Yokozuna Deliberation Council

Yokozuna Deliberation Council Soken

Bruce H Gōeidō (豪栄道), Hakuho (白鵬), Harumafuji (日馬富士), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Natsubasho 2017, Takayasu (高安), Terunofuji (照ノ富士), Yokozuna Deliberation Council , , ,

Takayasu-Wakeup

Takayasu Gets A Workout

Earlier this week, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council held another of their periodic open trainings sessions, referred to as Soken. These are typically held in front of the committee and a few choice members of the press and the public. They allow committee members to gauge the strength, health and competitive nature of the top rikishi in the sport. This time, as the upcoming basho is in Tokyo, and there has been a massive public uptick in sumo interest, the soken was held at the Kokugikan and was open to the public.

As mentioned earlier, Kisenosato was not present, and this resulted in quite a bit of outrage from the committee.

But of more interest to us at Tachiai, was that the other three Yokozuna, both Ozeki, and a host of others from Makuuchi were present and going through their paces. First and foremost was Hakuho, who has looked very tentative in the past few basho. For Wednesday’s soken he was fierce and fit, winning all nine of his test matches. Kakuryu paired off against Goeido and Terunofuji, racking up 8 wins. Both Goeido and Terunofuji were looking healthy and strong, which is a huge relief for those fans fearing a “noZeki” future.

Takayasu was there, and paired off against Harumafuji. With Kisenosato being unavailable as a training partner, there has been genuine concern over Takayasu’s ability to hone his sumo for this critical basho. He must score at least 10 wins to secure the Ozeki promotion he has been chasing for the past year. He only won 4 out of 10 bouts against Harumafuji, but he looked strong and was moving well. Following the bouts with Harumafuji, he was treated to an exhaustive session of butsugari with Hakuho. From which Takayasu emerged covered in dirt and sand.

Far from being any kind of “hazing” by the Yokozuna, they all know that Takayasu is on the cusp of an important basho, and without his training parter, he needs all the help he can get. Takayasu fans everywhere are grateful that Harumafuji and Hakuho gave their time to help tune him up.

Video of the soken, including Takayasu’s butsugari below

Kisenosato Struggles To Prepare For Natsu

Bruce H injury, Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Natsubasho 2017, Yokozuna Deliberation Council

Kisenosato Natsu Banzuke

Yokozuna Works To Recover From Major Injury

Japan has been over the top obsessed with Kisenosato since he won the New Years tournament in Tokyo, and finally was promoted to Yokozuna. His performance in Osaka was stellar, and he managed to win over a resurgent Ozeki Terunofuji in spite of a major injury to his left upper body. Information about the injury sustained on day 13 against Yokozuna Harmufuji was hard to come by, but it was later learned that he had torn his left pectoral muscle, and would take at least a month to recover.

The month passed and the spring Jungyo public exhibitions were going at full pace. Other injured rikishi joined the tour, including Yokozunas Hakuho and Harumafuji – both of which were recovering from their own injuries. But still no sign of Kisenosato.

His stablemaster, Tagonoura Oyakata, stated his primary focus was to return Japan’s favorite Yokozuna to full health and fighting form. But it has been clear to sumo fans that Kisenosato’s injury may have been more severe than was originally reported.

Earlier this week, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council held one of their periodic training and evaluation sessions, referred to as a Soken, where all of the leading Sekitori are present, fighting practice matches. This time it was held at the Kokugikan, and the public was invited to watch.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Kisenosato was a no-show. The Japan Sumo Association was furious that their tops star and number 1 ratings machine had skipped the first big PR event for the upcoming Natsu Basho, and had failed to even tell anyone he was not coming.

Stable master Tagonoura Oyakata quickly took blame for the failure of communication for the Yokozuna, but it was a spectacular and unforced embarrassment. Kisenosato further stated “Since I can’t do any sumo against sekitori, I was allowed to rest. I could have gone and done the basic shiko and stuff, but I preferred to try and do sumo against the lower rankers at home. This is unforgivable..”

Forward to today, where the practices between stables is in full swing, as the sumotori ready themselves for a sold out Natsu basho. But Kisenosato is still at home at Tagonoura, practicing against lower-level rakishi.

As of today, it would be prudent to mark Kisenosato as questionable for Natsu. It’s clear that he is still not fully recovered, and that he is guarding his condition in hopes of dramatic improvement over the next 8 days, and that somehow allows him to make a good showing for the first week of Natsu.

Haru Story 1 – Shin Yokozuna Kisenosato

Bruce H Harubasho 2017 (Osaka), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Takayasu (高安), Yokozuna (横綱), Yokozuna Deliberation Council

kisenosato-workout2

Japan’s New Grand Champion

It has been the biggest story since Hatsu, and will continue to lead all other stories into Haru. Japan has gone stark raving bonkers for their first natively born Yokozuna in two decades. He is all over television, print, he is on instant noodle packages, he is what the bulk of what the Japanese sumo press discusses.

kisenosato-noodles

But Kisenosato has, in the past, not operated well under hype, scrutiny and pressure. Fans will recall that the Yokozuna Deliberation Council put Kisenosato on notice that a yusho in September would result in his promotion. The result was an abysmal 10-5 record with Goeido surprising everyone and making a clean sweep of a fairly completive field.

To his credit, Kisenosato headed for the practice room, where he drilled, practiced and worked himself to exhaustion. He battled back to a somewhat questionable 12-3 Jun-Yusho in November. With all pressure seemingly off, Kisenosato fought well in January, and was handed a very lucky and fortunate series of situations that all broke his way. His 14-1 yusho was the crowning achievement of a long career of intense dedication to sumo, and he seemed almost dazed that it had finally happened.

What followed was an endless celebration where Kisenosato was the center of almost unbelievable attention, adoration and media coverage.  Everyone wanted to know what he thought about everything, and everyone wanted his involvement. It’s easy to get distracted when you find yourself thrust into the limelight, and suddenly a national hero.

But in just days, the shin Yokozuna will step on the clay once more, and this time he faces a complex and uncertain torikumi. In all likelihood, the Ozeki will be damaged and only partially functional if they can even show up at all. Harumafuji is likely still wounded, and lord knows if Kakuryu has his back and knees in working order this time.

The first week of any basho features the Yokozuna and Ozeki “warming up” against the upper Maegashira and the San’yaku. This time it is somewhat possible that it’s the San’yaku who may be hunting scalps in week one.

takayasu-attack

In reports from the press, Kisenosato has perhaps let all of the fame and celebration get in the way of his sumo for the past couple of weeks. In a training session with Takayasu, Kisenosato could only manage 6 wins an 11 losses. While this is great news for Takayasu backers like myself, it does indicate that Kisenosato needs to focus on his sumo and prepare.

kisenosato-tachi

The Tachiai team is genuinely looking forward to watching Kisenosato’s first tournament dohyo-iri, hopefully with his team wearing their (non borrowed) kesho-mawashi, and with Kisenosato’s personal sword. Word is it’s being made by the 25th Fujiwara Kanefusa – master sword smith.

Hatsu Recap 2 – A Japanese Yokozuna

Bruce H Gōeidō (豪栄道), Hakuho (白鵬), Harumafuji (日馬富士), Hatsubasho 2017, injury, Kakuryu (鶴竜), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Yokozuna (横綱), Yokozuna Deliberation Council

yokozuna-kisenosato

Giving The People What They Want

Prior to the beginning of the January tournament, sumo fans were wondering if this could be the tournament that we finally see the 19 year drought broken, and a Japanese Ozeki elevated to Yokozuna.

A year ago, Kotoshogiku won the Hatsu basho, and broke a multi-year streak of Mongolians winning sumo tournaments. For a long time, both sumo fans and the Japanese public, believed that the Mongolian rikishi were too strong, to fierce to be defeated. Many had believed that Japan could no longer compete effectively in sumo. Kotoshogiku’s win in January 2016 appears in hind sight to have been the start of a change. Since then we have seen each of the Mongolian Yokozuna injured, at times requiring hospitalization, and all of them struggling to recover and maintain performance. As 2016 drove on, the Japanese public and the Yokozuna Deliberation Council increasingly voiced a desire for a Japanese grand champion.

At Hatsu Basho 2017 that wish was granted.

Through a combination of good fortune and skill, Kisenosato finally won a tournament. Good fortune via the continuing injuries and performance problems of the Ozeki and Yokozuna corps. There are times in life where you can win just be showing up, and for Kisenosato, this was his basho. Kisenosato also showed some remarkably solid sumo. He has always been a massive force on the dohyo, and at times displays text book, ukiyo-e worthy mastery of yotsu-zumō.

With Kisenosato supplying a yusho, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council had enough of a fig-leaf to act, and just a few hours after the close of the Hatsu basho, they unanimously recommended Kisenosato for promotion to Yokozuna, which the Japan Sumo association accepted.

How Kisenosato will perform as Yokozuna remains an open question. Many of his biggest fans, and some of the sumo press have noted that Kisenosato is not speaking and acting differently. As if some great worry has been lifted from his heart. There has been speculation that Kisenosato over thinks matters, and his achievement of both the Yusho and elevation to Yokozuna may have freed him from his doubts and his demons, and we may see a new vigor to his sumo.

The other hopeful, Goeido, withdrew due to what could be a serious injury. Prior to that, Goeido struggled to deliver the same kind of “bulldozer sumo” that swept him to an undefeated victory at Aki. Readers may have noticed that Andy and I refer to the Aki performance as “Goeido 2.0” and the normal mode of muddling through a basho as “Goeido 1.0“. We have seen in Goeido the seeds of greatness, but something within him holds him back.

Now, if reports in the sumo press are accurate, Goeido may face a career ending injury to his right ankle. But to be clear, there is likely to be at least one or two more Yokozuna slots available within 12 months, as both Harumafuji and Kakuryu seem to be having persistent medical problems. There may still be a chance that Goeido can make his 2.0 upgrade permanent, and become a truly excellent offense driven Yokozuna.