Kyushu 2025 Banzuke Released

Andy Banzuke, Banzuke (番付), Kyushu 2025, Kyushu Basho ,

The Kyushu Banzuke was released. A few days ago, I posted this summary to give a bit more information about this all-important ranking sheet and explain what you see there. Here it is in Japanese, and English from the Sumo Association website.

Leonid’s banzuke prediction worked out pretty well. On my first glance, he got everything right down to Fujinokawa. Wow. I’d be doing burnouts if my banzuke looked like that. I’ll let him break it down in more detail.

Kusano has changed his shikona to Yoshinofuji (義ノ富士). Aonishiki is shin-Sekiwake. Oho returns to the rank. Takanosho returns to Komusubi. Former Ozeki Asanoyama has moved on up to Juryo 4, much closer to a return to the top division. Injured ENDO has fallen from the salaried ranks at Makushita 3 East. ENHO has climbed up to Makushita 17 West.

Oitekaze-beya’s Kaki has jumped up to Sandanme 31 East. Watch this 190cm youngster. He’s won the Jonokuchi and Jonidan titles. American Hikarumusashi, aka Musashigawa’s nephew Daniel, slipped to Sandanme 73 after a tough 2-5 result at Aki. We’ll pay close attention to maezumo as well this tournament as we might get the debut of Isegahama’s big prospect, Battsetseg Ochirsaihan.

Kyushu 2025 Banzuke Review

lksumo Nagoya 2025

The November banzuke has been released. The Crystal Ball was clear this time, especially for the top two thirds of the banzuke—my prediction had the first 26 ranks, from Y1e to M10e, exactly right. The only surprise here was seeing the name Yoshinofuji at M5e. I had to do a double-take before realizing that Kusano got a new shikona, which I haven’t seen announced anywhere prior to the release of the banzuke.

The prediction fell apart after that, starting with Kotoshoho at M10w. I had him two full ranks lower, for my biggest overall miss. Fujinokawa, whom I had at M10w, ended up at 12e, a rank-and-a-half lower. I was also off by one rank on Gonoyama, Oshoumi, and Chiyoshoma, who all ended up higher than in my guess, as well as Asakoryu, who is ranked lower. My other misses were by half a rank.

I feel good about the prediction overall, especially on a tricky banzuke. In particular, I guessed correctly that Takayasu would take the K1w slot over Hakuoho, that Wakamotoharu would be placed behind the two demoted Sekiwake, and that Ichiyamamoto would be the lucky rikishi filling the gap in the banzuke at M8e. I also correctly called the four exchanges between Makuuchi and Juryo, with Meisei just barely surviving and Chiyoshoma coming up at the expense of Hitoshi.

With the release of the rankings, we can start the two-week countdown to the Kyushu basho! London was fun, but I for one am more than ready for some (real) sumo.

UPDATE: Guess the Banzuke results have been announced, and yours truly is back to holding the #1 overall rank (which is based on predictions for the past 6 basho).

October 2025 Sumo News Round-up

Andy Jungyo (巡業), Juryo (十両), Retirement , , ,

“Aki Basho is over and but there are still some note-worthy updates to make.”

That’s how I began this post several weeks ago when I started drafting it. Now it’s nearly Halloween. Time flies and my conceptualized update post needs significant updates. Wrestlers who just got back from London will be packing up and heading to Kyushu. Some are already there in advance doing a bit of PR. The banzuke drops tonight but that’s clearly not the only bit of news from the past few weeks which I need to mention. Leonid mentioned a few of these items in his Kyushu Banzuke Preview post. His full prediction is here. I will be back with the banzuke later but these items needed attention.

Takarabune’s Final Sail

Takarafuji has retired. Since he looks vaguely like my uncle, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for him. Under the storied Isegahama banner, his sumo has always been rather straight-forward yotsu-zumo, fought in an earnest, quiet, and respectful manner. He had never been a big showman on the ring, letting the results speak for themselves. In a video message on the Kyokai’s Twitter account, he thanked his fans for supporting his career over the past sixteen years.

He started his sumo career in 2009 and fought in Juryo rediscovered the sport in 2011, climbing the ranks as I dove back into following the sport. He peaked at the rank of Sekiwake and won kinboshi from Kakuryu, Hakuho, and Kisenosato. Accumulated injuries have certainly taken their toll and he had slipped from Makuuchi into Juryo. Lately he was often overpowered and out maneuvered by his opponents. With a 5-10 record in Tokyo this past September, he was destined to fall out of the paid ranks and into Makushita.

Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed writing about his bouts in a metaphorical sense, as if he were the Takarabune of legend and his bouts were legs of some epic journey. Sadly, that journey has come to an end. Takarafuji will remain with Isegahama as a coach, Kiriyama-oyakata.

Juryo Promotions

Four wrestlers were promoted to Juryo, including two newcomers. Both of the shin-juryo wrestlers have changed their shikona. Welcome Himukamaru (ex-Nagamura) and Fujiryuga (ex-Goshima) to the ranks of the full-timers. Kitanowaka and Wakanosho join them in Juryo.

Check out Justin’s Makushita posts to keep early tabs on some prospects as they rise into the division. It will take a while for guys to make the push through this tough third division. I’m keeping my eye on Noda. He’s been grinding and appears to be getting better. I’m eager to see where he will fall when the new banzuke comes out.

Takakeisho Retirement Ceremony

We had a pair of retirement ceremonies at the start of this break: Takakeisho and Myogiryu. Former Ozeki, Takakeisho, had his haircut first. Whenever we talk about Takakeisho now, the big story is his remarkable physical transformation. I’m looking forward to seeing him grow as a coach and hopefully become a stable master. Enjoy the video highlights of his retirement ceremony.

Myogiryu Retirement Ceremony

Myogiryu had a long, successful career in spite of injury. He joined Sakaigawa-beya and earned a Makushita debut from his university success at Nittaidai but suffered an injury when he earned promotion to Juryo. He fell back into Sandanme but fought back and rose all the way to Sekiwake, claiming six kinboshi over the course of his career — including two off of Hakuho.

London Basho

Our wrestlers went to London for a spectacular five-day tournament. The crew had last been there a few decades ago when Hakkaku was an active Yokozuna fighting as Hokutoumi. Since Covid restrictions are ancient history and sterling is doing quite well against the yen lately, the Sumo Association stands to make a decent haul from its trip and hopefully inspire another generation of sumo fans.

Hoshoryu took the top prize. But in a Grand Sumo stylee, there were special prizes to be had by those who fought well and those who won over the crowd. Hard core sumo lovers are sometimes hard to please with these exhibitions. I mean, let’s face it. The slaps don’t hit as hard in London — or Kanazawa — as they do on shonichi. Nevertheless, there was some great action, summarized in the video above.

It’s probably best that I was not able to attend. I have always wanted to throw a zabuton and would be more likely to do it in London than in Tokyo; I’m not trying to get my butt banned. But I figure London’s prepared for some well-mannered hooliganism. Another possible revenue stream would be to have a booth where punters can throw cushions and have Shodai catch them. I digress. I’m glad the event seems to have done well with the PR and I hope the rumors of a Paris Basho for next year hold true.

Kyushu 2025: Shin-Makushita

hochiyama Kyushu 2025, Kyushu Basho

Here is how our last tournament debutants did:

Kobayashi followed up his Sandanme Yūshō with an injury related absence.  It was a disappointing 0-0-7 debut, but I imagine he will be back, provided he can recover.  He already fell to Jonokuchi once after injury. I hope repeated injuries do not take a collective toll.

Ryūji, Harunishiki, and Kōki finished with not unexpected 3-4 records and will have to try for a kachi-koshi on their second go-around (should the opportunity arise).

Tenrōsei appears to have “hit the wall” in lower Makushita.  I doubt that this is, indeed, his ceiling and expect him to bounce back at some point as he continues to develop his sumo skills. This time I only expect two new Makushita debuts: Kazeeidai and Kyokumizuno.  This is actually a small number of debutants!  Unfortunately, I have been very busy professionally and thus will not be able to leverage this opportunity to catch up on a few prospects whose debuts I have missed.  I will try and get to Seihakuhō, Ōkaryū, and Suyama at some point soon.

Kazeeidai (風栄大)

Stable: Oshiogawa
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 183 / 5’11”
Weight (kg/lbs): 108 / 238
Home prefecture: Saitama
High School: Saitama Sakae
University: —
Career Record and notes: 70-49 (.588)
Debut: Kyushu 2022
Notes:

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Not likely.

Kazeeidai is a lightweight out of Saitama Sakae High School (a teammate of last basho’s debutant Kobayashi). It is hard for me to think, but he is lighter than I was when I went on the dōhyō at the Sumo and Sushi Event. I will keep telling myself that I had to “build my body” to be able to compete there! Since then, I am now way less than a Kazeeidai!

Kazeeidai indicated that his father and those around him were all sumo enthusiasts. Thus, he began participating in children’s sumo tournaments from primary school. He is from Kawagoe, in Saitama Prefecture. He entered Saitama Sakae and became a regular on the team, which did finish second one time in the team competition. He reached the best 16 at the National Select Tournament.

Oshiogawa Oyakata (former Takekaze) was the first to approach him and inquire if he wanted to go pro. He aspires to become a sekitori and hopes to repay his hometown for its support by “performing well and showing what I can do”. His family has some other ties to Oshiogawa stable. His father is acquainted with ex-Motohashi (本橋), who was active from 1995-2004 in the prior incarnation of Oshiogawa-beya. The former Motohashi runs a Chanko restaurant in the father’s hometown.

His shikona takes the stable’s Kaze (風) and adds a part of his high school name, Sakae (栄). This pattern seems to exist in Oshiogawa stable who has Kazekōdai (風紅大) from Takushoku University affiliated Kōryō (紅陵) High School.

Kyokumizuno (旭水野)

Stable: Ōshima
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 170 / 5’7”
Weight (kg/lbs): 156 / 344
Home prefecture: Tōyama
High School: Tōyama Shōgyō (Commercial) High
University: —
Career Record and notes: 80-65-2 (.552)
Debut: 2022 Haru

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Not likely.

Kyokumizuno is a half Filipino, who comes out of the same prefecture and high school as senpai Asanoyama and recent recruit Kakueizan. As a large junior high school graduate (Asahi Junior High) and with good martial arts skills, he had already been approached by stable masters to go pro. However, he continued with judo in high school. He remained a dedicated judo student, even taking a prefectural judo champoinship in the over 100kg category. Having felt he accomplished all he could in judo, he transferred to the high school sumo club in his junior year. He quickly performed well, wining 2nd place in the team event at the prefectural championships.

He excels at pushing and thrusting. He said “being shorter and with shorter arms, I prefer a style where I surge forward decisively, rather than grappling”. His mother, Irene, said that he could eat 2.4 liters of rice per day (between lunch and dinner). He could easily eat enough grilled meat for ten “normal” people.
He is the first graduate of Asahi Junior High to enter the sumo world and has received lots of local support. The mayor wished him well when he went pro, saying “I hope you settle into he stable as quickly as possible. Ideally, I want to watch your matches on TV in the late evening. I am also looking forward to seeing you face your high school senpai, Asanoyama”. The reference to the late evening implying that he will have reached the top divisions!

Upon joining, he indicated he wanted to grow as a person and become the first sekitori from Ōshima-beya. He wants to repay those who supported him and aims for Yokozuna. When he joined he indicated Kyokutaisei was the wrestler he admired most given his continued determination after all his injuries.
He reached his career high of Sandanme 14 in Spring 2024 – stalling out in Sandanme after that. He questioned himself – wondering if all his efforts were meaningless. Then, he was spurred on my the success of Kyokukaiyū (who became the stable’s first sekitori last tournament). Witnessing Kyokukaiyū’s rapid rise has served to intensify his determination. He had a chance to practice against his senpai, Asanoyama, earlier in the year – while the former Ōzeki was rehabilitating at Takasago-beya. This left a lasting impression and also fueled his resolve to continue with sumo.