64th Friendly Examination Sumo Tournament (2019-10-05)

mikawa · October 5, 2019

Once a year, the Japan Sumo Association hosts a regional tournament for sumo clubs and dojos around the Kanto region, with various oyakatas acting as shimpan and rikishi acting as gyoji. It's the tournament that was featured in Begin Japanology's episode on sumo.

Here's ex-Kisenosato acting as one of the shimpan:

And here's ex-Aminishiki watching the action from the hanamichi:

Anyone need some salt?

Edited October 5, 2019 by mikawa

mikawa · October 5, 2019

Forever Tachikawa

It's been three years since that rainy night in Tachikawa when I first met the incredibly nice people from the sumo dojo there. Now I find myself sitting amongst them, cheering for every member who steps onto the dohyo, talking about various topics, sumo or otherwise, having a curry rice meal together, and listening attentively to the post-tournament summaries, as always delivered by Sagawa-sensei.

This is where Hokutofuji came from, where Sawada Hideo (corporate sumo talent) came from, and in a similar vein, where most professional rikishi came from. They learn sumo from a local sumo club or dojo, experience the highs and lows of competition, and grow up to be the strong human beings that they are. Today was an eventful day, tomorrow is a bigger test still. Ganbatte ne!

mikawa · October 5, 2019

A Young Enho

Winning this tournament for the third year in a row is Tachikawa Renseikan's Grade 2 star Hirano Juito. He may not have a big body, but his wide range of techniques more than makes up for this. He won by ashitori (leg pick), he won by sotogake (outside leg trip), he won by kirikaeshi (scooping body drop), and he even drops the occasional henka. His value to the club is such that he's been put in the Grade 3 slot for tomorrow's tournament.

Challengers of the Soul

This week, an NHK program called "Challengers of the Soul" had a part on Tachikawa Renseikan Sumo Dojo, focussing on a Grade 3 boy named Miyazaki Yoshiyuki, who is the younger brother of Hakuho Cup quarter-finalist Miyazaki Keijiro. Yoshiyuki had fears about charging head-on at the tachi-ai, but he was eventually able to conquer this fear, and his reward is a quarter-final finish today. The Grade 3 winner was Komatsuryu Dojo's Kumagai Kyuta, who was able to add this tournament to his Hakuho Cup victory earlier this year.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/av69984482/

A Majestic Performance

Both Hirano Noato and Sasaki Ifu had good showings today for Tachikawa Renseikan, with Ifu (whose name comes from ifudodo, meaning majestic) getting his best ever result at this tournament. For the aforementioned Miyazaki Keijiro? Not so much, as you can see from the following photo (he actually battled back from that, but it wasn't enough).

The Grade 6 category was won by Komatsuryu Dojo's Hakuho Cup semi-finalist Kuramochi Yuto, who had to overcome his club-mate and sumo genius Yoshioka Ryudai in the semi-final in an almighty battle. Ryudai twice spun around whilst grabbing his opponent's arm to escape a neck hold, and tried all sorts of stuff in that bout, but it was Yuto's day. You can see in the video below Yuto dismantling Wanpaku Yokozuna Yamashita Masakiyo.

As for the decorated Kodama Hayato? Apparently he's now a member of Fuchu Sumiyoshi Sumo Dojo, but Hayato did not compete today.

The Star of Kinboshi

Yup, Kanazawa Sorato is still doing sumo, and he now looks like this. A good performance from him, but he'll be even better next year. The middle school category was won by Katsushika's thin but strong Komiyama Toa, who beat second year club-mate Aino Shogo in the final. Shogo will be a name to watch out for next year.

A Sumo Wrestler's Son

Sasaki Chikara from that documentary (embedded below) impressed in the Dans Category today, going all the way to the semi-finals, and even then only losing because of a well-timed utchari (backward pivot throw). He will soon be graduating from High School, and according to his dad, might be enrolling into Keio University.