Tochinofuji

Ultimately, who cares if amateur gets as much "respect" as professional? Do you love the idea of doing sumo? If so, do it. If not, don't. If you're doing it for some sort of external validation of worth, which is what it sounds like in some of your posts, you won't last at it long enough to get that validation even if it's there to be had. Further, sumo is a niche activity that doesn't garner as much respect as it should anyways. So don't worry about it, and if you love it, do it.

And if not religious, certainly political.

I, for one, would love to hear you expand on this. Martial arts are a big reason I became interested in sumo, though I see it more as a martial sport (akin to western wrestling or boxing, neither of which were generally considered martial arts before the rise of MMA) rather than martial art. The main distinction to me would be one of intent, which for martial sports would be to get good at a sport which may have direct martial/self defence applications, without those applications being a focus (or even an active consideration).

One additional advantage, aside from protecting against head and mouth trauma, is that properly designed and fitted mouth guards allow an individual to set one's jaw and bite down hard, which can allow an athlete to generate more force/move more weight. Some companies even claim this biting down can increase endurance (see: Under Armour). While likely not producing much of an advantage, it could be just enough to be worth wearing one regardless of its protective properties, particularly in a short duration contest like sumo where any discomfort or difficulty in breathing caused by the mouth guard isn't likely to be a significant issue.

I'd love to hear more about the roles of a yokozuna's tachimochi and tsuyuharai, such as the history of the roles and whether they entail anything beyond appearing for dohyo-iri, as well as anything further on the tachi themselves (which smiths have produced the swords for the current crop of yokozuna, whether each yokozuna simply gets one or whether they have several made over the years, etc.). Might be a bit esoteric for Sumo 101, especially the sword portion, but hey, one rarely gets what they want if they don't ask.

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At your service!

I recommend getting your hands on the National Art of Sumo series. They can be found around for download, but also on YouTube. Fantastic highlights from a specific range of years for each volume. A personal favourite of mine:

That may be, but the 1th of anything is decidedly not a thing, anniversary or otherwise.

I'm a huge fan of Tochinoshin, but having watched them both, and shaken hands with them both in person (albeit a decade ago), I'd say Baruto was stronger hands down. As for who would win a match, I think that comes down to more than just strength, and think that Tochinoshin now would give Baruto a good run (and make for some fantastic matches). Though Baruto appears to be well ahead historically at 12 to 1, so that may just be my bias talking.

I've definitely enjoyed some of Tochinoshin's calmer moments as he's settled into the joi'i, but I'd say nothing's ever a given and the main thing he has to be nervous about in terms of Hakuho is an aggravation of an existing injury or creation of a new one. It'll be a breath-holding viewing experience for me at least!

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My suggestion, bearing in mind it's worth very little (about two practices of sumo a decade ago, some judo/BJJ (current)/wrestling): As part of the dashinage, your opponent is going to be turning so that to pull you, such that he's facing either perpendicular to you, or facing nearly the same direction as you. In your example, being able maintain your upright balance and swing your left foot out and around in a large arc to turn you so that you and your opponent are facing each other again, basically using the foot to post and break the direction of the throw. This essentially uses some of the energy of the throw to swing you back into a traditional yotsu position. At the beginning of the foot movement, depending on your opponent's body position, you may also be able to swing your right arm makikae to take the shitate position away from your opponent as well to further rob the throw of some of its power, though that likely is a bit of a pipe dream given the speed at which things happen in a match. All that being more a last ditch defence with the opponent already having started executing the throw. As with all types of grappling, you'll be more successful by heading that off by denying your opponent their grip of choice or denying them position to execute the throw (they need to break your balance first to make it work). A good tachiai strategy seems the ideal way to do both of those things in sumo.

Correction: both yokozuna avoided Chiyonokuni. Clearly they know that not even they could overcome him should he unleash his ultimate final form...

Excellent, thank you very much!