Yubinhaad

Aichi native Komakiryu has lost about 25kg since February, having planned to retire at what would have been his home Nagoya basho - unfortunately the change of venue put paid to that idea. In September he will start working for a company run by a member of Kise-beya's koenkai. Byakko made his debut in Nakamura-beya, when that closed in late 2012 the surviving rikishi moved to Azumazeki-beya. With his retirement, only Mitozakura remains active. Ex-Kyokuyuko visited the school for the first time five days after his danpatsu-shiki and has returned several times since to help with coaching. "I convey the importance of diet and training the lower body. I'm happy to be involved with the sumo world after my retirement," he said. Lending his chest during keiko:

Meet Wakajishi, whose luck finally ran out after a 13-year rollercoaster ride.

Quite a long list of retirees, 19 from this particular basho, plus the late Shobushi and five ex/sekitori during the extended break (quoted below). (Heya, Age, Debut, Highest Rank) Ms8e Kizenryu (Kise, 35, 2008.03, J11e) Ms27e Terao (Shikoroyama, 33, 2005.01, Ms10e) Sd23e Gochozan (Minezaki, 32, 2006.03, Ms7w) Sd31e Aratora (Isenoumi, 28, 2015.05, Sd3e) Sd35w Byakko (Azumazeki, 31, 2005.03, Ms13e) Sd60w Kyokuyuko (Nakagawa, 26, 2013.01, Ms58w) Sd64w Kurahashi (Asakayama, 23, 2016.05, Ms50w) Sd69e Komakiryu (Kise, 35, 2008.03, Ms33w) Sd89w Ako (Onomatsu, 27, 2008.03, Sd20w) Sd90e Bankoku (Kise, 30, 2010.01, Ms12e) Sd99e Kotorikuzan (Sadogatake, 26, 2009.03, Sd30w) Jd50w Sakaefuji (Sakaigawa, 27, 2011.05, Sd72e) Jd63w Terumichi (Isegahama, 23, 2013.03, Jd2w) Jd95e Takamasaki (Chiganoura, 20, 2018.03, Jd21e) Jd98e Ryuga (Nishikido, 21, 2018.09, Jd80w) Jk5w Houn (Minezaki, 25, 2017.09, Jk3e) Jk10w Kyokushoriki (Tomozuna, 22, 2018.03, Jk8e) Jk12w Wakaseiun (Chiganoura, 19, 2017.03, Jd56w) Jk30w Yamakawa (Tagonoura, 15, 2020.03, Jk30w) Sd82w Shobushi (Takadagawa, died while active aged 28, 2007.03, Sd11e)

Two new, two not so new. Debut: Oki - Ms2w, 5-2 (Shikoroyama-beya) Nishikifuji - Ms3e, 5-2 (Isegahama) Returning: Kitaharima - Ms3w, 5-2 (Yamahibiki) Chiyonokuni - Ms12w, 7-0 Yusho (Kokonoe) 8th Juryo promotion for Kitaharima, one short of the record held by the retiring Kizenryu. And a much-needed fillip for the suddenly embattled Shikoroyama.

Farewell, uwatenage master. Actually I heard back in February that his injuries were getting too much and he intended to retire after the Natsu basho, which of course didn't take place. I had hoped the enforced break might have helped him to heal and continue a while longer, but looking at him this basho I think he's shed some weight, so his mind must have been made up. And at 35, that's fair enough. He holds the record for most promotions to Juryo with 9, but unfortunately he never managed a kachi-koshi there. In the future he plans to return to his home prefecture Kagawa and get involved with coaching sumo to kids. Naturally, he signed off with an uwatenage win, the 143rd of his career which is almost half of all his wins. A deep farewell bow to the dohyo.

J10w Asabenkei is kyujo for the final day with a pulled muscle in his left thigh. Makushita visitor Yago will get a free win for his eighth bout.

All the action is in the bottom two divisions ahead of Day 13, with four rikishi making late entries and three departing. Entering: Jd40w Kototsukahara Jk11w Kotokino Jk17e Ishii Jk34w Daigonishiki It's not unusual to see two late-entering Jonokuchi rikishi face each other, but this one is an interesting bout - Kotokino is lower-half-Makushita quality when healthy, but a straight year of make-koshi followed by kyujo has left him needing a bout to stay on the banzuke here. He goes up against 192cm Ishii, the second of the Miyagino towers who joined in March. Meanwhile, the opening bout of Day 13 sees declining veteran Daigonishiki against the mighty Hattorizakura. Withdrawing: Jd17e Shinyashiki Jd26w Hokutohomare Jd76w Akiyama (fusen Day 12)

Three in, three out ahead of Day 11. Returning: Sd71w Hokutoryu (withdrew Day 7) Jd38e Kaitoma (withdrew Day 9) Jd85e Sasazaki (withdrew Day 9) Withdrawing (all had a fusenpai on Day 10): Ms23e Mifuneyama Ms25w Kagamio Sd83w Asanojo Mifuneyama hurt his left knee a week ago against Murata, and had to stop while hobbling back to the shitakubeya, although he managed to stay in the basho until now. Kagamio has a strained back, while Asanojo also suffered a knee injury in his win on Day 7.

I hope everything is alright with Asashosakari; in the meantime here's my quick-n-dirty results and standings info. As Akinomaki reported above, the shindeshi were joined in maezumo by three rikishi returning from banzuke-gai: Kototaiko (Sadogatake, out of action for 4 basho), Hanashi (Musashigawa, 3 basho), and Yutakanami (Tatsunami, 2 basho). Day 3 O Hanashi Kototaiko X O Yasunishi Takarabe X O Akiyoshi Kawaguchi X O Osuzuki Nakago X O Mabuchi Furusawa X X Shimoyama Takano O O Yutakanami Kototaiko X Day 4 O Hanashi Takarabe X X Yasunishi Kawaguchi O O Akiyoshi Nakago X O Osuzuki Furusawa X X Mabuchi Takano O O Yutakanami Takarabe X Day 5 X Mabuchi Yasunishi O O Hanashi Nakago X O Akiyoshi Takarabe X O Osuzuki Kawaguchi X O Takano Furusawa X O Yutakanami Yasunishi X I make the final standings as follows: Akiyoshi Onomatsu 3-0 Osuzuki Naruto 3-0 Takano Kise 3-0 > Hanashi Musashigawa 3-0 > Yutakanami Tatsunami 3-0 Yasunishi Michinoku 2-2 Mabuchi Musashigawa 1-2 Kawaguchi Kokonoe 1-2 Takarabe Kokonoe 0-4 Nakago Kokonoe 0-3 Furusawa Kokonoe 0-3 > Kototaiko Sadogatake 0-2-2 Shimoyama Tokitsukaze 0-1-2 No surprises among the 3-0 rookies - Takano and Akiyoshi have competitive backgrounds through to high school while Osuzuki comes from Nittai-dai. In contrast, the Kokonoe quartet could only muster a combined 1-12, perhaps backing up why I couldn't find much on them regarding sumo experience. Yutakanami looks fit again, having started his career with a jun-yusho before injury dropped him back. Hanashi hasn't yet managed back-to-back kachi-koshi in his career, and his 3-0 here is a bit deceptive - Kototaiko and a pair of winless Kokonoes were his victims. Kototaiko didn't appear again after his double duty in the first session. Shimoyama fought once in the first session and was absent thereafter, but he did return for the shussehiro as you can see in the pictures above. We overlooked him a bit, he was on the sumo team at Kogota Norin High School in Miyagi prefecture and competed at the 2019 Inter-high.

Couple of withdrawals from the Jonidan ranks ahead of Day 9: Jd38e Kaitoma Jd85e Sasazaki (fusen Day 8)

Press reporting that Kotonowaka is kyujo from Day 8, which will give Tochinoshin a free win.

One rapid returnee and four more withdrawals ahead of Day 7. Returning: Sd67w Kotosusumu Withdrawing: Ms35e Inoue Sd5e Sagatsukasa Sd54w Nihonyanagi Sd71w Hokutoryu (fusen Day 6) Inoue had to be taken to the clinic in a wheelchair after injuring his right knee in his Day 5 yoritaoshi loss to Hiradoumi. He reported hearing a cracking sound. Nihonyanagi couldn't put any weight on his right leg after landing off the dohyo in his Day 5 loss to Haruminato - I fear it could be a repeat injury to his right knee, which he had surgery on before joining ozumo. (But that's just my speculation)

Bit late but there were two more withdrawals in Sandanme ahead of Day 5: Sd55w Yuriki Sd67w Kotosusumu

Six withdrawals ahead of Day 3, three each in Sandanme and Jonidan: Sd28w Dewanojo Sd68e Wakaryusei (fusenpai Day 2) Sd79e Kirinoryu (fusenpai Day 1) Jd77e Tabara (fusenpai Day 1) - Musashigawa reports a worsening case of cellulitis. Jd91w Wakatoriumi (fusenpai Day 2) Jd99w Hokutoizumi (fusenpai Day 2)

NHK reporting Kakuryu as kyujo for Day 2. Daieisho will get the free win.