Banzuke Sunday!

Bruce H Natsu Basho 2021

That magic day that comes around every 2 months, it’s time for the new ranking sheet from the Japan Sumo Association. It will feature Terunofuji’s return to Ozeki, and the usual re-rack for everyone below. This will also be the first banzuke without Yokozuna Kakuryu since 2014. Of course there is a lot of uncertainty about the mid-Maegashira ranks once more, but if you want to read how our ace prognosticator, lksumo, thinks it might turn out, you can find his thoughts here.

Just a few hours to go!

New Kesho Mawashi for Daieisho and Tsurugisho

Andy Daieisho (大栄翔), Japanese Culture, Sponsorship, Tsurugisho , , , ,

Nihon Daigaku (Nichidai: 日大) presented Oitekaze stablemates, Daieisho and Tsurugisho, with some brand spanking new kesho mawashi. Tsurugisho graduated from Nichidai before entering Grand Sumo but Daieisho entered a graduate program there last April. (I’m always glad when athletes are making plans for their post-athletics careers. So props to Daieisho.)

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, Tsurugisho is already the owner of an awesome Momotaro kesho mawashi. Well, his new one doesn’t feature the eponymous folk hero who was birthed from a peach. [Pause here while Andy recovers from a giggle fit.] “I swear all those old stories are dirty.“

Instead, it features Daikokuten, one of the Seven Gods of Fortune which I have written about in the past. Remember the boat (Takarabune)? Daikokuten is generally shown with his hammer (uchide no kozuchi 打ち出の小槌). In Daieisho’s old kesho mawashi, which, coincidentally, is the one I wrote about with the beautiful sakura and Takarabune, Daikokuten is the one at the very front of the boat. The playful portrait here — this time on Momotaro’s apron — is in keeping with Tsurugisho’s jovial personality. Meanwhile, Daieisho’s new kit features an amazing image of a distant Mount Fuji framed by sakura (cherry blossoms). I look forward to seeing both of these new mawashi on the dohyo in May.

The designer of these kesho mawashi is Tanaka Yuko, vice-chairman of the Female Sumo Federation in Japan and was presented to the pair by her and her husband, Tanaka Hidetoshi, chairman of Nichidai, vice-president of the Japanese Olympic Committee among other key positions in the amateur sumo and sports-world.

Speaking of Oitekaze, what have they been putting in the power water over there? Of the 20-odd wrestlers, six are sekitori, five of them in makuuchi! And Endo isn’t even heyagashira! Daieisho’s yusho, Tsurugisho’s juryo yusho…kensho and special prizes galore!

Tachiai News Update – Hibikiryu’s Gristly Injury (YouTube)

Bruce H Haru Basho 2021, Injuries

The video version of our discussion around Hibikiryu’s day 13 injury that may have left Hibikiryu paralyzed. Can sumo do more to respond to injuries during competition? Sumo is a combat sport, and inherently dangerous, but could the Sumo Association take safety and injury response more seriously? We look at how the Oyakata and Yobidashi reacted to the injury, and what could have been done better. We also review how professional sports leagues integrate medicine into their public events.

Tachiai News Update – Hibikiryu’s Gristly Injury (Audio)

Bruce H Injuries, Podcasts

Andy, Josh and Bruce discuss the day 13 Sandanme match that may have left Hibikiryu paralyzed. Sumo is a combat sport, and inherently dangerous, but could the Sumo Association take safety and injury response more seriously? We look at how the Oyakata and Yobidashi reacted to the injury, and what could have been done better. We also review how professional sports leagues integrate medicine into their public events.

YouTube / Video version to be published later