With just 2 days before the start of the Aki basho, the time has come for the Yokozuna (and any others) to declare their intention to start the Aki basho. This comes as the scheduling team prepares to draw up the torikumi, the fight card, for the first 2 days of competition. After a string of basho that featured declining participation of the Yokozuna and Ozeki corps, we are please to share that all three Yokozuna will compete at Aki. No more “sumo light” for the fans, it’s time for a basho to remember.

The news came to us via the following published in Kyodo News:

Yokozuna Kisenosato said Thursday he is determined to put his injury woes behind him and make a winning comeback at the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament after missing a record-setting eight consecutive meets.

Despite facing mounting pressure to retire from the sport, the 32-year-old grand champion, who missed all or part of the last eight tournaments due to a left chest muscle injury, is convinced he will be able to get his career back on track.

The 15-day autumn tournament begins Sunday at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan.

“I’m fully prepared. I did everything there is to be done,” Kisenosato said after a drop-in training session at the Onomatsu stable in Chiba Prefecture.

“I had my good days and bad days until I got here, but that’s okay. Practices and tournaments are different. I hope to focus on just doing my job,” he said.

NHK will kick things off in grand style with their “Grand Sumo Preview” Friday, followed by “Grand Sumo Live” coverage for day 1. Team Tachiai will be glued to our streaming services for what could be one of the better sumo tournaments in the last year.

Update: Excellent preview of the basho from the always impressive John Gunning via the Japan Times.