Azumazeki-oyakata has died

[Yubinhaad 9,082]

Very sad news. Azumazeki-oyakata (former Maegashira Ushiomaru) died on December 13th, aged just 41, due to angiosarcoma. He had been very ill for about a year.

https://this.kiji.is/578431205239358561

Edited December 14, 2019 by Yubinhaad

[Swami 157]

Very sad news at such a young age.

Swami

[Asashosakari 14,673]

Terrible news indeed.  

Ushiomaru made his makuuchi debut in the first basho for which I was a "serious" realtime-watching sumo fan rather than just another guy seeing tournaments on Eurosport six weeks after the fact, so I always had a sentimental soft spot for the guy. Can't imagine how ex-Takamiyama must be feeling right now to see his successor gone so young.

[Kintamayama 33,185]

He who I fondly called Ushiomary.. Very sad.. So Furiwake will be taking over?

Edited December 14, 2019 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 33,185]

Furiwake spoke. "He collapsed on December 10th and was hospitalized. The heya was just on our way back from our Miyazaki lodgings. I went to visit him at the hospital and even with the oxygen mask he said ' It's been a ride.. (otsukaresama deshita..)'. He sounded strong and healthy and his eyes were wide open. I thought he was getting better. That such a strong hearted and strong willed person loses his health so suddenly is difficult to grasp.  All I can feel is a sense of gratitude," he said. The okamisan said that on the 11th, the Oyakata asked to see his deshi. On the 12th he was taken to the heya and said goodbye to each deshi separately, calling them by name. It seemed to her that he was waiting for that to happen, and then felt he could go in peace. After the heya visit he could hardly breathe. "I hope the heya can continue to exist," said the Okamisan.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Kintamayama

[Eikokurai 2,138]

Far too young. Barely older than me. 

[Otokonoyama 2,736]

R.I.P. You will be missed.

 

[Akinomaki 28,381]

Local Shizuoka TV Yahoo news video page https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20191214-00010001-satvv-l22

Japan only - VPN needed or: youtube-dl https://gw-yvpub.c.yimg.jp/v1/hls/wecNYM6N3mgPa_iX/video.m3u8

from the papers today

Haru 2008

o

Asashoryu has a cut at his danpatsushiki Jan. 31st 2010

o

at the new heya location with the okamisan

o o

the shimpan - he was kyujo since last year Kyushu

o o ooo

o

Furiwake

o o  o o

Edited December 20, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Kishinoyama 430]

Another rikishi dying way too young.  

[WAKATAKE 1,820]

This is so sad. He lived mostly in Takamisakari's shadow but showed the necessary leadership skills to be trusted by Jesse to carry on the Azumazeki name. I do hope that they will work out the situation to keep the heya alive. 

[Katooshu 1,141]

When I saw the thread title I was expecting to read that Jesse died. Waaay too young. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Katooshu

[Kishinoyama 430]

2 hours ago, Katooshu said:

When I saw the thread title I was expecting to read that Jesse died. Waaay too young. 

Wow... I have to say, that I never thought about it that way. I just assumed it was Ushiomaru. 

[Akinomaki 28,381]

The NSK announced today that the funeral service for the late Azumazeki-oyakata will be a Takasago-ichimon funeral. The tsuya at Azumazeki-beya starts on the 18th, 6p.m., the funeral at noon the next day. The principal mourner is the widow, Mami Sano, presiding over the funeral is Hakkaku-rijicho. https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201912160000253.html

[RabidJohn 818]

Ushiomaru's career fell within my lengthy haitus from watching sumo, but as a shimpan he caught my eye, primarily because he looked so young. So saddening to hear of his untimely passing.

I'm not one to dwell on grief, but that question of Kintamayama's keeps dragging my thoughts away anyway: "So Furiwake will be taking over?" I wanna know more! Maybe in another thread though...

[Akinomaki 28,381]

21 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

that question of Kintamayama's keeps dragging my thoughts away anyway: "So Furiwake will be taking over?" I wanna know more!

The question of who might take over the heya or what else (the members absorbed by one or more other heya), will be discussed within Takasago-ichimon from now on. Shibatayama: "Nothing has been decided yet." http://hochi.news/articles/20191216-OHT1T50308.html

Edited December 17, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 28,381]

Today was the tsuya (wake ) - about 550 attended

oooo

Jesse among them

ooo  o

Hakkaku

o

Edited December 23, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 28,381]

On 16/12/2019 at 08:15, Akinomaki said:

The tsuya at Azumazeki-beya starts on the 18th, 6p.m

Akebono was at the heya earlier - he can't walk, but at least he isn't confined to a hospital bed now - to burn some incense as an offering for his former tsukebito, avoiding the eyes of people and their cameras - he couldn't stop his tears from running. o  o

Edited December 19, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 28,381]

6 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Akebono was at the heya earlier - he can't walk, but at least he isn't confined to a hospital bed now - to burn some incense as an offering for his former tsukebito, avoiding the eyes of people and their cameras - he couldn't stop his tears from running.

But he could give sort of a smile for the photo - he told Furiwake: "Sakari-zeki, the heya entrusted to you."

http://hochi.news/articles/20191218-OHT1T50299.html

[Akinomaki 28,381]

Today was the funeral service with about 500 attending

today no longer incense on the table

o

Jesse today

o o o o

Hakkaku with the memorial address

o

o o

with the family and the heya's oyakata

o o oo o

Edited December 20, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 28,381]

I won't put the rest of the Ushiomaru In Memoriam pics in an extra thread:

o

Kyushu 2007 - kk after 5 basho again

o

Hatsu 2009 vs. Kaiho

o

o

danpatsu-shiki, final cut

o o ooo

as Azumazeki-oyakata

Takamisakari intai

oo

the last Ichinoseki training camp in August 2017 - he said "we'll be back next year" - but he then already was absent for treatment

 o

o

[Kintamayama 33,185]

Azumazeki -beya  will be attached to Hakkaku beya temporarily, at least for Hatsu. During the bouts, the attached rikishi will still be announced as being from Azumazeki beya and the Azumazeki name will still be used as a title. As for the future, it is still undecided but whatever happens, it ill remain within the Ichimon. Training will be held at Azumazeki beya under the watchful eyes of Furiwake Oyakata and presumably 67 years old Ooyama Oyakata the consultant.. 

[Raishu 179]

I guess, it will be hard to find a potential successor within the ichimon, since it doesn't have that many attached oyakata who could take over. Ex-Takamisakari does not strike me as shisho-material. IIRC, he never really was in the race to become the next head of Azumazeki-beya and Jesse favored ex-Ushiomaru all the way. Consultant Oyama is not allowed to take charge, so it comes down to a relatively small group of candidates:

Wakamatsu (ex-Asanowaka) -> will most likely succeed Takasago

Nishikijima (ex-Asasekiryu) -> still pretty new to the job - I am not sure, whether he has ambitions to run a heya one day (he is exactly one Makuuchi basho short of having the option to brach off on his own, so that would be his chance)

Jinmaku (ex-Fujinoshin) -> 59 years of age - he could only serve as a temporary solution, so I rule him out based on that fact

Tanigawa (ex-Hokutoriki) -> probably one of the better choices here - has been working as a coach for more than 8 years. But maybe he simply does not want to run a heya ... who knows?

Sendagawa (ex-Toki) -> Tanigawa with more time and experience as an oyakata. I could write the same here.

And that's all folks ....

In my opinion, only three real candidates and we haven't heard anything in the past, if these guys have the desire to become a headcoach or not.

Of course, we could advance our search and have a look at the still-active eligible sekitori, but aside from Okinoumi (who is still doing well in Makuuchi at 34 years of age) I don't see any rikishi retiring for the benefit of becoming a shisho.

Crazy idea from my side: maybe they should try to poach an attached oyakata from the aligned Tokitsukaze-ichimon, just to expand the pool of candidates.

[Jakusotsu 3,622]

14 hours ago, Raishu said:

Sendagawa (ex-Toki) -> Tanigawa with more time and experience as an oyakata. I could write the same here.

Best choice in my opinion, if only for the sake of sideburns tradition.

[Akinomaki 28,381]

On 17/12/2019 at 13:28, Akinomaki said:

The question of who might take over the heya or what else (the members absorbed by one or more other heya), will be discussed within Takasago-ichimon from now on. Shibatayama: "Nothing has been decided yet.

The fate of Azumazeki-beya has been decided now, but it will only be announced after the basho. Nishikido revealed this after today's Takasago ichimon meeting, which mainly decided upon the candidates for the upcoming election. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202001200000774.html

[Muhomatsu 55]

I thought the future of Azumazeki was supposed to be announced today.  It may have been postponed (or fell through the cracks) due to Goeido's announcement.