Mitakeumi shikona change?

[Kintamayama 47,226]

Mitakeumi has expressed his wish to change his shikona if he gets promoted to Ozeki. "Dewanoumi is a heya with some historical shikonae. If I make it, I hope to be allowed to use one of them..It's tradition!" he declared. Oonishiki and Ryougoku come to mind.

[Kotogouryuu 143]

Oh, fascinating. This would be my first rikishi who I've followed for a lengthy time changing his shikona. People referred to Harumafuji as Ama all the way to end of his career. I wonder if I'll do the same for Mitakeumi.

Well, it's still just speculation. But on with the hype train!

[Gurowake 4,151]

2 minutes ago, Kotogouryuu said:

Oh, fascinating. This would be my first rikishi who I've followed for a lengthy time changing his shikona. People referred to Harumafuji as Ama all the way to end of his career. I wonder if I'll do the same for Mitakeumi.

Well, it's still just speculation. But on with the hype train!

I'm going to guess that the fact that "Ama" is less than a third the length as "Harumafuji" had something to do with that.

[ryafuji 824]

7 hours ago, Gurowake said:

I'm going to guess that the fact that "Ama" is less than a third the length as "Harumafuji" had something to do with that.

Possibly. But I think there was a fair bit of stubbornness as well. 

[Asashosakari 20,249]

Seems to me as though this would have to be less a Dewanoumi matter and more one at a personal level. Ryogoku is arguably the only name identified with the stable due to multiple use (Onishiki is already stretching it, IMHO), and in any case both the last Onishiki and the last Ryogoku are still part of the Kyokai, so I'm inclined to think it would require their blessing first and foremost, not the heya's. The same goes for probably every other famous shikona that has been carried by a Dewanoumi-beya rikishi, including those whose holders have passed away (where presumably the family would have to be asked for approval).

With Ryogoku specifically, there's also the slight matter that the name may have seen a lot of use, but nobody using it has made it to ozeki before, so I'm not actually sure if it would be seen as a shikona worthy of this "name change on promotion" honour.

In short, while a shikona change as such won't surprise me, when it comes to him taking on a known name I'll believe it when I see it. (Now watch him become the next Oginohana...)

 

[RabidJohn 2,069]

Some of these between-basho topics are excellent!

Rikishi always come across to me as a very superstitious bunch. You know, not shaving for luck, reverting to a previous mawashi colour when a change to a new one coincides with a poor run of results, etc. So much so, I'm surprised any of them dare switch from a shikona that's done them proud so far. Do they ever switch back if a name change proves 'unlucky'?

[ryafuji 824]

1 hour ago, RabidJohn said:

 Do they ever switch back if a name change proves 'unlucky'?

Yes that's happened several times. The late Itai changed to his shisho's old shikona of Kotetsuyama and then back to Itai after he kept getting injured every time he got to makuuchi. Kaneshiro changed to Tochihikari after the former ozeki from his stable, but changed back to Kaneshiro after getting demoted to juryo (although in his case I think it was more that he was no longer considered worthy of the name).

[Asashosakari 20,249]

The most recent case with a reasonably well-known rikishi was probably Shunketsu who went back to his real name of Ishide after he twice failed to stick in juryo under the Komahikari name. (That probably sounds more confusing than it is; just look up his career record for clarification.)

Even more recently there was also Okinoumi who "de-adopted" his proper shikona after he dropped back to makushita, then became Okinoumi again on his return to juryo. (Likely another issue of worthiness, not luck.)

Edit: Oh, and Yamaguchi of course. I almost forgot that he did compete under that name at first as well.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Asashosakari

[RabidJohn 2,069]

@ryafuji & @Asashosakari Thanks for the replies. From reading the 'Banzuke', 'New juryo' and other threads hereabouts, I was aware of the 'tradition' of taking a new or 'proper' shikona on promotion to juryo or makuuchi, so I probably should have made myself clearer.

Have there been any rikishi who changed shikona on promotion to ozeki, then reverted because they immediately hit a downward slump?

[ryafuji 824]

Short answer, no. Ozeki Takanohana changed the given name of his shikona several times when he was going through one of his slumps, but that's about all I can think of.

[Washuyama 662]

Maybe he'll take Washuyama.....

[d_golem 213]

He'll always be Mita to me ☺️

[rhyen 1,858]

Maybe he just wants simpler kanji to write on his tegata once he becomes famous and more in demand?

[Asashosakari 20,249]

1 hour ago, rhyen said:

Maybe he just wants simpler kanji to write on his tegata once he becomes famous and more in demand?

Naganoyama... 

[Atenzan 1,084]

On 29/08/2018 at 18:18, ryafuji said:

The late Itai changed to his shisho's old shikona of Kotetsuyama and then back to Itai after he kept getting injured every time he got to makuuchi

I can imagine the conversation between Kotetsuyama and his shisho after the last makuuchi injury:

"I'm going kyujo, I can't bear this injury."

"Are you sure, Kotetsuyama?" 

"Itai, itai!" 

"All right then."