeat of his fourth yusho, which also took place in a basho he entered kadoban following a kyujo withdrawal from the previous tournament. Hoshoryu will have correctly decided that his late injury withdrawal from Hatsu will give him better chance to fully recover and challenge for honours in March. And Kotonowaka will want to prove worthy of the Kotozakura name. It will not be easy for Kirishima.

Going forward, we won’t think about another future that might have been possible. Takakeisho himself has had multiple near-misses over the years, but going into senshuraku a different future was very much in play. Instead, Kirishima’s 11-4 record is all that, more likely that not, will barely be remembered about this tournament. What might have been won’t matter when the next basho begins. This was a basho where Kotonowaka punched his ticket to the big time and Terunofuji let us all know he was still the man to beat. Everything else is just a subtext for those of us desperately seeking narrative in this mad world of sumo. And for that, let’s hope the next affair at the EDION Arena can match the outstanding tournament just gone.

Aki Day 15 Highlights

Bruce H Abi (阿炎), Aki 2023, Aoiyama, Asanoyama (朝乃山), Atamifuji (熱海富士), Chiyoshoma, Daieisho (大栄翔), Daishoho, Endo (遠藤), Gonoyama, Hiradoumi (平戸海), Hokuseiho (北青鵬), Hokutōfuji (北勝富士), Hoshoryu, Kagayaki (輝), Kinbozan (金峰山), Kirishima, Kotoeko, Kotonowaka, Kotoshoho, Meisei, Midorifuji, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Myogiryu (妙義龍), Nishikifuji (錦富士), Nishikigi, Oho (王鵬), Ryuden (竜電), Sadanoumi (佐田の海), Shonannoumi, Shōdai (正代直也), Takakeishō (貴景勝), Takanosho, Takarafuji (宝富士), Takayasu (高安), Tamawashi (玉鷲), Tobizaru, Tsurugisho, Ura (宇良), Wakamotoharu (若元春), Ōnoshō (阿武咲)

The yusho race ends with a playoff, and a solid day of sumo action. For those of you who read the preview, it seems Asanoyama’s kami did manage to make it back to the Kokugikan in time, but was limping and had a black eye.

The playoff ended with a henka, which was a big disappointment to me. I am sure the YDC will have some grumpy words about that soon enough, as they are quick to criticize such developments. The 2023 Aki basho was indeed a “Wacky Aki” with a Maegashira 15, in his second posting to the top division, achieving a yusho dotten result. Granted, the yusho was a stinky 11-4 win, but someone had to take home the cup.

Congratulations to Takakeisho for your 4th Emperor’s Cup, and for setting the stage to possibly reach Yokozuna by the new year.

Highlight Matches

Nishikifuji defeats Mitakeumi – Not sure where the Mitakeumi from the prior 14 days was today, but he just sort of went “sack of potatoes” and let Nishikifuji have the yorikiri. Nishikifuji with a final day win ends the tournament 5-10.

Endo defeats Kotoshoho – Endo worked very hard to make something happen with that right hand inside, and points to Kotoshoho for shutting it down each and every time. But Endo being Endo, he decided his left hand could do the job too, and flattened Kotoshoho with a kirikaeshi. Nice to see that move, and well executed to boot. Endo finishes Aki 9-6.

Myogiryu defeats Kinbozan – Veteran Myogiryu scores a final day win by over powering Kinbozan in a rapid fight that sent the Kinbozan into one of the shimpan. Not the last shimpan to get a visitor today. Myogiryu’s final record is 10-5 winning by yoritaoshi.

Midorifuji defeats Aoiyama – I had hoped for one last katasukashi, and Midorifuji delivered. I am surprised that Aoiyama did not do more to prevent it. The match was over in a moment, with Midorifuji finishing 10-5, and Aoiyama at real risk of being relegated to Juryo for the first time since 2018

Kagayaki defeats Oho – Kagayaki assumes and maintains such poor body position through this whole match, it’s a shame that Oho did not just slap him down. In spite of Kagayaki’s awkward stumbling sumo today, he manages to apply an oshidashi and take the match. Both men finish Aki 5-10.

Chiyoshoma defeats Ryuden – No farewell henka from Chiyoshoma, rather a smooth and well executed kotenage at the third step. Actually nicely done. Chiyoshoma boards the Juryo barge of the Damned with a 3-12.

Onosho defeats Tsurugisho – Onosho only loses his matches against Tsurugisho when Onosho gets too far forward. It looked like Tsurugisho was going to try to set that up, but Tsurugisho’s switch from forward to back hit a misstep, and Onosho drove him out. Onosho finishes Aki 9-6.

Sadanoumi defeats Shonannoumi – First of the Darwin matches goes to Sadanoumi, who landed a right hand frontal mawashi grip at the tachiai, and had Shonannoumi out three steps later. Sadanoumi kachi-koshi at 8-7 for a final score, Shonannoumi make-koshi at 7-8.

Takanosho defeats Daishoho – Daishoho gets a big charge forward, tries a pull hands the match to Takanosho. Sort of sad after that solid tachiai. Takanosho’s final score for Aki is 6-9.

Hiradoumi defeats Tamawashi – Hiradoumi achieved excellent hand placement, including a hazu-oshi to finish pushing Tamawashi out of the ring. Hiradoumi’s final score for Aki 6-9. Tamawashi limped through the basho to 2-13, but kept his spotless attendance record.

Shodai defeats Takarafuji – Shodai actually showed good sumo today, boxing in Takarafuji and never really letting him get into an active defense mode. I think Takarafuji thought Shodai was going to go for a yorikiri, but pivoted into an uwatenage. The second Darwin match ends with Shodai kachi-koshi at 8-7, Takarafuji make-koshi at 7-8.

Asanoyama defeats Atamifuji – The big match to start the second half, Asanoyama had his right hand inside before the second step, and at that point it was all over except the final step over the bales. Atamifuji is young, he’s inexperienced, and has acres of talent. A future version of himself will have that left hand ottsuke he needed today to win this match. He ends Aki with a blistering 11-4, and will face someone in a playoff for the yusho.

Meisei defeats Kotoeko – Kotoeko really had no offense in this match, and Meisei was able to box him in and run him out. Good forward pressure by Meisei, which was quickly converted to an oshidashi. He finishes Aki 7-8.

Abi defeats Hokutofuji – Hokutofuji’s opening nodowa is easy to predict, and we got to see Abi shut it down at the tachiai. The resulting off balance position was perfect for the hatakikomi that followed a moment later, dropping Hokutofuji to the clay. Abi finishes Aki with a 9-6 record.

Gonoyama defeats Tobizaru – I love that Gonoyama was able to finish the basho with a strong win. Sadly it seems Tobizaru’s exit from the ring injured one of the shimpan, who had to be helped out of the venue. I expect we are going to see a lot more good sumo from Gonoyama in the next year. He ends Aki 9-6.

Ura defeats Nishikigi – Ura goes to the nodowa again today, and it likewise seems to work with massive effect, setting Nishikigi up for an immediate tottari that drops him to the clay. Thus ends Nishikigi’s magical mystery tour of the san’yaku at 5-10, while Ura finishes Aki at 9-6.

Kotonowaka defeats Wakamotoharu – A delightful match as the two Sekiwake battle it out. Wakamotoharu had the better grip to start, and maintained it throughout the match. The final exchange was each man trying to lift the other out, with Kotonowaka proving to be the stronger, and scoring a final day win by yoritaoshi. Both end Aki 9-6.

Hoshoryu defeats Hokuseiho – Hoshoryu manages to reach kachi-koshi on the final day by toppling the Miyagino giant in a slow motion watashikomi. Had I been at the Kokugikan, I would have shouted “TIMBEERRRRR!”. Hoshoryu needs to get his sumo in working order, as beating an M11 on the final day for your kachi-koshi is not how this is supposed to work. But he did get the job done. He ends Aki 8-7.

Takakeisho defeats Daieisho – Takakeisho always beats Daieisho, but Daieisho gave him a great fight. Once Takakeisho is able to disrupt Daieisho’s attack pattern, he gets Daieisho turned and shoves him out by okuridashi. Takakeisho ends Aki 11-4 and qualifies for the yusho playoff.

Kirishima defeats Takayasu – Takayasu’s sumo looked good today, he just did not have the balance to maintain his footing when Kirishima was able to land lateral thrusts. I note that Kirishima also kept his feet closer to the clay, where we saw Takayasu with more vertical steps. Once Takayasu was off balance, a thrust to the side finished him by hikiotoshi, giving Kirishima a final day win and a score of 9-6.

Yusho Playoff

Takakeisho defeats Atamifuji – Takakeisho henka! Not sure that was what anyone was hoping for, and it kind of left a foul odor to end this tournament. But he did win it in somewhat inglorious style. Perhaps he was hurt in that match with Daieisho. We will likely never know. Takakeisho wins his 4th title, and sets up his second chance at Yokozuna this year.

With that, dear readers, we end our daily coverage of the Aki basho for 2023. It has been a treat and a pleasure to bring you previews and highlights this September. Please follow Tachiai on the run up to the final basho of the year, coming in November. I will have a few things to say about sumo, it’s fans and this site before I sign off in the coming days. Thank you for spending Aki with us, we appreciate all of you who take the time to read our site, and to comment on our content. See you again soon!