retirement

Ishiura Retires, Becomes Magaki-Oyakata

Andy Ishiura (石浦), Retirement ,

You weren’t expecting that news this morning, were you? Neither was I, frankly. We’d known Ishiura’s retirement was going to happen fairly soon but the fact that he would stay on with the Kyokai has taken us by surprise. Even more surprising is that the Magaki kabu has been occupied by the former Chikubayama, Hakuho’s former stable-master. So he’s out. As Ishiura’s kesho mawashi says, “Carpe Diem.”

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the fact that all of these kabu are in use and questions about various succession timelines. I imagine it works the same as any equity. If you own stock in Root Beer, Inc., (I like Root Beer), and more people want your stock, the value of that stock goes up. Root Beer, Inc. to the moon, baby!! But if you issue more stock, it dilutes the value of the equity you have and the price goes down. If we start handing out Kabu to every Hakuho, Terunofuji, and Harry, it will decrease the value of those already in circulation. So I presume these are the conversations that are going on among the oyakata — and may have even factored into the choice not to create a new Hakuho kabu but that’s speculation. The big difference is that I can’t be aged out of my ownership of Root Beer, Inc. when I hit 70 — and I can also buy it back if I’m full of regerts.

What does this mean? Well, ex-Magaki — I’m talking about Chikubayama, not Hakuho here — is out of the Kyokai. He’d had sanyo status where he was a retired advisor attached to Hakuho’s Miyagino-beya. The Kyokai’s profile page for Miyagino-beya has already been updated to reflect the change. So I need to look somewhere else to show you an example. Recently, Irumagawa-oyakata retired and Ikazuchi-oyakata took over. Irumagawa is still attached to Ikazuchi-beya as sanyo, and he can stay there for five years, collecting income. It’s not a big leap to presume Ishiura would have paid a premium to buy Chikubayama out early, or that this timeline was the reason for Ishiura’s delayed retirement announcement (we’ve kind of known he wouldn’t return to the dohyo for a while). Cash out before being forced out? It’s a sensible choice. Carpe Pay Day-um?

Congratulations Hakuho Retirement Contest Winner!

Andy Retirement , , ,

Harumafuji’s Danpatsushiki (photo: Nicola)

The Tachiai Team would like to thank all of the entrants for the Hakuho Retirement Contest. You all had great memories of the GOAT. It was a very difficult decision but Congratulations to Shusekiyama as the winner! And we’d especially like to thank the folks at BuySumoTickets for sponsoring the contest and providing the tickets. Unfortunately, Andy did not win the Billion Dollar Powerball (as he didn’t even hit a single number on either ticket) so he couldn’t make everyone a winner and throw the giant “party to end all parties” at the Kokugikan, like he wanted. It would have been great. He’d have his shamisen, a bottle of whiskey, and a bottomless pot of chanko…but maybe some other time.

That was a lot of fun, and with Japan and the Sumo Kyokai more open from their Covid-induced slumber, we hope to be able to bring more events and contests to you all in the near future. So watch this space.

Intai Watch: Arawashi Retires

Andy Aminishiki (安美錦), Arawashi (荒鷲), Retirement, Takekaze (豪風), Yoshikaze (嘉風) , , , , ,
Harumafuji’s Haircut by Nicola

The sumo world is undergoing a huge shift as aging wrestlers retire and new names make their mark on the banzuke. The latest shikona to add to the list is Arawashi. He was a makuuchi regular from 2014 through 2018, twice almost cracking into sanyaku, reaching Maegashira #2 three years ago at Hatsu ’17 where he claimed two kinboshi, one from Hakuho and the other from Kakuryu a few days later. A third kinboshi came in March from Harumafuji.

Arawashi had been a committed grappler, determined to win or lose in a belt battle rather than the slapping and thrusting of oshi-tsuki styles. After that first tournament at Maegashira #2 he fell a bit as the knee injuries set in. He crawled back to Maegashira #2 in 2018 when then chronic knee injuries forced a rapid slide into the lower ranks of Juryo, and then Makushita last year. After two straight kyujo tournaments, he was likely looking at further demotion to Sandanme, and decided to call it a career. Any news of retirement ceremonies will be posted here on Tachiai.

Intai Watch 2020

Hakuho’s shock admission that he plans to retire this year has put the sumo world on notice that change is coming. Obviously, the date for Hakuho’s retirement is likely in the latter half of the year but a massive question mark remains. With his and Kakuryu’s kyujo, dates for both announcements may be soon.

There are also several big name retirement ceremonies on the docket this year.

Takekaze

Takekaze’s intai celebration will take place at Kokugikan, next Saturday, Feb. 1. We should all get used to his elder name: Oshiogawa (押尾川). Below is the announcement from his official Twitter profile. If you’ll be in Tokyo next week there are only a few seats left in the A and B rings of the upper level!

Aminishiki

Uncle Sumo’s storied career came to an end in Nagoya last year. Versatility was his virtue, having won using some 46 kimarite. He was well adapted to win using both yotsu and oshi styles…though late in his career he became quite fond of the henka. Now known as Ajigawa-oyakata (安治川), you can go watch his retirement ceremony on October 4. Some seating has sold out but you can get lower level MASU boxes in the B and C rings, as well as A, B, and C rings of the second level.

Yoshikaze

Yoshikaze followed Aminishiki off the dohyo the following tournament after falling into Juryo. However, he’s getting his haircut one day earlier, on October 3 at Kokugikan. Tickets have not yet gone on sale but that is expected to happen around Feb. 2.

The berserker’s wild, aggressive style was still quite successful in the lower ranks of the maegashira so his kyujo and subsequent retirement appeared to be quite sudden compared to the longer slides we have seen. We look forward to seeing the deshi Nakamura-oyakata (中村) produces.

Takekaze Retirement Ceremony Feb. 1.

Andy Retirement, Takekaze (豪風) , ,

The Japanese Sumo Association has announced a date for former Takekaze’s danpatsushiki at Kokugikan. For those who will still be around Tokyo for the week after Hatsu basho, which runs through Jan 27, the retirement event would be a great way to see some more action. There will likely be hanazumo and shokkiri, and sumo culture demonstrations that are more familiar scenes in Jungyo tours rather than hon basho.

The ceremony will culminate in the hair cutting for the former Sekiwake. For Takekaze this will surely have participation from former Oguruma stablemates Yoshikaze and Yago, and likely contemporary Yokozuna or two.