Yubinhaad

I never thought I'd see two of my great loves morph - not the brothers, but sumo and Kraftwerk. I haven't seen any reason for his intai, sorry. And the same goes for yet another late one, also one whose brother is staying on... This time it's Hakkaku-beya's Amanishiki who retires after a five-year career, having joined at the relatively late age of 22, two years later than his younger brother Amanoshima. He'll be a loss to the kimarite notes - while not quite as prolific as his brother, Amanishiki still chalked up 19 ashitori wins during his career, along with several other rare techniques. And at last a few pictures from Kotootori's danpatsu-shiki, which wasn't held immediately after the basho.

Another pair of schoolmate recruits, but joining different heya and a bit older this time from Tottori Johoku high school. Heavyweight Tsuguto Toma (當眞 嗣斗) from Okinawa prefecture is quite well known already and is joining Miyagino-beya, having a long established link with Hakuho over the years. Articles say he is now 184cm and 206kg. Meanwhile, Rento Yabugasaki from Hyogo prefecture (藪ヶ崎 蓮人) is joining Yamahibiki-beya, where the shisho is also a Hyogo native. The articles give him as 185cm and 155kg. He has a younger brother also involved in sumo at middle school level, if I recall correctly? Hakuho attended on behalf of his shisho alongside Yamahibiki-oyakata (former Maegashira Ganyu). Some Toma stuff from earlier threads:

A pair of 15-year-old recruits for Dewanoumi-beya, Junpei Kiyota (清田 純平) and Masanari? Oyama (大山 雅也), third-year students at Koriyama Daiichi middle school in Koriyama, Fukushima prefecture. Kiyota, the son of former Makushita Kiyonoumi, competed at the national middle school championships last year but lost in the group stages, while Oyama finished fourth at the prefectural middle school championships. Kiyota (left) and Oyama.

I've made an update to the original post, reflecting the promotions which took place with the latest banzuke. There are also new pictures for the three gyoji who received major promotions, new entries for the last two newcomers who hadn't been added until now, and four removals of gyoji who retired since the last update. The new pictures are for 41st Shikimori Inosuke, Kimura Konosuke, Shikimori Kiichiro, Kimura Ryunosuke and Kimura Shunta. - - - - And if you want to save them, the removed pictures are 40th Shikimori Inosuke, Kimura Toyohiko, Kimura Masatoshi and Kimura Soichiro. - - - A newly-promoted Ozeki or Yokozuna will often give a new costume as a gift to gyoji in his heya or ichimon. This basho gifts from Takayasu were worn by Shikimori Inosuke, Kimura Mitsunosuke and Kimura Kichijiro, who all belong to heya in the same Nishonoseki ichimon. Similarly, at least three gyoji have received gifts from Tochinoshin, but with a different approach - instead of his shikona, the flag of Georgia features in the design. Kimura Shotaro, Kimura Akijiro (both Kasugano-beya) and Kimura Chishu (Dewanoumi) wore these costumes in the Hatsu basho. And finally, Shikimori Kiichiro used the new gunbai during the Hatsu basho.

Almost forgot, sorry for the delay but here are the danpatsu-shiki pictures I mentioned for Masutenryu and Hokutohana. First Masutenryu, who retires after nine years and will return to his home prefecture Gunma where he will be working for a security company. And now to Hakkaku-beya's senshuraku party for Hokutohana's danpatsu-shiki. I was reminded to post those by an unexpected late intai from Takadagawa-beya - Akinohana has suddenly retired after 11 years. He made his debut in March 2008 alongside his twin brother Akinoyama, who is sticking around. The heya posted three pictures from his danpatsu-shiki a week ago.

Would be nice, but he's in Miyagino-beya.

Kimura Takao, Juryo gyoji belonging to Tagonoura-beya.

Hello all! A new year of sumo has begun in quite dramatic fashion - we say a sad farewell to Yokozuna Kisenosato and ex-Sekiwake Takekaze, both now beginning their oyakata tenure. With many rikishi making a shaky start to the year, Tamawashi took advantage to win his first Makuuchi yusho. Meanwhile, luck was on Goeido's side as he became the first Ozeki to receive a kachi-koshi clinching fusensho twice. Elsewhere, evergreen Sawaisamu chalked up the 119th make-koshi of his long career to break Kasachikara's record. And as of a few days ago, I've been on the Forum for a decade! Injuries and the flu combined to produce a total of 25 fusen here; among basho with complete data it's only one short of the record from 1992 Natsu (which also saw a Yokozuna intai and a Sekiwake West win a maiden yusho). Yorikiri was the most common kimarite as oshidashi fell to its lowest percentage for four years. We're quite leg-trip heavy in the notes this time. There were a couple of susoharai footsweeps in this basho. Ezuka had a very quick win against Kojima on Day 2, for the 5th susoharai win of his career already. A week later, Akashiryu was on the defensive all the way but then flung out a leg to bring down Taketsukasa. There were three uchigake in this basho. In the first, Matsuda's early attempt at his favoured nimaigeri didn't work, and the bout settled into a yotsu stalemate before he was able to topple Kaiyudai. The second uchigake crossed a good portion of the dohyo before the rikishi hit the deck, Miyazakiyama the winner here (thanks to a mono-ii). Finally, Ishida finished off a fine basho by getting his sixth win against Shoketsu in a battle of veterans. Tokuda eventually triumphed with a long-lasting sotogake, overcoming Honda's defensive efforts to turn it into an uchigake or kakenage. On Day 5, Karatsuumi and Kitadaichi had an enjoyable tactical battle lasting well over over a minute, which came to a sudden end when Kitadaichi aimed a well-timed leg kick to notch up the only kekaeshi of the basho. Moving to leg grabs, Terutsuyoshi clearly had a plan for his bout on Day 11, ducking under Hakuyozan's charge at the tachi-ai and driving him out for a quick ashitori win. It secured Terutsuyoshi's kachi-koshi and more importantly, his Makuuchi debut on the next banzuke. Tanahashi tried a kubinage in his bout on Day 12, but after that failed he did a 360 spin and threw down Anzai for a harimanage win. Anzai saw his run of four consecutive kachi-koshi come to an end with that loss. Kimarite from kettei-sen bouts are not included in the statistics. Kimarite Makuuchi Juryo Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi Total Percentage Abisetaoshi 1 0 0 2 2 0 5 0.21% Amiuchi 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.08% Ashitori 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0.08% Chongake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Fumidashi 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Fusen (default) 7 5 2 7 4 0 25 1.03% Gasshohineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Hansoku (foul) 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Harimanage 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Hatakikomi 21 17 42 50 59 5 194 7.96% Hikiotoshi 10 9 11 18 20 3 71 2.91% Hikkake 0 0 1 2 1 0 4 0.16% Ipponzeoi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Isamiashi 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Izori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kainahineri 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0.08% Kakenage 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.04% Kakezori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Katasukashi 3 2 5 4 7 0 21 0.86% Kawazugake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kekaeshi 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Ketaguri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kimedashi 1 0 1 3 2 1 8 0.33% Kimetaoshi 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0.08% Kirikaeshi 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 0.12% Komatasukui 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Koshikudake 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Koshinage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kotehineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kotenage 4 5 6 12 11 2 40 1.64% Kozumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kubihineri 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Kubinage 2 0 0 1 1 0 4 0.16% Makiotoshi 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0.08% Mitokorozeme 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Nichonage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Nimaigeri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okuridashi 9 8 13 28 21 1 80 3.28% Okurigake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okurihikiotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okurinage 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.12% Okuritaoshi 1 2 1 3 2 0 9 0.37% Okuritsuridashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okuritsuriotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Omata 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Osakate 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Oshidashi 72 46 86 152 154 32 542 22.25% Oshitaoshi 14 3 20 32 30 7 106 4.35% Sabaori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sakatottari 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Shitatedashinage 1 3 4 1 2 1 12 0.49% Shitatehineri 1 0 1 2 3 0 7 0.29% Shitatenage 1 2 10 12 23 7 55 2.26% Shumokuzori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sokubiotoshi 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Sotogake 1 0 2 3 1 0 7 0.29% Sotokomata 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sotomuso 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sototasukizori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sukuinage 3 1 7 15 14 3 43 1.77% Susoharai 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0.08% Susotori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tasukizori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tokkurinage 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Tottari 1 1 0 1 0 0 3 0.12% Tsukaminage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsukidashi 17 6 20 7 5 1 56 2.30% Tsukihiza 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.08% Tsukiotoshi 19 11 29 44 38 8 149 6.12% Tsukitaoshi 0 0 3 2 2 0 7 0.29% Tsukite 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Tsumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsuridashi 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.08% Tsuriotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsutaezori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Uchigake 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0.12% Uchimuso 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.04% Ushiromotare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Utchari 0 0 1 2 3 3 9 0.37% Uwatedashinage 1 2 2 5 11 2 23 0.94% Uwatehineri 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 0.12% Uwatenage 16 18 21 42 34 9 140 5.75% Waridashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Watashikomi 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0.12% Yaguranage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yobimodoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yorikiri 71 54 75 164 201 55 620 25.45% Yoritaoshi 9 5 27 35 56 21 153 6.28% Zubuneri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%

Joining Musashigawa-beya is 18-year-old Komei Yanagida (柳田 孔明), currently a third-year student on the wrestling squad at Takamatsu Agriculture High School in Okayama prefecture. In 2018 he took third place in the Greco-Roman 125kg weight division at the Kokutai, following that with the runner-up spot at the national high school championships. He also took third place in the Freestyle 125kg at the Interhigh. He met the shisho (former Yokozuna Musashimaru) several times while he was travelling the country looking for new recruits and was drawn towards ozumo, despite having the potential to continue with wrestling at the top universities. He wants to emulate former Sekiwake Washuyama, a fellow Okayama native - Yanagida happens to be roughly the same height. - Meanwhile, the new gyoji I suggested for March is joining Nishiiwa-beya, a 17-year-old from Aomori, the home of the shisho. He'll be Kimura something (木村 公輝), but no reading for the given name yet. Koki perhaps. Seen here with the rest of the heya. Finally, a generic heads-up for the future as I haven't seen any specifics about officially joining yet, but Irumagawa-beya has lined up a potential new recruit from Ukraine, Sergey Sokolovsky, who was a runner-up at the World Championships last year. A farewell party was held at the Japanese embassy in Kiev in November, and he's apparently been at the heya since then. With Wakafuji-oyakata (former Maegashira Otsukasa).

Hakkeyoi x 42

Yago returned to his hometown of Memuro, Hokkaido the other day to report on his Makuuchi debut kachi-koshi performance, and was presented with a new kesho-mawashi by the koenkai. Against a backdrop of the Hidaka Mountains, it features the town bird, a cuckoo, and implements of a croquet-like sport called gateball, which was invented in the town shortly after WW2 as a way to keep children entertained. The kesho-mawashi was originally to be presented to Yago in Tokyo ahead of the Hatsu basho, but he himself preferred to have the presentation at this party, in order to thank his hometown fans for their support. Yago with his new kesho-mawashi and koenkai chairman Hideki Tomita.

Sad to see the well-travelled Daiisshin call it a day - that closes the book on the previous Isegahama-beya and Kiriyama-beya, of which he was the last surviving rikishi. I doubt there are many rikishi who can say they served under five different shisho. And he was the last man to get a waridashi win as well! With that said, on to the first selection of (mostly) danpatsu-shiki pictures. Quite a few so it may take a minute to load. More to come for Hokutohana and Masutenryu, there were a lot and I haven't had a chance to sort and write anything for them yet. Three of the retirees were the oldest and longest-serving in their respective heya, chief among them Isenohana who retires after a 26-year career, having joined Ajigawa-beya in 1993 as one of the first deshi of former Yokozuna Asahifuji. Kotootori retires after 20 years on the dohyo. He fractured a bone in his foot after a fall early in the basho, but it seems to he wanted to go out on the dohyo one last time, returning to the basho on Day 13 with a heavily-bandaged foot. No danpatsu-shiki pictures for him so far, but there were a few of that final bout. Saio retires after a 14-year career and was one of a handful of rikishi to have a tasukizori win, albeit one that came over a dozen years ago. (And while we're with Nishikido-beya, they might be down to four rikishi soon, Ryuga apparently departed already in October. It took him six months to actually enter, so maybe it'll take six months for him to actually retire as well. ) Not on the official list this time is Kiriarashi who retires after 13 years, the highlight of which was a Sandanme yusho in 2014 Natsu, which led to his one and only Makushita appearance. From April he will go to a vocational school to qualify as a physiotherapist, aiming to help people who have suffered with knee injuries as he himself did during his career. Hakkairyu retires after a decade on the dohyo. The koenkai has helped him to find a job as a care worker in Tokushima prefecture, not far from his hometown of Minamiawaji in neighbouring Hyogo. And finally to the Kise-beya party for Sasayama's danpatsu-shiki. As mentioned elsewhere, he is the older brother of Juryo returnee Daiseido, retiring now after an 11-year career.

Interesting new recruit for Futagoyama-beya (I think for March but not 100% sure), 21-year-old Kiryu Matsuo (松尾 基隆), currently a student at Kawahara Medical Welfare College in Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture. He started sumo in elementary school and continued through to Nomura High School in Seiyo. However, there he felt the difference in level was too great and stopped doing sumo in his second year. Between studying to qualify in childcare/nursery teaching and job hunting, his sumo dream was reawakened and he contacted Futagoyama-beya directly, leading to a week-long stay last summer. Due to the age limit for entering ozumo he wants to take the chance while he still can. Matsuo's initial goal is to develop confidence in his sumo, with the wider dream of becoming a sekitori at the age of 25. The press articles say he currently stands at 177cm, 122kg. Futagoyama-oyakata (former Ozeki Miyabiyama) visited the college yesterday for a press conference. Matsuo during his time in sumo at Nomura High School.

Daiseido had an extra reason for wanting to return to Juryo - his older brother Sasayama told him six months ago that he planned to retire soon, and Daiseido wanted to send him off as a sekitori. It was his way of saying thanks to his brother for his guidance over the years, having followed in his footsteps throughout their school years and then to Kise-beya. Daiseido secured his Juryo return here and will be on the list of promotions announced on Wednesday, at the same time as his brother will be on the intai list. After 11 years on the dohyo, Sasayama will work at a charcoal grill izakaya in Tokyo which specializes in cuisine from their home prefecture Aomori.

I was surprised a couple of weeks ago to read a rumour that Asahiryu had in fact retired, but today he confirmed it himself, decision made sometime after Kyushu. I fear it could be quite a long list of retirements this basho, I already know of six more from the lower divisions in addition.