Leaderboard

New: Wakaikari - Ms2w 4-3, Isenoumi-beya, Kyoto, 19 years old Aonishiki - Ms4w 6-1, Ajigawa-beya, Ukraine, 20 years old Kototebakari, now Kotoeihō 琴栄峰 ことえいほう - Ms5w 5-2, Sadogatake-beya, Chiba, 21 years old Returning: Tochitaikai - Ms1e 4-3, Kasugano-beya, Saitama, 24 years old, 2nd promotion, back after one basho Chiyomaru - Ms3w 5-2, Kokonoe-beya, Kagoshima, 33 years old, 3rd promotion, back after two basho former maegashira Nabatame - Ms4e 4-3, Futagoyama-beya, Tochigi, 22 years old, 2nd promotion, back after one basho Aonishiki's 7 tournaments from maezumo to juryo are the joint 5th-fastest rise in the six-basho era.

Updates for missing Aki days- day 8: https://rumble.com/v5grv39-aki-basho-2024-day-8.html

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202409260000799.html The rijikai has decided the latest round of promotions for the gyoji and tokoyama, and there's no long wait for a pair of tate gyoji this time, as the recently-new Inosuke will go up to Shonosuke and Kimura Shotaro will take his place as Inosuke. There are also three promotions to the special class of tokoyama. The yobidashi miss out this time. All the promotions will take effect as of December 23rd, release date for the 2025 Hatsu basho banzuke. Gyoji: 42nd Shikimori Inosuke > 39th Kimura Shonosuke Kimura Shotaro > 43rd Shikimori Inosuke Shikimori Kandayu > to Sanyaku Kimura Takao > to Makuuchi Kimura Hideaki > to Juryo Kimura Narimasa > to Sandanme Kimura Katsunosuke > to Sandanme Kimura Keitaro > to Sandanme Tokoyama: Tokoasa > to Tokuto Tokonaka > to Tokuto Tokotatsu > to Tokuto Tokotakeshi > to Itto Tokonaka and Tokotatsu will reach mandatory retirement age a little over a year from now, following current tokuto Tokotsuru in July. Tokoasa is a couple of years younger. Penny for the thoughts of Kimura Tamajiro lately...

And the obscure stuff... Promotions from sandanme: 7-0 x1 Sd51w 6-1 x5 Sd10w, Sd24w, Sd28w, Sd40w, Sd46e 5-2 x8 Sd3e, Sd3w, Sd4w, Sd14w, Sd15w, Sd20w, Sd21e, Sd24e 4-3 x4 Sd2w, Sd7w, Sd9w, Sd10e MsTd x1 -------- x19 7-0 scores will of course get promoted to makushita from anywhere in sandanme, while the respective promotion zones for the other records end at Sd50 for 6-1, Sd25 for 5-2, and Sd11 for 4-3. And again there's a kachikoshi makushita tsukedashi who requires space like any regular promotee does, so he's included in the count. Demotions from makushita: intai x4 S2w, J9w, J13e, Ms11e 0-0-7 x3 Ms38e, Ms49w, Ms59e 0-7 x1 Ms46w 1-6 x2 Ms53w, Ms52w 2-5 x5 Ms59w, Ms58w, Ms56e, Ms48e, Ms45e, (Ms40e, Ms38w) 3-4 x4 Ms56w, Ms54e, Ms52e, Ms50e, (Ms49e, Ms48w) -------- x19 Should be a clear cut decision who goes down this time, there's no other combination that makes sense. Shin-makushita for Kyushu: Suyama (Sd10w 6-1) Seihakuho (Sd28w 6-1) Ieshima (Sd40w 6-1) Okaryu (Sd3w 5-2) Promotions from jonidan: 7-0 x2 Jd5w, Jd57e 6-1 x7 Jd16w, Jd30e, Jd31w, Jd40w, Jd53e, Jd67w, Jd69e 5-2 x10 Jd4w, Jd6w, Jd7e, Jd14e, Jd19w, Jd20w, Jd23w, Jd29w, Jd32e, Jd37e 4-3 x11 Jd2e, Jd3e, Jd3w, Jd7w, Jd10w, Jd11w, Jd12e, Jd13e, Jd17w, Jd18w, Jd19e MsTd x1 -------- x31 The respective promotion cutoffs for 6-1 and below are Jd70 / Jd37 / Jd20 here. As mentioned elsewhere, this banzuke session is unusual in that every single 6-1 rikishi in the jonidan division was ranked high enough to be part of the promotion crowd. Demotions from sandanme: intai x6 S2w, J9w, J13e, Ms11e, Sd65e, Sd78e 0-0-7 x5 Sd77w, Sd73w, Sd71w, Sd56w, Sd44w 0-7 x0 (Sd31e) 1-6 x4 Sd86w, Sd70w, Sd60e, Sd55e, (Sd49w) 2-5 x7 Sd89w, Sd87e, Sd85w, Sd84e, Sd80w, Sd74e, Sd69w, (Sd62e) 3-4 x9 Sd90e, Sd88e, Sd87w, Sd81e, Sd78w, Sd77e, Sd76e, Sd75w, Sd75e, (Sd69e) -------- x31 Looks clear cut as well. Jd/Jk split: 196 Jd 34 Jk - 11 intai - 6 >Bg + 1 MsTd + 0 Mz ---- 214 = 107 ranks A significant loss of 8 ranks this time. Likely to be in Jk: Mz x0 Jk 0-7 x2 Jk17e, Jk5w Jk 1-6 x5 Jk12w, Jk11w, Jk7w, Jk1w, Jk1e Jk 2-5 x5 Jk11e, Jk10w, Jk6w, Jk6e, Jk4w Jk 3-4 x3 Jk10e, Jk9e, Jk7e Jd 0-0-7 x4 Jd93w, Jd73w, Jd64w, Jd54w Jd 0-7 x2 Jd63w, Jd52e Jd 1-6 x1 Jd86e, (Jd71e) Jd 2-5 x3 Jd98e, Jd96e, Jd91w, (Jd86w, Jd85w, Jd84w, Jd82e, Jd81e) Jd 3-4 x1 Jd98w, (Jd96w, Jd93e, Jd92w, Jd92e, Jd90e) ----------- x26 => 94 Jd, 13 Jk Personally I feel that 13 Jk ranks is far too low, but then I thought that about the 17 from Aki, too... But this time they'll have to demote some jonidan guys who actually who bouts, if only because the split without such demotions would be 96.5 / 10.5 and they're not going to have a jonidan where the last rank has only half occupancy. The next rikishi out of jonidan would presumably be: for 14 Jk ranks: Jd96w 3-4 and Jd86w 2-5 for 15 Jk ranks: Jd85w 2-5 and Jd84w 2-5 And that's likely as large as they will go. Will they go lower than 13? I wouldn't rule that out either, though as mentioned there's really not much room in that direction. Anyway, we're in territory not travelled since the 1970s here (the Kyushu banzuke will have 584 names on it), so it's difficult to say where they will be going with this. Maybe the upcoming, typically larger, shindeshi classes for Kyushu, Hatsu and Haru will save them over the next six months, otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if there's another sandanme cut coming soon.

*Nishikifuji has entered the chat*

"So we got off the Ueno-Tokyo line at Hachino and got the car to drive out to the heya; they said "turn left onto Highway 25 and it's in the country. Well, we didn't see it, and the country turned back into city. So we caught sight of the Hama Sushi and got directions. I mean, it was lunchtime and it's conveyor-belt sushi, so ... then we headed back down 25 and finally found it, tucked in behind the Toyota dealer. When they asked why we were late, I told them there was a backup at the station. Then they offered us lunch, which was kinda awkward."

The full list of retirements (via Nikkan and others) comprises 11 names including the three high-profile sekitori retirements that were previously announced. Daiseiryu and Kotoyusho also retire having experienced sekitori status, if briefly. Takakeisho (Tokiwayama) Thread Myogiryu (Sakaigawa) Thread Aoiyama (Kasugano) Thread Kotoyusho (Sadogatake) Aoi (Shikoroyama) Daiseiryu (Kise) Hokutoiwa (Hakkaku) Koshinoryu (Fujishima) Hokutonami (Hakkaku) Satotanaka (Nishiiwa) Michihaya (Onomatsu) Kotoyusho will stay in the Kyokai as he has been appointed as wakaimonogashira.

As the thread is already up and running here are the danpatsu-shiki pictures I've found so far. First to the Fujishima-beya senshuraku party where Koshinoryu's danpatsu-shiki took place. Also retiring is Aoi from Shikoroyama-beya, after a 16-year career. Hakkaku-beya's Hokutonami is another one to call it a day, after a 12-year career. The heya posted four pictures from his danpatsu-shiki. Finally to Kise-beya's senshuraku party where Daiseiryu's danpatsu-shiki took place. Presumably the heya will put a video on their YouTube channel at some point.

On the 25th, after the rijikai decidesthe ozeki promotion, the banzuke conference realizes it, the messenger from the ichimon with an assistant is sent to the heya in Ami town, Ibaraki, for the dentatsu-shiki. Broadcast live in 7 hours on the net by Asahi TV (the parent company of Abema)

Harumph! Please move this to the Mammals of Madagascar thread.

Aoiyama career pics in the NikkanSP premium article shindeshi Natsu 2009 o jk yusho Aki 2009 o jd yusho Kyushu 2009 o top of 7 new juryo after non-basho Natsu 2011 -> Takanoyama, Arawashi, Kaonishiki, Tenkaiho, Chiyonokuni, Hitenryu o new komusubi for Aki 2012 - with the portrait of his late first shisho Tagonoura o his 1 kinboshi, from Harumafuji Aki 2013 o new sekiwake for Kyushu 2014 o wedding reception 2017-02-19 o 3rd of 4 kantosho Haru 2019 o Kyushu 2020 o Aki 2022 o

That was quick - the only just promoted 42nd Shikimori Inosuke will become the 39th Kimura Shonosuke, Kimura Shotaro the 43rd Shikimori Inosuke on Dec. 23rd with the publication of the banzuke for the Hatsu basho https://hochi.news/articles/20240926-OHT1T51138.html?page=1 o o

Guessing time... Asakoryu (J8e 11-4) J1 Kinbozan (M12w 4-11) Kagayaki (M11w 3-12) J2 Hakuoho (J5w 8-7) Shirokuma (M16e 4-9-2) J3 Tamashoho (J3e 6-9) Kayo (J14e 11-4) J4 Shimanoumi (J4e 6-9) Shimazuumi (J4w 6-9) J5 Tomokaze (J11e 9-6) Tohakuryu (J10e 8-7) J6 Shiden (J6w 7-8) Hidenoumi (J6e 6-9) J7 Tsurugisho (J7e 6-8-1) Mitoryu (J7w 6-7-2) J8 Hakuyozan (J8w 7-8) Daiamami (J5e 4-11) J9 Daishoho (J9e 6-9) Onosho (J1w 1-4-10) J10 Fujiseiun (J10w 7-8) Aonishiki (Ms4w 6-1) J11 Tochitaikai (Ms1e 4-3) Daiseizan (J12e 7-8) J12 Chiyomaru (Ms3w 5-2) Wakaikari (Ms2w 4-3) J13 Kotoeiho (Ms5w 5-2) Nabatame (Ms4e 4-3) J14 Oshoumi (J14w 6-9) Yeah, I'm expecting Oshoumi now. Maybe one of these days they'll decide to go whole hog and dispense with the "can't promote on makekoshi" stuff, too. By the numbers every single 7-8 deserved to be promoted, so they might as well do it... But that pipe dream aside, the lower half essentially seems to write itself here this time, with at most some doubt about the order of the two J9's and the two J11's. I'm not sure I've ever seen a juryo division banzuke before where all KK scores from the previous basho were exhausted by J6e. Moving on... Hatsuyama (Ms16e 7-0 Y) Ms1 Asanoyama (J3w 0-0-15) Kiryuko (J12w 4-11) Ms2 Miyagi (Ms13w 6-1) Kamito (Ms9w 5-2) Ms3 Kaisho (Ms6w 4-3) Kotokuzan (Ms7e 4-3) Ms4 Obara (Ms7w 4-3) Akua (Ms2e 3-4) Ms5 Asahakuryu (Ms12e 5-2) Asahakuryu benefits from Aoiyama's timely retirement. I'm not very confident about the relative order of anybody here, but this is what makes the most sense to me. The 10 rikishi as a whole should be accurate (the Oshoumi/Asanoyama issue aside). Kazekeno (Ms14e 5-2) Ms6 Kurohimeyama (Ms24e 6-1) Wakanosho (Ms12w 4-3) Ms7 Toshunryu (Ms13e 4-3) Kusano (Ms17w 5-2) Ms8 Daishomaru (Ms5e 3-4) Satorufuji (Ms1w 2-5) Ms9 Kyokukaiyu (Ms28w 6-1) Yoshii (Ms15e 4-3) Ms10 Dewanoryu (Ms3e 2-5) Hitoshi (Ms6e 3-4) Ms11 Chiyosakae (J13w 0-4-11) Chiyotora (Ms21e 5-2) Ms12 Kaiseijo (Ms21w 5-2) Tenshoho (Ms22w 5-2) Ms13 Otsuji (Ms8e 3-4) Kitadaichi (Ms8w 3-4) Ms14 Chiyonoo (Ms19w 4-3) I wanted to put the two 6-1's lower initially because these are overpromotions and typically the 6-1 records are the most likely to end up with relatively fixed promotion jumps while the treatment of the lower scores is more flexible, but it really didn't make sense on value grounds to have them behind Wakanosho et al. / Yoshii et al.. Nevertheless, especially the three joi makekoshi by Daishomaru, Satorufuji and Dewanoryu might be getting treated much more leniently than I have them here. Chiyosakae could end up somewhere else entirely, recent "active" 0-win records from low juryo have been tagged with anything from 11 to 14 ranks as their demotions. If you're missing Ms15 above, it's because there's really nobody that deserves to go up that far so I wanted to talk about it separately. Here are the theoretical candidates, listing two per win tier: Kotokenryu (Ms9e 2-5) Tsushimanada (Ms10e 2-5) Nishinoryu (Ms11w 3-4) Mineyaiba (Ms15w 3-4) Nihonyanagi (Ms23e 4-3) Matsui (Ms23w 4-3) Takakento (Ms27w 5-2) Toseiryu (Ms31w 5-2) Oyamatoumi (Ms43e 6-1) Kazenoumi (Ms44w 6-1) I think it's safe to say that the 2-5's can be ruled out, as well as Mineyaiba and Toseiryu. The 6-1's ordinarily should be out, too, and we would thus be talking only about Nishinoryu, Takakento and the two 4-3's as credible candidates - as mentioned above the 6-1 treatment is normally fairly stable and the line for promotion into the top 15 ranks is generally around Ms36/37 with very few promotions from further down. Ms43/44 should end up much lower than that, but as that same query shows there was one notable exception not too long ago, after Haru 2022. As part of that one they did the following: Ms39e 6-1 -> Ms13w Ms42e 6-1 -> Ms14e Ms26w 5-2 -> Ms14w Ms20e 4-3 -> Ms15e Ms13w 3-4 -> Ms15w So I guess it's not totally out of the question that one or even both 6-1's could jump to Ms15; Takakento vs Oyamatoumi is basically the same scenario. My personal expectation is this, though: Nishinoryu (Ms11w 3-4) Ms15 Takakento (Ms27w 5-2) I don't particularly like how lucky Nishinoryu would get with that (compare him to Kitadaichi at Ms14 above). Perhaps they won't either and it's Oyamatoumi or Nihonyanagi who sneaks in instead. But Nishinoryu + Oyamatoumi would arguably work, too, if they think the overpromotion for Takakento is what's too much; compare him to the Chiyotora/Kaiseijo/Tenshoho block. Needless to say, this would have all been much cleaner if Myogiryu and Aoiyama had stuck around for their last juryo salary in October and only retired after the banzuke-making session. (I'm still glad they left in time.)

The standings have been updated after the Aki SB Masters. Sumo Spiffy is back at the top again and at this point he is the big favourite to clinch the Metasumo championship in Fukuoka. @Sumo Spiffy (717,20) @Profomisakari (688,16) @Jakusotsu (684,30) Follow this link if you would like to see the detailed results: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UY-BMj2ECuzOpLPdcwKJzlm30-I_mY3v/view?usp=sharing

And the remaining Takakeisho career pics Shinjo shusse hirou with a kesho mawashi of Takanohana, Aki 1014 o makuuchi promotion for Hatsu 2017 o first yusho Kyushu 2018 oooo o Haru 2019 loss to Ichinojo on day 14 o day 15 against Tochinoshin for the necessary 10th win oo o with parents later that day o ozeki promotion a few days later ooo new ozeki on the banzuke for Natsu o 2nd yusho Kyushu 2020 o 3rd yusho Hatsu 2023 o 4th yusho Aki 2023 o 2024 Hatsu o Haru o Nagoya - ozeki demotion sealed after a loss to Terunofuji on day 13 o Aki - his last bout on day 2 - loss to Oho o ooo

The logo to commemorate 100 years since the (then Dai-)NSK became a juridical foundation next year was published today, it was on Dec. 29th 1925. 1958 the name was changed to NSK, Nihon Sumo Kyokai, and since 2014 they are a foundation for public benefit. o

Aoiyama intai press conference today with Kasugano oyakata o oo o o o oo o o o oo o oo o oooo most memorable bout: against "Bulgarian sempai" ozeki Kotooshu Nagoya 2012 - a loss o o

"This is the most fun I've had in my 38 years of life. I'm very glad to have been a rikishi." Favorite match was going against fellow countryman Kotooshu, lost that match by yoritaoshi. "I was very happy to have gone against an ozeki that was my goal and dream. I'm nervous now and don't remember what happened." Inherited the Iwatomo kabu which was previously used by his friend Kimuramaya. Knowing that his heya-mate Tochitaikai was going to come back to Juryo and keep the Kasugano sekitori streak alive helped him to come to the decision to retire https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202409260000553.html

Be dishonest for a while, won’t you. I imagined a different situation where you just rang the phone and said “hey it’s Moti, I am coming on Thursday for a dinner. Have the beers cooled and gather the boys for some motivational talk” and Isegahama dutifully complied.

I wonder if the NSK has a pamphlet they hand out on special occasions that say some thing like "So You Made Ozeki: Taste-Tempting Recipes for Red Sea Bream"

Always appreciated Myogiryu and his consistency, amassed an impressive career of accolades and wishing him well as an oyakata. And now only Endo and Terunofuji remain active from the group of rikishi who sang verses in the original Hakkeyoi music video.

The hometown Fujisaki of Onosato I in Aomori pref. wants to give O2 a kesho mawashi with Fuji apple - Fujisaki is the origin place of that variety. A local koenkai for Onosato II will be formed there, which presents him with the kesho mawashi. o

The former Daishoryu x.com/daishoryu_sauna, tsukebito of Endo in makuuchi for 8 years, will open a sumo concept "Sauna Yokozuna" x.com/Sauna_Yokozuna with restaurant in Kawagoe-city, in "ko-Edo Kawagoe", opening planned for November. Endo on the last day of Daishoryu's career defeated ozeki Takakaisho and in the interview dedicated his win to him. He was plagued by neck and ankle injuries and went to a sauna as part of treatment. That he lost over 80kg in 6 months after he decided to retire he also contributes to sauna, from after Kyushu 2020 till intai Natsu 2021 down to 90kg, then plagued by diabetes, which is now gone. Kawagoe is the place where the soil for the dohyo for the main basho is extracted and regular jungyo location with close connections to sumo. Many rikishi are sauna fans, esp. Hokutofuji and Hakuoho. Ex-Daishoryu now aims to become a yokozuna of the sauna world. o The design is in the image of a sumo keiko ground, with teppo pole, at the attached restaurant, chanko nabe à la Oitekaze-beya will be served. https://www.makuake.com/project/saunayokozuna/ Repeaters can have their name written by a gyoji on the sauna yokozuna banzuke with Endo o After intai he worked at the Soka health centre yunoizumi.com/souka/ near the heya - the only heya located in Saitama, which has onsen and sauna - he went there for treatment while active

Purple and white in 2 years (39th Shonosuke turns 65 after Aki 2026) Full purple in 4 years (43rd Inosuke, by then probably 40th Shonosuke, turns 65 after Aki 2028)

I’m happy and I’m sad. Happy that Takakeishō pulled the plug when he had to and (very) sad to see my favorite rikishi retire. I liked him right away when he entered makuuchi (at that time I wasn’t following Juryo and lower yet) and he quickly became my favorite. While I also had liked others (Takarafuji and Tochinoshin for example), he’s the first and so far only rikishi of whom I really was a fan since starting to follow sumo in 2013. He was different and always some sort of an underdog, often mocked by sumo fans for his body type and even hated later in his career – all of that only made me root for him harder. Yes, I’ve been called a "contrarian" before :P By the way, I never saw any smugness or arrogance in him. It’s just the way his face looks. Similar to guys like Tochiōzan. At his peak IMO he performed like a yokozuna and at least to me was a joy to watch and cheer on. Technically, they could’ve given the rope to him twice (2020.09/2020.11 and 2022.11/2023.01), but I guess the "equivalent" part of the yusho + equivalent wasn’t strong or decisive enough each time. I would’ve loved to see him promoted. Regarding that one henka that turned many people away from Takakeishō, I remember Terunofuji’s infamous henka vs. Kotoshōgiku. So many HATED Terunofuji’s guts back then, but he’s been forgiven and is well liked by most sumo fans now. So I’m wondering why the dislike against Takakeishō almost seemed political at some point or what it would’ve taken for him to achieve redemption. At any rate, I hope he can be successful in his second career as oyakata and be able to heal and get healthy :) Otsukaresama, Takakeishō!