Aki Basho 2021 - Discussion Thread (Spoilers!)

[Seiyashi 4,089]

Asahi reported last week that the Aki basho will be held in the Kokugikan as usual, with a 50% capacity cap of 5,000 spectators. 

The basho will run from 12 September to 26th September.

Publicity materials for ticket sales feature only Hakuho in the Shiranui stance so far, but the image for the Aki basho brochure has yet to be released on the NSK's Twitter (it's usually released by now after the preceding basho). Perhaps they're waiting for Terunofuji's dohyo-iri to be able to composite the image of two yokozuna.

Priority ticket sales will run in two phases from 1 August to 4 August, then 7 August to 12 August. Normal sales will commence from 14 August, with phone reservations being available from 5 September until 24 September, two days before the conclusion of the basho.

It has not yet been decided whether same-day ticket sales at the Kokugikan will take place.

Edited September 12, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Joaoiyama 308]

It'll be cool to see Terunofuji dohyo-iri without his mummy kit, he had great bulky legs back then before all the injuries.

[Seiyashi 4,089]

6 minutes ago, Joaoiyama said:

It'll be cool to see Terunofuji dohyo-iri without his mummy kit, he had great bulky legs back then before all the injuries.

He was doing his learning with some knee protectors on. Granted they weren't the full braces, and they were at least flesh-coloured. I think you can see what it looks like in his yokozuna thread.

[Kaninoyama 1,787]

23 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Asahi reported last week that the Aki basho will be held in the Kokugikan as usual, with a 50% capacity cap of 5,000 spectators. 

With 3,000 COVID cases in Tokyo and rising, I wonder if we'll really have spectators this time around. 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Kaninoyama

[RabidJohn 1,789]

21 hours ago, Joaoiyama said:

It'll be cool to see Terunofuji dohyo-iri without his mummy kit, he had great bulky legs back then before all the injuries.

Watch the video in his ozeki repromotion thread. He could not get into seiza, and he really struggled getting back on his feet.
His knees are so knackered, I doubt we'll ever see them unprotected.

21 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

He was doing his learning with some knee protectors on. Granted they weren't the full braces, and they were at least flesh-coloured. I think you can see what it looks like in his yokozuna thread.

I believe that's what we're going to see when Terunofuji does his dohyo-iri.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,269]

9 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

With 3,000 COVID cases in Tokyo and rising, I wonder if we'll really have spectators this time around. 

I think the options are monetary support from the government or spectators.

[Seiyashi 4,089]

As previously guessed, with the birth of a new yokozuna, the NSK wasn't going to miss the opportunity to promote Terunofuji on its Aki Basho publicity materials in full regalia. That explains the delay in the poster, which is usually out pretty quickly after the conclusion of the previous basho; naturally they had to wait for the tsuna-uchi in order to get a photo of Terunofuji wearing the rope.

Not strictly speaking on topic regarding the Aki basho, but still anyone's guess when Terunofuji's formal suikyoshiki promotion ceremony will be at the Meiji Shrine: it may be after the current state of emergency in order to allow spectators to attend.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Kintamayama 45,144]

Tickets went on sale today. "It is moving along well," said Shibatayama Oyakata. The government emergency measures have been extended. "We'll have to see what happens and discuss this problem. For now, 5000 fans a day,. We took measures to counter the virus and did well. Every person who was infected was quarantined and we managed to contain those outbreaks so we should be good to go, even though you never know where you can contract the virus, whatever you do to defend yourself," explained Shibatayama Oyakata.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Benihana 1,929]

 

[Seiyashi 4,089]

 

[rhyen 1,842]

There hasn’t been any reports of training. I guess the NSK banned all media from going to the heyas since the outbreak at the joint keiko session in the kokugikan. 

[Seiyashi 4,089]

20 minutes ago, rhyen said:

There hasn’t been any reports of training. I guess the NSK banned all media from going to the heyas since the outbreak at the joint keiko session in the kokugikan. 

I think the ban has been before that. The rengo keiko has been the only source of independent reporting on rikishi prep for a while now.

You might have to take to Twitter for that fix. The NSK Twitter account posted some photos from Isegahama's keiko a few days ago, and Tokiwayama's keiko from yesterday also went up on their Twitter. Notably, it showed Takakeisho and Takanosho in sonkyo preparing to face off in the dohyo - probably a posed photo, but it's the first anything we've had on Takakeisho ever since his withdrawal last basho.

[Seiyashi 4,089]

Reposting for the Waka Death Note poll (since Hakuho has to be taken out, and he was half the picks for the Death Note):

 

[Jakusotsu 5,970]

So, Myagino-beya will be sidelined, but Ichinojo is allowed to compete?

[Seiyashi 4,089]

17 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

So, Myagino-beya will be sidelined, but Ichinojo is allowed to compete?

Neither Minato nor Oitekaze had anyone else show infection, so if Ichinojo recovers and isn't shedding active pathogens then yeah, why not? The tests show - at least for now - that Ichinojo hasn't caused a chain of infection in his heya, so if he recovers there's no reason to stop him or his heya participating.

Miyagino was quarantined because there are suggestions of active transmission there, with Hokuseiho and another rikishi testing positive and some complaints of symptoms, so they simply can't tell who already has it but has yet to express symptoms or test positive. Best to just kosho the whole heya and be done with it.

[Akinomaki 40,535]

Dohyo making is under way
oo o

o o

ooo

oo

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Kaminariyuki 499]

On 08/09/2021 at 00:04, Jakusotsu said:

So, Myagino-beya will be sidelined, but Ichinojo is allowed to compete?

Several interesting storylines with Miyagino beya will have to wait until November. Houseiho will have a couple of more months to prepare for the seiktori ranks.

[Gaijingai 1,577]

John Gunning’s Preview

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/09/10/sumo/terunofuji-autumn-basho/

[Seiyashi 4,089]

Interesting observation of John's, that Terunofuji doesn't strike fear into opponents the same way as Hakuho or Asashoryu do. But on second thoughts, you wouldn't have said Harumafuji, Kakuryu, or Kisenosato had that sort of "aura" either, at least not based on their pre-bout rituals, so it's not that much of a knock on Terunofuji that he doesn't either.

[Akinomaki 40,535]

The gomen fuda for the basho had been put in place on Aug. 18th

o

[Akinomaki 40,535]

What a weird broadcast. First the sound stops during the only interesting part of the dohyo-matsuri, the standard recitation by Shikimori Inosuke. Did his voice tremble later on or is he completely fit for the basho, that we could have guessed from the last parts of the long sermon. Then a silent yobidashi parade, no drums to hear.

The yusho portrait presentation without even Miyagino-oyakata , the ichimon's Takashima oyakata instead. Will he also be shown tomorrow at the unveiling ceremony in the kokugikan? A grotesque scene.

Edited September 12, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,535]

From the Twitter - dohyo matsuri, Inosuke's sermon, yobidashi parade

o o o

yusho portrait presentation, Terunofuji and Takashima for Hakuho

Terunofuji with the poster

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,535]

Posing with his portrait was of course Terunofuji alone (Nikkan) o

Edited September 11, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Sue 508]

10 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

 

Wow, Hakuho looks terrible in front of his poster! COVID-19 must really take a toll....

[Kaminariyuki 499]

19 minutes ago, Sue said:

Wow, Hakuho looks terrible in front of his poster! COVID-19 must really take a toll....

A very serious disease. Who knew it could be this bad, though? He does not look like he's ready to gambarize in November.