Tokoyama news

[Akinomaki 41,840]

From the pics threads:

Day 14

Last basho for the 2 top rank tokoyama Tokohachi and Tokomatsu - both retire in August  - only 1 special grade tokoyama remains - messages from the 2

vid vid

Day 15

Last basho day for top tokoyama Tokohachi ---
o o o ooo

flowers for Miyagino-beya's Tokohachi

 

Responsible for the hairdo in the heya will be 17y old 5th grade tokoyama Tokoshun. He did the post-bout hairdo of Hakuho for the first time on day 11 - Tokohachi wanted him to have this experience. No decision has been made yet on a successor for preparing the yokozuna's mage for official appearances.  For Hakuho's whole career, Tokohachi did his hair. Tokoshun  joined the heya last year Natsu after graduating from Tottori middle school, since February this year he is employed by the NSK as tokoyama. He had met Hakuho at the makuuchi promotion  party for Tottori local Ishiura. He first wanted to become yobidashi, but was told that tokoyama are scarce. After an experience stay in the heya, where he saw Tokohachi at work,  he decided to join as tokoyama. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/column/sumo/news/201907210000356.html

related topics
http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/topic/32394-tokoyama-training/

http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/topic/37513-tokoyama/

Edited July 23, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Does a tokoyama get a danpatsu-shiki?

[Yamanashi 4,083]

4 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Does a tokoyama get a danpatsu-shiki?

That reminds me of the old paradoxical question: "Who cuts the barber's hair?"

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

14 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

That reminds me of the old paradoxical question: "Who cuts the barber's hair?"

That is very simple to answer: The barber's heir!

[Akinomaki 41,840]

On 23/07/2019 at 12:56, Akinomaki said:

Last basho for the 2 top rank tokoyama Tokohachi and Tokomatsu - both retire in August  - only 1 special grade tokoyama remains

Day 15

Last basho day for top tokoyama Tokohachi

o

Today was the farewell party for Tokohachi, with about 160 guests, including also Kakuryu and Takayasu.

the last mage prepared - with Ishiura as the model

o o

o o

Tokohachi entered at age 13 and was tokoyama for 52 years - he prepared the oicho of 5 yokozuna: Kitanoumi, Chiyonofuji, Futahaguro, Asahifuji and for Hakuho the whole sekitori career, since he entered juryo.

 

He calls Hakuho his lifesaver: at a Haru basho several years ago, he felt bad when he woke up and vomited blood for the first time in his life. He went ghastly pale in the face as he prepared Hakuho's mage after asageiko, but wanted to go to the basho. Hakuho urged him not to and to go for a check to the hospital - they found a 5cm cut between gullet and stomach and he had to stay in hospital for 10 days. That doctor told him that had he arrived in hospital a bit later, they might not had been able to save his life.

As for his 2nd life that starts now: "I have no hobbies, I have to find some".  http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/column/sumo/news/201907250000710.html

[Amamaniac 2,092]

On 01/09/2019 at 17:09, Akinomaki said:

Tokohachi entered at age 13 and was tokoyama for 52 years - he prepared the oicho of 5 yokozuna: Kitanoumi, Chiyonofuji, Futahaguro, Asahifuji and for Hakuho the whole sekitori career, since he entered juryo.

Kitanofuji (Dewanoumi>Kokonoe–TAKASAGO),  Chiyonofuji (Kokonoe–TAKASAGO), Futahaguro (Tatsunami–TATSUNAMI), Asahifuji (Ooshima–TATSUNAMI) and Hakuho (Miyagino–ISEGAHAMA) belonged to various stables (4) and Ichimon (3).  I would have expected a tokoyama (especially one with Yokozuna-grooming experience) to remain with stables within one Ichimon.  Interesting that he was poached by Miyagino Stable before Hakuho had even reached the Top Division.

[Akinomaki 41,840]

Dewanoumi-beya 4th grade tokoyama Tokoriki (26) is doing the oicho of Mitakeumi - he is in his 9th year. As primary school 5th grader he became interested in sumo and watched all he could get on TV. There he also saw a tokoyama at work for the first time - preparing the winner's mage on the final day, and he thought "Cool. This work I want to do."

In middle school he already had decided that he wants to join the sumo world. He had no connections there though, but in 2nd year high school a friend introduced him to Dewanoumi-beya. There he told the former Dewanoumi and his later shisho Tokoyasu straight:"I want to be tokoyama". His enthusiasm got through, he was accepted after graduation to enter for Nagoya 2011.

He learned from scrach and after one year could prepare an oicho mage - a remarkable speed. The (so far) peek of his career came Nagoya last year: there he could prepare the mage of yusho winner Mitakeumi on senshuraku, just like he had seen first on TV - a dream come true, but not really perfect: "I was nervous and made a mistake"- he wasn't satisfied with the work he produced, so: "I want revenge. Mitakeumi has to get at least 1 more yusho."

One goal for him now is to become 2nd grade tokoyama, for which 20years or more of service is required. That is the status of being generally accepted in the NSK, like a sekitori or for  gyoji and yobidashi juryo grade. To get to the top, the special grade as a tokoyama, one has to have 45years or more of service, be 60 or older and excel as tokoyama.

http://hochi.news/articles/20190810-OHT1T50122.html

Edited September 7, 2019 by Akinomaki

[rhyen 1,858]

On 04/09/2019 at 00:12, Amamaniac said:

Kitanofuji (Dewanoumi>Kokonoe–TAKASAGO),  Chiyonofuji (Kokonoe–TAKASAGO), Futahaguro (Tatsunami–TATSUNAMI), Asahifuji (Ooshima–TATSUNAMI) and Hakuho (Miyagino–ISEGAHAMA) belonged to various stables (4) and Ichimon (3).  I would have expected a tokoyama (especially one with Yokozuna-grooming experience) to remain with stables within one Ichimon.  Interesting that he was poached by Miyagino Stable before Hakuho had even reached the Top Division.

Tatsunami & Isegahama were the same ichimon group, just different heya leading the ichimon. 

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

This was the best thread to post this. Shikoroyama's Tokofumi has announced his resignation from the NSK effective 1/5. At age 34, a rather young age to be leaving. No reason as to why and nothing stated about what he'll be doing post NSK career.

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101050000379.html

[ryafuji 825]

On 03/09/2019 at 11:12, Amamaniac said:

Kitanofuji (Dewanoumi>Kokonoe–TAKASAGO),  Chiyonofuji (Kokonoe–TAKASAGO), Futahaguro (Tatsunami–TATSUNAMI), Asahifuji (Ooshima–TATSUNAMI) and Hakuho (Miyagino–ISEGAHAMA) belonged to various stables (4) and Ichimon (3).  I would have expected a tokoyama (especially one with Yokozuna-grooming experience) to remain with stables within one Ichimon.  Interesting that he was poached by Miyagino Stable before Hakuho had even reached the Top Division.

I think he was always with Miyagino. This article (which is the reason for resurrecting this thread) says Tokohachi started out under Yoshibayama, who founded Miyagino. 

[Akinomaki 41,840]

The NSK had announced as of Feb. 3rd the appointment of 2 new 5th class tokoyama https://www.sumo.or.jp/IrohaKyokaiMember/tokoyama/, for Tatsunami-beya Tokokei 床慶, Keiya Ohashi 大橋慶也 and for Hakkaku-beya Tokosho  床尚 Shoji Ohata 小端尚仁, both 18 years old  https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202202030000328.html

The proper readings of the full real names are my guess of course

I wonder why the tokoyama are not listed under the English list of kyokai members, like oyakata, gyoji and yobidashi

Edited February 7, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 41,840]

On 07/02/2022 at 19:55, Akinomaki said:

new 5th class tokoyama https://www.sumo.or.jp/IrohaKyokaiMember/tokoyama/, for Tatsunami-beya Tokokei 床慶, Keiya Ohashi 大橋慶也

A local boy from the Tsukuba Mirai heya location

Edited February 8, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Muhomatsu 247]

There is also a new Tokoyama on the Kyokai website:  Tokoō (床欧) from Naruto-beya.  He is just a baby, at 15 years old.

It is nice to see a "refresh" among the Tokoyama. There were six new recruits in the last two years.  

[Yamanashi 4,083]

1 hour ago, Muhomatsu said:

There is also a new Tokoyama on the Kyokai website:  Tokoō (床欧) from Naruto-beya.  He is just a baby, at 15 years old.

It is nice to see a "refresh" among the Tokoyama. There were six new recruits in the last two years.  

He's on the Narutobeya Instagram page; I hesitated to post because the NSK hadn't announced it on the website.  Thanks for catching this.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cef-7hlredF/

[Seiyashi 4,109]

1 minute ago, Yamanashi said:

I hesitated to post because the NSK hadn't announced it on the website

A bit off topic, but has there ever been a case where the heya jumped the gun on such an announcement and then had to reverse it when the NSK said "no, we're not hiring the guy"?

[Yamanashi 4,083]

2 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

A bit off topic, but has there ever been a case where the heya jumped the gun on such an announcement and then had to reverse it when the NSK said "no, we're not hiring the guy"?

No, that wasn't the problem.  It's my lack of Japanese reading skills; way too embarrassing* to give the kid's "Google" name and get drilled by my fellow SFers.

*"Shame and eternal shame, nothing but shame." [Henry V, act 4, scene 5]

[Seiyashi 4,109]

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202209290000455.html

Four tokoyama to be promoted from Dec 26th (the banzuke announcement for Hatsu 2023):

• Tokoteru (Sakigawa) - 4th to 3rd class
• Tokoyū (Ōnomatsu) - 4th to 3rd class
• Tokoazuma (Sadogatake) - 4th to 3rd class
• Tokohibiki (Sadogatake) - 5th to 4th class

[Muhomatsu 247]

I take note today that Tokotochi is removed from the Kyokai site.  And a new 18 year old Tokoyama, Tokotsukasa (床元) has appeared.  He is in Miyagino-beya.  Miyagino has two recent Tokoyama, with Tokoshun joining only a few years back.

Additionally, there is a new yobidashi - Kumajirō  (隈二郎) at Takekuma beya.

[Asashosakari 20,272]

On 04/04/2024 at 23:13, Yubinhaad said:

Two new tokoyama have joined, both 15 years old.

Tokosakura (床桜), Minato-beya. From Ichinomiya, Aichi prefecture.

Tokokasumi (床香澄), Nishonoseki-beya. From Kashiwa, Chiba prefecture.

On 30/05/2024 at 13:09, Yubinhaad said:

[Nakamura-beya branchout from Nishonoseki] Effective as of June 1st, says the oshirase. The tokoyama is Tokokasumi who had just joined in April.

On 01/07/2024 at 00:01, Yubinhaad said:

Nikkan also reports a rare change of name for a tokoyama (...)

Tokokasumi > Tokoake (床朱,  とこあけ)

Has Tokoake retired already? No longer to be found on the Kyokai tokoyama list.

And for thread completeness: Between those two and Tokotsukasa who was mentioned in the preceding comment, Shikoroyama-beya also hired a tokoyama:

On 06/04/2023 at 17:58, Yubinhaad said:

A new yobidashi and a new tokoyama will start from the Natsu basho. (...)

Tokoyama: Tokoei (床瑛,  とこえい), Shikoroyama-beya, 18 years old.

 

Edited November 18, 2024 by Asashosakari

[Yubinhaad 11,974]

Special class tokoyama Tokotsuru had his 65th birthday on the 22nd, though senshuraku was his last day, by convention those reaching mandatory retirement age during a basho can keep working until it ends. After graduating from junior high school in March 1976 he joined Kimigahama-beya, run by former Sekiwake Tsurugamine, later to change names to Izutsu-beya. Sakahoko, Terao, Kirishima 1 & 2 and Kakuryu are among the sekitori whose oichomage he has carefully prepared over the years.

He hasn't thought of what he will do after retirement - "It doesn't really feel real yet. I've been at the basho, living and working with everyone. Maybe it'll feel real when I go back to Tokyo but no longer go to the heya." However, after nearly five decades in the job his services are still in demand - Otowayama-oyakata (former Yokozuna Kakuryu) has asked him to go with the heya when they are travelling on jungyo.

[Akinomaki 41,840]

I haven't seen anything on him yet, don't know when he joined, but with Nishonoseki's Tokoni deleted from the tokoyama list, Nakamura-beya has a new tokoyama, Tokowaka, from Yoshikaze's hometown Saiki https://www.sumo.or.jp/Profile/tokoyama/2427/

Not on the heya site yet

[Akinomaki 41,840]

On 01/10/2025 at 18:11, Akinomaki said:

I haven't seen anything on him yet, don't know when he joined, but with Nishonoseki's Tokoni deleted from the tokoyama list, Nakamura-beya has a new tokoyama, Tokowaka, from Yoshikaze's hometown Saiki https://www.sumo.or.jp/Profile/tokoyama/2427/

Not on the heya site yet

Now we know how Tokowaka looks, the NSK not yet, still no photo. And his sumo background, but no hint why he is -waka

18 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Nakamura(Yoshikaze) was home in Saiki at Saiki Honan high school to get 2 3rd years as new recruits, from the sumo club Ryuto Takeda 武田琉斗 (170cm, 150kg) and Atsuto Ogata 緒方惇斗, Takeda as rikishi, Ogata as tokoyama.

The 2 will join the Kyushu training camp of the heya in Saga pref. tomorrow.

Ogata wants to do the mage of Takeda in the future. Local Oita broadcast news clip:  o

17 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

 local NHK ONE news clip  https://news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/nb-5070022636

Ogata wants not only to do the hair, but all kind of support for the rikishi.

3 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Now at last an article that noticed Tokowaka and reported that he became an NSK member on Oct. 1st. A pity that they don't post his stats. He started with sumo as 4th grade, had an experience stay in the heya last winter and was fascinated by the work of the tokoyama. He was tokoyama apprentice for 5 months since May. 

- I guess he would rise higher on the banzuke than Takeda

 

Nakamura-beya still doesen't have him, or Takeda, on the homepage yet  https://nakamurabeya.jp/

[Yamanashi 4,083]

2 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Nakamura(Yoshikaze) was home in Saiki at Saiki Honan high school to get 2 3rd years as new recruits, from the sumo club Ryuto Takeda 武田琉斗 (170cm, 150kg) and Atsuto Ogata 緒方惇斗, Takeda as rikishi, Ogata as tokoyama.

When your tokoyama looks more genki than your rikishi ... 

Expect a new body-swapping manga about Sumo.