New recruits for Haru 2014

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Naruto-oyakata scouting 3^rd year high school judo athlete Daisuke Fujiwara, who will start at the Haru basho.

With coach Hikaru Miwa.

[Asashosakari 20,297]

Naruto-oyakata scouting 3^rd year high school judo athlete Daisuke Fujiwara, who will start at the Haru basho.

Most recently scouted in early August at the "44th All-Japan Part-Time and Distance Learning High Schools" judo competition...do those schools not get to take part in the regular athletic circuits for high schools? Very interesting/odd. Shikama Technical HS, which Fujiwara captains, won its 6th straight team title. Fujiwara had said he'd only go Ozumo if he won the individual title in his category (75+ kg) there - which he did.

Apparently coach "Hot-blooded Yankee" Miwa and the Shikama club were profiled in a TV documentary for the unusual turnaround it has undergone from rag-tag group of 3 athletes in 2006 (when Miwa arrived) to a national powerhouse of almost 40 students. Naruto-oyakata caught the documentary a year ago and contacted the club about their top talent Fujiwara afterwards.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Asashosakari

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Fujiwara came for a one day training experience to his future heya.

Naruto-oyakata: “From seeing his impact I know that he is someone to look forward to.”

Takayasu: “He understands quickly.”

Butsukari-geiko with Takanoyama:

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2013110602000171.html

[Tony 16]

It's a good news for Naruto-beya. Recently, I didn't watch young and very promising talent in this heya!

[Akinomaki 41,856]

For the Haru basho 3 new recruits will enter Miyagino-beya.
http://www.daily.co....006481236.shtml

[Fay 1,677]

Sakaigawa Beya may get a new mongolian rikishi in December, 17 years, 1,88, 90kg, the son of the sister of a friend ;-). His Grandfather was at the rank of Ozeki in mongolian sumo.

[Akinomaki 41,856]

From Sapporo Toho High for Hakkaku-beya: Nakamura (18, 184cm, 105kg, wrestling background). He wanted to become a police officer, but the heya's general manager Hasegawa scouted him after watching him at the Inter-high championships in the wrestling team and -120kg category.

http://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/news/sapporo/510594.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Hakuho gave 3 Miyagino-beya new recruit hopefuls a training lesson, lending his chest in 3 bouts each and as well to the new recruit for the Hatsu basho, Tottori Johoku's Harada:

Middle school 3^rd years Kawamoto (15), Yamamoto (15) and Watanabe (14) came during their winter vacation. Yamamoto is the younger brother of the heya's sandanme Kiryu: “The first time I did sumo with a rikishi. This being the yokozuna made me happy. He is really strong and didn't move. First of all I want to surpass my brother.”

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/f-sp-tp3-20131228-1237211.html

[Manekineko 200]

Hakuho looks like one of Niou temple guardians, the open-mouthed one... :-D

Edited January 7, 2014 by Manekineko
found my own nio photo.

[Kotoviki 16]

Naruto-oyakata scouting 3^rd year high school judo athlete Daisuke Fujiwara, who will start at the Haru basho.

Most recently scouted in early August at the "44th All-Japan Part-Time and Distance Learning High Schools" judo competition...do those schools not get to take part in the regular athletic circuits for high schools? Very interesting/odd. Shikama Technical HS, which Fujiwara captains, won its 6th straight team title. Fujiwara had said he'd only go Ozumo if he won the individual title in his category (75+ kg) there - which he did.

Apparently coach "Hot-blooded Yankee" Miwa and the Shikama club were profiled in a TV documentary for the unusual turnaround it has undergone from rag-tag group of 3 athletes in 2006 (when Miwa arrived) to a national powerhouse of almost 40 students. Naruto-oyakata caught the documentary a year ago and contacted the club about their top talent Fujiwara afterwards.

My coworker is in charge of this tournament every year. So I'm always lucky to be a guest and I bring a couple of rikishi along as well to scout out the judo guys.

These types of schools have to have their own competition aside from the regular schools competition. They do this because the schools are completely separated. Also theses types of schools which include Tokyo Metropolitan night high schools (as I teach at), company owned schools (treated as correspondence), military type high schools and other types of distance learning do not get nearly as much training time as regular schools so the odds are in regular school students favor.

Also an interesting fact is that both sisters of Kasugayama beya's Matsubayama are champs in the girls division of this tournament!

One has now graduated. The first time I saw them compete I knew they had to be related. After it was over I was going to go talk to them but they came to me first and asked if I was Viki as they'd seen my pictures through him before. Small world!

[Akinomaki 41,856]

2013's amateur yokozuna Kawabata is about to enter Oitekaze-beya, following 2012's Endo to the same heya, being from the same town as the oyakata, aiming for a ms15 tsukedashi debut at the Haru-basho.

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140116-1244643.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Masahiro Okamoto (18, 177cm, 100kg) will enter Tatsunami-beya. He started sumo in high school: captain of the sumo club of East Kyushu Ryukoku High in Oita pref. Nakatsu city. He is from Fukuoaka pref. Buzen city.
The Tatsunami-beya manager had watched his bouts at the Usa selection tournament and approached him. After some hesitation he decided to enter as he visited the heya this year and liked the atmosphere and the presence of many deshi of his age.
www.asahi.com/articles/ASG1Y46YNG1YTPJB009.html
With Tatsunami-oyakata (Asahiyutaka) and the mayor of Nakatsu, to whom he pledged to do his best to get to yokozuna:

www.oita-press.co.jp/localNews/2014_139104428274.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Tokitsukaze-oyakata (former Tōnōdai) got for his heya same Tōnōdai 4^th year Shodai (22, 181cm, 150kg, from Kumamoto pref. As student yokozuna way back in 2011 he'll have to start at mae-zumo. He won the kokutai junior title in high school, got 3 titles as a student and was 2-2 with Endo.

www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/sumo/news/20140204-OYT1T01055.htm

www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/f-sp-tp3-20140204-1253192.html

www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/sumo/2014/02/04/0006685163.shtml

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2014020400837

[Akinomaki 41,856]

More or bigger from Shodai

http://www.daily.co.jp/sumo/2014/02/05/p1_0006686649.shtml

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2014020502000163.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

A really big middle school student to enter Takadagawa-beya (of Akinoshima): Shōto Suzuki (15, 195cm, 140kg) from Ōiso, Kanagawa, baseball pitcher without sumo experience. Nonetheless 14 heya wanted to get him. In summer he had a test training at Miyagino-beya after meeting Hakuho at the Fujisawa jungyo in April. He thought about a baseball career or continuing school but: “I have got the opportunity to see many heya, I humbly chose the one with the most rigid keiko. In that environment I want to grow. I have no regrets towards baseball.”

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140213-1256883.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Yūki Nagao (18, 173, 123kg) from the Gifu Nōrin High sumo club, younger brother of Genki: Tochigidake (gi from Gifu, not Tochigi) is to enter Kasugano-beya (of Tochinowaka, with the Wakayama waka). He won a wanpaku sumo national title as 4^th year, was 3^rd at the national middle school championships and runner-up at the national selection high school tournament.
http://www.gifu-np.co.jp/news/kennai/20140213/201402130924_21952.shtml

[Akinomaki 41,856]

2013's amateur yokozuna Kawabata is about to enter Oitekaze-beya, following 2012's Endo to the same heya, being from the same town as the oyakata, aiming for a ms15 tsukedashi debut at the Haru-basho.

His start as ms15 TD for Oitekaze-beya was confirmed.

www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/02/14/kiji/K20140214007588000.html

[kuroimori 1,634]

2013's amateur yokozuna Kawabata is about to enter Oitekaze-beya, following 2012's Endo to the same heya, being from the same town as the oyakata, aiming for a ms15 tsukedashi debut at the Haru-basho.

His start as ms15 TD for Oitekaze-beya was confirmed.

www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/02/14/kiji/K20140214007588000.html

Osaka debut for the Osaka native, nice!

After Ichinojo's impressive introduction from the ms15 tsukedashi spot,

what can we expect from the 2013 Ama-Yok Kawabata?

Nice to have consecutive ms15 TD,

another thing to look forward to Haru 2014.

[Akinomaki 41,856]

Monomane(imitator)-talento Krokke's 2^nd son Ayumi Takigawa (18, 172cm, 130kg) enters Sadogatake-beya. He started sumo in elementary 2, has reached no higher amateur results. The oyakata noticed him 6 years ago at a tournament at which his first son took part.

He aims to start as Kototakigawa. Gaburi-yori is his speciality, which means of course his ideal is Kotoshogiku and as a reasonably good imitator himself, he'll try to imitate the ozeki, being able to watch him from close-by.

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140216-1258315.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

the future Kototakigawa had his first keiko in the heya on the 16^th.
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/02/17/kiji/K20140217007605730.html


The big Suzuki had his on the 19^th - maybe his first ever sumo keiko
The oyakata was pleased with his abilities: “He is better in doing suri-ashi etc. than his senior deshi.
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140220-1260078.html

A really big middle school student to enter Takadagawa-beya (of Akinoshima): Shōto Suzuki (15, 195cm, 140kg)

[Akinomaki 41,856]

(now)Tagonoura-oyakata came for Fujiwara.
again with judo coach Miwa:
http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/201402/0006735932.shtml

[Akinomaki 41,856]

49 new recruits this basho, 10 more than last year. The year before that had the low of 34 (at the present system since 1973 of entering after finishing compulsory education), 2011 had 36.

The check is on the 1^st.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20140227/sum14022717550002-n1.html

one more from Fujiwara

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2014022602000175.html

[Akinomaki 41,856]

All 49 passed so far, waiting for the final medical results.
http://mainichi.jp/sports/news/20140302k0000m050012000c.html

Kawabata
http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/sumo/2014/03/01/0006744965.shtml

http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201403/2014030100218

(Koto)Takigawa
http://mainichi.jp/sports/news/20140302k0000m050013000c.html

http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/general/2014/03/01/0006744970.shtml

imitating father Krokke



http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/news/140301/mrt14030117040002-n1.htm

Tamanoi-beya's small Akifumi Suzuki (15, 165cm, 105kg), judo background from tsunami-wrecked Ishinomaki (Miyagi). The oyakata is the one measuring, so he'd pass at any size – and 165 even is officially OK for those just finishing middle school .
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/sumo/news/20140301-OHT1T00034.htm

measured 166cm, 102kg
http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20140301/sum14030118150005-n1.html

5^th biggest ever: 204kg Ryuuta Takagi (21) for Kise-beya, Takushoku univ. 4^th year and 1 year junior to Endo at Ishikawa-Kanazawa-gakuin Higashi High, one time individual national runner up during university, aiming to follow Endo.
Biggest ever was Yamamotoyama with 233kg.
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140301-1264156.html

Edited March 1, 2014 by Akinomaki

[Naganoyama 6,043]

Kise seems to go for the super-heavy guys

(Over 180 kg - Gagamaru, Tokushinho, Tanahashi, Akiseyama, moto-Kiyoseumi)

[Kintamayama 47,369]

Looks like an inflated ex-Takatoturiki wearing a wig.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Kintamayama