Kintamayama

Aki Day 15 Preview

Bruce H Abi (阿炎), Aki 2023, Aoiyama, Asanoyama (朝乃山), Atamifuji (熱海富士), Chiyoshoma, Daieisho (大栄翔), Daishoho, Endo (遠藤), Gonoyama, Hiradoumi (平戸海), Hokuseiho (北青鵬), Hokutōfuji (北勝富士), Hoshoryu, Kagayaki (輝), Kinbozan (金峰山), Kirishima, Kotoeko, Kotonowaka, Kotoshoho, Meisei, Midorifuji, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Myogiryu (妙義龍), Nishikifuji (錦富士), Nishikigi, Oho (王鵬), Ryuden (竜電), Sadanoumi (佐田の海), Shonannoumi, Shōdai (正代直也), Takakeishō (貴景勝), Takanosho, Takarafuji (宝富士), Takayasu (高安), Tamawashi (玉鷲), Tobizaru, Tsurugisho, Ura (宇良), Wakamotoharu (若元春), Ōnoshō (阿武咲) ,

My thanks to Tachiai blog creator Andy, who filled in for the day 14 highlights. What a day of sumo it was indeed. We are left with only 5 rikishi with 7-7 “Darwin” scores, so we get 2 head to head Darwin matches for today. Not a cornucopia that I had hoped for, but enough to underscore the zero sum nature of the sport. Of course one of the participants is Shodai, the ultimate 7-7 rikishi. I also note that Hokutofuji scored his 8th win a couple of days ago, robbing us of “The most powerful make-koshi in all of sumo”, which is sometimes his forte.

The Emperor’s Cup will be decided in the second half of today’s torikumi. Right now, Atamifuji controls his outcome. He is matched against Asanoyama, and should he win, he takes home the hardware. Sadly no balloons drop from the tsuriyane (the dohyo’s roof), but by golly, there should be!

If Asanoyama can stop navel gazing for a few minutes, he should be able to get into “that pose” and simply summon the power of the ancients to banish Atamifuji from the dohyo. But it has been years since we saw him do anything like that. Asanoyama, just go back to being the guy who was happy to be doing sumo every day, who always looked like he was having a great time no matter the outcome. That’s why you succeeded in the past.

Ok, should Asanoyama pull it off, it could be as many as 4 people battling for the cup. Including (checks notes) Hokuseiho? What fresh catnip for the Great Sumo Cat of the Kokugikan is this? Note to readers, should somehow Hokuseiho take home the cup, I will in fact eat both my own buttocks.

Aki Leaderboard

Don’t worry, my ample rear end is safe from the frying pan. Here are the possible participants, though some of them face off head to head.

Leaders: Atamifuji
Chasers: Takakeisho, Daieisho, Takayasu, Hokuseiho

Maximum case comes if Atamifuji loses to Asanoyama, then the winner of the Takakeisho vs Daieisho match will be in a playoff after regulation, plus possibly Takayasu, and maybe some pylon for the new football stadium in a mawashi named Hokuseiho.

1 Match Remains

What We Are Watching Day 15

Mitakeumi (9-5) vs Nishikifuji (4-10) – Earlier in the basho, one of the commentators on NHK remarked how far Mitakeumi had fallen that he can now be the first match of the day. It seems like a bit of a gratuitous kick in the jimmies then, and here they did it again. Most likely a Mitakeumi win, with double-digit bonus score if he does.

Kotoshoho (5-9) vs Endo (8-6) – Well, someone had to fight Kotoshoho, so Endo gets the job. Endo is already kachi-koshi, and Kotoshoho is one loss away from double digits. Can you guess what happens next? Endo has won the last two matches against Kotoshoho.

Kinbozan (9-5) vs Myogiryu (9-5) – A fight to see who gets a double digit winning record. They only have one prior match, on day 2 of Nagoya, and it went to Kinbozan by yoritaoshi. Given how well Myogiryu has been fighting, I think there is a good chance he will take this match from Kinbozan.

Midorifuji (9-5) vs Aoiyama (5-9) – Midorifuji has a 3-1 career record against the injured and faltering Aoiyama. A loss for him today would be double digits, and may send him into the queue to join the Juryo barge of the damed. One last chance for a katasukashi, served with a dollop of sour cream, I would guess.

Kagayaki (4-10) vs Oho (5-9) – Kagayaki has already stowed his akeni aboard the afore mentioned Juryo barge, and now he gets a chance to welcome Oho to the double digit loss club. Clearly Oho’s sumo is in shambles right now, and he needs a few weeks to get himself back in line. He has a 4-2 record against Kagayaki, including their most recent match: Day 1 of Natsu.

Chiyoshoma (2-12) vs Ryuden (6-8) – Chiyoshoma is Juryo bound as well, but Ryuden has a shot to soften his make-koshi to a mild 7-8 with a win today. I think the coming November banzuke will be the first time in a long time with no Kokonoe rikishi in the top division. Don’t be surprised to read stories next week of a rampaging zombie of Chiyonofuji tearing it up at the heya to whip these guys into shape.

Onosho (8-6) vs Tsurugisho (8-6) – Both kachi-koshi, both with solid performaces this tournament, and one final match to see who gets to end the month 9-6. They have a nearly even 6-7 record, with Tsurugisho winning the last 4 in a row, mostly by pull down or thrust down. Can that be any surprise when the opponent is Onosho?

Sadanoumi (7-7) vs Shonannoumi (7-7) – First of our Darwin matches, where we find out which of our S*noumi rikishi have what it takes to finish out the tournament with a kachi-koshi. They have never fought before, so this one is a wide open mystery.

Takanosho (5-9) vs Daishoho (3-11) – The captain of the Juryo barge of the damed, Daishoho, will have the opportunity to leave the top division with a win. Should he prevail against Takanosho, he would drop him to a double digit make-koshi loss. He has a 7-3 career record against Takanosho, but may be too banged up right now for that to matter.

Hiradoumi (5-9) vs Tamawashi (2-12) – Regardless of how this one ends, just finishing the tournament will be an achievement for Tamawasih. Fifteen days of what may have been painful sumo, he can finally focus on getting his body ready for Kyushu. He has beaten Hiradoumi in both their prior matches, but may not be physically able to extend that to 3-0 today.

Shodai (7-7) vs Takarafuji (7-7) – The second of our Darwin matches, and it’s not looking good for Takarafuji. He has only won 3 times in 20 matches against Shodai, who seems to really enjoy using the “Wall of Daikon” on Takarafuji. Winner is kachi-koshi, loser is make-koshi.

Atamifuji (11-3) vs Asanoyama (8-6) – Hopefully you took the half time break to bring an entire bottle of sake over to where you are watching sumo, as this is where it gets crazy. First ever match between yusho race leader Atamifuji, and former Ozeki Asanoyama. Trust me when I say that Asanoyama has already figured out 5 different ways he can lose this match, and is worried to death about all of them. The kami that propelled him to Ozeki is feeling abandoned, and is down at the spiritual izakaya black out drunk, picking fights with the local Sumida-ku yokai, waiting for the “Seven Wonders of Honjo” to show up. Will the kami get its ass handed to it by “The Procession of the Tanuki“? or will it make it to the Kokugikan to give Asanoyama the fighting energy he needs to open this yusho race wide?

Kotoeko (6-8) vs Meisei (6-8) – Both are already make-koshi, so this is to see who gets the more gentle slide down the banzuke for November. Kotoeko holds an 11-6 career advantage, though I think Meisei has been fighting much better this month.

Hokutofuji (8-6) vs Abi (8-6) – Both men have 8 wins and are already kachi-koshi. But strongly feel the Abi needs to have a henka revenge satisfying loss before this basho is over, and who better to supply that than Hokutofuji? Unfortunately the career record of 8-5 favors Abi, so this may not come to pass.

Gonoyama (8-6) vs Tobizaru (6-8) – Another first ever match for shin-Goeido, who has done a solid job by reaching kachi-koshi for his first visit to the joi-jin. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to be one to watch. Sadly, Tobizaru lost a couple of matches he could have won, and will have to settle with at least 8 losses for September. He had key wins against Takakeisho and Hoshoryu, and I am looking forward to him continuing to harass the top rankers in Kyushu.

Nishikigi (5-9) vs Ura (8-6) – We wave a fond farewell to one of sumo’s nice guys, who managed to finally be ranked in the san’yaku rather late in his career. By the second week, everyone had a solution for his battle hug, and he was no longer a threat. He may lose this match today, as Ura tends to make Nishikigi the unfortunate target of “tug and pull” sumo. Ura had a 5-2 career advantage.

Kotonowaka (8-6) vs Wakamotoharu (9-5) – Both of them are kachi-koshi, both of them are going to ranked in the exact same spot for November, so this is just for the joy of sumo. I would like to see Wakamotoharu hit double digits and start an Ozeki run, but Kotonowaka leads the series 6-4.

Hokuseiho (10-4) vs Hoshoryu (7-7) – Imagine the final day torikumi comes out, and you need one more win to save face and not be kadoban your first tournament as an Ozeki. Your opponet is ranked Maegashira 11, awesome! Your opponent works as a structural component of one of TEPCO’s largest hydro-electoral projects in the off-season, damn! They have one prior match, Natsu day 12 where Hoshoryu won by okuridashi. I don’t think there is a huge chance that Hokuseiho will win this one, but if he does, make sure you have that bottle of sake close at hand.

Daieisho (10-4) vs Takakeisho (10-4) – One of these two gets to challenge for the cup if Asanoyama can stop feeling sorry for his self and beat up the newbie. Oh blast, what are the odds of that? Anyhow, what a great idea to have these two friends battle it out for a chance to compete for the cup. Both are 10-4, but Takakeisho has a 17-6 career lead, plus he has been fighting well, plus plus, he’s the “Grand Tadpole” ’nuff said.

Kirishima (8-6) vs Takayasu (10-4) – The final match of the tournament will feature Takayasu maybe just maybe having a narrow shot at also competing for the yusho if Asanoyama can do what he needs to do. As a long suffering fan of sumo’s most hirsute top division fighter, I know full well not to expect much, especially if his back is once again boogered up (which rumors in the Japanese press seem to indciate). Frankly I am just happy that Kirishima has cleared kadoban, the rest of bonus.

Tachiai In The News

Bruce H Natsu Basho 2022 , , ,

With a hearty thanks to Mr. John Gunning….

He has penned an article in the Japan Times on the fan driven English language sumo media. He gives well deserved mentions to notables such as:

Sumo Forum – The place to go to read actual sumo experts
Moti Dichne – Better known as Kintamayama, the grand duke of sumo media
Grand Sumo Breakdown – If you don’t listen to them, you should.

And nestled in there is a mention of Tachiai, with a specific shout out to our ace prognosticator Leonid Kruglyak (lksumo) and contributor Herouth.

Team Tachiai is honored to make the press, and to be described in positive terms.

It’s a testament of how global sumo fandom has grown, and I think will continue to grow. People like John Gunning, Moti Dichne, and Jason have spent more than a decade blazing the trail that the rest of us are now following.

That being said, I do hope that we get to have Mr. Gunning back as commentator on NHK soon. I have no news of this, but I do miss having him on the color commentator rotation for the weekend broadcasts.

Tachiai Interviews Kintamayama, Part 5: “You can’t bleep it out, that’s my name!”

Josh K Interview, Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊) , , ,

 

Kintamayama / Moti Dichne Live in Concert
After completing our setlist of questions, Kintamayama prepares to play Tachiai off the stage. Photo courtesy of Moti Dichne.

Welcome to the fifth and final part of Tachiai’s conversation with Moti Dichne, aka Kintamayama. Moti is well known in the online sumo community for his tireless coverage of all things sumo through his newsletter, his presence on SumoForum, and of course, his exhaustive YouTube channel.

A big thanks is due to Moti for taking the time to chat with us. We’re pleased to have been able to bring this conversation to our readers, and are thrilled that it has not only been so well received, but created more conversations around sumo – especially including some of the more controversial aspects of our chat!

Click here for Part 1, here for Part 2, here for Part 3, and here for part 4 of our conversation. The interview took place during this year’s Natsu basho, and has been edited only for clarity and length. This segment touches on Moti’s shikona, his channel, and perhaps the most controversial move in sumo.

Tachiai: Let’s talk about Kintamayama (金玉山), The Mountain of Testicles.

Moti Dichne (Kintamayama): Everyone had funny names to stand out. That’s the whole point of playing the game.

When I entered, and started following sumo online, I made a list of names, and this just came. It just sounds good, the meaning doesn’t matter 90% of the time. Most people don’t understand it. It sounds cool.

The funniest thing is, Japanese TV interviewed me. It’s on YouTube. During the show, you’re not allowed to say these [kinds of] things. But if that’s my name… that’s my name!

The announcer was having such a great time saying it, and every time he said it, the crowd burst into laughter! “Kintamayama” “Waahhh!!!”

He said it about ten times in two minutes, just so he could say it. Let’s say a Japanese guy would play someone called “C—face.” Can you imagine the announcer? “And this is C—face.” What can I say? You can’t bleep it out, that’s the name!

But I never thought it would become this [big]. I thought, “Kintamayama’s a joke!” Some of the Japanese sumo games would not accept my entry because of my shikona. I said, “that’s a reason to stick with it!”

Some guy wrote me and said, “When you’ve retired, can I get that toshiyori, that second generation name?” I said, “No problem, you take the name when I retire.”

For foreign fans, it just sounds like another name. I thought of “ji-shin,” earthquake. But jishin? that’s nothing. And people die in earthquakes. Testicles, no problem. Konishiki went crazy! He loved saying it. He’d say, “This is my friend, Kintamayama!”

John Gunning told me, “The Kyokai knows your name, they know!”

I have no idea why [the Kyokai] never shut me down, to tell you the truth. I never got any warnings, until the last basho, and I got a warning from Abema. I’ve never used Abema! I can’t watch Abema, I’m not going to use VPN. I understand that because [the channel is] a digest, it falls under the category of fair use.

The Kyokai are very strict, but MLB and NBA are much more strict. There are many, many [sports] digest channels that have not been touched, and I use those. When I don’t have the time or inclination to watch the whole game, I just watch the highlights. But I have no idea why they’ve never touched me. 

Is it because no one else is doing it, even their rights holders?

I have no idea, I’m not going to ask anyone either, to wake up the dead dogs as they say. They know. Just look at the numbers, 12 million views, 26,000 subscribers, that’s a lot for sumo, any way you look at it. It’s a different thing to Jason, he’s incredible, [the way he] does the top bouts and films it. It’s a fantastic philosophy. He’s brought in thousands of fans and it’s very approachable, he’s a cool guy. 

I think for a lot of people, it’s appealing when you don’t know anyone else who’s into sumo to discover someone like Jason on YouTube, and that concept that it’s like watching it with a buddy. You can kind of go “oh, interesting, I don’t have another person who I can talk to about this.”

And it’s not that many bouts, so it shows the top guys.

The cool thing about that is there’s an ecosystem. We’re in this moment where people, specifically English speakers, can’t get enough information. To your earlier point, there are a lot of people from the English speaking world who perhaps don’t understand the Japanese way of thinking, and how that way of thinking informs sumo culture. I think the more information that’s available to those people, the more rich it makes the community. We see comments all the time, such as “why doesn’t this rikishi take a bunch of bashos off” or “why don’t they do this or that,” and you need that background information.

We have to be patient. I get a lot of comments on my videos and I try to answer every one that has a question, and especially every comment that says something that I find totally wrong. And usually, 99% [of people] say “thank you for the information.”

But if it’s, “Why is it like this?” “Why are there no weight classes,” and things like that, that’s like asking why players in baseball wear caps. What kind of question is that?! Let’s say I asked you that kind of question, what would your answer be?

About caps?

Yeah, let’s say you have a baseball site, and I say “why are your players wearing these ridiculous caps?”

That’s how it is, it’s part of the game.

Yes! Exactly! You don’t come into a baseball forum and ask “hey, why are bunts allowed? It seems unfair!” 

Now they have statistics that prove bunts are actually not good.

Bunts are like a henka. Why is henka allowed? Okay: that is always the biggest question. But it always deteriorates and ends with the word “nazi.” When you get to that part, where it’s “you fucking nazi!” … that’s when the discussion is over. The henka lights up everything.

It’s controversial. Whenever you see a henka, at least on the English feed, the commentators will always say “look, it’s a legal move.”

Yeah, “I don’t like it but it’s a legal move.” The Japanese commentators don’t like it.

I think it’s the equivalent in baseball of a curveball.

I think it’s the equivalent in baseball of an intentional walk. And now, from last season, you don’t have to throw the ball for an intentional walk, you just say it.  

The crowd feels cheated. An intentional walk is usually against the biggest hitter, and the crowd says “shit, I paid however many dollars, I want to see him play, not walk!” 

So Terunofuji henkas Kotoshogiku and ends his Ozeki career. People said an Ozeki shouldn’t do that – and then Terunofuji himself had to later attempt to get back to Ozeki. What do we think about that?

It’s crap! At that time, in a big sumo newspaper, I was on the “for henka” side and another guy was against it. Each one of us wrote a gigantic article. I said it doesn’t matter if you’re a Yokozuna or an Ozeki, as long as it’s legal. I don’t like kachiage, but for it to be frowned upon!? It’s part of sumo, it’s not a rule. 

What about the harite?

The harite also. You know, Hakuho, the last few years, without the harite, had a problem. He came back a bit with it [in Osaka], and got the yusho! I don’t care! I love it!! I think the slap and grab is nice.

I think it adds character.

It adds everything – it’s not boring. But, there were guys that used to do glorious henkas, jumping in the air. That’s part of keeping people guessing.

Look at your opponent, don’t look at the floor like Kotoshogiku, who was the number one henka-ee, you know? You’re not animals, just see what you’re opponent’s doing.

There are people who can’t stand it, because they think it’s cheating. You can’t convince everyone about the henka. 

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, we appreciate it!

Thank you for asking me!

Find out more from Kintamayama and subscribe to his mailing list at dichne.com. And finally, thanks again to Moti for chatting with Tachiai.

Tachiai Interviews Kintamayama, Part 4: “If Hakuho goes, we have no responsible adult.”

Josh K Aminishiki (安美錦), Gōeidō (豪栄道), Hakuho (白鵬), Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊), Kotoyuki, Mitakeumi(御嶽海), Takakeishō (貴景勝), Toyonoshima, Ōnoshō (阿武咲) , ,

Moti Dichne (Kintamayama) and Takanohana
Kintamayama with Takanohana outside of Futagoyama-beya. Photo courtesy of Moti Dichne.

Welcome to Part 4 of Tachiai’s conversation with Moti Dichne, aka Kintamayama. Moti is well known in the online sumo community for his tireless coverage of all things sumo through his newsletter, his presence on SumoForum, and of course, his exhaustive YouTube channel.

Click here for Part 1, here for Part 2, and here for Part 3 of our conversation, if you are catching up. The interview took place during this year’s Natsu basho, and as such predates some current sumo events (such as the retirement of Aminishiki) and has been edited only for clarity and length. This segment touches on the state of some current rikishi and the ongoing transition in the sport.

Tachiai: A lot of people are very interested in debating Takakeisho’s ceiling. What are your thoughts on Takakeisho? What can he be? He’s got one trick, but it’s a weird trick.

Moti Dichne (Kintamayama): Listen, Chiyotaikai was not much better. He had the windmill thing, and it worked for him for 60 bashos! In the meantime, Takakeisho is looking really good, you can’t argue with that. [edited to add: this interview took place before Takakeisho’s injury caused him to at least temporarily lose his ozeki status]

I personally am a belt person, but [yotsu-zumo rikishi] are becoming like dinosaurs. Look at Makuuchi… out of 42, maybe 32 are slappers! You’ve got Tochinoshin, and Hakuho and maybe 3 more [who are yotsu-zumo rikishi]. But Asanoyama was down where all his opponents are slappers and he’s had a difficult time getting the belt.

I [now] think Takakeisho is the real deal for sure, and I didn’t think so. I was happy they didn’t promote him when they didn’t promote him [the first time he met the informal qualification]. I said, “let’s wait a minute and see how he does mentally.”

Kisenosato would be devastated [in that situation], and it would take him 3 bashos to get over it. Takakeisho got over it very quickly. He’s a cool cucumber. He has a mission, and everyone forgets that he’s a young guy.

Personally, Onosho was the guy that I was rooting for. He started off well, but I hope that his whole setback lately comes from an injury and not from that being how good he is. I’m looking for a reason, because he came up and was killing everybody. Even Takakeisho. Even Hakuho [couldn’t deal with him].

That’s an interesting point. One thing that we’ve been talking about the last several years is that sumo is in a transitionary phase.

Oh, yeah.

But I think that when people hear that, what they expect to see is the Kisenosatos of the world retire – and he did, as did Harumafuji, but Harumafuji retired in a freak situation. It wasn’t like, “we’re in a transitionary period, and all the top guys are going,” what we’re actually seeing is the Takekazes of the world and the guys who are the long serving veterans who are starting to work their way out, but I think it’s happening slower than people really expect. Is it because these veterans of that last period… Takekaze, Yoshikaze, Kotoshogiku, Aminishiki – are they that good that they’re able to hang around or is it because this new generation – Onosho for example – hasn’t been good enough to be able to push on?

A little of both. It’s very difficult to know. There’s one thing that foreign fans will never understand: It’s not yaocho when the young guys have respect. When they were five years old, they used to watch [the older guys] on TV. That has to factor in somewhere, on the dohyo, that “I don’t want to hurt the old guy. I don’t want to be the one who caused the old guy to retire.”

I’m not saying that they’re giving them the wins, but I think they are being extra careful. Nobody will tell you that, but I am pretty sure. And I can tell by the bouts, I can see, the younger the guys are more reluctant to go all-out against Aminishiki, against Toyonoshima. That’s my feeling. Toyonoshima a bit less because when you look at him, you don’t see him as that old. Aminishiki on the other hand, you see an old guy. [He’s] like an oyakata having fun.

The Japanese are very rooted in kohai and sempai. It has power when you were 10 years old and you adored [a rikishi], and suddenly you’re fighting him and you’re saying somewhere, “I don’t want to kill this guy, I don’t want to hurt him.”

There’s a totally different thing happening right now. I think for the first time, since I don’t know when… if Hakuho goes, we have no responsible adult. There’s no name. The minute Hakuho goes, we’re doomed. Kakuryu and Mitakeumi?

Always there’s a void. Takanohana came after Chiyonofuji. The Americans came. There were never 4… 5… 7… 8… 10 bashos like that, and if Hakuho goes…

Dominance is good and bad but it’s good for knowing there’s a responsible adult.

It’s also a society that’s dominated by the concept of eras. We’re talking right now at a time when the change to the Reiwa era has just happened. It’s an appropriate time for this discussion. You can bank on Hakuho, even if he’s kyujo 2 times a year, to get up to 50 to 60 wins a year. I think an issue if he leaves is that usually in that vacuum, someone will go, “ok, I’m going to take those 60 wins.” But right now, we’re seeing six guys taking ten of those wins apiece over the course of the year.

That’s what I’m saying! It’s not going to happen. In the NBA, you have your LeBrons and your Michael Jordans. In baseball you have [dominant] guys. Here, suddenly, there’s nobody. Because Kakuryu does anything but show leadership, you don’t know what’s going to happen with him. He has no charisma. 

Do you think the next Hakuho is in the sport now?

I don’t think there’s going to be a “next Hakuho” for quite a while. I’m not sure about Naya either. I have no idea. None from whoever’s in Makuuchi today. Maybe Takakeisho, but I doubt it if he’s going to be one dimensional. Somewhere along the line, but I don’t see anyone right now. I thought Goeido at some point, but he’s getting old. I think he’s going to win another yusho. I have a feeling that this is his basho [Natsu 2019], but we’ll see.

As we speak, Goeido is on his longest run of staying out of kadoban that he’s ever been on in his entire Ozeki career. [edited to add: he’s since gone kadoban again]

See, this is what we’re talking about: an Ozeki who’s 30 years old and been kadoban every 2-3 [basho]. Guys like Hakuho breeze through Ozeki, [not] stuck in Ozeki for 30 bashos. They just walked over Ozeki, except for Musashimaru, who stayed on for a long time.

I made a poll, a hundred years ago on the mailing list: “Who thinks Musashimaru will become Yokozuna?” Out of about 100 responses, three people. Because there was no way. He seemed to be a happy go lucky guy, content with a 9-6. 10-5.

We all were laughing, saying “he’s going to have to learn the dohyo-iri, just for that he won’t be come Yokozuna!” And then suddenly out of nowhere, he made it in. Everyone was healthy, it wasn’t like it was something that he picked up off the floor. And he was a great Yokozuna.

And Musashimaru was in an era where it was difficult to do that, with Takanohana still being in the sport. Whoever does it next may have a free run at it. 

That’s what we’re saying, exactly! It’s going to be easy! That’s why I have a feeling that even though he’s one dimensional, maybe Takakeisho will be able to do it. He just needs two [consecutive] yushos! And in this atmosphere at this moment, who knows. 

It could happen. I think the biggest issue with the current crop is consistency.

Listen, not only could it happen, it has to happen, because there’s going to be a void. 

There was the period in the early 90s before Akebono, where there was nobody for about a year. There were 4 Yokozuna, and then Asahifuji and Hokutoumi retired, having mostly been kyujo just before they retired. I think we may see that again, where there were 4, and then none. 

I missed Chiyonofuji and all of that era! The internet brought me back to sumo. Between ’67 and ’90, that’s 23 years I was totally out of sumo. There was no other way [to see sumo]. I had to go back and study everything and see what happened, for my own information and my own curiosity. 

It’s a weird parallel because you had this period where you had Onokuni, Hokutoumi…

Onokuni was a lousy Yokozuna also! He should keep on making cakes. He’s a baker!

They all kind of flattered to deceive a little bit, and it’s kind of like the current period, where you had Kisenosato with two yusho, injuries, and he’s out… and maybe the end of Hakuho’s career is similar to the end of Chiyonofuji’s career. Maybe there will be a year break with no Yokozuna because nobody can win two in a row, or the equivalent?

I think it’s going to be interesting. Because the fans now, for the first time, are coming in – not for the Yokozuna. I don’t remember that happening since I got interested in sumo.

It was always the Yokozuna, Asashoryu, these guys [who attracted fans]. Any time they were injured, the attendance went down. In those days, the basho wasn’t sold out in advance.

You look around the arena and see what things people hold up and who they are cheering for, and while you do get a lot of fans for Ozeki Tochinoshin now, a lot of people love Mitakeumi, Endo, Enho…

They’re Japanese! Endo, always! Of course it also depends which tournament it is, the local people always [get support]. Mitakeumi is very well liked, and I don’t understand why! Maybe he’s a nice guy. But his sumo…

He has consistency problems.

And he has training problems, which is worse. He trains [poorly], then he loses and everyone is on his case. He’s one of those guys that he comes on during the basho. 

He’s kind of the opposite of Goeido, who trains very hard, but then falters during the basho.

Yeah, exactly. The oyakata are already making jokes about Mitakeumi, that he loses all the time in training, and they’re saying he’s not going all out and that’s why he’ll never amount to anything. That used to be the case with Robocop (Takamisakari). He would never win a single bout in keiko! It was like he was scared. During the basho he had no choice, but in training he used to be scared! 

He was a character that was great for the sport.

Oh, for sure! A character you need. The way they cut Kotoyuki down… what the hell do you care?! Now, Kotoyuki has this new thing going, his helicopter move [before the tachiai]. Nobody cares. Nobody notices, nobody gives a shit, nobody laughs or claps. In his prime, everybody was waiting just for that! Now, you have the Takayasu “Gorilla.” The crowd goes crazy [for that].

I think Kotoshogiku needs to bring his back bend move back. He stopped when he fell out of san’yaku. Do you think if he goes back to san’yaku he’ll bring it back? 

He stopped his back bend and I didn’t even notice! I read somewhere that someone told him it’s not good for his back. Which sounds like total nonsense. Maybe it’s a san’yaku thing, like the change of names where when they drop out of san’yaku and go back to their real name.

Maybe he feels he’s not a top level guy anymore so he hasn’t earned the right to make a big show?

K: Well, knowing Kotoshogiku, that’s very possible.

The rumour on the street is that he wants to renew his rivalry with Toyonoshima. Do you think that’s ever going to happen?

Toyonoshima looks good. He looks like he has a lot of years in him, in contract to Aminishiki who doesn’t [edited to add: and has since retired]. But Aminishiki has been looking that way for the last five years… so what do I know! I’m telling you the factor is the guys are afraid to injure him and they’re not going all out.

Find out more from Kintamayama and subscribe to his mailing list at dichne.com, and keep an eye out for the final part of our conversation, which will run soon on Tachiai.