Kaninoyama

According to today's NHK sumo broadcast, Kisenosato will assume the toshiyori (elder) name of Araiso (荒磯).

Don't know about Goeido, but Tochinoshin suffered an injury prior to the basho and Takayasu also had a bout with the flu, so both are presumably in less than ideal form.

Does anybody know the identity of the bearded, bespectacled, Caucasian gentleman resembling a college professor who frequently sits in the front row, usually on the East side during basho at the Kokugikan? Yesterday he sat directly behind the seated rikishi at the foot of the dohyo awaiting their bout. I see him down there all the time and always wonder who he is to have that kind of front-row access.

I highly doubt he will fade into obscurity. He was immensely popular with Japanese fans, became the first Japanese Yokozuna in almost 20 years after heartbreaking struggle to attain that rank, conducted himself with impeccable "hinkaku" throughout his career, and will thus be remembered and revered as a Japanese sumo hero for many years to come.

Maybe, but I also believe he earned the right to go out on his own terms, which he did.

Yokozuna Kisenosato (32) has decided to retire. The decision was announced on January 16 by his Oyakata, Tagonoura. His reign as Yokozuna lasted but a brief 12 tournaments. News Story in Japanese

Things are looking bleak for Kise right now. There's a part of me that wants him to give it one more try tomorrow, but Nishikigi, having just knocked of a Yokozuna today and Ozeki before that, is far from a bargain first win and last stab at trying to turn things around. I'm afraid we may be witnessing the end of the road for Kise.

Along these lines, I had been wondering what happens in terms of heya status to someone like Toyonoshima, who went from an elite sanyaku rikishi to losing his sekitori status due to injury but persisted onward in his sumo career. Did his status within his heya likewise take a tumble during that stretch until he regained his juryo rank?

Japanese papers are reporting that his retirement announcement is imminent.

Won't go as far to say legend, but he's not there by accident. And with this yusho in his 26th basho, Takakeisho ties with Akebono as the 4th fastest to accomplish that feat. All above him and tied with him (the others being Takanohana, Wakanohana, and Kaio (someone please correct me if I am wrong)) reached either Yokozuna or Ozeki, so he's in pretty good company moving forward.

The results certainly do not lie, although given the success of the rikishi in Takanohana-beya overall, it's hard to imagine that being out from Takanohana's grip will be a net positive for his disciples. We shall see.

Exactly. Lost in all the Takakeisho doubting is that he's been doing sumo his entire life at a high level, winning each step of the way. And now here he is on the verge of doing it again at the very highest level.

I don't think it's arrogance as much as confidence. Simply put, he's intimidated by no one out there, Yokozuna included, unlike many up-and-coming rikishi in their Joi debut who cower with fear and are completely overwhelmed by the moment when facing a Yokozuna. Takakeisho believes he belongs up there with the best, and he's backing up his brazen self-belief with winning sumo to match.

I believe Chinzorig is the Mongolian wrestler recently featured on the Japanese TV show "You ha Nani Shi ni Nippon e?" (Why Did you Come to Japan?). Seems like the typical lumbering, serious, hard-working Mongolian with dreams of making a better life for himself and his family in Japan through sumo. He appears to have the size and work ethic to succeed. Hope he does.

What makes both of them so effective is how, despite completely different body types, they combine relentless oshi-zumo and tsuppari with superb ring movement and impeccable timing to know just when to shift to get their opponents off balance. Neither seems to get much love on this forum but I'm a fan of both, and believe they will be Joi mainstays for some time to come.