Jungyo

Hakuho – Onosho Butsukari

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, Hakuho (白鵬) , ,

Found in the depths of YouTube, some kindly fan shot a rather excellent butsukari session during the jungyo sumo PR tour last week. It appears to show Yokozuna Hakuho in an extended butsukari session with rising star Onosho.

Onosho has turned in back to back 10-5 records in his first two tournaments in Makuuchi, and it’s clear he is a young man driven to succeed. If you have the patience to watch the whole thing, Hakuho is really working him to exhaustion (the point of butsukari). At the end, its awesome to see Onosho rally and really push with renewed vigor.

Note as Onosho reaches exhaustion and wants to give up, Hakuho first taunts him, then gets the crowd to cheer him on.

For those not used to sumo training, this interaction may seem odd or even somewhat like hazing, which it is not. I also note that Hakuho really seeks out the hard-charging young rikishi who are working to make the best of their sumo career, and works them hard.

Yokozuna Kisenosato Resumes Training

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, injury, Kisenosato (稀勢の里) , ,

Kise-Jungyo-Aug-15

Word from the summer jugyo that Yokozuna Kisenosato resumed some sumo keiko (training) during the tour’s stop in Aomori Prefecture. The Yokozuna was seen engaging in butsukari with former sekitori Takagenji, which would indicate that Kisenosato now feels strong and healthy enough to resume practice.

Of course this sparked a great deal of discussion in the sumo fan world, with many fans taking exception with a declaration that “Kisenosato’s Recovery Is Complete” drawing great skepticism. An article from Yahoo Japan points out, the chances that all of his various injuries are repaired enough for him to compete are a long shot. The article even quotes someone from a Tokyo hospital that frequently treats sumotori, who cautions that Kisenosato has been urged by the YDC to not participate in Aki, and to ensure that his health is excellent and his damage to his chest and foot are completely healed before he resumes competition.

「３月場所で左上腕と左胸の筋肉を損傷したが、とっくに治っているそうですよ。左足も表向きは『左足関節靱帯損傷』となっているが、いくら負け越しが許されない横綱といっても『負け越しそうなんで休みます』とは言えない。ケガを大袈裟に発表して途中休場するのは、昔から多くの横綱がよくやってきたことです。稀勢の里はこれまでケガについては具体的なことは明言していないが、これは周囲に口止めされているからのようです。ケガが完治しているなら、成績が振るわないのは実力ということになってしまいますからね」

As for myself, I suspect Kisenosato joined the jungyo to re-assure the fans, and to test out his recovery and readiness for Aki prior to making some manner of go/no-go call within 2 weeks. While the entire sumo world wants to see Kisenosato back on the dohyo, we are all looking for him to return strong, powerful and ready to challenge Hakuho for dominance in the ring.

Summer Jungyo Hightlight Reel

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, Gōeidō (豪栄道), Harumafuji (日馬富士), Kisenosato (稀勢の里) , ,

Shamelessly stolen from a twitter post, because I could not find it on YouTube. Some highlights of the kinds of things going on during the summer jungyo, including shokkiri (aka you can’t do that in sumo), Kisenosato toting a baby to the dohyo for his dohyo-iri, and Goeido taking a practice match from Harumafuji. Oh yeah, and Onosho!

Remaining August Jungyo Schedule

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017 , ,

Hakkiyoi KITTE Sumo event in Japan Post building

The sumotori are still out on their PR tour of central, and soon, northern Japan. The summer tour is important as it brings sumo to the fans, and has done a great job of boosting the appeal of sumo across Japan.

With the Aki basho kicking off on September 10th (count down in the sidebar on the right), there are only a few stops left on the summer tour. This includes

Today – August 14th: Off
August 15th – 20th: Aomori & Hokkaido
August 21st – 22nd: Break & return to Tokyo
August 23rd – 24th: Tokyo, Odaiba mini tournament
August 24th & 25th: Kanagawa & Saitama
August 27th – KITTE exhibition in Tokyo / Banzuke Day

The KITTE exhibition is held in a the JP tower in Marunouchi, Tokyo. Just a note – some really fantastic Okonomiyaki is available nearby. It also happens on the day that the banzuke is published for the upcoming Aki basho.

Never fear sumo fans, the next basho is only 4 weeks away!

Yokozuna Hakuho Withdraws From Summer Jungyo

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, Hakuho (白鵬), injury ,

Hakuho-Jungyo

Reports from the summer sumo PR tour in central Japan are that Yokozuna Hakuho has withdrawn. Complaining for persistant and increasing pain in his left knee, Hakuho has returned to Tokyo to rest prior to the Aki basho in just one month.

Fans have greatly enjoyed seeing “The Boss” back in fighting form for the past two tournaments, but as we have cautioned, he is one injury away from having to struggle to make it through a basho. Like any combat sport, the mechanical injuries sustained by the athletes never really go away, you can only get them so that you can continue to compete. In the case of this injury, the Yokozuna declared that this had been troubling him since before Nagoya.

This leaves only an injured Harumafuji and an injured Kisenosato remaining with the tour. Fans might infer from this that the roster for Aki could in fact be rather light at the top ranks if none of sumo’s grand champions are fit to fight.

The Return of Kisenosato

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, injury, Kisenosato (稀勢の里) , ,

Kisenosato Natsu Banzuke

It is reported (via Yahoo Japan) that on Thursday, August 10th, Yokozuna Kisenosato will join the summer jungyo, as the sumo PR tour makes a stop in his home ground in Ibaraki, where he is a local hero.

Readers will recall that it is the opinion of the Tachiai team that Kisenosato should have already undergone reconstructive surgery to repair damage to his left pectoral muscle in March. But clearly the first Japanese born Yokozuna in a generation wants no part of that, and instead will work with what he has and do his best.

His stable master is cited as saying that Kisenosato has limited training opportunities in Tokyo more or less alone when most of the sekitori are out on the PR tour. Therefore, in order to train and condition for the upcoming Aki basho in 4 weeks, he must go out on tour.

While I am sure sumo fans worldwide will be thrilled to see Kisenosato back in action, we all recognize that he is still hurt, and likely has no path to recovery short of a protracted medical intervention. We all wish him the best of luck and the greatest possible health.

Yokozuna Harumafuji Joins The Summer Tour

Bruce H Aki Basho 2017, Harumafuji (日馬富士)

Harumafuji-Jungyo-2017-2

In spite of Harumafuji’s consideration of elbow surgery, he has decided he is going to “tough it out” and as of Tuesday, and join the sumer Jungyo. While it’s great to see Harumafuji back in action, and have him drawing fans to sumo’s summer PR road show, it’s very sad to know that without medical treatment, he will continue to operate at ever decreasing performance levels.

There is also talk that we will see Yokozuna Kisenosato join the tour this week, as well. Good luck to all of the sumotori who are gamberizing this August.

Thanks to reader Herouth for the tip(s).