Dohyo

Aki Dohyo Ready For Battle

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017

Aki-2017-dohyo

In a traditional ceremony this afternoon in the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the dohyo built for the Aki basho was blessed and made ready for the upcoming two weeks of sumo competition. The traditional sacrifices were enshrined within the dohyo, and prayers were offered.

Following the consecration of the dohyo, the winner of the prior 2 tournaments is presented along with their yusho photos outside the Kokugikan. But as the past 2 tournaments were won by Hakuho (who is kyujo), the presentation was attended by the Miyagino Oyakata.

Tachiai’s basho coverage starts now! With the usual yusho contenders out with injuries, the chances of a dark horse winner are better than any time in the last few years. Two weeks of excitement coming up.

Aki Dohyo Complete – Consecration Saturday Morning

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, Kokugikan

Dohyo-Ready

Construction of the Kokugikan’s dohyo for the Aki basho is complete, and is ready to be consecrated prior to Sunday’s first matches. In a solemn ceremony on Saturday, the dohyo will be blessed by shinto priests. Members of the public are welcome to attend the ceremony, which will be attended by the leading men of sumo and of the NSK. Immediately following the ceremony, the yusho portraits for both the Natsu and Nagoya basho (Hakuho) will be on display in front of the Kokugikan, prior to their being hung inside the stadium.

Nagoya Dohyo Damaged

Bruce H Nagoya Basho 2017 ,

Nagoya-Dohyo

Makushita Bout Leaves Edge Broken.

Reports from reader nicolaah (who is attending the basho), and twitter indicate that the dohyo built in the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium was damaged in a bout on Tuesday. As the photograph above shows, the edge and one of the steps appears to have crumbled and broken away.

Fans have noted that the dohyo has been in tough shape since the first week, and that it is aging quickly. The environmental conditions in Nagoya are tough on a rammed earth / clay structure such as the dohyo. The relentless heat and high humidity make it difficult to keep the structure from crumbling unless it is heavily watered, but over watering causes the surface to become increasingly slick. This slippery Nagoya dohyo is a common fixture in sumo, and has taken its toll on rikishi over the years. Last year, Yokozuna Hakuho damaged a big toe while maneuvering on the slick Nagoya dohyo, and required surgery and almost a year to completely recover.

While the Nagoya venue is air conditioned, first hand reports note that the cooling air does not tend to reach all the way to the dohyo, and with the intense lights within the canopy raising temperatures at least 6°C, the fighting platform dries quickly.

Nagoya Dohyo Consecrated

Bruce H Nagoya Basho 2017

Nagoya-Dohyo-2017

Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium Ready For Competition

During Saturday in Japan, the dohyo constructed for the Nagoya tournament was consecrated in a traditional ceremony, making it ready for the upcoming sumo competition.

Sumo is an interesting sport that has many religious elements woven into it, from this consecration ceremony, to the rituals that happen before the Makuuchi bouts.

We are now just hours away from the start of competition, and Tachiai will bring you daily updates of all of the action from what promises to be an exciting Nagoya basho.

Announcement tweet from the Nippon Sumo Kyokai’s twitter feed below.