Hokuseiho Out- Hakuho Demoted - Miyagino-beya Closing

[Kaninoyama 1,866]

The details were mostly as already covered here. A couple extra tidbits though from the NHK report:

-Part of the deal when Miyagino/Hakuho moved to Isegahama-beya was that each basho Isegahama-oyakata would submit a report on the progress of Miyagino and his rikishi to the Kyokai. But the reports must have been less than glowing, because at the most recent board meeting (prior to today's), based on these reports some members thought that it was "still too early."

-Terunofuji's pending takeover accelerated matters. Had less to do with whether or not Hakuho liked Terunofuji, but rather, he couldn't swallow the notion of working under someone 7 full years his junior. 

-Hakuho had discussions about the future with the Kyokai during this past basho, with one plan being that he would move to Asakayama-beya, "just until November," he was told, but despite efforts by Isegahama to convince him to just "gaman" a little while longer, Hakuho had had enough by that point and resolved to leave. 

 

 

Edited June 2 by Kaninoyama

[Godango 1,054]

Another Dai-Yokozuna bites the dust, I guess. 

I understand where those who say he did himself no favours are coming from, but it's very hard to swallow when certain others get much more lenient treatment over similar issues. 

Anyway. Doesn't matter anymore, I suppose. 

[WAKATAKE 2,732]

4 minutes ago, Godango said:

Another Dai-Yokozuna bites the dust, I guess. 

I understand where those who say he did himself no favours are coming from, but it's very hard to swallow when certain others get much more lenient treatment over similar issues. 

Anyway. Doesn't matter anymore, I suppose. 

Yet the Kyokai will survive this in my opinion. My experience working for Japanese companies both in Japan and in the US is that they love to weed out the weak minded, and always looking for the yes men who over devote themselves to the success of the companies/organization and the executives pockets. Noise makers and those who go against the status quo are quashed, or given dry, vague, and empty promises that changes will occur. Dangling the carrot fits the mindset of Japanese management very well. There is always someone who will want to fill the positions or work for Japanese companies, because foreign workers have the delusion that the culture is great and welcoming, except when it comes to working and trying to be accepted as "Japanese." A bit of a rant, but similar to the situation I'm in at my current job. I'm just collecting the paycheck, but feel sorry for the my coworkers who truly believe they can make change happen.

[Jakusotsu 6,188]

At least we won't have to bear any more "Hakuoho" or "Seihakuho" follies...

[Kintamayama 45,974]

The Kyokai tried to persuade him to stay by promising him the return of his heya after Kyushu. No dice, was the answer.

Edited June 2 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,974]

Yokozunae that have has left the Kyokai in the past. Kitanofuji (was passed by for rijicho),  Wajima (gambling, went on to Pro-wrestling) Akebono (wanted to become a fighter in K1), the extremely popular yet unstable Takanohana (strange stuff and odd behavior, was destined to become rijicho someday), Wakanohana, went on to try football but is now a commentator on TV, Asashouryuu kicked out in disgrace, and Harumafuji (ditto) and now Hakuhou. Isegahama, (ex-Asahifuji),  Hakkaku (ex-Hokutoumi), Shibatayama (ex- Oonokuni), ex-Musashimaru, ex- Kakuryuu, ex- Kisenosato, and ex- Terunofuji are the currently active as Oyakata Ex- Yokozunae.

[Akinomaki 41,179]

6 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Result of the special rijikai today: Hakuho(Miyagino) retires from the NSK as of June 9th, Isegahama-oyakata becomes Miyagino and Terunofuji-oyakata Isegahama and the shisho of the heya http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2025/06/02/0019058040.shtml

The Miyagino rikishi remain in Isegahama-beya, when a proper new candidate for shisho appears, the heya may reopen - Ishiura doesn’t fulfil the criteria for a branch-out 

- I guess several more will quit now, the heya has 33 rikishi ATM after 4 more retired, 9 of them ex-Miyagino

 

Edited June 2 by Akinomaki

[Kintamayama 45,974]

Very long Kyokai minutes from the meeting today-here are the interesting parts..

Asakayama Oyakata (ex- KaioU) reported, "We have been talking about reopening Miyagino beya since the January basho of this year. In the midst of this, as Isegahama Oyakata is retiring and he will be replaced from the July basho, Chairman Hakkaku instructed us to 'have them looked after at Asakayama beya from now on, and taking into account the preparation period, consider returning him his heya after the November basho.' I explained this to Miyagino and tried to dissuade him on several occasions, but Miyagino expressed his intention to retire."

Isegahama Oyakata reported, "I tried to persuade Miyagino many times to stay, telling him to be patient a little longer since the stable will reopen soon, but he was adamant. I'm sorry I couldn't persuade him to stay. Miyagino was worried about his own deshi, and said he wanted them to continue being looked after at Isegahama beya so that Miyagino beya could be revived in the future. I also spoke with Miyagino's deshi, and they all wanted that."

Kasugano Oyakata reported, "Since his heya was taken from him last year, the executive committee has been receiving status reports from Asakayama  Oyakata and Isegahama Oyakata at each tournament. This year, at the March tournament, we had a discussion with  Asakayama, but we heard that Miyagino seemed to want to retire. Also, perhaps because of his intention to retire, I heard from Isegahama that 'Miyagino doesn't seem to be putting his heart into training his deshi,' so we couldn't bring up the topic of an early return at that time."

After receiving these reports, the Kyokai decided to accept Miyagino's application for retirement on June 9, 2025, and that, although there has been no similar precedent in the past, the future of the wrestlers in Miyagino stable will be decided by putting the wrestlers' interests first and foremost, for the time being. They will continue to be looked after at Isegahama beya. In the future, if any elders wishing to train and guide wrestlers from the Miyagino stable apply to the Kyokai, the Kyokai will decide whether or not to agree to do so and in what form, whilst discussing this with Isegahama Oyakata and subject to the conditions at the time.
 

 

[Kaninoyama 1,866]

One wonders why the insistence from the Kyokai to go through all the trouble to move the Miyagino rikishi to a different heya yet again, and upsetting the balance there as well, for a mere six months.

Seems like a pointless exercise in futility if they were really intent on giving him back his stable, when the perfect timing to do so would have been now.

 

Edited June 2 by Kaninoyama

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,281]

2 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

Yet the Kyokai will survive this in my opinion. My experience working for Japanese companies both in Japan and in the US is that they love to weed out the weak minded, and always looking for the yes men who over devote themselves to the success of the companies/organization and the executives pockets. Noise makers and those who go against the status quo are quashed, or given dry, vague, and empty promises that changes will occur. Dangling the carrot fits the mindset of Japanese management very well. There is always someone who will want to fill the positions or work for Japanese companies, because foreign workers have the delusion that the culture is great and welcoming, except when it comes to working and trying to be accepted as "Japanese." A bit of a rant, but similar to the situation I'm in at my current job. I'm just collecting the paycheck, but feel sorry for the my coworkers who truly believe they can make change happen.

Coming up on 2 decades now and I have to say my experience has been quite different! Been able to carve out a few new operational pillars and a good chunk of opportunities (inversely proportional to sumo games participation though …)

[Hankegami 576]

1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said:

.Seems like a pointless exercise in futility if they were really intent on giving him back his stable, when the perfect timing to do so would have been now.

A few cunning politicians, including the late former Italian PM Giulio Andreotti, used to say "Thinking wrong [about people] is a sin, but sinners are very often right", more or less. I just note it's quite fortunate for moto-Asahifuji to get the Miyagino kabu last minute so to remain as sanyo. Perhaps it wasn't planned since the beginning, but it's surprising how everything fell in good order. Also, as other noted, delaying tactics are common in business. My impression is that they wanted for Hakuho to take the walk by himself, without explicitly kicking him out.

What I am interested about now is the future of Miyagino wrestlers. Seihakuho is currently occupying the foreigner spot supposed to be given to another Mongolian wrestler, I believe. I can see Terunofuji trying to keep as many talents as possible in Isegahama, but not Seihakuho at the least (unless I'm sorely wrong). I wonder if Akiseyama is available to get them in.

Edited June 2 by Hankegami

[RabidJohn 1,943]

21 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

My impression is that they wanted for Hakuho to take the walk by himself, without explicitly kicking him out.

That was my impression since before he retired from the ring: specifically when they abolished ichidai toshiyori.

What's really extraordinary about all of this is how long it took him to take the hint.

Edited June 2 by RabidJohn

[rokudenashi 336]

Asakayama has no foreigners, so they could take Seihakuhō, or would that be Kaihakuhō, no wait, Kaisei? No…

[Andreas21 202]

On 30/05/2025 at 10:22, Kintamayama said:

That is why I repeatedly said he would not last long.

I am deeply humbled by so much insight, proven by this prediction that has finally come true.

I was highly doubtful when it was first given. I believed (wanted to believe) it would sort out somehow.

In hindsight, the course of events appears like a chain of falling dominoes. Back then, however, it seemed absolutely not clear. At least to me.

[Fashiritētā 195]

A sad day for Hakuho fans.

Hopefully Hoshoryu wont have to go through that.

[bettega 433]

13 minutes ago, Fashiritētā said:

A sad day for Hakuho fans.

Hopefully Hoshoryu wont have to go through that.

He will

[Asashosakari 19,941]

3 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

One wonders why the insistence from the Kyokai to go through all the trouble to move the Miyagino rikishi to a different heya yet again, and upsetting the balance there as well, for a mere six months.

Seems like a pointless exercise in futility if they were really intent on giving him back his stable, when the perfect timing to do so would have been now.

Was it really the perfect moment? As far as I'm concerned it would have had strong overtones of "this is only happening because it has to", and if there's one thing executives don't like anywhere in the world it's to look like their decisions are being driven by circumstances beyond their control.

That aside: We can all name situations where Kyokai members didn't get punished as much as we thought they deserved, but when people did receive heavy penalties including loss of status in the Kyokai hierarchy, in almost all cases that meant two, three, even five years. It always struck me as odd that the one guy whose failings were, rightly or wrongly, judged as so severe that the people handing out the penalty didn't even put an end date on it - that guy was going to get out of the doghouse in just a little over one year?

Edit: Of course, this whole "not wanting to be driven by circumstances beyond his control" thing arguably applies from Hakuho's point of view, too. But that's just it; he wasn't in charge in the first place, he was the underling who found himself in the doghouse.

Edited June 2 by Asashosakari

[RabidJohn 1,943]

12 minutes ago, Fashiritētā said:

Hopefully Hoshoryu wont have to go through that.

I reckon that's entirely in his hands.

Don't be a diva, don't do something stupid while drunk, and don't be a boat-rocker. 

Musashigawa, Naruto and Otowayama are doing fine notwithstanding their foreign origin.

[Asashosakari 19,941]

10 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

I reckon that's entirely in his hands.

Don't be a diva, don't do something stupid while drunk, and don't be a boat-rocker. 

Musashigawa, Naruto and Otowayama are doing fine notwithstanding their foreign origin.

+ Arashio, Oshima, Takasago and (non-shisho division) Nishikijima. And presumably the more recently minted Tomozuna and Iwatomo will be able to handle it, too, to say nothing of the new Isegahama.

[Kintamayama 45,974]

1 hour ago, Fashiritētā said:

A sad day for Hakuho fans.

Hopefully Hoshoryu wont have to go through that.

Houshouryuu has already been asked nudge nudge wink wink to go easy on the stare-downs.

[Akinomaki 41,179]

That's only a problem of really dai-yokozuna (20 yusho or more), the others are all modest 

[Akinomaki 41,179]

Only after a year as oyakata one can branch out with a heya, else I'd say, this is the ideal chance for Takakeisho to own a heya - he already has the premises 

Edited June 2 by Akinomaki

[Yamanashi 3,986]

The vibe I get from Oshima is that he can out-Japanese the Japanese on occasions.

 

[Gurowake 4,123]

7 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Ishiura doesn’t fulfil the criteria for a branch-out 

If they were really interested in having the heya separate soon, they could have Ishiura take over the current Isegahama and have Terunofuji branch out with everyone but the Miyagino guys next year.  Since they could have done this instead of having Terunofuji take over the heya as of Asahifuji's retirement, they don't seem too interested in that.  They could probably figure out a way to have Ishiura move the premises of the "old" heya to allow Terunofuji's "new" heya to use the same premises Isegahama has been using, were that a concern.  Maybe just having Ishiura in charge of both for even a few months was not reasonable, but they can still do that switch in a few months when Terunofuji can branch out.  Maybe they just don't allow this kind of end-run around the branch out rules.  

Takarafuji (who has enough Makuuchi basho to branch out) could theoretically take on the Miyagino rikishi when/if he were to branch out, but that wouldn't be any time soon.  I'm guessing the vacant Kiriyama kabu is lined up for him now to retire soon given that Asahifuji now has Miyagino to use for the next 5 years.

Edited June 2 by Gurowake

[Kamitsuumi 408]

Ishiura can reestablish the Miyagino stable without meeting the basho requirements for a standard branch-out, with the precendent being Kasugayama stable (reestablished as Nakagawa stable). However, it is doubtful whether he would otherwise be approved.