News from the infirmary is that Maegashira 16 Meisei will fight tomorrow. He will take on Nishikifuji in his return. That means we will not have a Juryo visitor on Day Ten.
In Juryo, Hakuyozan is the first opponent to defeat Fujiryoga as he thrust the big man backward over the bales with a powerful shove. Fujiryoga falls to 8-1, tied with Daiseizan. Hatsuyama chases with two losses. Asanoyama’s winning streak ended today against Hitoshi.
The NHK videos are here. Their Day Nine page includes the Hakuyozan-Fujiryoga bout if you scroll down to the bottom. Remember, when you click the link, the videos are hidden. You have to find the little button that says, “続き読む”. Click it and the list of videos will open up. Let me know if you have any issues finding it. If you want to find any videos from past days, all of the links are located here.
Makuuchi Action
Asakoryu (6-3) defeated Tochitaikai (Juryo 4-5). Asakoryu hit Tochitaikai at the tachiai but immediately shifted to his left and slapped Tochitaikai down. Tochitaikai had hit the ground before he knew what happened. Tsukiotoshi.
Sadanoumi (3-6) defeated Mitakeumi (4-5). Sadanoumi was able to get his favored migi-yotsu grip. This allowed him to swing Mitakeumi around, drive to the bales, and usher Mitakeumi out. Yorikiri.
Gonoyama (6-3) defeated Oshoumi (1-8). Oshoumi shifted to his right at the tachiai but still took the full force of Gonoyama’s charge. Oshoumi tried a slapdown but Gonoyama adjusted well and bulldozed Oshoumi out of the ring. Oshidashi.
Tomokaze (3-6) defeated Shonannoumi (2-7). Tomokaze kept shoving Shonannoumi back. Shonannoumi tried a lumbering last-moment pull and walked himself over the bales. Oshidashi.
Tokihayate (7-2) defeated Fujinokawa (6-3). Tokihayate was able to sneak that left-hand inside to join his right-hand inside. The double-inside grip, morozashi, helped him corral Fujikawa, drive him to the edge and force him over. Yorikiri.
Roga (5-4) defeated Nishikifuji (6-3). Roga held Nishikifuji’s advance as he tried to get a belt grip that never came. Nishikifuji charged forward and Roga slipped to his left and slapped Nishikifuji down. Hatakikomi.
Shishi (3-6) defeated Chiyoshoma (5-4). Chiyoshoma grabbed Shishi’s arm and tried to pull Shishi forward. But Shishi gave Chiyoshoma the lumber and drove him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Ichiyamamoto (5-4) defeated Ryuden (4-5). Ichiyamamoto’s first slapdown attempt failed. He moved inside to get a belt grip but them pulled again and slapped Ryuden down. It seemed to me that he used his legit yotsu skills as a feint to sucker Ryuden for the slapdown. Hatakikomi.
Abi (4-5) defeated Kotoshoho (5-4). Abi kept up his tsuppari and eventually blasted Kotoshoho over the bales. Abi’s excellent footwork rendered Kotoshoho’s shifting and pulling strategy completely ineffective. Kotoshoho kept absorbing Abi’s thrusts with his heels along the tawara until Abi shoved him over the bales. Oshidashi.
Churanoumi (5-4) defeated Tobizaru (4-5). Tobizaru tried a pull and slapdown but Churanoumi shifted right along the bales with Tobizaru to shove him over. Oshidashi.
Onokatsu (4-5) defeated Kinbozan (3-6). Onokatsu kept his head down and stayed lower than Kinbozan to get the leverage he needed to win. He chugged forward and forced Kinbozan over the bales. Yorikiri.
Halftime
Atamifuji (6-3) defeated Daieisho (5-4). Atamifuji charged forward and forced Daieisho over the bales. Daieisho tried a last second shift along the bales but it was poorly timed. Oshidashi.
Midorifuji (4-5) defeated Shodai (3-6). Shodai chugged forward and looked like he had Midorifuji at the edge. Midorifuji was able to grab Shodai’s right arm, shift left, and haul Shodai over the bales. A crowd-pleasing amiuchi.
Ura (4-5) defeated Wakamotoharu (4-5). Ura took a bruising from Wakamotoharu’s tsuppari but stayed in it. He eventually found an opening to grab at Wakamotoharu’s leg. That forced Wakamotoharu to pull up and move back. Ura chased and forced him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Kirishima (5-4) defeated Hakuoho (3-6). Hakuoho charged forward as Kirishima slid left along the bales. Hakuoho never established “contain” on his right. Kirishima slipped to the side again and slapped Hakuoho down over the bales. Hatakikomi.
Wakatakakage (4-5) defeated Takayasu (5-4). Takayasu fought back admirably after Wakatakakage shifted left and drove Takayasu quickly to the bales. Takayasu resisted and charged back toward center. Takayasu tried to use his left-hand inside to haul Wakatakakage over but his center of gravity was too high and he could not get leverage. WTK continued to press forward and threw Takayasu with that right hand over-arm grip. Uwatenage.
Sanyaku
Oho (4-5) defeated Tamawashi (4-5). Steady tsuppari from both men to start this brawl. Tamawashi charged forward on the attack but Oho hit him in the shoulder and shoved him hard to the left. Tamawashi got turned and that spelled trouble. Tamawashi spun back around but now had to fight back from the bales. Oho used the opportunity to pull and slap Tamawashi down. Hatakikomi.
Aonishiki (8-1) defeated Hiradoumi (2-7). Hiradoumi spent the second half of this bout perched on one leg, somehow avoiding a fall. Aonishiki had a rock-solid left-hand inside grip. He drove face first into Hiradoumi’s trunk and forced him to fall out of the ring. Yoritaoshi.
Kotozakura (4-5) defeated Takanosho (2-7). Takanosho charged forward into a retreating Kotozakura but Kotozakura danced left along the bales and slapped Takanosho down to his right. Hatakikomi.
Hoshoryu (7-2) defeated Yoshinofuji (6-3). Hoshoryu turned Yoshinofuji around by shifting to his right while hitting Yoshinofuji’s left shoulder. Hoshoryu came in from behind and looked to drive Yoshinofuji out. When Yoshinofuji put his legs out to brace against the tawara, Hoshoryu reversed and threw him to the ground. Okurinage.
Onosato (9-0) defeated Oshoma (3-6). Blink and you missed it as Onosato shoved Oshoma back and off the dohyo. Well, ok. I admit, two shoves. One to force him to the bales and one to send him over. Oshidashi.
Wrap-up
Onosato leads, Aonishiki follows with one loss. Our chase group has been whittled down to Hoshoryu and Tokihayate on two losses.
Onosato was as dominant as Oshoma was absolutely clueless. Oshoma demonstrated nothing today. If he had hoped for some tawara dancing or sukuinage, he did not show it. His decision making in this bout seemed limited to finding a spot to land. Aonishiki, on the other hand, picked up his kachi-koshi in yet another great, entertaining bout. At the moment, he’s the only one ensuring this is not a runaway yusho for Onosato.
Our sanyaku bouts tomorrow start with Takanosho against Ura, followed by Takayasu against Kirishima. Then, Aonishiki will fight Tamawashi in a headline bout. Aonishiki leads their head-to-head with two wins and no losses. An upset from the Iron Eagle would be big.
Kotozakura will fight Oho. Oho would love to play spoiler and move closer to kachi-koshi himself. Both men stand on five losses and neither have faced the Yokozuna yet. So, tomorrow’s loser will have to upset a Yokozuna in order to earn kachi-koshi. These guys are both in serious danger.
Onosato then fights Yoshinofuji in their first meeting. Yoshinofuji’s calf was taped up again today and Hoshoryu took advantage of the fact that Yoshinofuji couldn’t use that right leg. Onosato will be looking at tomorrow as an easy win, if Yoshinofuji shows up.
Finally, Hoshoryu will face Oshoma. Hoshoryu has lost twice but has looked really solid for the last several days. This is perfect timing for someone out of the blue to pull something surprising on the edge if Hoshoryu is over eager or not careful.
This summer, Tatsunami beya opened its virtual doors to foreign fans for the first time. They currently offer two subscription plans and it appears two more subscription options are being designed. The cheapest option is a $5/month plan which offers “behind the scenes” video content. There is not a whole lot there, currently. The other option is $20/mo and includes the video content as well as a banzuke for each tournament — and supposedly an option to watch keiko sessions.
Since I have not been to Japan for a spell, I have not been able to take full advantage of membership and watch keiko. There is a warning that keiko might not be open and even if it is there is limited seating available, anyway. If I get a chance to attend, I will post about it then. (There will be an update here in the future, thanks to Justin!)
Tatsunami-beya is located north of the popular tourist sites of Asakusa, so I do imagine this will be a relatively convenient for a lot of sumo fans who make the trip to Tokyo. If there isn’t space available, there is plenty to see and do in the area. It would suck to travel out to, say, Saitama prefecture only to be told “no room for you.”
I say this hike is doable but I walk, a lot. It’s a 1.6km, 24-minute walk to Sensoji from Tatsunami. That’s farther than I remember but I had walked from Ryogoku, over the bridge to Kuramae, then up to Tatsunami and back down to Senso-ji. Just for fun. Anyway, your mileage may vary.
Back on topic, I signed up for the club because I have been wanting to join an official support club for a while and since this one offered the banzuke mailing, I thought other readers and sumo fans would be interested and I could share my experience. It’s the heya of Yokozuna Hoshoryu and Meisei. They have a relatively active social media presence on YouTube.
I got my first banzuke a couple of weeks ago – for this past Aki basho – and it seems like a great opportunity to discuss the banzuke in more detail. I thought this might be Hoshoryu’s first win as Yokozuna but it turned out to go the way of Onosato in rather dramatic fashion. It was certainly a memorable event.
The Ranking Sheet
The kanji characters for banzuke are, 番付. You will sometimes see it called the banzuke-hyo or 番付表, which basically means the ranking list. Nominally, most people are interested in the ranking list of the wrestlers but there is quite a bit more to it. The wrestlers are not the only names listed. I like to think of it as “the credits” for the entire show that the Kyokai puts on for us. The whole production is here.
Before mailing out ranking sheets, the heya will stamp it with the name of the heya. I’ve seen where some of the small heya will also use highlighter to indicate which wrestlers are from that heya. Here, you can see my banzuke marked with the stamp for Tatsunami-beya (立浪部屋).
Professional Sumo is an entertainment industry. The Sumo Association exists to sell tickets and put butts in seats — or at least on nice, throwable cushions. Just as credits roll at the end of a movie as a way of acknowledging all of the people involved in the production, the banzuke exists as a way to give credit where it is due.
This post will not delve into the evolution of the sport or even the banzuke itself. I just want you to be able to know what you have in front of you. While wrestlers form the bulk of the ranking sheet, the other members of the association are listed. Notably, the referees (gyoji), the ringside judges (shinpan), the bout callers (yobidashi), as well as the guys who are usually behind the scenes, like the hair-dressers (tokoyama), and the sewanin, wakamonogashira and the other sumo elders.
A quick note about sources for this article. I am pulling from the Association website and will provide appropriate links for references since fluctuate with time. The Japanese-language side will help you decipher kanji, even for newbies to the Japanese language. But I’ll also have links to the English-language side page for the various profiles and such. It will help if you can at least read hiragana because shikona and elder names are usually listed with the hiragana. Ring names are notoriously difficult, even for native Japanese to keep up with.
Format
Keep in mind that Japanese is often read from right-to-left and top-to-bottom. Those of you who are learning the language already know that much of what we use today is written left-to-right. But traditionally Japanese was read right-to-left, like in newspapers. And that’s how it is done for these banzuke.
So, structurally the ranking sheet is split with the right half showing the East wrestlers and the left half showing the West. You will be starting on the right and working your way across. The kanji character for East (東) is higashi and that’s at the top of the right column. Nishi means West (西) and is at the top of the left column. In the center, between the two sides, there is a slim column with other details about the tournament and more in the bottom row, which we will get to later.
But first, let’s look at the East and West. The number of wrestlers fluctuates for any given tournament. The number of wrestlers in the top four divisions, however, are relatively fixed. Those numbers have been adjusted at different periods as recruitment swells or shrinks but will stay at these fixed levels for years without much change. Currently, (2025) the top Makuuchi division is set at 42 wrestlers with Juryo at 28, Makushita at 120 and Sandanme at 160.
The rest are mostly in Jonidan. Jonokuchi is the lowest division and is mainly for wrestlers who are just starting out in the sport. There are some wrestlers who do not appear on the banzuke, including recruits who have not completed maezumo or men recovering from injuries that have fallen out of the list of active wrestlers.
Wrestlers
Wrestlers are listed on this sheet in their official rank order for the tournament. Each wrestler’s full ring name (shikona) is preceded by his shusshin or hometown. The shusshin and shikona are written vertically, and in order from right to left. You will see the top division wrestlers…at the top and in bold. The first row of wrestlers is Makuuchi. If you are a new or casual sumo fan, these might be the only guys you know. They will likely be the only guys you see on TV or on the internet and the various highlights shows. The NHK and NHK World broadcasts only show the men in here, in the top division.
I want to give a brief note about these ring names. The full ring name includes a family name and a “given” name (what we in the West often call a “first name”) but we usually only see and hear wrestlers referred to by that name. I specifically try to avoid using the term “First Name” because in the Japanese convention, family name comes first and it might get confusing. So, for Endo, his full shikona is Endo Shota. I picked Endo specifically because he is one of the rare wrestlers who has always fought under his real name. He was born as Endo Shota and he fought as Endo Shota.
Update: Endo retired as an active wrestler, so he is no longer listed on the banzuke as an active wrestler. Instead, he has joined the ranks of the oyakata, as I will describe in a later section.
The vast majority of sumo wrestlers take an assumed name, at least for the family name. Some keep their given name, others change that, as well. There is some superstition around names and the number of brush strokes, so it is fairly common for a wrestler to change either part of the shikona. It’s also relatively common for a wrestler to change their shikona when they reach certain milestones, like promotion to Juryo, Ozeki, or Yokozuna.
There are also naming conventions associated with some stables. Wrestlers in Sadogatake stable take a shikona with the Koto- prefix. Current Ozeki Kotozakura’s full shikona is Kotozakura Masakatsu. He started his sumo career fighting as Kotokamitani because his real family name is Kamitani. He just stuck the koto prefix on the front. When he was promoted to Juryo he changed his shikona to Kotonowaka Masakatsu. Upon further promotion to Ozeki, he took the shikona Kotozakura.
Since there’s a family name and a given name, there will be at least two characters for each shikona on the banzuke but often four, five, or six characters. The first and last characters are written in nice rows of uniform width and height across this page. This makes it really easy for me to spot guys with short names and simple characters first. Guys with longer names and more complicated kanji seem to blend into a wall of ink, especially as the writing is more and more condensed.
On a banzuke, as in other things in life, size matters. The biggest names are for the biggest ranks and that starts with the Yokozuna and Ozeki. On this banzuke, we have a rare instance where Hoshoryu holds the Yokozuna-Ozeki title, so the ranks are squeezed together. Shikona start large and steadily get smaller as we move to the left, out of the sanyaku ranks and into the maegashira.
Holup! There are maegashira on the second row! Did they run out of room? No. These are Juryo wrestlers. The term maegashira is used here as a legacy term for wrestlers which have finished maezumo. After Juryo, the divisions and ranks are not differentiated for makushita on down. They’re just indicated with a stylized kanji for “same,” (同), or its simplified variant.
Referees and Judges
Smack in the middle of the banzuke, between the wrestler lists, is a column with more details about the tournament. At the top of this column are the characters, “蒙御免” (ごめんこうむる) or “received permission,” followed by the date. Historically, sumo was done to raise money. It was banned by the Tokugawa but those wrestlers who relied on the income pressed for permission to hold tournaments. So, the term carries over onto today’s ranking sheet — smack in the middle at the top.
Remember, we’re reading from right to left, so we’ve got the year first, then the dates of shonichi and senshuraku. Next is the location and then the announcement of the event: “a sumo tournament will be held (大相撲挙行仕候)”.
Moving down the column are the referees or Gyoji (行司), listed by rank. Remember, you will see these Japanese kanji characters backwards on the banzuke because they’re read from top-down, right-to-left on the ranking sheet. Here, there are six rows of referee names with the highest ranked “tate-gyoji” on top in larger characters. Then we get the shimpan, (審判) with two rows of judges’ names. Shimpan are sumo elders with the rank of i’in. So, on the banzuke they’re listed here as shimpan i’in (審判委員). There are twenty judges in total working ringside in groups of five. When you’re watching the bouts, two of the shimpan sit just off the dohyo behind the gyoji with one on each remaining side of the dohyo.
As a little tidbit, the shimpan opposite the gyoji is the head of that group and will be in charge of explaining any mono-ii, or judges conferences. The shimpan behind the gyoji and on his right side is the time-keeper. He’s charged with keeping things moving along. You’ll see him checking his watch, make hand gestures to keep others aware of how much time has elapsed between bouts or in those rare occasions that a bout is going long and the wrestlers might need a water break.
Other Association Members
Underneath the list of shimpan they have the name of the sumo association and its address in Tokyo. On either side, the bottom row contains the lowest ranked wrestlers on the right, the rest of the names of Sumo Association elders, the ring-callers (呼出し), and hair-stylists (床山). Each of these groups also indicate rank. You’ll probably not be able to easily read the names of the yobidashi and tokoyama but you will be able to tell which ones are the highest ranking because the characters will be slightly larger.
The Board Members (理事) are on the right side, starting with the Board Chairman, currently Hakkaku Nobuyoshi. Then there are a few vice Board Members (副理事) and other Executive Association members (役員待遇) in “bold.” As we continue to move left, there are Association Members (委員), Chiefs (主任), Elders (年寄), and retired advisors (参与).
Newly retired wrestlers, like Endo, are listed as Elders on the left. Endo has finally had to take an assumed name from one of the fixed list of stockholders. He is now Kitajin Shota. The shimpan are not re-listed in this section. In rank order, they fall in with the i’in, as I mentioned above.
On the left side of the right column there is a list for a small group of seiwanin and wakaimonogashira. These men are former wrestlers who are not elders since they do not own a kabu. Like elders, yobidashi, and tokoyama they are associated with a heya and continue to work within the organization but not as owners.
Update (6/27/2026) — With the recent retirements of Chiyomaru and Wakatakamoto, there has been much more attention paid to these rather unheralded Association staff members. I wrote a brief post here where I highlighted what happened to Chiyomaru’s name as he shifted from active wrestler to his new role as wakaimonogashira. I also showed what happened as Terunofuji’s shikona shifted in the aftermath of the Hakunofuji affair. But we see, in a very concrete way, the importance of rank and status in the sumo world in black and white, right here on the ranking sheet.
Chiyomaru’s active career featured over ten years in the salaried ranks, Juryo and Makuuchi. He was certainly eligible for a kabu but for whatever reason, he was unable to acquire one. When he retired, he wanted to stay with the Sumo Association but rather than the “sweat equity,” oyakata route, he became a wakaimonogashira and will use his experience ringside and behind the scenes to guide young wrestlers, particularly through their maezumo and sumo school experiences.
In Wakatakamoto’s case, he never made it to the sekitori ranks so owning or renting a kabu was never an option upon retirement. However, given his lengthy experience, he was certainly eligible to stay with the Association as a wakaimonogashira staff member. We will keep our eyes out for both men, kitted out in the standard blue jacket, as they work ringside during sumo tournaments.
Finally, squeezed into the bottom left there is a phrase that references the maezumo wrestlers not listed on the banzuke (此外中前相撲東西ニ御座候) and a blessing that hopes the tournament is successful for thousands of years to come (千穐万歳大々叶).
Extra notes
There are a few other interesting items to note on this particular banzuke:
For one, Hoshoryu is listed as Yokozuna-Ozeki. He holds both ranks on this banzuke. While it’s not necessary for a Yokozuna to be active, every tournament requires two Ozeki – one on the East and one on the West. Hoshoryu is a Yokozuna but in order to meet this technicality, he is also listed as Ozeki. Kotozakura is Ozeki on the East.
Ishizaki’s name change is called out, as we see in this image. When he was promoted to Juryo he announced a new Shikona. In keeping with the Takasago naming convention using an Asa-prefix, he is now Asasuiryu. His previous shikona, Ishizaki, is noted above his new shikona.
Tiny writing next to the names of the Top-Ranked referees indicate which number the line of gyoji they are. The current Kimura Shonosuke is the 39th Kimura Shonosuke, for example.
Wrap-up
I hope you found this to be a helpful guide to the sumo ranking sheet. If you have one of these banzuke, or are looking for one, you should know where to look for the various background details, like date and location. There are a lot of tangential topics which I will cover in more depth in the future.
Senshuraku is upon us! In a bit, we will crown a new top division champion. The two Yokozuna will fight – possibly twice – with the title on the line. Something we’ve wanted for a while. But before we get to that, there are some other items to address.
Juryo Yusho
Asahakuryu won his bout against Nishikifuji and claimed the title with a 13-2 record. He was able to force Nishikifuji out with a good left hand uwate grip, the yorikiri finish. He won the yusho in his debut, repeating the feats accomplished by Kusano, Takerufuji, Tochimusashi, Tomokaze, Mitakeumi, Ichinojo, Terunofuji, Endo, Chiyotairyu, Ikioi, Shotenro, Tochinoshin, Toyohibiki… His stablemate and former Ozeki Asanoyama came up just short, finishing 12-3 after his win over Mita.
Sansho Nominees
Outstanding Performance
Hakuoho (1st, if he wins)
Aonishiki (1st, if Hoshoryu wins the yusho)
Fighting Spirit
Takanosho (5th)
Technique
Aonishiki (2nd)
Yesterday, Hiro mentioned that the winner of the Ura/Ryuden bout might be looking at a special prize. However, neither man is listed as a sansho candidate.
Remember, Hakuoho is (so far) the only wrestler to defeat Onosato this tournament. However, he needs a kachi-koshi to claim his Outstanding Performance Prize. The condition placed on Aonishiki’s prize is unusual. He will claim the prize only if Hoshoryu wins the yusho. I cannot recall a prize being contingent on another wrestler’s victory, but maybe you all can remember one? Regardless, he will claim his second technique prize and Takanosho has earned a fifth Fighting Spirit Prize. Congratulations!
Tobizaru (9-6) defeated Asakoryu (6-9). Tobizaru shoved Asakoryu to the bales. After some hazu-oshi, Asakoryu inexplicably pulled and tried a slapdown when he was already at the edge. So, essentially Tobizaru shoved him out for the win. Oshidashi.
Hitoshi (7-8) defeated Meisei (5-10). Meisei dragged Hitoshi around the right by his right hand but couldn’t get the kotenage finish. Hitoshi kept his footing and stayed in bounds. When Meisei switched to tsuppari, Hitoshi pulled and slapped Meisei down. Hatakikomi.
Mitakeumi (7-8) defeated Nishikigi (2-13). Mitakeumi overpowered Nishikigi and ushered him back to Juryo. Yorikiri.
Roga (7-8) defeated Ryuden (9-6). Roga got both of his hands inside quickly and steered Ryuden toward the bales. The tawara were mere speedbumps as Roga drove Ryuden out. Yorikiri.
Shodai (10-5) defeated Shishi (10-5). A bloodied Shodai dragged Shishi over to the edge by trapping Shishi’s right arm and pulling him forward. There were several bouts this tournament where I felt that in the past, Shodai would have given up. This was another one where he dug deep, fought hard, and won. Kotenage.
Churanoumi (9-6) defeated Tomokaze (9-6). Tomokaze pulled and slapped Churanoumi down as Churanoumi charged forward. Both men crashed out. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Tomokaze was dead in the air before Churanoumi fell down. Oshidashi.
Tokihayate (7-8) defeated Fujinokawa (6-9). Oh, my word. I do not know how Tokihayate resisted that kubinage. Fujinokawa wrapped his arm around Tokihayate’s head and dragged him toward the ground. But Tokihayate does sumo squats, apparently, and used that firm base to withstand Fujinokawa’s attempt. He countered with his own overarm throw and toppled Fujinokawa with an uwatenage.
Midorifuji (7-8) defeated Sadanoumi (6-9). Sadanoumi pulled and Midorifuji pressed forward, forcing Sadanoumi to run out of the ring. Yorikiri.
Kusano (8-7) defeated Shonannoumi (7-8). Kusano wrapped up Shonannoumi with his left hand inside and his right hand outside on Shonannoumi’s belt. He drove forward and forced Shonannoumi out. Yorikiri.
Hiradoumi (8-7) defeated Kinbozan (7-8). Hiradoumi staggered Kinbozan at the tachiai. Kinbozan tried to twist Hiradoumi over at the edge but Hiradoumi maintained the pressure and shoved Kinbozan out from behind. Okuridashi.
Halftime
Daieisho (7-8) defeated Gonoyama (1-14). Both men hit each other with forceful tsuppari. As Daieisho tired, he neared the bales and started to put his gear in reverse. He pulled and danced along the tawara until he slapped Gonoyama down. Hatakikomi.
Atamifuji (5-10) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-11). The two men got migi-yotsu grips. Ichiyamamoto fought to get himself away from the tawara but Atamifuji started using his gaburi to back Ichiyamamoto up and carry him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Oho (10-5) defeated Oshoma (9-6). Oshoma pressured Oho and had forced him to the edge but Oho put his right arm around Oshoma’s head and his left hand in Oshoma’s armpit. Oho then twisted and pulled Oshoma’s head and shoulder down to toward the bales. Ouch. Tsukiotoshi.
Hakuoho (8-7) defeated Ura (10-5). Hakuoho battered Ura and when Ura pulled away, Hakuoho followed with his mitt in Ura’s face. Hakuoho earns his first Outstanding Performance Prize. Oshitaoshi.
Onokatsu (7-8) defeated Abi (3-12). Onokatsu charged ahead. Abi tried to pull and slapdown but he was already at the edge. Silliness. I hope Abi recovers from his injuries. Yorikiri.
Tamawashi (6-9) defeated Kotoshoho (3-12). Tamawashi just bullied Kotoshoho back and over the edge. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Wakamotoharu (9-6) defeated Aonishiki (11-4). Hidari-yotsu. Wakamotoharu forced Aonishiki to the edge and over the bales. Yorikiri.
Takayasu (7-8) defeated Kirishima (6-9). Kirishima’s confidence shaken, he retreated from Takayasu’s tsuppari and Takayasu slapped him down. Tsukiotoshi.
Takanosho (12-3) defeated Wakatakakage (6-9). Takanosho overpowered Wakatakakage and shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Hoshoryu (13-2) defeated Onosato (13-2)! Hoshoryu blitzed Onosato at the tachiai, shoving him hard in the face, driving him straight back and out. Well, that was the opposite of a henka but the outcome was just as quick. Oshidashi.
Play-off
Onosato defeated Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu launched out and latched onto Onosato’s mawashi with a deep right-hand grip. He pivoted and spun, trying to drive Onosato over the bales but Onosato adjusted, shifted slightly so Onosato was toppled on top of Hoshoryu. Both men crashed off the dohyo. Gunbai Onosato. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Onosato yusho.
Wrap-up
Well. This basho had a little bit of everything, didn’t it? It ended in a Play-off between the Yokozuna. Hoshoryu drove the action in both bouts. Onosato’s counter attack was better in the Play-off. Next Stop, London.
We will find out our Juryo promotions in a few days but most of the banzuke will remain under wraps until the troupe heads to Kyushu. Wakatakakage and Kirishima will fall out of sanyaku. Takayasu likely will, as well. Aonishiki will claim a Sekiwake slot and he will probably be joined by Oho. Who will claim the Komusubi slots? Takanosho? Wakamotoharu? Hiradoumi?
Day Fourteen brings us late breaking developments. Kotozakura is kyujo. He felt a pop in his knee yesterday while defeating Hoshoryu. Diagnosis is an urgent MCL injury requiring three weeks out. This will hand Onosato a fusen victory today, moving the Yokozuna to 13-1. Aonishiki and Takanosho are mathematically eliminated and Hoshoryu must win today to stay in the race.
In Juryo, Asahakuryu defeated Kagayaki to remain in the lead at 12-2. Asanoyama beat Fujiseiun to stay one loss off the pace at 11-3. Nishikifuji will visit Makuuchi today and will fight Asakoryu to see if he can stay in the race.
Shonannoumi defeated Hitoshi. Shonannoumi charged forward and flopped to the ground while Hitoshi pulled and attempted a slapdown, running backwards out of the ring. Gunbai Shonannoumi, no mono-ii. Oshidashi.
Nishikifuji (11-3) defeated Asakoryu (6-8). Asakoryu pulled, like Hitoshi before him, and stepped out of the ring. Nishikifuji did not belly flop to the ground so this decision was more obvious. Oshidashi.
Tobizaru (8-6) defeated Mitakeumi (6-8). Tobizaru latched on to Mitakeumi’s belt and drove forward, forcing Mitakeumi over the bales. Yorikiri.
Nishikigi (2-12) defeated Roga (6-8). Nishikigi pressed forward a few steps and then pulled, shoving Roga down to the ground. Hikiotoshi.
Shishi (10-4) defeated Daieisho (6-8). Daieisho tsuppari appeared to be dominating Shishi, while Shishi cycled backward around the ring. Shishi charged forward to attack but Daieisho stepped to the side. Shishi went past but recovered before going out. Daieisho closed to attack but Shishi stepped to the side. Olé. Daieisho ran by and fell off the dohyo. Hatakikomi.
Sadanoumi (6-8) defeated Churanoumi (8-6). Churanoumi charged forward while Sadanoumi twisted with a throw attempt. Both men crashed out of the ring, landing in the crowd. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. Churanoumi’s foot went out first so Sadanoumi was given the victory. Tsukiotoshi.
Tomokaze (9-5) defeated Midorifuji (6-8). Tomokaze pivoted to his right and slapped Midorifuji down. Hatakikomi.
Ura (10-4) defeated Ryuden (9-5). Both men pressed into each other with hazu-oshi. Suddenly, Ura pulled and Ryuden stumbled forward. Ryuden stopped his momentum before reaching the bales but Ura shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Kinbozan (7-7) defeated Tokihayate (6-8). Kinbozan thrust Tokihayate back. Tokihayate shifted and pulled but Kinbozan stuck with him and thrust Tokihayate out. Tsukidashi.
Oshoma (9-5) defeated Shodai (9-5). Shodai on the attack, tried to slap Oshoma down and then locked on with a left hand uwate. Oshoma broke Shodai’s hold, pressed forward and forced Shodai out. Oshidashi.
Meisei (5-9) defeated Atamifuji (4-10). Meisei pulled and slapped Atamifuji down. Atamifuji kept glancing at the shimpan, hoping for a mono-ii which never came. The result was not as close as Atamifuji thought but it was closer than necessary. The best pull of the first half was Tomokaze’s because it was such a clear victory with the “pivot and pull”. Hatakikomi.
Halftime
Fujinokawa (6-8) defeated Gonoyama (1-13). Gonoyama charged forward and Fujinokawa pivoted away. Gonoyama turned quickly his back was to the bales. Fujinokawa reengaged with a fierce attack and crushed Gonoyama over the bales. Yoritaoshi.
Wakamotoharu (8-6) defeated Hakuoho (7-7). Wakamotoharu locked up Hakuoho and drove him back. Hakuoho did not seem able to bear much weight on his right leg so he couldn’t get any resistance at the edge. Yorikiri.
Oho (9-5) defeated Kusano (7-7). Oho locked up Kusano’s arms at the tachiai. Kusano struggled to get his right arm released from Oho’s grasp. When he did, Oho still had Kusano’s left arm locked up, pivoted left and swung Kusano around to the edge. Oho then followed up and shoved Kusano out. Oshidashi.
Onokatsu (6-8) defeated Tamawashi. Tamawashi charged into Onokatsu behind his strong tsuppari. Onokatsu weathered the attack and snuck inside to get both arms locked inside on Tamawashi’s belt. This negated Tamawashi’s tsuppari attack and Onokatsu immediately drove him back across the dohyo. Tamawashi resisted at the bales and tried to escape to the left, then to the right. Onokatsu kept the pressure on until he forced Tamawashi over the bales. Yorikiri.
Ichiyamamoto (4-10) defeated Abi (3-11). Abi hit Ichiyamamoto with strong nodowa, then pivoted and pulled. Ichiyamamoto knew the pull was coming so he put the brakes on quickly. Abi was off balance and stumbled out with a little help from Ichiyamamoto. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Takayasu (6-8) defeated Kotoshoho (3-11). Solid tsuppari and footwork from Takayasu. He forced Kotoshoho back. Kotoshoho pivoted and pulled, pivoted and pulled, pivoted and pulled. But Takayasu pursued well hit Kotoshoho with strong tsuppari, charged forward and forced Kotoshoho out. Tsukidashi.
Aonishiki (11-3) defeated Hiradoumi (7-7). Hiradoumi hit Aonishiki hard at the tachiai. Aonishiki recovered, pressed ahead and suddenly shifted left, allowing Hiradoumi to fall forward. Hatakikomi.
Onosato (13-1) fusen over Kotozakura (9-5).
Takanosho (11-3) defeated Kirishima (6-8). Takanosho did his best Daieisho impression, thrusting into Kirishima and chasing him back. Kirishima tried to shove him and move to the side but he lost his balance and stepped out. It took a really long time for the kimarite to be announced. I wonder what the criteria were that determined tsukidashi. Were they thinking it might be oshidashi, or were they thinking isamiashi? Tsukidashi.
Hoshoryu (12-2) defeated Wakatakakage (6-8). Henka? Hoshoryu leaped ahead and to his right, grabbing Wakatakakage’s belt and pulling him forward. Hatakikomi.
Wrap-up
Hoshoryu gives us some suspense on Senshuraku. The title will come down to the Yokozuna on senshuraku! We have wanted this for years…5 ½, to be exact. The last time we had a Yokozuna showdown for the yusho was when Hakuho defeated Kakuryu in Osaka 2020. Before that, we have to go way back to Kyushu 2013 when Harumafuji defeated Hakuho.
We have make-koshi records from both Sekiwake and Takayasu at Komusubi. Takayasu will surely fall from sanyaku. The Aonishiki will be promoted to Sekiwake. Oho is laying claim to one of the open slots and Hakuoho might make a case with a win tomorrow, though his loss today has me concerned.
The full bout list is not available at the time of publish. I’ll update this post with the full pairings later.
