New recruits Hatsu 2025

[Akinomaki 40,687]

Yuuya Sunasaka 砂坂有哉 (18, 175cm, 135kg), 3rd year at Meitoku Gijuku high will join Takasago-beya and aims to be in the shindeshi-kensa in December. The oyakata (graduate there like Asashoryu) on the 13th (when Sunasaka turned 18) was at the school for the announcement. From Tagawa, Fukuoka, Sunasaka started with sumo in 5th grade, proceeded to Meitoku Gijuku middle school and was in the best 8 at the interhigh this year- he lost to Samejima in the qf. The last from the school who joined the heya was Ishizaki for Nagoya. http://www.kochinews.co.jp/article/detail/795000

Edited October 14, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,687]

13 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Yuuya Sunasaka 砂坂有哉 (18, 175cm, 135kg), 3rd year at Meitoku Gijuku high will join Takasago-beya and aims to be in the shindeshi-kensa in December. The oyakata (graduate there like Asashoryu) on the 13th (when Sunasaka turned 18) was at the school for the announcement

Meitoku posted the news today https://www.meitoku-gijuku.ed.jp/news.php?i=1150

Sunasaka: "I thought all the time about going into ozumo, I'm very happy that I'm now able to take the challenge. I want to become a sekitori loved by many and supported by many."

[Akinomaki 40,687]

On 14/10/2024 at 23:12, Akinomaki said:

Yuuya Sunasaka 砂坂有哉 (18, 175cm, 135kg), 3rd year at Meitoku Gijuku high will join Takasago-beya and aims to be in the shindeshi-kensa in December.

Local Kochi TV news clip about Sunasaka - he has connections to the heya since 6th grade

FNN

o

Edited October 27, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Katooshu 3,278]

1:23 - did they film that right after practice? Sweaty boy! 

Edited October 15, 2024 by Katooshu

[Akinomaki 40,687]

Sotaro Umeyama 梅山颯大郎 (17, 176cm, 143kg) 3rd year at Jutoku high, https://sites.google.com/jutoku.ed.jp/sumo/ joins Futagoyama-beya, his aim is "Juryo and above". The oyakata on the 16th was at the school in Kiryu, Gunma. Father an Italian chef (doesn't mean he's Italian), mother a pastry chef, he was in the art club at Takasaki Naganogo middle school and became interested in sumo in 3rd year, was at a tournament and and got a taste for winning. Properly he started with sumo in high school, won the pref. interhigh and was in the best 16 with the team at the national interhigh. He was in the heya in August for a keiko experience (maybe also in some video of the heya channel) and decided to join there. The oyakata hopes others from Gunma will follow him, the first in the heya from the pref. - into at first wampaku sumo.

o  o

Edited October 18, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Yamanashi 3,879]

8 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Father an Italian chef (doesn't mean he's Italian), mother a pastry chef

Stay tuned for possible story arcs in the heya's Sumo Food channel.  He certainly looks well-fed.

[Asashosakari 19,543]

34 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

Stay tuned for possible story arcs in the heya's Sumo Food channel.  He certainly looks well-fed.

Seems to have gained loads of weight of late, too. Results from a year and a half ago listed him at just 115 kg rather than the current 143.

[Akinomaki 40,687]

The shindeshi kensa is on Jan. 6th, on the same day as the YDC keiko soken - like (recently) regularly. http://www.sanspo.com/article/20241129-PII7YEDMBVNGNLEBJRHNVB2ALE/

[Akinomaki 40,687]

14 hours ago, Yubinhaad said:

On 18/10/2024 at 22:30, Akinomaki said:

Saito declared that he wants to join ozumo after graduation - hard to imagine to not where father and brother are. He'll be compared to his brother now and wants to try to surpass the new juryo

It was announced today that Saito the younger has been granted Sandanme Tsukedashi status when he joins ozumo, although it's not specified when that will be. He's the first high-schooler to receive that, and it will be another ten ranks higher than before, as the Kyokai also announced that Sandanme will be cut to 80 ranks from the Hatsu basho banzuke onwards.

The acknowledgement of a tsukedashi status usually happens before the debut basho - and Sponichi today reports that Saito aims for a debut at the Hatsu basho - in Isenoumi-beya of course.

in June

o

[Akinomaki 40,687]

Yasufumi Aoki 青木康文, 3rd year in the sumo club of Asahigaoka high school, joins Isegahama-beya in January, to be at the shindeshi-kensa on the 6th: "This is the start-line. Climbing up the banzuke, I want to become a rikishi who gives hope to the people".

The oyakata was at the school on the 10th

o

Aoki started sumo after taking part in a shrine sumo tournament during primary school: "I wept as I lost, but felt the fun in it." He met the oyakata during a sumo class at the school http://www.niina-gakuen.jp/sumoschool.html, where Isegahama-beya is invited regularly.

On 01/09/2019 at 18:15, Akinomaki said:

Asahigaoka high held a kids sumo class on the 22nd and invited Isegahama-beya rikishi for that - Sakurafuji graduated from Asahigaoka high 2 years ago. Terutsuyoshi, Takarafuji and the oyakata were also there that day. Students from the school took part in the heya summer training camp this year. o

3rd year Manazuru middle school at the specially set-up sumo club, ind. best 16 at the Kanto tournament  - he had a one year blank due to injury already there, had the aim of high schol yokozuna next, but wasn't at the interhigh

o

He injured himself at the first day of training at Asahigaoka high and was in doubt if he should continue with sumo, but his mentor since kindergarten told him: "Going on till you're completely burned out is for (you own) Yat-chan's good"

Edited December 21, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,687]

6 have applied for the shindeshi-kensa on Jan. 6th - quite an early deadline this time

http://www.sanspo.com/article/20241226-KENODYB2BVMK3ELLFYQNLBFPZM/

One is Yoshiaki Uchiumi 内海佳旭（うちうみ・よしあき）(21, 180cm, 127kg)  from Toyota city for Musashigawa-beya: graduated from an Aichi pref, vocational school, got a job, but had quit after 8 months and worked as temporary employee since then. At one company was an OB from Musashigawa-beya, which led to an experience stay in the heya in October and  the decision to join. He did shot put in middle school - and apparently no other sport and nothing after that.

o

- Sunasaka, Umeyama, Aoki, Uchiumi and of course Saito - only one missing in the thread

Edited December 26, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,687]

SDTD Chugo Saito 斎藤忠剛 ちゅうごう (17, 173cm, 125kg) had the press conference at Isenoumi-beya today to announce that he joins there - he wants to do a sumo like Saitama Sakae sempai Minatogawa-oyakata (TKK) and make it to sekitori within 3 years

o

with dad

o o o o o o oo o o

with Saitama Sakae high main coach Yamada and the shisho

o o o

 

the 3rd brother joins the Saitama Sakae high sumo club next spring, 2028 we may have another heya with triplets

Edited December 28, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Asashosakari 19,543]

18 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

6 have applied for the shindeshi-kensa on Jan. 6th (...)

- Sunasaka, Umeyama, Aoki, Uchiumi and of course Saito - only one missing in the thread

Sponichi does not mention Futagoyama's Umeyama as an applicant, but has these two instead (without further details):

Naohiro(??) Kawasumi 河隅脩泰, 16 years old, joining Takasago-beya alongside Sunasaka
Ryunosuke/Tatsunosuke Nakamura 中村龍之佑, 18 years old for Ajigawa-beya

I've found somebody of the latter name in local Toba-shi (Mie prefecture) middle school sumo results from five years ago; not entirely sure it's the same kid but the age would fit.

[Kintamayama 45,442]

12 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

SDTD Chugo Saito 斎藤忠剛 ちゅうごう (17, 173cm, 125kg) had the press conference at Isenoumi-beya today to announce that he joins there - he wants to do a sumo like Saitama Sakae sempai Minatogawa-oyakata (TKK) and make it to sekitori within 3 years

he Saitama Sakae high sumo club next spring, 2028 we may have another heya with triplets

Saitou said he has no interest in his brother Wakaikari.

Edited December 27, 2024 by Kintamayama

[Akinomaki 40,687]

All 6 passed the initial test today and wait for the results of the medical check, to be announced on day 1.

Saito gets a shikona with the -ikari 碇 of his father and brother, but at the start: 碇潟 Ikarigata, with the -gata like in Niigata.

o o o

Uchiumi

o o oo o

Edited January 8 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,687]

12 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Saito gets a shikona with the -ikari 碇 of his father and brother, but at the start: 碇潟 Ikarigata, with the -gata like in Niigata.

This is reported as having been the shikona of a strong rikishi from Kyoto-zumo, Saito's shusshin is Kyoto. https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2025/01/07/kiji/20250106s00005000318000c.html

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Musashigawa's Daniel Ailua will compete as Hikarumusashi Eru 光武蔵 瑛琉 ひかるむさし える.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEl1SJrPG9G/

(The Instagram post reads "Elu", but I'm pretty sure the Kyokai will transcribe it as Eru.)

Edited January 9 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Luvsangombo Serjbudee's shikona has been announced as Tenrōsei 天狼星 てんろうせい by Shikoroyama-beya. I hope the given name eventually surfaces, too.

 

[Naganoyama 5,942]

NSK data:
SHIKONA	KANJI	NAME	HEYA	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	DOB	BIRTHPLACE
Aoki	青木	Aoki Yasufumi	Isegahama	175	152	13 - March - 2007	Kanagawa
Ikarigata Chugo	碇潟　忠剛	Saito Chugo	Isenoumi	174	124	24 - February - 2007	Kyoto
Kawasumi	河隅	Kawasumi Haruyasu	Takasago	175	93	10 - April - 2008	Tokyo
Nakamura	中村	Nakamura Ryunosuke	Ajigawa	180	132	14 - June - 2006	Mie
Sunasaka	砂坂	Sunasaka Yuya	Takasago	175	131	13 - October - 2006	Kochi
Uchiumi	内海	Uchiumi Yoshiaki	Musashigawa	180	125	18 - April - 2003	Aichi

 

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Takasago-beya announced that Sunasaka will compete under his real name for now while Kawasumi adds the standard heya marker to be Asakawasumi 朝河隅.

 

[Kintamayama 45,442]

On 07/01/2025 at 00:04, Akinomaki said:

This is reported as having been the shikona of a strong rikishi from Kyoto-zumo, Saito's shusshin is Kyoto. https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2025/01/07/kiji/20250106s00005000318000c.html

First bout yesterday:

 

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Day 3

A surprisingly large competition after all thanks to more than half the current banzuke-gai rikishi making a fresh start. They are (in order of sign-up):

• Seiseigo (Nishonoseki), middle school graduate from last year's March shindeshi class, only appeared in full in May, 1 basho Bg
• Nishikio (Nishikido), high school graduate from exactly a year ago, injured in his third ranked tournament in July, 1 basho Bg
• Satsumao (Shikihide), eight-year veteran with high rank Jd31, injured in January last year, 3 basho Bg
• Kaitoma (Asakayama), seven-year veteran with high rank Jd2, absent since the start of the September basho and freshly fallen off the banzuke after November

So, just like the November maezumo we're starting things off with 11 participants; we'll see how long the returnees stick around, but on first impressions they're all in decent enough shape and not still in the middle of rehabbing their injuries.

The Kyokai posted action shots in two tweets and incidentally announced the shikona for Ajigawa-beya's Ryunosuke Nakamura as Akenoyama 安氣乃山 あけのやま in them.

(BTW, many thanks to Doitsuyama for putting the shindeshi on the DB already.)

And on with the action:

Results:

Mz1   Seiseigo (0-1)          Mz2   Nishikio (1-0)
Mz3   Satsumao (0-1)          Mz4   Kaitoma (1-0)
Mz5   Hikarumusashi (0-1)     Mz6   Tenrosei (1-0)
Mz9   Aoki (1-0)              Mz7   Asakawasumi (0-1)
Mz10  Akenoyama (0-1)         Mz8   Sunasaka (1-0)
Mz1   Seiseigo (1-1)          Mz11  Uchiumi (0-1)

Strong showing by both new foreign guys, even if only one of them could win their match-up. Aoki and Sunasaka looked like what you'd expect to see after reading their vital stats and hearing that they're from such notable high school clubs as Meitoku Gijuku and Asahigaoka. Should be an interesting race between them and Tenrosei for who gets to finish unbeaten at 3-0. (Maaaybe two of them will if the schedule works itself out that way.)

Hard to say anything definitive about the other three rookies for now, although I liked Uchiumi's forward drive. It's much more than we typically see from guys who are coming in with no prior combat sports experience.

Standings:

Mz1  Seiseigo  Nishonoseki  1-1 E   |   Mz3   Satsumao       Shikihide    0-1 E
Mz2  Nishikio  Nishikido    1-0 W   |   Mz5   Hikarumusashi  Musashigawa  0-1 E
Mz4  Kaitoma   Asakayama    1-0 W   |   Mz7   Asakawasumi    Takasago     0-1 W
Mz6  Tenrosei  Shikoroyama  1-0 W   |   Mz10  Akenoyama      Ajigawa      0-1 E
Mz8  Sunasaka  Takasago     1-0 W   |   Mz11  Uchiumi        Musashigawa  0-1 E
Mz9  Aoki      Isegahama    1-0 E

For some alternative coverage, X's Lulit was on location, and she also posted a small clip from NHK.

Edited January 14 by Asashosakari

[Kachikoshi 36]

I have a question about the pseudo-ranking in maezumo. It appears that returning rikishi consistently get priority over brand new ones, but amongst the returning ones is the tiebreaker really just who submits the paperwork the soonest?

It seems like it would make more sense to give Kaitoma the highest ranking because he was on the banzuke most recently, followed by Nishikio and Seiseigo (with Nishikio ranked higher because he was ranked higher in his final basho), and Satsumao ranked fourth as the returnee with the longest absence.

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Do you mean it would make more sense for me to order them that way, or for the Kyokai to handle it that way?

[Kachikoshi 36]

9 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

Do you mean it would make more sense for me to order them that way, or for the Kyokai to handle it that way?

For the Kyokai. You’re doing A+ work — no notes.