mikawa 1,794 Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) The Dragons of Taito Location - Riverside Sports Center, Taito, TokyoKeiko - Saturdays (1:30pm onwards), Sundays (9:30am onwards) "The kids really won my heart, as well as the parents. And this time I was not shy, I was loud and cheered for the Komatsuryuu team of John (Gunning). My hands hurt from clapping loudly.... I remembered the kids from watching their Keiko 3 years ago. That was cool to see em performing well. I cross my fingers. Taira-sensei (former Dewataira) went to the kids before each bout, gave em tips. That is how a trainer should be." - ilovesumo Located in the basement level of Riverside Sports Center in Taito District, Tokyo, Komatsuryu Dojo (小松竜道場) is one of the oldest sumo clubs in Japan (founded all the way back in 1949), and the most famous club / dojo in amateur sumo. They have keiko sessions on 3 days of the week - Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and host 2 major competitions during the year for clubs in and around the Kanto region, one in Spring and the other in Autumn. Komatsuryu Dojo even have their own blog, which they update fairly frequently, as well as a Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. Most of the tournament photos and reports on their blog are contributions by the kids' parents. Komatsuryu Dojo's fame stems from the club being featured in a lot of programs, newspaper reports and even posts in the forum, and from their willingness to welcome amateur rikishi from around the world to train with them. Listed below are just some of those articles, reports, and programs: Sumo groups hope skinny Japanese kids can recapture their nation’s glory (an article on Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/can-skinny-japanese-kids-recapture-their-countrys-sumo-glory/2015/05/29/b97dd9a6-fa8a-11e4-a47c-e56f4db884ed_story.html Edit (a post in the forum introducing Komatsuryu Dojo and their coach, started by Nishinoshima) http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10509 Asashouryuu Sumo cup-children sumo (a post in the forum by Kintamayama) http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=18555 Komatsuryu - now in Adachi-ku (a post in the forum by Mark Buckton) http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=17363 Komatsuryu Aki Tourney (another post in the forum by Mark Buckton) http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=16148 Komatsuryu Dojo article in Sumo Magazine (a scan by aderechelsea) http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12082 Trip to Japan - Komatsuryu dojo (an article by Leonishiki, a friend of John Gunning) http://www.leonishiki.com/sumo//viajejapon/viaje_en_g.htm Komatsuryu Dojo AutumnTourney (an issue in Sumo Fan Magazine by Mark Buckton) http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_13/Komatsuryu.pdf Komatsuryu Rikishi to Join Tamanoi Beya (another issue in Sumo Fan Magazine by Mark Buckton) http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_14/Tamanoi_shindeshi.pdf Komatsuryu - 56th Annual Aki Taikai (another issue in Sumo Fan Magazine by Mark Buckton) http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_15/Komatsuryu.pdf 2 videos from Fight! Japan, hosted by Robert Clyne, that show the members of Komatsuryu Dojo in keiko and in competition: A short documentary on sumo by Al Jazeera, featuring Komatsuryu Dojo: Komatsuryu Dojo have more members than any other club / dojo in Japan, not only attracting kids from Tokyo, but also as far away as Chiba and Tochigi. In fact, such is their strength and depth as a club, that at the National Club Championships, where clubs are usually only able to put out 1 or 2 teams (owing to the age restrictions for each team member), Komatsuryu Dojo were actually able to put together FIVE teams, with Team Iwasaki reaching the last 32, and Team Yoshioka getting as far as the quarter-finals. Edited January 21, 2021 by mikawa 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hamcornheinz 839 Posted June 23, 2016 Is that Nishinoshima at 3:26 in hard roads? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikawa 1,794 Posted June 23, 2016 Is that Nishinoshima at 3:26 in hard roads? Looks like him Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnofuji 232 Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Yes it's him. As much as I envy his mateship with all the colourful sumo identities and his sumo experiences - I am not John Gunning. We have done tachi-ai on palm trees in Thailand, tsuppari on the Bruce Lee statue in Hong Kong and been nipple crippled by Baruto in Osaka but I have never been to the Komatsuryu dojo. I hear the kids are too ferocious and like crushing bones. Edited June 24, 2016 by Johnofuji 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikawa 1,794 Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Yes it's him. As much as I envy his mateship with all the colourful sumo identities and his sumo experiences - I am not John Gunning. We have done tachi-ai on palm trees in Thailand, tsuppari on the Bruce Lee statue in Hong Kong and been nipple crippled by Baruto in Osaka but I have never been to the Komatsuryu dojo. I hear the kids are too ferocious and like crushing bones. Sorry about the assumption, I'll amend this right away Edited June 24, 2016 by mikawa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Otokonoyama 2,735 Posted February 7, 2019 I knew it! Battle-ropes! 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikawa 1,794 Posted January 21, 2021 A short video introducing Kumagai Kyuta (熊谷 毬太), Komatsuryu Dojo's latest Hakuho Cup champion. He was part of the Komatsuryu team which won the National Club Championships back in October 2019. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
