Akinomaki

If (very likely) Goeido gets demoted - and (very likely) Asanoyama does nor get promoted, we'll have a yokozuna-ozeki again after 38 years. Then there had been YO for nearly a year: first it was YW Wakanohana, for 2 basho, then Chiyonofuji got promoted to yokozuna (west) and both proper yokozuna became YO, Wakanohana haridashi. For next basho Kotokaze was promoted to ozeki and Kitanoumi stayed YO, now as YW, first as YE, Chiyonofuji was haridashi. After Hatsu 1982, Takanosato was promoted and there were 2 ozeki again. http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/column/news-column/1699623/ 1 existing ozeki thus is always ozeki east, and the (always proper?) west yokozuna has to fill in as ozeki west. Now we have no haridashi anymore, but only 2 yokozuna - if we had 4, could have been the YW2 YO? And what if we have only one Y, YE? Will the ozeki still be east or will it be the yokozuna?

Candidate applications will be handed in on the 30th, if more than 10 for riji or 3 for fuku-riji apply, there will be an election for that on the 31st. The last 5 terms had elections for the riji (the usual had been to just have the 10+3 candidates pass). http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/200121/spo2001210015-n1.html

o M6e Takarafuji (5-5) okuridashi O1w Goeido (3-7) o o o oo ooooo oo O1e Takakeisho (8-2) oshidashi M5w Enho (5-5) oo o o o oo o oo o oo ooo o o o S1w Takayasu (4-6) hatakikomi K1e Abi (5-5) oo oo oo o M6w Tochinoshin (5-5) shitatenage S1e Asanoyama (6-4) o oo oo o o o M2e Hokutofuji (7-3) hikkake K1w Daieisho (3-7) o o M3e Tamawashi (3-7) oshidashi M1w Myogiryu (3-7) o M2w Mitakeumi (6-4) uwatedashinage M1e Endo (6-4) o o oo o o o M4w Shodai (9-1) yorikiri M7e Shohozan (5-5) oo oo o o oo ooooo o o o the local koenkai of Shodai celebrates his win with fireworks o o M4e Okinoumi (6-4) yorikiri M7w Onosho (4-6) o M10w Ishiura (4-6) shitatedashinageM8w Ryuden (6-4) o M14e Terutsuyoshi (7-3) hikkake M8e Aoiyama (4-6) o o M9w Yutakayama (8-2) oshidashi M15e Azumaryu (5-5) oo ooo oooo o M9e Takanosho (5-5) oshidashi M16w Kaisei (6-4) o M10e Sadanoumi (6-4) yorikiri M13e Kotoshogiku (4-6) o o M11w Kagayaki (8-2) tsukidashi M13w Kotoeko (2-8) o o o o o M17w Tokushoryu (9-1) tsukiotoshi M12w Chiyomaru (4-6) oo o o oooo oo o o o M17e Kiribayama (6-4) yorikiri M12e Tsurugisho (3-7) o o M16e Tochiozan (7-3) makiotoshi M14w Shimanoumi (3-7) o o J1w Chiyoshoma (4-6) yorikiri J6e Daiamami (7-3) o o J5w Daishoho (8-2) yorikiri J2e Kotonowaka (5-5) o J13w Terunofuji (10-0) oshidashi J3e Daishomaru (4-6) oo ooo o oo o o oo o J4w Mitoryu (4-6) yorikiri J7e Ichinojo (5-5) o J14e Hoshoryu (6-4) uwatenage J7w Yago (2-8) oo o J8w Kotoshoho (7-3) oshidashi J9e Kyokushuho (6-4) o J13e Chiyootori (4-6) yoritaoshi J11e Toyonoshima (4-6) o Ms19w Ryusei (3-2) tsukiotoshi Ms22e Keitenkai (2-3) o o Ms12e Chiyonoo (4-1) yorikiri Ms14e Motobayashi (3-2) o Jd79w Satozakura (2-3) shitatenage Jd82e Oishi (1-4) o today Endo signs the chocolate for the special Haru basho tickets o o oyakata on duty - 2nd day of kanreki photoshoot with Isegahama - yesterday more had the proper attire o o o Hakkaku-beya chanko for the 2nd half of the basho is curry chanko - the oyakata for food PR on YT o o o o

Shodai is back to normal - leading the basho on day 9 does not at once attract new sponsors. More for a 10 lead? Daieisho has even less sponsors than Shohozan (the starflyer guy). Mitakeumi is catching up again with the combined Endo pack. Day 10 ２１３: Takakeisho ８１: Endo ７８: Shodai ７０: Abi ５４: Myogiryu ５４: Hokutofuji ５２: Mitakeumi ４５: Goeido ４２: Asanoyama ４２: Enho

Day 10 Makuuchi 1. Shodai 2. Takakeisho 3. Terutsuyoshi Juryo 1. Terunofuji 2. Hoshoryu 3. Nishikigi

The shimpan department head+deputy heads are members of the sansho selection committee - to vote among many others

It's a banzuke-technical rule of old. In Edo times they had the option to have a PR kanban-ozeki, e.g. for only one event, just some big dude. The lists of the occasions with 1 or no ozeki on the banzuke: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大関#一人大関 Maedayama in such a time was promoted from komusubi directly to ozeki (there were plenty of yokozuna though). WikiP gives 2 cases where none of the yokozuna was put on the banzuke as yokozeki like usually this - http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Banzuke.aspx?b=195501#M - Kagamisato is haridashi yokozuna - http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Banzuke.aspx?b=195509#M - 2 haridashi yokozuna

Of course technical Ryuden is far behind - but his kotenage is already just as devastating to the arms of the opponents

oo M4w Shodai (8-1) tsukiotoshi O1e Takakeisho (7-2) o ooooo o oo o o oo o o o o ooo o oo o kachi-koshi- + shukun interview o oo o o o o M5w Enho (5-4) oshidashi O1w Goeido (3-6) ooo o ooo o ooo o ooo oooo o shukun interview o o S1e Asanoyama (6-3) uwatenage K1w Daieisho (3-6) o ooo o o oo o M6e Takarafuji (4-5) oshidashi S1w Takayasu (3-6) o o ooo oo o o o K1e Abi (5-4) tsukidashi M1e Endo (6-3) ooo ooo oo M2e Hokutofuji (6-3) sukuinage M1w Myogiryu (3-6) o M2w Mitakeumi (5-4) hatakikomi M4e Okinoumi (5-4) o o M6w Tochinoshin (4-5) yorikiri M3e Tamawashi (2-7) o o o M7e Shohozan (5-4) hatakikomi M9e Takanosho (4-5) oo o M9w Yutakayama (7-2) oshidashi M7w Onosho (4-5) o o oo o M8w Ryuden (6-3) kotenage M11e Chiyotairyu (3-6) o o o M11w Kagayaki (7-2) oshidashi M14w Shimanoumi (3-6) o o M17w Tokushoryu (8-1) yorikiri M12e Tsurugisho (3-6) ooo o oo o o hiramaku dai-ichi-go kachi-koshi interview o M16w Kaisei (6-3) oshidashi M14e Terutsuyoshi (6-3) o o J7e Ichinojo (5-4) yorikiri J2w Hidenoumi (4-5) o J6w Tobizaru (5-4) hatakikomi J3w Kizakiumi (1-8) o J8w Kotoshoho (6-3) oshitaoshi J14e Hoshoryu (5-4) oo oo J9w Akua (5-4) kakenage J13e Chiyootori (3-6) o J11e Toyonoshima (4-5) yorikiri J10e Sokokurai (3-6) o oo J13w Terunofuji (9-0) yorikiri J10w Takagenji (4-5) o o oo oo Ms2e Midorifuji (3-2) katasukashi Ms5e Naya (2-3) o o ooo o Jd28e Ura (5-0) shitatenage Jd22e Taketsukasa (4-1) o o oo o Jd99w Hokutoryu (3-2) kubinage Jd102w Toshonishiki (2-3) o Asanoyama helps at Haru basho PR o o oyakata on duty - PR for the nanoblock kokugikan oo sold at the sumo museum: sumo notebooks to collect you rikishi and oyakata signs, with shiranui or unryu style dohyo-iri graphics oo o 2nd and last wasou day - photo shoot with gyoji or by a photographer pro oo o

Kyujo forecast: Chiyotairyu could neither bend nor extend his left elbow after being crushed by Ryuden's kotenage today : "A scraping (sound). The first time ever with a pain like that." http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20200120/sum20012021080019-n1.html He is not one of those who never go kyujo

Isegahama-oyakata (Asahifuji) reaches kanreki (turns 60) this year and will have his kanreki-dohyo-iri May 30th in the kokugikan, he's training for it now. The last was that of Chiyonofuji May 2015 http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/topic/33485-kokonoe-kanreki-dohyo-iri/?page=2, but the last of shiranui style was Tachiyama in 1937. photo shoot at the basho today with some fellow kanreki-s, who got the special ticket for that and (mostly) are in proper kanreki attire for the occasion o o

Takasago goes with Hakkaku for riji and Wakamatsu for fuku-riji http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202001200000774.html

The fate of Azumazeki-beya has been decided now, but it will only be announced after the basho. Nishikido revealed this after today's Takasago ichimon meeting, which mainly decided upon the candidates for the upcoming election. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202001200000774.html

The big pack for Shodai. Enho for Geoeido with a meager 11 - though they are 2nd and 4th fix, after 12 with Endo - but that was on nakabi and had the people's kensho. Day 9 １８８: Takakeisho ８１: Endo ７６: Shodai ７０: Abi ５４: Myogiryu ５０: Hokutofuji ４５: Goeido ４２: Asanoyama ４２: Enho ３６: Mitakeumi

Day 9 Makuuchi 1. Shodai 2. Enho 3. Asanoyama Juryo 1. Terunofuji 2. Kotoshoho 3. Nishikigi