Aoiyama talks

[Kintamayama 44,350]

This message is forwarded form Kintamayama who is presently serving a  one-month ban from posting. I am his evil twin brother Zambara. He is currently replenishing condiments at the local McDonalds. Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the contents of this post and I did not look up the words  "replenish" and "condiments".

 

His nickname is Daniel. At the Kyushu Basho in November, Aoiyama (37, Kasugano) was ranked Juryo 1 east and had 8 wins and 7 losses, ensuring his return to Makuuchi next basho.  He had a record of 7 wins and 7 losses entering the final day, and faced Takahashi, beating him for the kachikoshi.  Naruto Oyakata (former Ozeki Kotooushuu), also from Bulgaria, rushed to the dressing room to congratulate him.  Aoiyama expressed his gratitude for the handshake and congratulatory words from his hometown senior, saying, ``I'm really happy that he made the effort and came all the way here.'' Those around him know better than himself that he is a valuable asset that transcends the boundaries of his heya. He had 5 wins and 10 losses in Aki at  Maegashira 14 and fell to Juryo for the first time in 5 years and 10 months. This also meant that the prestigious Kasugano stable was without a makuuchi wrestler for the first time in 56 years, since the Aki basho in 1967, He did drop to Juryo once back in January 2018 but returned after one basho to Makuuchi. It was during that basho that his heyamate Tochinoshin won the yusho and ex- Tochiouzan was also active.

 

Currently, Aoiyama is the second oldest Sekitori after Tamawashi, who is 39 years old. Both Tochinoshin and Tochiouzan, with whom he used to practice intensely at their heya, have retired. Before the fall to Juryo this time, Aoiyama had revealed his inner feelings. "I know the history of the heya. There's pressure. I try not to think about it too much. But if I'm not thinking about anything, that means I'm not thinking about the heya. After all, it's history. I don't want the record (Kasugano presence in Makuuchi) to be interrupted. After all, I am  a sumo wrestler at the Kasugano stable."

He joined sumo in 2009 at the former Tagonoura stable. However, former Maegashira Kushimaumi his Oyakata suddenly passed away at the age of 46 in February 2012. In the absence of a successor, he was forced to transfer heyas, as his was folding. Aoiyama: ``Originally, I went to Kasugano beya for training, and the wife (of the former Tagonoura Oyakata) told me, ``If possible, I'd like you to go to Kasugano beya. There are a lot of Sekitori there, and you can become even stronger.'' “I'm really glad I listened to her and  went to Kasugano . If I hadn't gone there,  I don't know how long I would have stayed in Makuuchi. At the time of the death of Tagonoura I had only experienced 2 Makuuchi bashos. Now I have 70 Makuuchi bashos under my belt. It's been almost 12 years. I am where I am today because I joined Kasugano.."

 

The actual heya  transfer procedure back then was unprecedented, and there are actually very few people involved who knew about it. Aoiyama: “I received an envelope from Chairman Kitanoumi (who took office for the second time at the end of January 2012). It was a normal sized envelope. It was delivered to everyone (in the former Tagonoura stable) there. One by one, each rikishi wrote down which heya they wanted to go to and sent it in. There was no need to consult in advance about which heya they wanted to go to. Everyone thought they were going to Dewanoumi beya. I sent the envelope, and until the announcement was made the next day, I thought, ``I could feel lonely by myself.'' Just as I was thinking that, Aozora and Aokishin also chose the Kasugano stable. I was happy. Out of the eight members, five went to Dewanoumi  including  Kairyuu, and three of us went to  Kasugano. The training at Kasugano was tough, but it was the path I chose. I'm glad I chose it." Up until then, in similar cases when changing heyas, it was customary for all wrestlers to change their affiliations to one other heya. It was unusual for the transfer to be divided into multiple heyas and to respect the wishes of each individual. That's why he couldn't make any excuses and became attached to the heya. Aoiyama: "I really managed to do great training with Tochinoshin and Tochiouzan. We are almost the same age. They were born a year later than me, but Tochiouzan was born a bit earlier, so we were in the same school- grade. I think it's because of those two that I'm where I am today. That's why I try to lend my chest as much as possible, even to young wrestlers. As I get older, I suffer a lot of pain, so I wake up early and do a lot of warm-up exercises."

 

He is known for training not only the rikishi from Kasugano, but also rikishi from other stables during jungyo  tours. ``Practice is the only way to become stronger.'' He has now obtained Japanese citizenship. The 37-year-old, who was born in the Showa era, feels it is his mission to pass on the intense training methods of  Kasugano beya to the next generation.

 

If he returns to Makuuchi next basho he will be fighting in the first half and we will once again see him leaving the shitakubeya in a hurry, saying, ``I have to go pick up my daughter from kindergarten.'' On November 29, it was announced that  heyamate Tochimusashi will be returning to Juryo., and will be the second sekitori at the stable. In the shitakubeya after his last bout on senshuraku last basho, Aoiyama said:``I want the young rikishi to gambarize and not give up.'' To those words, he added, ``Maybe I should gambarize as well..'' and smiled. Kasugano beya, whose continuous reign with at least one  Makuuchi rikishi came to an end last basho, is about to begin a new chapter in its history.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Kintamayama

[junsan 170]

His legal name post Japanese citizenship is now Furuta Kosuke. How wonderful to hear the usually shy Furuta Kosuke-san speak so candidly. Reminds me of the folk song about the happy go lucky, onsen loving Ohara Shosuke-san. After reading this interview I'm singing this song with Furuta Kosuke-san replacing Ohara Shosuke-san in the lyrics. First perfectly well too!

 

[Octofuji 327]

The real Kintamayama would never miss out vowels like that 

Whoever you are, thank you for such an interesting post. Aoiyama's intrigued me for a while, sometimes it feels like he's been dialling it in for a long time, but then you get flashes like his winning streak to save his kachikoshi in September, which makes me think he should really be much higher up the banzuke.

[Yamanashi 3,724]

Aoiyama (Daniel Ivanov) began Ozumo six years after his countryman Kotooshu, and had the same 35-7 record after six basho, but with Yusho in Jk, Jd and at Ms48 [and, like many rapid banzuke risers, he's only had 1 basho in each of the lowest divisions].  Unlike his fellow Bulgarian, it took him 18 basho to reach Komosubi (vs 14), and he was 0-4 as a Maegashira against the Ozeki.

[Benevolance 2,478]

To clarify, he was 0-4 vs Kotooshu, not 0-4 all time record against rikishi ranked at ozeki. Though, I suppose he also went 0-4 against all Bulgarians ranked ozeki, too. And 0-4 against all rikishi who later became Naruto Oyakata and came to congratulate him on the final day of the Fukuoka Basho. A lot of losing records there. Wow. He must feel pretty blue.