73rd All Japan Rikishi Championship tournament

[Kintamayama 47,294]

The 73rd All-Japan Championship knock out tournament was held at the KKan today. Winner for the first time- Kakuryuu. He beat Takanoiwa in the finals by shitatedashinage. "I really wanted to win this tournament. Now I'd like to win the real thing as well. The fall jungyo (exhibition tour ) is starting soon and I will be moving my body at my own pace" he said later. Hakuhou was beaten by Ikioi in the first round. All Ozeki were eliminated in the first round as well. Ichinojou beat Endou in the first round, but was beaten by Takanoiwa in the semifinals by yorikiri. The Juryo tournament was won by Fujiazuma.

Ichinojou was full of vigor, even though he eventually lost in the semifinals. He beat Endou by yorikiri in their first ever meeting. "Nothing extraordinary. It was as usual.." he said later. "The guy is big. And I mean BIG!!" said Endou. Ichinojou got his revenge on Ikioi, who beat him during the basho, in the second round. Then he disposed of Chiyoootori by yorikiri. He was beaten by a dashinage by his high-school elder Takanoiwa in the semis. "My elder was strong," he explained. He then went on to tell everyone that he had slept for 14 and a half hours the day before. "I will train with the utmost vigor!!" he summed.

Kakuryuu wins the tournament-beats Takanoiwa in the finals:

"When you awake you will remember noooothing.."

Kakuryuu with the.. the.. the.. thing he won.

Ichinojou-Ikioi

Edited October 6, 2014 by Kintamayama

[Gurowake 4,153]

Is there any way we could get a full bracket? I'm quite surprised to see Takanoiwa in the finals and wonder who he beat on the way. I understand how this is totally exhibition and most of them probably just want to make sure they don't get injured, but it still strikes me as odd. Is there some prize money or something motivating them? Google turns up absolutely nothing but this thread.

[Asojima 2,874]

It is a yearly knockout tournament that at one time paid a large prize to the winner. A few years ago, the major sponsor(s) pulled out and the prize dropped to about US$5000. It is now a non-event where the rikishi make an obligatory show and go home as soon as possible.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Asojima

[Kintamayama 47,294]

Is there any way we could get a full bracket? I'm quite surprised to see Takanoiwa in the finals and wonder who he beat on the way. I understand how this is totally exhibition and most of them probably just want to make sure they don't get injured, but it still strikes me as odd. Is there some prize money or something motivating them? Google turns up absolutely nothing but this thread.

FWIW I'm pretty sure the outcome is not decided ahead of the tournament. Some rikishi just don't give this their all, others take advantage of that to shine, even for a moment. I asked people once if this was for real and they swore it was, but said not everyone takes it seriously.

[Jakusotsu 6,401]

Somebody once claimed a high correlation between winning this and the subsequent yusho at Kyushu Basho. Is there a convenient list of past winners somewhere to investigate?

[Yubinhaad 11,972]

Some pictures from this event. Yokozuna dohyo-iri usually precede it at Meiji Jingu, but as with Kakuryu's dohyo-iri at Tomioka Hachimangu they were cancelled due to the outbreak of dengue fever.

Opening parade and greetings speeches.

Opening address from Rijicho Kitanoumi.

Last year's champion Harumafuji was kyujo as he continues his recovery from the eye injury he suffered during the Aki basho. Hakuho returned the championship pennant in his place.

Hakuho reads out the rikishi's oath.

Ozeki Goeido wore one of his new kesho-mawashi for the first time in the Makuuchi dohyo-iri.

Yokozuna Kakuryu's dohyo-iri.

Yokozuna Hakuho's dohyo-iri.

Fujiazuma wins the Juryo tournament, pushing out Gagamaru in the final.

Kaisei and Takanoiwa grapple in the second round.

Ichinojo and Takanoiwa during the shikiri for their semi-final bout, won by Takanoiwa.

Terunofuji and Kakuryu perform chiri-chozu ahead of their semi-final bout.

Kakuryu booked his place in the final with a win in that bout.

And Kakuryu claimed his first win in this special event, defeating Takanoiwa in the final.

The winner receives the championship pennant.

A special prize from the Meiji-jingu Sukei-kai (Worshippers' Association). I think the man presenting it is a priest from the shrine.

And a certificate from the Kyokai, presented by Isegahama-oyakata (former Yokozuna Asahifuji).

Certificate also for the runner-up, Takanoiwa.

And one for the Juryo champion, Fujiazuma.

As requested, full results (no kimarite) are in this box.

1st Round:

Ikioi def. Hakuho

Ichinojo def. Endo

Sokokurai def. Yoshikaze

Chiyootori def. Goeido

Jokoryu def. Tamawashi

Kyokushuho def. Osunaarashi

Takanoiwa def. Toyonoshima

Kaisei def. Kotoshogiku

Shohozan def. Kisenosato

Sadanoumi def. Aoiyama

Okinoumi def. Toyohibiki

Terunofuji def. Tochinowaka

Takekaze def. Arawashi

Takarafuji def. Kyokutenho

Takayasu def. Kitataiki

Kakuryu def. Aminishiki

2nd Round:

Ichinojo def. Ikioi

Chiyootori def. Sokokurai

Jokoryu def. Kyokushuho

Takanoiwa def. Kaisei

Sadanoumi def. Shohozan

Terunofuji def. Okinoumi

Takekaze def. Takarafuji

Kakuryu def. Takayasu

Quarter-finals:

Ichinojo def. Chiyootori

Takanoiwa def. Jokoryu

Terunofuji def. Sadanoumi

Kakuryu def. Takekaze

Semi-finals:

Takanoiwa def. Ichinojo

Kakuryu def. Terunofuji

Final:

Kakuryu def. Takanoiwa

-----------------------

Juryo:

1st Round:

Tokushoryu def. Tochinoshin

Shotenro def. Seiro

Tosayutaka def. Daido

Fujiazuma def. Homarefuji

Chiyoo def. Sotairyu

Kitaharima def. Kotoyuki

Gagamaru def. Asahisho

Amuru def. Tamaasuka

Quarter-finals:

Shotenro def. Tokushoryu

Fujiazuma def. Tosayutaka

Chiyoo def. Kitaharima

Gagamaru def. Amuru

Semi-finals:

Fujiazuma def. Shotenro

Gagamaru def. Chiyoo

Final:

Fujiazuma def. Gagamaru

Late edit to add the list of tournament winners.

Inaugural winner Tochigiyama was already retired for several months when he won the tournament, which was initially held outdoors at Meiji Jingu. The 1957 edition was cancelled due to rain, after which the tournament was moved to the Kokugikan. The 1988 edition was cancelled due to the deteriorating health of Emperor Hirohito.

1925 - Tochigiyama

1926 - Tsunenohana

1929 - Tsunenohana

1931 - Tamanishiki

1933 - Tamanishiki

1935 - Minanogawa

1937 - Tamanishiki

1939 - Futabayama

1940 - Futabayama

1941 - Nayoroiwa

1942 - Futabayama

1943 - Futabayama

1944-1951 Not held

1952 - Chiyonoyama

1953 - Kagamisato

1954 - Tochinishiki

1955 - Ouchiyama

1956 - Matsunobori

1957 - Not held

1958 - Asashio

1959 - Wakahaguro

1960 - Taiho

1961 - Kashiwado

1962 - Tochinoumi

1963 - Yutakayama Katsuo

1964 - Taiho

1965 - Wakamiyama

1966 - Tamanoshima

1967 - Sadanoyama

1968 - Taiho

1969 - Tamanoshima

1970 - Kitanofuji

1971 - Daikirin

1972 - Yutakayama Hiromitsu

1973 - Wajima

1974 - Kitanoumi

1975 - Onishiki

1976 - Kitanoumi

1977 - Kitanoumi

1978 - Wakanohana II

1979 - Mienoumi

1980 - Takanosato

1981 - Wakanohana II

1982 - Takanosato

1983 - Chiyonofuji

1984 - Asashio

1985 - Asashio

1986 - Chiyonofuji

1987 - Hokutoumi

1988 - Not held

1989 - Chiyonofuji

1990 - Onokuni

1991 - Kirishima

1992 - Akebono

1993 - Akebono

1994 - Akebono

1995 - Musashimaru

1996 - Takanohana

1997 - Wakanohana III

1998 - Takanonami

1999 - Chiyotaikai

2000 - Akebono

2001 - Musashimaru

2002 - Asashoryu

2003 - Chiyotaikai

2004 - Asashoryu

2005 - Kotooshu

2006 - Ama

2007 - Hakuho

2008 - Ama

2009 - Harumafuji

2010 - Baruto

2011 - Kotooshu

2012 - Harumafuji

2013 - Harumafuji

2014 - Kakuryu

Edited October 13, 2014 by Yubinhaad

[Gurowake 4,153]

It is a yearly knockout tournament that at one time paid a large prize to the winner. A few years ago, the major sponsor(s) pulled out and the prize dropped to about US$5000. It is now a non-event where the rikishi make an obligatory show and go home as soon as possible.

Ok, that makes a lot more sense now. The amount is pretty trivial for those that are actually the best and are more concerned about not getting injured, but someone who's just barely staying in Makuuchi and doesn't know how long their career will last will certainly be motivated by that sort of prize.

[Gurowake 4,153]

Thanks for the bracket. I was mainly interested in whether there was any method behind how they matched people up, and there definitely is. It's not the same as the typical knockout seeding you see in like the NCAA basketball tournament, but it's definitely seeded based on the previous banzuke.

1 v 17 (distance of 16 between each first round pairing)

9 v 25 (distance of 8 to each of their next possible opponents)

13 v 29 (distance of 4 from previous match to 3rd round possibility )

5 v 21 (distance of 4 from first and second matches, 8 from previous match)

then each other semifinalist is determined similarly, which are done 1 v 3, 2 v 4, consistent with the early round method. Instead of pairing the top with the bottom, they maintain uniformity in how far apart the seeds are in each pairing.

Notably absent are Tochiozan, Chiyomaru, and Sadanofuji; other absences were kyujo at the end of the basho or ranked too low.

[Akinomaki 41,839]

Somebody once claimed a high correlation between winning this and the subsequent yusho at Kyushu Basho. Is there a convenient list of past winners somewhere to investigate?

In Japanese: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E7%A5%9E%E5%AE%AE%E4%BE%8B%E7%A5%AD%E5%A5%89%E7%A5%9D%E5%85%A8%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E5%8A%9B%E5%A3%AB%E9%81%B8%E5%A3%AB%E6%A8%A9%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%9A

[Doitsuyama 1,259]

Somebody once claimed a high correlation between winning this and the subsequent yusho at Kyushu Basho. Is there a convenient list of past winners somewhere to investigate?

In Japanese: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E7%A5%9E%E5%AE%AE%E4%BE%8B%E7%A5%AD%E5%A5%89%E7%A5%9D%E5%85%A8%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E5%8A%9B%E5%A3%AB%E9%81%B8%E5%A3%AB%E6%A8%A9%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%9A

The Japanese Yusho Draught is even longer here than in the honbasho. Chiyotaikai is the last Japanese to win the ... thing back in 2003.

Edit: The prediction quality for the Kyushu yusho is 100% since 2000... with some caveats. ;-)

Rule 1) It's either the winner here or the defending Kyushu yusho winner.

Rule 2) And in case of a Japanese winner it's a Japanese Kyushu yusho (only deviation from from rule 1 was in 2003 with Chiyotaikai, but Tochiazuma winning the yusho). Given how rare Japanese yusho are lately (both the only occurrence in each case since 2000) this exception shall be granted.

So by these rules the Kyushu yusho winner can only be Kakuryu or Harumafuji. Hakuho seems to have more time to think about his speech for the alltime yusho record.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Doitsuyama