Low ranked rikishi stories

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

On 11/05/2019 at 00:29, Senkoho said:

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! 

Down to 204 kg.

 

[Kaminariyuki 497]

On 19/08/2018 at 07:43, Akinomaki said:

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

I enjoyed reading this, and he's a wrestler clearly on his way up with two super strong basho in a row and a fighting spirit prize. His entry into makuuchi last basho with an 11-4 would have gotten much more attention were it not for the performance of the other Megashira-17 in the Hatsu basho.

[Akinomaki 39,789]

Chunichi shimbun posted an update on Masunoyama, we talked about him last basho: http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/topic/39595-lower-division-celebs-results/?do=findComment&comment=418038

He is one of the 2 first sekitori born in the Heisei era, juryo promotion at age 19 after Aki 2010, together with Takayasu, who was 20 then. He also has the record of lowest drop on the banzuke after being makuuchi, jk 11e. Terunofuji is 8th in that category with jd48w, but he - the first yusho winner and first ozeki born in the Heisei era - has already made it back, Masunoyama is still trying, and has to overcome just as many health problems.

Worries about the heart still remain, back pain that started since he first was in makushita, surgery at the knees - this caused plenty  of kyujo, and on top of all that, in 2018 he was diagnosed with the officially incurable disease 黄色靱帯骨化症 OYL , ossification of the yellow ligament - like ex-Daikiho and similar to the late Azumazeki-oyakata.

On 20/11/2018 at 23:22, Yubinhaad said:

He had back surgery in June after doctors discovered that he was suffering ossification of the ligamentum flavum, causing the spine to be compressed and numbness of his legs and feet. Ahead of the Aki basho (in which he finished 6-1) he was able to do suriashi without any problems for the first time in several months. He has quite a big scar on his back, which can just about be seen in this hanamichi picture.

The doctors had told him he was in danger to lose the ability to walk, so he went for surgery, but he revealed that still "the right thigh rectus femoris muscle is numb and won't function".

He is preparing for the Aki basho, starting keiko after plenty of stretching, mainly doing the basics, as a rule "constantly moving the body and continue to sweat". When he's in good shape he now is able to do moushi-ai keiko bouts with makushita.

Masunoyama firmly believes in himself and is on the quest to return first to makushita and ultimately makuuchi: "I want to go through with it with the feeling that I can."

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/108080

On 23/08/2013 at 18:14, Akinomaki said:

with his younger brother, same heya 5th class tokoyama Tokosen

He was top division then, his brother advanced to 3rd class by now

Edited August 23, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Ender Wiggin 43]

It's a shame that he has no many health issues. It would've been awesome to see three half-Filipinos in makuuchi at the same time.

[Akinomaki 39,789]

On 29/08/2020 at 04:15, Ender Wiggin said:

It's a shame that he has no many health issues. It would've been awesome to see three half-Filipinos in makuuchi at the same time.

We had that last year for Nagoya and Aki: Takayasu, Mitakeumi - and Takagenji

[Akinomaki 39,789]

Tsuyukusa will most likely return to makushita next basho. The last 2 times he was there he had big makekoshi and dropped back at once: "If it's decided, it's the 3rd time in makushita. This time I want to get kachikoshi."

On 02/09/2016 at 08:20, Kintamayama said:

The Polish kid (Polish father, Japanese mother, Japanese citizenship, no sumo experience, out in three months)

Born in Kanagawa, moved to Poland at age 5, returned to Japan before entering middle school, his parent's house is in the Seishin district in Sagamihara. At that time he was into soccer, as defender he wanted to get more power and went to a kickboxing gym. He went on as swift defender in high school and university, but he didn't want to graduate and pick a typical Japanese career as sararii-man/ office worker. He left university and went to Poland, where his father was for work, and his older sister, to look for his way from then on. Among the things he found - in Poland - was the path of ozumo. He started weight training and more, looked for a place to show his new strength. Kickboxing also came into mind, but he says that from the start, he decided to go for the challenge as a professional in sumo. "I had no experience, but I wanted to become like the rikishi from Europe." After an experience stay in Otake-beya, he joined there.

He was quick to makushita, first for Hatsu 2018, but there hit a concrete wall each time: his lack of technique became obvious, he could not make proper use of his power. But with his natural sincere character, he steadily repeated keiko and put on 20kg more (180cm, 120kg mentioned for when he started, so up to 140kg now), and has 3 kachikoshi in a row now.

with a forbidden beard at the remote interview

o

Edited October 23, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Ender Wiggin 43]

4 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

We had that last year for Nagoya and Aki: Takayasu, Mitakeumi - and Takagenji

Oh wow. I had no idea that he is half-Filipino as well. I wonder if there are any more aside from Kotokuzan and Masunoyama.

[Akinomaki 39,789]

1 hour ago, Ender Wiggin said:

Oh wow. I had no idea that he is half-Filipino as well. I wonder if there are any more aside from Kotokuzan and Masunoyama.

I also learned it only thanks to ex-Takanofuji

On 28/09/2020 at 18:42, Akinomaki said:

At the weigh-in Sudario was 112.85kg, his opponent 107.65kg. o

What I didn't know about the twins is that their mother is Filipino, and she raised the brothers and their sister alone in Japan. His ring-name Sudario comes from her real name.

There are plenty of others - Baraki and his brother Rao

On 27/12/2012 at 12:10, Akinomaki said:

Baraki (104kg) in addition to the hair got a magic massage and stretching program by Onogawa-oyakata since he entered Shikihide-beya on 22th, which according to the oyakata should give 3 cm (others say 2cm). He slept 13 (11) hours the day before and was laying down in the car from the heya in Ryugasaki, Ibaraki to the kokugikan, which also is supposed to have an influence.
The name Baraki comes from a Charles Bronson mafia film the father liked, The Valachi papers, "Baraki" in Japanese. The oyakata saw a slogan in a train "Ibaraki genki" and thought Genki to be the first name going with Baraki. Baraki 爆羅騎 would be the shikona with the most strokes in the Kanji of all present rikishi.
Half Filipino (the mother), his elder brother Rao Ito is Tatsunami-beya sandanme Raomaru 羅王丸, Rao is from the manga "Hokuto no ken".
The dream is of course yokozuna.

Maikeru

On 06/09/2017 at 16:34, Akinomaki said:

On 05/09/2017 at 12:55, Akinomaki said:

Mike Hayashi was 176cm, 123kg, plain comment: "I want to do my best aiming for yokozuna"

A bit more on him ("the next Takayasu") - the reason for the name Michael (Maikeru)? "Nothing special" - but apparently mother Abigail (from the Philippines) was aiming for the hope to have him become famous like Michael Jackson.

Kaitoma

On 06/04/2017 at 14:48, Akinomaki said:

The funny part with the introduction of Kaitoma was that with a Brazilian of Japanese ancestry as father and the mother from the Philippines, he was expected to be like a foreigner - but born and raised in Japan, he is just an ordinary Japanese boy - the father apparently had become Japanese early enough for him to have a real Japanese shusshin.

and this are only those from my posts, there are surely more. Maybe Kaitoma even was the first of the actual foreigners with Japanese shusshin, because they lived in Japan long enough.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Kintamayama 44,354]

List of mixed ethnicity rikishi

[Akinomaki 39,789]

10 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

List of mixed ethnicity rikishi

Missing already 3 from my post, so the list likely covers only half of them. And the article has Masunoyama and Kotokuzan under Philippines.

[Tigerboy1966 1,376]

13 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

The name Baraki comes from a Charles Bronson mafia film the father liked, The Valachi papers, "Baraki" in Japanese. The oyakata saw a slogan in a train "Ibaraki genki" and thought Genki to be the first name going with Baraki. Baraki 爆羅騎 would be the shikona with the most strokes in the Kanji of all present rikishi.
Half Filipino (the mother), his elder brother Rao Ito is Tatsunami-beya sandanme Raomaru 羅王丸, Rao is from the manga "Hokuto no ken".
The dream is of course yokozuna.

There is a possible link between the brothers names as Fist of the North Star was written by Yoshiyuki Okamura under the name Buronson.

[Akinomaki 39,789]

Another of the small rikishi in Miyagino-beya: Raiho is tsukebito of Enho and learns from him. After 2 years he is now established in makushita.

ooo

o o o o

On 16/06/2021 at 15:10, Yubinhaad said:

Only two new recruits for this basho. Joining Miyagino-beya is 24-year-old Shintaro Watanabe (渡辺  晋太郎) from Shizuoka prefecture. He's a Nittai-dai graduate and was under-85kg national collegiate champion in 2017, I believe, but after graduating he spent a year in the world of work before deciding to join ozumo. The rijikai confirmed his entry recently via the extended age limit for those with significant amateur sumo experience.

Hakuho persuaded him to give ozumo a try, he was continuing at amateur sumo after graduation.

oooo

His problems: he lacks the strong wish to win and he can't eat much - he eats 5 meals a day to cover for that

oo

o o

ooo

o

the shop of his mother, she distributes banzuke to those who support her son

o o oo

[Akinomaki 39,789]

On 10/04/2019 at 10:46, Akinomaki said:

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." 

NikkanSP Premium has picked up the story of Shoketsu, the oldest among active rikishi now, for his 48th birthday on the 5th

oo oo oo

A loss to later Kisenosato Hatsu 2004 - he was one tsukebito of the yokozuna

o

win against later Tenkaiho Hatsu 2010

o

Highest career rank ms4w: his one win in juryo (with oicho) Haru 2009, day 14, over Yotsuguruma

o

Haru 2022 - he became the eldest rikishi when Hanakaze retired

o

[Yamanashi 3,725]

With 176 basho and no kyujo, he still only has one fusensho win.

[Katooshu 3,135]

He looks pretty good for a nearly 50-year-old rikishi

[Jakusotsu 5,815]

55 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

With 176 basho and no kyujo, he still only has one fusensho win.

That sounds more Hattorizakura than it should.

[Yamanashi 3,725]

1 hour ago, Jakusotsu said:

That sounds more Hattorizakura than it should.

Except he's career 614-604 with 81 basho in Makushita.

[Tigerboy1966 1,376]

10 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

A loss to later Kisenosato Hatsu 2004 - he was one tsukebito of the yokozuna

Not just any old loss either: it was the makushita yusho decider with both at 6-0. That was the nearest Shoketsu ever got to a championship.