Yubinhaad

Forgot to post some stats from last time, sorry about that. Better late than never: There were three changes to the top ten ranks after the Aki basho edition of GTB - Gurowake, Okisuruga and Itachiyama are those dropping out, after short stints of three, two and one basho respectively. Replacing them are three returnees. Nantonoyama reclaims the #10 spot after a ten-basho gap. Kitakachiyama had to wait just over four years for his return, setting a personal best with the #2 spot here. Most remarkably, Kotononami is back in green for the first time in over ten years, having last been there in 2011 Hatsu! The 61-basho gap is the longest in history, breaking Andoreasu's long-standing record of 55 which dates back to 2012 Kyushu. Heriokuno is the 24th player to top the rankings. Jakusotsu is the 17th player to accumulate 5,000 career points.

Recently a huge collection of ozumo banzuke and other documents, which belonged to sumo scholar Teiji Kojima, went online courtesy of the Art Research Centre at Ritsumeikan University. I've only recently begun delving into it but it's clearly a tremendous resource to have so many large images of banzuke now available. Indeed, I've managed to solve a little mystery that has puzzled me for quite a while. Looking at the banzuke for the 1940 Natsu basho, you'll see several sekitori designated as RG (欄外), short for rangai, margin. There are plenty more in the lower divisions, although they are mislabelled as haridashi in the database. These rikishi were all involved in military service as the Sino-Japanese War intensified, as a result of which they were absent from varying numbers of basho, and were set aside on the banzuke in separate boxes. The rikishi were a mixture of oushou (応召) and nyuuei (入営) - unless I'm mistaken, the former refers to a conscripted man while the latter is one who enlisted voluntarily. Interestingly the distinction is included above each rikishi's shikona; this can be seen most clearly in the 1941 Natsu image, the third and last banzuke to feature the separate boxes. I had long wondered what those rangai designations looked like on the printed banzuke, and thanks to the Kojima collection I now know. From left, 1940.05 / 1941.01 / 1941.05. Navigating the collection using the search forms can be rather hit-and-miss, and the English mode seems to be a machine translation, unlike that nice introductory post linked at the start. So far I've been browsing through banzuke using this result - clicking the thumbnail image will open that particular book of banzuke, SP01 being the earliest and SP10 the most recent.

Sorry it took a month, but it is Onomatsu-beya's Wakayama. Here he is on a courtesy visit: https://namiki-gennki.amebaownd.com/posts/2306475/

Toho got his 500th career win on Day 12, and his 500th career loss on Day 13. This was the 49th basho since Myogiryu's previous sansho, which according to my notes is the third-longest stretch between sansho wins. Rikishi Basho Previous Sansho Next Sansho Tamakasuga 55 1997 Natsu (S) 2006 Nagoya (G) Takanonami 53 1994 Hatsu (K) 2002 Kyushu (K) Myogiryu 49 2013 Natsu (G) 2021 Aki (G) Dejima 47 1999 Nagoya (S, G, K) 2007 Natsu (K) Kirinji 36 1982 Haru (K) 1988 Haru (K) Daijuyama 34 1982 Aki (S) 1988 Natsu (K) Aoiyama 34 2011 Kyushu (K) 2017 Nagoya (K) Kaisei 34 2012 Nagoya (K) 2018 Haru (K) Kotonowaka 33 1998 Aki (S) 2004 Haru (K) Miyabiyama 33 2000 Natsu (K) 2005 Kyushu (K)

Hello all, sorry for the delay but here are the kimarite statistics for the 2021 Aki basho. It was a tournament that can be viewed as the end of an era, as we say goodbye to a rikishi who redefined what was possible on the dohyo, setting records that will likely stand for decades to come. Farewell Shonanzakura, and thanks for the memories! The record-high percentage of oshidashi which was set just two basho ago has been broken again here, now standing at 28.97%. That's only just short of the highest percentage recorded by yorikiri in the current kimarite era, which was 29.05% in the 2008 Kyushu basho. Hoshoryu's basho had a brief hiatus due to tonsillitis, but a day after he returned he upended Wakatakakage with a spectacular ipponzeoi shoulder throw. There was an element of nichonage in it too, as he swept the outside leg of his opponent. Akua had a fine opening half of the basho as he sought a return to Makuuchi, and managed four wins by kakenage, the most in a single basho by any rikishi in the available records. Further down the ranks, Fujiizumi got four of his five wins with kotenage throws. He's the first lower division rikishi to have four kotenage wins in a basho since Mankajo in 2008 Aki. Two kimarite made their first appearance of the year in this basho. Daieisho had a fine tournament overall, but on Day 5 he was hoisted into the air by Ura for an okuritsuridashi win. It's the first okuritsuridashi since the same basho of last year, and only the 16th since the kimarite was introduced in 2001. And then on Day 9 - a year to the day since the last one - Ryuki stepped out by accident to give a fumidashi win to Taiyo. Lastly, Amanoshima claimed the 34th ashitori win of his career to extend his own record for that, while Nankairiki won by uchimuso for the 18th time, finally moving ahead of the previous record set by Futagodake. Kimarite Makuuchi Juryo Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi Total Percentage Abisetaoshi 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 0.13% Amiuchi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Ashitori 1 1 2 1 0 0 5 0.22% Chongake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Fumidashi 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Fusen (default) 5 2 4 3 2 0 16 0.70% Gasshohineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Hansoku (foul) 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.09% Harimanage 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Hatakikomi 28 17 36 52 37 4 174 7.62% Hikiotoshi 17 3 13 27 30 7 97 4.25% Hikkake 1 0 0 2 2 0 5 0.22% Ipponzeoi 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Isamiashi 0 0 2 1 4 0 7 0.31% Izori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kainahineri 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.09% Kakenage 1 4 1 1 0 0 7 0.31% Kakezori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Katasukashi 1 0 3 11 5 0 20 0.88% Kawazugake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kekaeshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Ketaguri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kimedashi 2 0 3 4 3 0 12 0.53% Kimetaoshi 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0.09% Kirikaeshi 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Komatasukui 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Koshikudake 0 0 0 1 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 1 2 4 6 13 0 26 1.14% Kozumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kubihineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kubinage 1 1 0 1 0 0 3 0.13% Makiotoshi 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.09% 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 6 4 12 19 31 0 72 3.16% Okurigake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okurihikiotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okurinage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Okuritaoshi 1 0 2 3 7 0 13 0.57% Okuritsuridashi 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% 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 77 48 99 203 196 38 661 28.97% Oshitaoshi 10 5 13 13 24 6 71 3.11% Sabaori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sakatottari 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Shitatedashinage 1 0 2 4 2 0 9 0.39% Shitatehineri 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.09% Shitatenage 5 0 8 7 20 2 42 1.84% Shumokuzori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sokubiotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sotogake 1 1 1 1 1 0 5 0.22% 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 2 6 5 7 14 0 34 1.49% Susoharai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Susotori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tasukizori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tokkurinage 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Tottari 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.09% Tsukaminage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsukidashi 10 4 8 15 6 2 45 1.97% Tsukihiza 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0.09% Tsukiotoshi 17 11 24 30 29 7 118 5.17% Tsukitaoshi 0 0 1 2 2 0 5 0.22% Tsukite 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Tsumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsuridashi 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0.09% Tsuriotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsutaezori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Uchigake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Uchimuso 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.09% Ushiromotare 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.09% Utchari 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0.09% Uwatedashinage 6 1 10 11 8 0 36 1.58% Uwatehineri 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Uwatenage 17 12 18 20 39 0 106 4.65% Waridashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Watashikomi 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0.13% Yaguranage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yobimodoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yorikiri 64 49 104 159 154 26 556 24.36% Yoritaoshi 6 4 21 27 36 6 100 4.38% Zubuneri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%

Today the rijikai approved Sandanme 100 Tsukedashi ranking for 24-year-old Ibuki Suguro (勝呂 歩紀), who is joining Fujishima-beya. He is the older brother of the current Suguro, and like him is a graduate of Takushoku University. He finished third in the individual competition at the 2019 All-Japan championships, but after graduating he has been working for Nippon Express (perhaps competing for the corporate sumo team if they have one?) until deciding to enter ozumo. https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202109300001020.html

As usual after the Aki basho, the rijikai decides on promotions among the urakata. This year it's the gyoji who miss out, while eight yobidashi and three tokoyama are promoted. They take effect on December 24th, release day for the 2022 Hatsu banzuke. Yobidashi: Goro - to Sanyaku Mitsuaki - to Makuuchi Soichi - to Juryo Shin - to Makushita Tsurutaro - to Sandanme Hiromasa - to Sandanme Yuji - to Jonidan Hiroshi - to Jonidan Tokoyama: Tokotsuka - to Itto (1st class) Tokoaki - to Santo (3rd class) Tokoriki to Santo I'm rather disappointed and surprised they didn't promote Tokohira to tokuto (special class) as he's already 63, but I guess he'll just have to wait for next year.

Onomatsu-beya kindly provides pictures from the danpatsu-shiki of their three retirees. As noted by other posters, Genki made a good start to his career and looked set to be a fixture of the upper-Makushita proving grounds, only for a retinal detachment to set him back a bit. He recovered from that, but recently he was struggling with a neck injury. Two shots for Tosaeizan's danpatsu-shiki. His shikona was suggested by coach Yamada from Saitama Sakae, honouring both the school and Kochi prefecture (formerly Tosa province). Aishoryu had a chonmage for his danpatsu-shiki, I suppose his hair wasn't quite long enough for an oichomage, having joined the heya in March last year. His shikona was coined by coach Maeno from the sumo club of Shoyo Junior High School in his hometown of Takasago, Hyogo. Only one picture from his danpatsu-shiki, Onomatsu-oyakata (former Maegashira Daido) making the cut. Before I forget, Kihonoumi retired in November last year after nearly 21 years in ozumo, but his danpatsu-shiki took place locally in May, during the Natsu basho. As the current Dewanoumi was occupied there, his predecessor (former Sekiwake Washuyama) stepped in to make the final cut. Rather than drag up the old intai thread, I'll add the three pictures here. Doing the opposite of his brother, who reverted to his family name for his final basho which he sat out. Speaking of brothers, I had forgotten until now that Sadanoryu is the younger brother of Dekiyama-oyakata (former Maegashira Sadanofuji). One final note, Tagonoura-beya's Jonokuchi yobidashi Yuta has also retired after just over two years in the job.

Listing in the official gazette, and PDF link if you want it. Probably Takashi, since it's the same kanji as his shikona given name.

Hochi reports that Ichinojo has acquired citizenship, announced in the Kanpo for September 29th.

I like to think of this rikishi as a successful failure - he was never demoted until he dropped off the banzuke.

Jonokuchi Torikumi for Day 14, September 2021 Bout East West 1 Ishihara (Jk14e) 0-0-6 Higohikari (Jk11w) 0-7 I didn't think we'd see another potential 0-8 record for a while, now that Shonanzakura has hung up his mawashi. But unless late-entering Ishihara is in really bad shape, Higohikari will likely do it tomorrow, having gotten his 500th career loss today (against 249 wins).

I missed it earlier, during asageiko on Day 10 he suffered a right big toe separation(?) fracture (右足親指剥離骨折). Although he managed to win his bout that day against the also injured Shohoryu, he was hobbling afterwards and had to withdraw from the basho.

Comings and goings ahead of the last round of lower division action. 1 Returning, 3 Entering: Jk4w Yoshinofuji (withdrew on Day 9 with a 2-2 record) Jk12w Inoue Jk14e Ishihara Jk14w Nakaishi Withdrawing: Ms8e Shishi (fusenpai Day 11) - as reported further up the page. Ms19w Kirinofuji (fusenpai Day 12) Ms22w Shohoryu (fusenpai Day 12) - hurt his right shoulder on the opening day and has been wearing flesh-coloured taping since then. Tokitsukaze-oyakata (former Maegashira Tosayutaka) says he has a torn trapezius muscle and tendon damage, and eventually the pain increased to where he had to pull out. Jk11e Takatairiku Jk13w Daitensho - likely concussion, he didn't seem to know where he was after the back of his head hit the dohyo hard on landing in the opening bout of Day 11 (against Takatairiku in fact, who is also out).

That reminds me that I forgot to post a couple of shikona notes. The third kanji of Chikunokura's shikona is taken from the heya, but the rest is of the shusshin-honouring type. The first kanji represents Chikugo city in Fukuoka, while the given name Kyuzo is a combination of Kurume (久留米) and Mizuma (三潴) - Mizuma was a town which merged into Kurume when the city was expanded in 2005. The final kanji was chosen to represent masculinity, decided with the help of heya gyoji Kimura Asanosuke, but the reading was chosen to honour the Shiyukan (志友館) sumo dojo in Shima, which Asashiyu belonged to while he was in elementary school.