Yubinhaad

The Reiwa era will be welcomed in at the Kokugikan on May 1st, when all 70 sekitori will assemble outside for hitomoji (human characters), forming the kanji of the new era so that some cool pictures can be taken from above.

Wakaimonogashira Hakuryu was at the Kokugikan today for his final day at work, ahead of reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 tomorrow. Hakuryu made his debut in Isenoumi-beya as one of the first uchideshi of former Yokozuna Kashiwado, who would branch out to form Kagamiyama-beya a year later. It took him almost a decade to reach Juryo, but once there he proved hard to dislodge, chalking up 47 basho in the division, still a record among those who never made it to Makuuchi. (Now that I think of it, he came up to fight 24 bouts in Makuuchi, I believe that is also a record for one who was never ranked in Makuuchi) After almost half a century in ozumo, he would like to travel around Japan now that he has retired. A commemorative picture taken at Kagamiyama-beya's senshuraku party after the Haru basho. From left: Katsunoura-oyakata (former Maegashira Kirinishiki), Hakuryu, Kagamiyama-oyakata (former Sekiwake Tagaryu), Kagamio and Ryusei.

The two new gyoji were confirmed by the Kyokai yesterday: Shikimori Komei (式守 昂明), 15, Naruto-beya Shikimori Tomokimi (式守 衆侯), 18, Tokitsukaze-beya The official entry of new yobidashi Yuta into Tagonoura-beya was also confirmed - he was in the hanamichi during the Haru basho learning from his seniors, but in May he'll be on the dohyo for the first time. By my count there is now a full quota of both gyoji and yobidashi, 45 each. Elsewhere, joining Onomatsu-beya is Yota Sato (佐藤 耀太), from the sumo team of Nittai-dai Kashiwa High School in Kashiwa, Chiba prefecture. He was actually introduced at the same party as the Haru basho recruit Inaba.

Hello all, sorry for the delay but here are the kimarite statistics for the 2019 Haru basho, the final basho of the Heisei era ahead of the abdication of Emperor Akihito next month. On the dohyo, the final bout in particular showed that Hakuho isn't quite ready to give up his throne just yet as he notched up his 15th zensho yusho. In the lower divisions, Shoketsu fought his 1,000th consecutive bout, while Sekizukayama fought in his third ni-ban-go torinaoshi (which was one of three in this basho in fact, sadly all the videos are gone). Day 4 provided three of the kimarite highlights of the basho, chief among them a superb tasukizori win from Kaishu. It's the second tasukizori win of his career, putting him in an exclusive club with Satonofuji (7) and Kondo (4) as the only rikishi on record with more than one. Having drawn a blank last year, where else but Osaka for an appearance by osakate, a last-ditch reversal at the edge for newly-renamed Hokutoyoshi. It's the 27th osakate since it was introduced to the kimarite list in 2001, and the first since 2017 Natsu. In Juryo, Arawashi toppled Takanofuji with a well-timed komatasukui leg grab - it's the fifth of Arawashi's career, once again drawing him level with Ishiura for the most among active rikishi. There were two other Juryo bouts I saw that could have seen different kimarite recorded, both involving Sokokurai. On Day 8 he eventually defeated Hidenoumi with a leg kick which was given as susoharai, but I felt nimaigeri would have been much more accurate considering it came from a front-on position. Six days later he was on the receiving end of a leg kick as Tobizaru got a ketaguri win - that might have been called as a kekaeshi since it didn't happen at the tachiai. The two seem pretty identical in technique, but maybe there's some nuance I'm missing as I've seen a several similar decisions before. Kimarite from kettei-sen bouts are not included in the statistics. Kimarite Makuuchi Juryo Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi Total Percentage Abisetaoshi 1 0 2 3 2 0 8 0.33% Amiuchi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Ashitori 0 1 0 1 1 1 4 0.16% Chongake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Fumidashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Fusen (default) 0 1 5 3 2 0 11 0.45% Gasshohineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Hansoku (foul) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Harimanage 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.08% Hatakikomi 37 17 48 70 60 5 237 9.67% Hikiotoshi 14 9 15 16 22 5 81 3.30% Hikkake 1 0 0 1 3 0 5 0.20% Ipponzeoi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Isamiashi 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.04% Izori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kainahineri 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.08% Kakenage 0 0 2 1 1 0 4 0.16% Kakezori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Katasukashi 7 1 4 9 7 0 28 1.14% Kawazugake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kekaeshi 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Ketaguri 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Kimedashi 2 0 1 2 1 0 6 0.24% Kimetaoshi 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.08% Kirikaeshi 0 1 2 0 1 0 4 0.16% Komatasukui 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0.08% Koshikudake 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0.12% Koshinage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kotehineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kotenage 8 2 10 16 14 2 52 2.12% Kozumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kubihineri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Kubinage 1 0 1 1 3 1 7 0.29% Makiotoshi 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% 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 10 10 13 27 14 2 76 3.10% 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 2 1 1 3 0 8 0.33% 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 1 0 1 0.04% Oshidashi 86 40 96 171 177 42 612 24.97% Oshitaoshi 9 4 11 25 21 6 76 3.10% Sabaori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sakatottari 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Shitatedashinage 0 1 0 0 2 1 4 0.16% Shitatehineri 0 0 1 2 2 1 6 0.24% Shitatenage 3 8 4 9 19 3 46 1.88% Shumokuzori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sokubiotoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Sotogake 0 0 3 0 1 0 4 0.16% 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 4 4 9 13 20 3 53 2.16% Susoharai 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.04% Susotori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tasukizori 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Tokkurinage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tottari 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 0.12% Tsukaminage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsukidashi 7 6 21 9 5 2 50 2.04% Tsukihiza 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.04% Tsukiotoshi 24 12 26 46 28 6 142 5.79% Tsukitaoshi 2 1 0 4 3 0 10 0.41% Tsukite 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.04% Tsumatori 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Tsuridashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% 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 0 0 0 0 0.00% Ushiromotare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Utchari 0 0 0 3 2 1 6 0.24% Uwatedashinage 4 6 8 3 10 2 33 1.35% Uwatehineri 1 1 1 1 0 0 4 0.16% Uwatenage 15 13 11 34 51 5 129 5.26% Waridashi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Watashikomi 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.08% Yaguranage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yobimodoshi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% Yorikiri 66 50 92 162 164 50 584 23.83% Yoritaoshi 7 9 17 37 48 17 135 5.51% Zubuneri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00%

A celebration was held at Shibatayama-beya's senshuraku party to mark Shoketsu's milestone. The man himself celebrated with a double no-flag. Apparently even the database is struggling with the scale of Hattorizakura's "achievements", the 0-8 score hasn't appeared yet. It didn't register at the time but his extra bout took place on Day 15, which as we learned not long ago is quite unusual in Jonokuchi since 2000:

Burinosato was the last of the four rikishi who branched out with Chiganoura-beya back in 2004, bit sad to see him call it a day. Danpatsu-shiki pictures for Kiriarashi, Akinohana and Amanishiki were posted in last basho's intai thread. Daiseiho retires after 11 years due to an eye injury suffered during keiko last year. One of the more interesting rikishi, I highly recommend reading the story of his entry into ozumo. In April he will start working for one of Japan's largest manufacturers of medical products. Daishoiwa retires after 13 years on the dohyo, in which he participated in two yusho kettei-sen. In 2014 Natsu he missed out on the Sandanme yusho against fellow retiree Kiriarashi, while in 2016 Hatsu he fell in the first round of an eight-man play-off for the Makushita yusho. As Bumpkin noticed Hamamiryu didn't make the official list this time, but is retiring after 16 years and 665 consecutive bouts. He was one of the group of seven rikishi who originally branched out with Kise-beya when it opened in 2004. His danpatsu-shiki took place on senshuraku. Hamatensei retires after an eight year struggle, having made his debut in the 2011 Natsu basho-by-any-other-name. He had a couple of lengthy injury absences, but did at least sign off with a kachi-koshi. For the last three years he has been studying via correspondence at the NHK Gakuen High School, and is now a high school graduate. Congratulations! No danpatsu-shiki pictures so far. I understand he will be working at a company run by his uncle, with a view to succeeding him when he retires in the future. Only one picture to add, flowers after his final bout. They expressed the intention to retire, but the oyakata have obviously not filed the retirement papers in time for the banzuke compilation conference. They'll be on the next banzuke, but maybe had their danpatsu-shiki already. Regarding Hitenryu, most likely it's because Hakuryu doesn't turn 65 until April 12th, so his wakaimonogashira position isn't yet vacant for Hitenryu. More flowers:

There was also the notable case of Tamamitsukuni in 2005 Kyushu, he also "succeeded" for his first win thanks to Yotsukasa's kyujo which turned into intai.

Perhaps - if Watanabe is so crocked that they have to take him TO the dohyo in the wheelchair. Otherwise, it's likely that Sano will get some company in the record books at last.

Hanakaze, the only rikishi whose career has spanned the entirety of the Heisei era, started and finished it in a rather unfortunate way...

Former Juryo Hitenryu has retired after a 19-year career, having reached his physical limit. Making his debut in 2000 Haru, a bit of banzuke luck saw him finally reach Juryo in 2011 Nagoya, in the aftermath of the yaocho scandal. He spent two basho as a sekitori, which he says is his favourite memory from his career. His danpatsu-shiki will be held at the Kokugikan on May 4th. Also, former Maegashira Tenkaiho was greeted with flowers (and a KFC bucket it seems!) by some of his fellow Nichidai graduates following his bout today. No official intai announcement yet but the rumour is that he'll borrow a myoseki and stay in the Kyokai. From left: Hidenoumi, Kizakiumi, Sanoyama-oyakata (Satoyama), Kiseoka, Ishiura, Tenkaiho, Tobizaru, Tsurugisho, Daishomaru and Akiseyama. Hamamiryu completed his final basho with a win and kachi-koshi. It seems he will next go to work in a chanko restaurant in Himeji run by a fellow Hyogo native, former Makushita Daikiyama.

7 Hanakaze (Jd56e) 0-6 Kotokume (Sd85w) 0-6 Jd56e Hanakaze going all the way up to Sandanme. If my querying is up to scratch, the only other Jd50+ to do that (in the available records) was Asahisato (now Nakagawa-oyakata) back in 1982 Aki. Unfortunately he won't be dohyo-side for Hanakaze's bout tomorrow, he's on the previous shimpan crew.

Shoketsu fought the 1,000th consecutive bout of his career today, a yorikiri win against Goryu. On the next banzuke this ironman of the lower divisions will return to Makushita at the age of 42.

Were my ears betraying me, or was the last maezumo bout of the Heisei era between two of the Asahiyama-beya recruits, Kitajima and Ikegame?? Yamamoto and Yamamotozakura were both absent from the final session and the niban shussehiro due to illness, a fever in Yamamoto's case. Brief notes about a few of the recruits: Iizuka has baseball experience only. His sister is an enka singer and knows fellow Ibaraki native Takayasu, through her Iizuka was introduced to Taognoura-beya and decided to give it a try. Ikegame has sumo experience from his time at Maebashi Daigo junior high school in Gunma. At some point he was interviewed by the local press, Asahiyama-oyakata saw the resulting article during a Takasaki jungyo event and recruited him. Kitajima has a year of wrestling experience, his coach suggested he try sumo. Yatabe has baseball and judo experience, he was featured in an Asahi article last year. Maruyama was on the volleyball team during high school, while Shioya has judo experience. Fukui has some sumo experience from elementary school. And finally, I expect two more gyoji to debut in the Natsu basho, the two young guys a few rows back were regulars here.

37 Yukiumi (Jd32e) 1-0 Sawayaka (Jd32w) 1-0 11 Sekizukayama (Jk5w) 0-1 Iwamoto (Jk4w) 0-1 Two lengthy bouts here, both of which were halted by the shimpan after five minutes in favour of ni-ban-go torinaoshi. Remarkably, for Sekizukayama it was already the third such bout of his career.

Mitsuuchi just has no luck, already with two lengthy absences in his career, he suffered an awful-looking right knee injury in an abisetaoshi loss today. Dewahayate had a fusenpai today as he is suffering from a sprained neck, apparently one week recovery time needed so he'll surely be back in later. Jonokuchi gyoji Kimura Keitaro has been kyujo since Day 6.