Low ranked rikishi stories

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Karatsuumi from Karatsu-city had a good Kyushu result and may return to makushita. He had so far a career of many (come-back-)ups and (injury-)downs.

http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga/10105/131741

The time of the year to pound mochi has arrived.

Utsunomiya-local Tochinokuni from Tochigi-pref. pounding, with Tochigidake from Gifu standing by

http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/tochigi/20141220/CK2014122002000167.html

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/tochigi/news/20141219-OYTNT50456.html

Edited August 19, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Not quite so low, ms22 Terutsuyoshi (169cm, 118kg) is always in focus for the Hatsu basho: he was born on the day and close to the epicenter of the Great Hanshin Earthquake 1995 and thus this basho turns 20, which makes him an adult in Japan.
Isegahama-oyakata gave him the name with the wish that he'll "strongly illuminate his surroundings" with his presence and his actions. And with his performance he wants to bring a light of joy to his home area, by becoming sekitori as soon as possible.
Harumafuji: "He really has that hungry spirit. He's having more than 60 training bouts a day. He's the one doing the most keiko in our heya."

He started sumo as 4th grader, was in the best 16 of a national middle school tournament in his 3rd year and entered ozumo at the earliest possible date, having been told continuously by his grandfather to become rikishi. The grandfather died during his 2nd year in middle school.
http://www.sankei.com/west/news/150108/wst1501080016-n1.html
He boldly asked for opponents at the keiko soken on the 26th and resolutely bumped into over 80kg heavier Kawanari and former juryo Wakanoshima and Kyokutaisei

and here with a sekitori

primary school 6th year with grandparents at a hounou sumo tournament

a month and a half

Edited January 9, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Arashio-beya's sd Kanryu visited his hometown Oyama and reported his kachi-koshi.
He pledged to the mayor to try hard to gain weight (178cm, 105 kg) and to rise up the banzuke, even if it's just a little bit.
http://www.shimotsuke.co.jp/news/tochigi/sports/general/news/20150213/1868743.html
He definitely already has more weight than on the DB pic.

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Jd Kototakigawa, the entertainer, will be kyujo with a dislocated fractured right shoulder. He is always intensely followed by the press, son of a monomane (mimicking) entertainer, and famous for his own art of doing an impersonation of his father impersonating someone. He wants to try to enter later in the basho.
http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20150305-OHT1T50116.html
cleaning the toilet instead of doing keiko

I would have liked to post that in the kyujo thread, but I don't want to be the one to create it.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Jd Kototakigawa, the entertainer, will be kyujo with a dislocated fractured right shoulder. He is always intensely followed by the press, son of a monomane (mimicking) entertainer, and famous for his own art of doing an impersonation of his father impersonating someone. He wants to try to enter later in the basho.

He apparently lost hope as he did intense rehabilitation and still couldn't raise his arm - intai on the 23rd last month.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1473187.html

(pics of father Kurokke and he kyujo)

Edited May 8, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Sd1e Shunba(33) is aiming to become the oldest new-makushita. The oldest now is this basho Maenofuji at 32y and 10 months.
Shunba graduated in Sinology. He did sumo since 1st year primary school and dreamed of becoming a professional, but he was too small for the 173cm limit at the time. Then the 2nd way to enter with at least 167 and a fitness test came up. He turned down a job strongly desired by his family, in China as teacher for Japanese, and entered ozumo.

All saw him on NHK last basho as the (said to be only) 163cm tsukebito of Terunofuji (191cm) embraced him after the yusho was decided

Shunba: "It was a joy like it was me." Terunofuji: "I want him to go up. If he makes it I have to hold a celebration for him. Wouldn't it be more joy than my yusho?"
Both started at Magaki-beya and switched together to Isegahama-beya. He for the first 2 years in the new heya had a slump, but while watching Terunofuji in makuuchi from the hanamichi, he tried some of his ways on the dohyo by himself: "It feels like we're keeping at it together. Feels like in a team."
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2015070602000164.html

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Jd Genju (17, now Isegahama-beya) from Koriyama-city, Fukushima-pref., took part in his first jungyo, in his hometown, in the makushita and below tournament. Genju entered in Haru 2014 influenced by his father, a former rikishi, but with nearly no sumo experience. Now he made it to the semi-final.
http://www.minyu-net.com/news/topic/150814/topic1.html
with his father, ex-sd Kiyosemine (Isegahama, both started with their real name Imaizumi), who took part in the Koriyama-jungyo 30 years ago

Edited August 15, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Always very low ranked, if at all, on the banzuku and on the lists for height and weight, but still with a slight hype: Urutora - Hochi shimbun always reports about him.

He again dropped off the banzuke for Hatsu and wasn't in maezumo, so he's banzuke-gai again next basho. Nonetheless he appeared for the measuring, but this does not guarantee that he will re-start together with the new starters for Haru. I therefore don't put this into the Haru new recruits thread (I might change the title to "New recruits and restart" in the future).

Urutora only appeared in 2 of the last 9 basho: last year Natsu in maezumo and then in Nagoya.
He was 63.6kg yesterday, after 64 in August last year. Officially he entered of course with the lower limit of 67kg, but has a low of 54.5kg on the records. He eats a lot and takes proteins, but loses it all again in keiko - his longing is to reach 70kg.
Dislocations on both shoulders plague him, after the left shoulder he had surgery on the right one in September last year, and was kyujo like the year before from the Aki basho on. Always continuing to do the basics, also teppo thrusting, he now also is able to do push-ups again. http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20160201-OHT1T50087.html

Edited February 2, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Shikihide-oyakata added another weird shikona to his collection.

Almost permanent jonokuchi Kushibiki - even without kachi-koshi so far he managed to get to jonidan once though - changed for Aki to Ooatari Daikichi - 大当利 大吉 - ooatari can be the first prize in a lottery or something you've got absolutely right, and the first name daikichi means the best of luck, especially when you draw a lot for a shrine or temple divination. In the calender it signifies a day good for happy events - weddings usually get timed to be on such a day.

With his real name Kushibiki he is predestinated for that new shikona: it almost sounds like kujibiki, which means draw a lot - but that indicates also random luck in general.

He made it back to jonokuchi top on the new banzuke - the oyakata decided that he's matured now and decided for the change, which was proposed by the one who introduced to the heya the troubled kid that Kushibiki was.

Atari in sumo though means the collision with the opponent and a great atari also means great strength - and that's what he's aiming for - not just winning by luck.

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20160828-OHT1T50118.html

Edited August 29, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Atenzan 1,074]

I really like Ooatari as a shikona. Urutora on the other hand...

[Asameshimae 220]

I have met Terutsuyoshi, and am a fan of him and his heya.  I did not know this tidbit: He was born on the day and close to the epicenter of the Great Hanshin Earthquake 1995.

Love stuff like this. :)

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Hochi shimbun has a special connection with Shikihide-beya, they report a lot about the bottom ranked rikishi there, esp. Urutora and Hattorizakura, but this time about Kawaguchi.

On 17.11.2016 at 14:25, Akinomaki said:

Sawanofuji is now 4-20, 3 of the wins against Hattorizakura -

1 other win is from Hattori's heya-mate Kawaguchi, who has a career of 0-10.

This basho he got his 1st win on day 7 and also won his last bout - so he already has surpassed Hattorizakura, and he did it with a win against Sawanofuji: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRX2zjiW3Y8

On 5.7.2016 at 14:02, Akinomaki said:

Kawaguchi (15, 183cm, 111kg) got the diagnoses autism from 5th to 6th year primary school. He left high school to enter ozumo.

Because of his autism he had experienced severe bullying in middle school, which left him with neck pain that prevents him from doing a head-on tachi-ai - the same pain reason had been mentioned for Hattorizakura (easy to imagine he got bullied as well).

He found a warm welcome in Shikihide-beya, with oyakata and senior-deshi being kind, and had begun to open up mentally and improve in sumo, but there was an additional set-back recently: he was diagnosed with diabetes and now has to manage insulin therapy - his weight dropped from 115kg to 104kg.

Still: "Now is the best time, I have fun and I'm happy. Last basho I was overpowered by Sawanofuji, but this time I won. I think I have progressed a bit." http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20161126-OHT1T50025.html

Edited November 29, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Ryoshishokunin 261]

It's not a good sign that bullying is leading to *long term neck pain*.  Sigh.

[Benihana 1,901]

On 2.2.2016 at 11:41, Akinomaki said:

Always very low ranked, if at all, on the banzuku and on the lists for height and weight, but still with a slight hype: Urutora - Hochi shimbun always reports about him.

He again dropped off the banzuke for Hatsu and wasn't in maezumo, so he's banzuke-gai again next basho. Nonetheless he appeared for the measuring, but this does not guarantee that he will re-start together with the new starters for Haru. I therefore don't put this into the Haru new recruits thread (I might change the title to "New recruits and restart" in the future).

Urutora only appeared in 2 of the last 9 basho: last year Natsu in maezumo and then in Nagoya.
He was 63.6kg yesterday, after 64 in August last year. Officially he entered of course with the lower limit of 67kg, but has a low of 54.5kg on the records. He eats a lot and takes proteins, but loses it all again in keiko - his longing is to reach 70kg.
Dislocations on both shoulders plague him, after the left shoulder he had surgery on the right one in September last year, and was kyujo like the year before from the Aki basho on. Always continuing to do the basics, also teppo thrusting, he now also is able to do push-ups again. http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20160201-OHT1T50087.html

And the story goes on  After coming back for his 3rd mae-zumo at Natsu 2016 and reaching Jonidan after 2 basho in Jonokuuchi, he is kyujo again for Kyushu 2016...

Poor guy. Any newspapers covered that?

[Akinomaki 39,796]

8 hours ago, Benihana said:

And the story goes on  After coming back for his 3rd mae-zumo at Natsu 2016 and reaching Jonidan after 2 basho in Jonokuuchi, he is kyujo again for Kyushu 2016...

Poor guy. Any newspapers covered that?

Of course, Hochi always reports on him. I don't report ALL that gets reported, but of course  this one - and we have a thread for this:

 

[Senkoho 552]

On 6.07.2015 at 18:51, Akinomaki said:

Sd1e Shunba(33) is aiming to become the oldest new-makushita. The oldest now is this basho Maenofuji at 32y and 10 months.
Shunba graduated in Sinology. He did sumo since 1st year primary school and dreamed of becoming a professional, but he was too small for the 173cm limit at the time. Then the 2nd way to enter with at least 167 and a fitness test came up. He turned down a job strongly desired by his family, in China as teacher for Japanese, and entered ozumo.

So this should finally happen in Haru 2017 - after a 6-1 record at Sd35, Shunba will have his makushita debut at 35 y.o.

[Akinomaki 39,796]

On 30.1.2017 at 15:45, Senkoho said:

On 6.7.2015 at 18:51, Akinomaki said:

Sd1e Shunba(33) is aiming to become the oldest new-makushita. The oldest now is this basho Maenofuji at 32y and 10 months.
Shunba graduated in Sinology. He did sumo since 1st year primary school and dreamed of becoming a professional, but he was too small for the 173cm limit at the time. Then the 2nd way to enter with at least 167 and a fitness test came up. He turned down a job strongly desired by his family, in China as teacher for Japanese, and entered ozumo.

So this should finally happen in Haru 2017 - after a 6-1 record at Sd35, Shunba will have his makushita debut at 35 y.o.

Shunba got to ms51 at 35y 2m.: "While I'm doing this I'm aiming for higher. If I quit, there's nothing to aim for anymore." 163cm like at the start, 112kg now. 10 years ago he brought then sd Kaisei down with an izori, but now he's too old for extra moves and wants to go with inashi and pulling after a proper impact, to cover for the reduced power.

Had he taken the job in China he would have most likely been in Suzhou when a major earthquake happened there a few years after he went into sumo: "I think I would still be there now, but the life in sumo is overwhelmingly more interesting."

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2017030202000153.html

Edited March 2, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Asashosakari 18,786]

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20170901-OHT1T50266.html

27-year-old Nogami of Oguruma-beya will be competing in Aki at his highest-ever rank of Ms9w. Having turned pro out of high school in 2009 with quite a bit of attention, as the then-captain of powerhouse Tottori Johoku HS's sumo team and formerly a rare wampaku national champion in all three grades* (2000-2002), he had been making steady if a bit unspectacular progress towards high makushita, before he was derailed by a torn right pectoralis major muscle some two years ago. (Date not given in the article, but I assume either in Kyushu 2015 or prior to Hatsu 2016.) His results started flagging and he found himself mired in mid-makushita, far from the hoped-for sekitori ranks.

Recently his condition has become more favourable again, and his revival has been helped along by the arrival of collegiate grads Yago and Tomokaze who have invigorated the keiko scene at Oguruma with youthful enthusiasm, prompting Nogami to regain some belief in his own chances of a sekitori career.

A few years ago he was given the shikona given name Goki 豪規, formerly used by the shisho himself, and clearly meant to lead him to a similarly successful career, but with juryo eluding him so far the second inspirational step - a "proper" full shikona - has yet to materialize and Nogami continues to fight under his own surname. He wants to change that asap, and that means getting promoted.

* In the 30-odd year history of the wampaku national championship (running since 1985), Nogami was the third kid (out of 5) to become triple yokozuna in 4th, 5th and 6th grade. Three others have turned pro as well, but so far no sekitori:

Asahimaru (Masato Miyoshi, 1989-1991) - turned pro after university in 2002 as one of the earliest Ms15 tsukedashi, but a major knee injury early in his professional career prevented him from reaching juryo, retired in 2008
Ota (Goki Ota, 1997-1999) - turned pro after middle school in 2003, also injured early on and subsequently never even established himself in makushita, still active in mostly jonidan now at 30 years
Yamamoto (Masakatsu Yamamoto, 2006-2008) - turned pro after high school in 2014, currently struggling to break through lower sandanme at age 21

The fifth competitor to have done it is Tsuguto Toma/Touma (2010-2012), who's been mentioned quite a bit over in the Amasumo section. He is currently in his second year of high school at Tottori Johoku and would likely be turning pro in either 2019 or 2023 if that's in his plans.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Asashosakari

[Akinomaki 39,796]

On 5/1/2017 at 01:48, Yubinhaad said:

From Onoe-beya the Yamana brothers now get proper shikona, the younger one becoming Banshunada and the older one winning by harimanage sometime, hopefully. I think both shikona are derived from an old province which is now part of their home prefecture, Hyogo.

Harimanada as Yamana in spring last year had a retinal detachment at the left eye, for which he needed surgery 2 times and had a 1 year career blank. This Haru basho, he made his return on the banzuke and finished with a 4-3 kachikoshi in jonokuchi.

In April last year he changed his shikona to Harimanada, same as the infamous main character of the '90s' sumo manga "Ah, Harimanada" - but, making himself (170cm, 113kg) small:  "I'm not such a (splendid) character".

Like Yubinhaad guessed, Onoe-oyakata, who gave him the shikona, tells: "Because he's a man from the land of Harima. As the sea of his home region."  - the Harima(-nada) -Sea -  only a French entry: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mer_de_Harima

But with now carrying the name of this  - fictional -  dai-yokozuna, he gets made fun of: "Now that's a name change!"

The retinal detachment happened just before the name change, seen as caused by an impact to the eye. He hesitated if he should continue his career, but was told "You should decide after it is completely cured", and then returned to the dohyo.

At the basho he thought "I can't go with the head anymore" and tried to go for sumo chest to chest, lost the first 2 and then found his new rhythm, with a final win after being 3-3: "My body got used to the doyho",  and now: "For me it's only to do the best I can, my own way. I want to give my best as long as I'm on the doyho."

http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/himeji/201804/0011133201.shtml

Edited April 8, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,796]

Kiribayama at the Michinoku-beya training camp in Ashikaga, Tochigi, promised the oyakata revenge at the Aki-basho for Nagoya, where he lost the last bout at 3-3 and with that forfeited the sure ticket to juryo.

In 2014 he was invited by a friend to an ability test to become a rikishi in Japan - he had no intention to become one, but took part out of curiosity. With 4 other Mongolians he trained at Michinoku-beya. He had judo experience, but none of sumo, a height of over 180cm, but had not even 70kg. "He showed the most sumo sense among the 5", Michinoku-oyakata recalls, but the oyakata initially had no intention to take a foreigner into the heya again: a koenkai member had persuaded him to have this "test". As the oyakata had made no decision after nearly 1 month of training, this member demanded "Which one will you take? They are all waiting." And apart from the most sumo sense, Kiribayama won the heart of the oyakata with his expressed intention of "I want to become a rikishi to give something back to my parents. And someday I want to call my parents to Japan" (that's just like most young Japanese new recruits tell in their initial comments, alongside the aim for yokozuna).

Starting in maezumo Natsu 2015, he made it to makushita for Hatsu 2016, but before the Nagoya basho injured ligaments in the right knee and was the whole basho kyujo: "It taught me that I had to build a body so that I won't get injured." But the Aki basho last year he was again kyujo  due to injury. After each kyujo he fought back 6-1, and with the yusho at the Natsu basho he gained prominence.

But the night before the decisive final bout last basho "The thoughts about that with a win I could become sekitori didn't let me sleep. On the dohyo I was nervous and couldn't do my sumo. From this I learned that I mustn't think about future things and have to concentrate on the sumo right before my eyes."

The oyakata tells that Kiribayama was really stiff then, but thinks it was a valuable experience - he had told him afterwards: "You said that you'd aim for yokozuna as you entered. You are looking at much higher, so becoming juryo is just a transit point. Hence there is only training now."

Kiribayama thus thought he had to train much more - and injured his back during the Ashikaga training camp. The oyakata told him "Don't overdo it, it's OK to rest", but every morning he stepped onto the dohyo and did the basics - making the oyakata look fondly at this figure of his deshi, who tries to use the makekoshi as encouragement: "I think he will do OK, because even with an injured back, he has this attitude of wanting to perform."

Kiribayama aims to do sumo like Harumafuji.

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20180818-OHT1T50058.html

o

[Akinomaki 39,796]

On 21/03/2019 at 17:38, Yubinhaad said:

Shoketsu fought the 1,000th consecutive bout of his career today, a yorikiri win against Goryu. On the next banzuke this ironman of the lower divisions will return to Makushita at the age of 42.

Asahi shimbun has noticed him now - maybe the writer of the article did produce something better than the one of this

On 18/07/2018 at 15:24, Akinomaki said:

Yoshiazuma holds several records for active rikishi. A career of 22 years without kyujo - Asahi tells that this basho he reached one basho more than the record holder of most consecutive bouts Aobajo (but sumo reference has both at 135), who has over 500 bouts more though. At the moment Yoshiazuma has the most consecutive bouts of all active rikishi, but on day 15 Tamawashi can  catch up with him - with a career that's 8 years shorter. Yoshiazuma is the 2nd oldest to get promoted to makuuchi and the oldest active former sekitori. http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASL7K5FL9L7KUTQP035.html

On 19/07/2018 at 16:58, Yubinhaad said:

Probably just me but I found that article to be a bit of a disjointed mess. On top of that, the record for most consecutive basho without kyujo belongs to another 41-year-old active rikishi, Shoketsu, who doesn't even get a mention.

Shoketsu (42, 184cm, 167kg) has a career of full 24 years without kyujo now. A foundation for this is his straightforward attitude: "I want to get better, even just a tiny bit, than my past day's self." And straightforward is his sumo specialty: a vigorous clash at the tachiai and driving the other to the edge and out in one go.

But he didn't start early with sumo (maybe that's one trick to stay away from mayor injury): in primary school he watched sumo on TV with his grandma, in middle school - already at 180cm and 100kg - he was in the table tennis club "because it's fun" - no sumo.

But his built got noticed, stronghold Mishima high school (now Chitoku high - wikipedia lists him as one of the most noted graduates wiki/知徳高等学校 ) got him to enter the realm of sumo: "Training was hard and getting into a mawashi was embarrassing at first." But for his physique and with a promising future for him, his coach had him go to Hanaregoma-beya.

His career went "my pace", but in 2009 after exactly 14 years he was one (large) step away from sekitori at ms4w. The mantra of senior deshi then was "Kyujo is to abandon the fight. If you can walk, take part in the bout" - and with just some pain he went on to do so. Hatsu 2014 as he had switched to Shibatayama-beya, he tore a muscle at Ryogoku station on return after a bout. He collapsed with intense pain and an ambulance brought him to a hospital, but 2 days later he was again on the dohyo. "It was just willpower", he now tells laughing.

But there had been one time when he thought of (permanent?) kyujo - in 2013, age 36, makekoshi continued and instead of getting closer to juryo, he dropped to sandanme. He was in form at keiko, but his body didn't move the way he wanted when he stepped onto the dohyo: "I was just going after results and completely lost the ability to do my own sumo." What kept him going was the presence of the other same same age rikishi. With one after the other having to quit with injuries, "Should I run away from the dohyo when I can still do sumo?"

His wish to become stronger hasn't withered away: "I'm still an immature rikishi. and so it's to aim for sekitori and just to strive at keiko."

http://www.asahi.com/articles/photo/AS20190403002237.html

 

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Senkoho 552]

I don't know if this is the right thread to post this in but here we go. 

Good news from ex-Orora's Instagram! He's losing weight - he's currently at 235 kg (down from 293), having lost 58 kg in 3-4 months. His current goal seems to be  205 kg, which he writes would be okay for him given his height (193 cm). Fingers crossed! 

 

[sekitori 492]

1 hour ago, Senkoho said:

Good news from ex-Orora's Instagram! He's losing weight - he's currently at 235 kg (down from 293), having lost 58 kg in 3-4 months. His current goal seems to be  205 kg, which he writes would be okay for him given his height (193 cm). Fingers crossed! 

Even though he's quite tall, weighing 205 kg would not be okay for him--or anyone else. It's far too much weight to carry around for someone no longer in sumo. Even 165 kg (the approximate weight of an active rikishi) would be too heavy. I believe a much more realistic and healthier goal would be around 125 kg. (275 lb). The object is to lose not just weight. It's to lose fat while preserving muscle tissue. That can't be done by dieting alone. Exercise must be a part of his plan. In Orora's case, I hope it is.

[Senkoho 552]

7 minutes ago, sekitori said:

Even though he's quite tall, weighing 205 kg would not be okay for him--or anyone else. It's far too much weight to carry around for someone no longer in sumo. Even 165 kg (the approximate weight of an active rikishi) would be too heavy. I believe a much more realistic and healthier goal would be around 125 kg. (275 lb). The object is to lose not just weight. It's to lose fat while preserving muscle tissue. That can't be done by dieting alone. Exercise must be a part of his plan. In Orora's case, I hope it is.

Fortunately he seems to be exercising a lot, he often uploads pictures and videos from the gym. In the post I pasted above he says that he takes walks every morning and works out at the gym. He eats 4-5 times a day and doesn't take any weight-loss pills.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Senkoho

[Benihana 1,901]

He looks way less than 235kg, not even like 200. And he looks happier than he already did.