Benevolance

So if I understand this correctly...when the sumo association hosts the next kids sumo event, they should serve complimentary oden to ensure the quail egg prizes keep coming.

Both are doubtlessly factors, but I suspect it's also to do with the large Indian population who use the Vancouver /Tokyo route as a stopover on the way to and from India. Lots of consistent traffic.

I still regularly see tickets for 1100 to 1300 out of Vancouver. But that said, I can also see prices in the 1600-2500, depending on how close it is to departure.

That makes a lot more sense, thanks!

Is he really likely to drop that far?

I finally managed to catch up the matches for days 11-14. I'm kind of disappointed with Kotozakura's results, but not his effort. I think those matches probably could have gone either way. I still have hopes that he'll make it to yokozuna.

[pauses reading sumo script] Terunofuji has been so awesome this tournament, that it will be EPIC when Kotozakura steals the yusho.

The Ura vs Terunofuji match up is my favorite bout of the tournament so far.

Aside from day 1, Terunofuji's matchups mostly looked like helpful wrestlers lending their chest to the yokozuna for warm up. Are they worried about injuring him with any rough movements? Do they know he is done, and this is a friendly send off? Did Terunofuji finally perfect the "Sumo Moth" technique, which mesmerizes rikishi and draws them in to a double-hand belt grip?

Because it would be way too ridiculous if it went otherwise, Onosato will beat Abi tonight and spare us all from having to watch a tournament that ends with an 11-4 yusho. This would be my preferred yusho winner.

At this point, it's looking like either Onosato or Daeiisho in the winner circle.

All that match needed at the end was John Cleese to announce "And now for something completely different."

Not idly do the ranks of sumotori fall.

Hakuho not being in the heya enough was the problem to begin with!

This has been the worst Kotonowaka yusho I've ever seen.

I saw it a bit differently on the replay. Wakamotoharu was setting up for a throw at the edge, and Takerufuji wasn't falling for that two days in a row. Takerufuji pulled back from his opponent to deny the throw, and then had to resume his forward momentum which resulted in the final shove. Since Takerufuji waited and watched at the edge while Wakamotoharu wandered up the aisle, I took to be a good finishing instinct and not malice.

Okay, I'll admit, I did not expect Takerufuji to beat Kotonowaka.

I'd wager that Kirishima will still get his 8 wins. What folks need to remember vis-a-vis Kirishima's performance this basho is that Kotonowaka is scheduled for winning the yusho, getting the rope, discovering a cure for cancer and going to Disneyland. So Kirishima needs an early deficit so he can fight hard the second week and make Kotonowaka's victory look more convincing without threatening the yusho. Also I heard that while on a secret mission for the Queen of Sweden Harumafuji was in disguise in a mawashi on a yacht in the Mediterranean and at a dinner part was struck upon the head in a freak champagne bottle accident and lost his memories and fell overboard and washed up on the coast of Japan and was recruited by Tokitsukaze beya and is none other than Shodai. You can tell it's true because the tachi-ai are almost identical.

Nope.

Kudos to Takayasu for jumping out to that early lead and ensuring Kotonowaka gets the yusho.

Kotonowaka will win the yusho. Assuming he gets the most wins. You heard it hear first.

He de-escalated the beating from a champagne bottle to a remote control. Practically a saint.

Anyone know what qualifications are required to be a ronin gyoji? Asking for a friend.

That's too true. But I thought Kotonowaka showed remarkable cool holding the lead for most of the tournament, and shook off his nerves for his second bout with Terunofuji. Further, if Terunofuji actually completes a second tournament before November, I'll be shocked. That leaves some 12-3 or 13-2 yusho up for grabs. Hopefully the OBSC gets together and sorts out which tournaments Kirishima wins and which ones Kotonowaka wins for maximum promotion value.

This was the best tournament I've watched in a few years. Terunofuji was on form. I especially liked that Kotonowaka seemed to get over his 'star struck' demeanour from the first fight against Terunofuji, and showed up for a good match in the yusho face off, and was trying to win it right until the end. Impressive fighting spirit. My money is that Kotonowaka makes Yokozuna before Kirishima, and does it before Terunofuji officially retires.