Jungyo is not the only sumo news going on so I have tweaked the format of this weekend’s news update post. We’ll get to Jungyo in a bit but first there are some other sumo-related news topics to mention.
Death of Shikoroyama-Oyakata
Former Sekiwake Terao and master of Shikoroyama heya, Fukuzono Yoshifumi has died. Beloved by sumo fans of the 1980s and 1990s, Terao was known for his slender physique and spirited tsuppari. He began his sumo career in 1980 at his father’s Izutsu-beya, alongside his two brothers, Sakahoko and Kakureizan.
After five years in the lower divisions, he rose to the top division in 1985, establishing himself as a division favorite for the next 15 years. He is a key member of the Hana-no-sanpachi-gumi, wrestlers born during Showa-38 (1963). That list includes former Yokozuna Hokutoumi, Futahaguro and Ozeki Konishiki.
After retirement, he led Shikoroyama-beya where he coached Homasho to the rank of Komusubi as well as yusho-winning Abi. When Homasho retired, he remained attached to the heya as Tatsutagawa-oyakata. His brother, Sakahoko, took on Izutsu-beya and trained Kakuryu before his own death of pancreatic cancer in 2019.
Shikoroyama had been unwell in recent years due to a chronic heart condition and had been kyujo from the recent tournament in November. Abi had come back to Tokyo from where he had been on tour in order to visit with his master in hospital.
When the master of a heya dies, it obviously raises questions about the future of the heya and its wrestlers. At this time it is unclear whether Homasho will take over or whether the wrestlers will be transferred elsewhere. Tachiai will provide an update as developments become clear.
New Recruits
Isegahama-beya and former Yokozuna Kakuryu both had dueling recruitment announcements this past week. Isegahama and Kakuryu poached 18-year-old seniors from Atamifuji’s former high school, Hiryu in Numazu, Shizuoka prefecture. Isegahama claimed Suzuki Ryuichi (185cm, 130kg) while Kakuryu shook hands with Shirasaka Yuto (183cm, 140kg) who will debut with Michinoku-beya but as Kakuryu’s uchi-deshi.
Both gentlemen will debut at Hatsu 2024. That will make for some intriguing mae-zumo bouts and a very interesting Jonokuchi yusho race in March. Kakuryu also made it known that he will branch out from Michinoku at some point to run his own stable.
Kabu Kalculus
Several years ago, Kakuryu had been seen as the likely heir to the Izutsu kabu, in honor of his master. However, that kabu was picked up by Shimanoumi, who is obviously still active in Juryo and has loaned it out to Akiseyama. After the closure of Izutsu beya, Kakuryu and the other Izutsu-beya wrestlers settled into Michinoku-beya. However, the master has made it known that he will not give up the kabu after he turns 65 and must retire next year. He will keep the kabu and stay on for another 5-years as an advisor, as is his right. Suddenly, the Shikoroyama kabu will become available and one wonders if it has traded hands. Who knows? When the dust settles, Kakuryu may end up with the Izutsu kabu after all.
An aside: This practice has always fascinated me. We often assume that capitalism is capitalism, socialism is socialism, and there’s one dogmatic method of doing things when there are actually a myriad of flavors, albeit with common, fundamental tenets — like private ownership. But here in the sumo world we have ownership of the Sumo Kyokai split among former wrestlers, with a cap on the number of shares available. I’ve just been very curious how it would play out if this practice were put in place at, say, US Steel by the likes of J P Morgan and Andrew Carnegie or at Facebook or Apple, or the mom-and-pop greasy spoon down the street. It would be a system where the shares could only be owned by select workers, where eligibility is based on performance criteria, and only the best of the best can…run their own division, let’s say? But I digress…
Winter Jungyo 2023: Week 2
The tour stopped in Ehime prefecture on Shikoku before heading to Hiroshima for two dates and then Osaka this weekend. The tour will continue on for a couple more dates in Central Japan this week before wrapping up in Tochigi before Christmas. In Matsuyama, Atamifuji* got to sit and get his hair done. In Sakai, Osaka, hometown hero Ura got the same treatment with Gonoyama, Ura, and Tobizaru taking turns fielding questions from the audience in Question Corner.
*Correction: an earlier version incorrectly stated that Mitakeumi sat for the oicho-mage demonstration in Matsuyama.
