London koen- October 2025

[Akinomaki 41,812]

So all days a sellout in the end. So far nearly sold out was reported. https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/sumo/20251020-OYT1T50002/

All 3 sansho awarded is also too much show. Tobizaru did nothing to earn the shukunsho. A kantosho like Takayasu would have been a realistic award. Ginosho Ura  was definitely in the script from the start, the spectator award he also got is definitely deserved.

Edited October 19 by Akinomaki

[Heather82Cs 15]

I just finished watching this and I can confidently say, shame on JSA. Where's the integrity of an association that over 100 bouts explicitly chooses to not showcase one of the most entertaining and peculiar moves in existence - the henka?

Jokes aside, I was actually surprised by the ending before realizing it had been under our eyes the whole time with the sponsorship thing. The extra prizes made me laugh, can't help but imagine them tucked in a plane seat to Japan :)

I'm a bit sad Aonishiki didn't win anything, I enjoyed his bout today. As silly as this sounds, I now low key want to look for a last day seat in Paris...

 

Edit: on an actually serious note, and I know part of this is cultural - I dislike this emphasis on Nishikigi drinking (the guy literally calls it his hobby on the official website) :/

Edited October 19 by Heather82Cs

[RabidJohn 2,069]

It's impossible for me to be truly objective when I'm trying to remember events from 34 years ago, but I have now witnessed two London Basho. Even taking that into account, and the fact that I was fairly naive about sumo compared to now, I reckon we got a far more convincing show in 1991. I'd already seen footage of jungyo sumo at the time and we got far better than that. We certainly got nothing as egregiously obvious as the tsuri-dashi they decided to open with this time.

In 1991 we got blood, nosebleeds mainly, but Akinoshima's forehead got nastily grazed after a proper faceplant that definitely was not scripted. We got rikishi limping away from the dohyo or holding their arm. It may well have been all part of the show because none of them went kyujo as a result, but it was all way more credible. We also got much more impactful tachi-ai. Shodai did some of the hardest tachi-ai this time, which tells you everything. 

Now, I'm not daft enough to believe 1991 was any more 'official' than 2025, nor have I any reason to believe it was any less scripted. I don't remember anyone but Konishiki wearing any kind of supporter or bandage, which is a dead giveaway. But they consistently looked like they were trying, and that made for a far better show.

So, why was that? Well, the 1991 event took place during the Festival of Japan, which was basically a year-long push to strengthen trade ties between the UK and Japan. There was a lot of big money interest (£60 tickets changed hands for £1500 on the final day), and way more kensho than this time. Bigger tips = better show? Does that happen at regional jungyo?

Format wise we got only the dohyo-iri and torikumi in 1991, no other demos, but the torikumi was a lot less rushed: full shikiri, stare-downs, etc. There were the full five shimpan on each rotation. We also got the arrows given with the kensho. Absolutely bizarre decision to substitute them this time. That is not tradition. We also got no optional live commentary from Hiro Morita back then, which I consider a blessing.

For me, the most genuine moment of the whole basho was the audience announcing Ura as the winner of the rikishi popularity award. Proper heartwarming.

[Kintamayama 47,222]

I remember the old jungyos where we fans lucky enough to watch were so taken aback by the mere fact that we were in the presence of the guys that none of us gave a rat's ass if it was staged or not. There is a big difference between a sumo fan and a first time "let's see them fat asses " fan. I thought that the whole thing was actually about bringing sumo to people who never saw it and never would if it wasn't brought to other parts of the world and wouldn't know or care if this was staged.. As a PR event, this was huge. Anyone watching sumo for a while should know that there is no way this is for real or expect it to be real, just like any jungyo isn't for real. Nobody needs to get hurt because somebody wants to see blood. Maybe back in the nineties there was real blood etc., but these days, nobody in the Kyokai in his right mind will do anything to endanger their assets.

Just watching Oonosato saying goodbye in English got me more excited than any Tochinoshin tsuridashi.

https://youtu.be/l1EiAg2RgVs?t=11920

 

 

Edited Sunday at 22:37 by Kintamayama

[Koorifuu 1,120]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

Just watching Oonosato saying goodbye in English got me more excited than any Tochinoshin tsuridashi.

https://youtu.be/l1EiAg2RgVs?t=11920

"Hello everyone. London is great. Thank you and see you again. Goodbye."

The highlight of the day for me. 

I must add, however, that I feel like the disappointment's not necessarily related to the bouts being uncompetitive at best, staged at worst. It's mostly towards the organisers' dishonesty regarding that matter.

Edited Sunday at 23:56 by Koorifuu

[Asashosakari 20,243]

Day 5

Shimpan: Takadagawa, Wakamatsu, Kokonoe, Sadogatake

M17e Ryuden (3-2)        uwatenage      J1w  Oshoumi (1-4)
M18e Shishi (4-1)        tsuridashi     M15w Shonannoumi (2-3)
J2e  Kotoeiho (1-4)      oshidashi      M14w Asakoryu (2-3)
M16w Nishikigi (1-4)     shitatenage    M13w Tokihayate (1-4)
M17w Hitoshi (3-2)       okuridashi     M12w Mitakeumi (4-1)
M11e Shodai (1-4)        hikiotoshi     M14e Sadanoumi (4-1)
M12e Takerufuji (2-3)    yorikiri       M10w Churanoumi (2-3)
M10e Daieisho (2-3)      tsukidashi     M11w Roga (3-2)
M9e  Midorifuji (2-3)    tsukiotoshi    M9w  Fujinokawa (2-3)
M8w  Kinbozan (2-3)      yorikiri       M7w  Oshoma (3-2)

Shimpan: Isenoumi, Kumegawa, Katsunoura, Fujishima

M5e  Kotoshoho (2-3)     yorikiri       M6e  Onokatsu (3-2)
M4e  Hiradoumi (2-3)     kirikaeshi     M5w  Ichiyamamoto (0-5)
M4w  Wakamotoharu (4-1)  yorikiri       M3w  Gonoyama (2-3)
M3e  Atamifuji (1-4)     hikiotoshi     M2w  Oho (2-3)
M2e  Hakuoho (3-2)       tsukiotoshi    M1w  Abi (2-3)
M1e  Tamawashi (3-2)     oshidashi      M7e  Takanosho (2-3)
M8e  Ura (3-2)           kainahineri    Kw   Aonishiki (4-1)
Ke   Takayasu (4-1)      okuridashi     M15e Tobizaru (4-1)
Se   Wakatakakage (2-3)  yorikiri       Sw   Kirishima (3-2)
Ye   Onosato (4-1)       okuridashi     Yw   Hoshoryu (5-0)

Yumitori-shiki: Hananoumi

Shukun-sho: Tobizaru
Kanto-sho: Takayasu
Gino-sho: Ura

Audience Award: Ura

[Reonito 1,781]

Kimarite	Count
yorikiri	33
uwatenage	14
tsuridashi	7
oshidashi	6
tsukiotoshi	6
okuridashi	5
hatakikomi	5
shitatenage	4
yoritaoshi	4
sukuinage	3
katasukashi	2
hikiotoshi	2
kakenage	1
uchigake	1
kimedashi	1
oshiotoshi	1
kubinage	1
uwatedashinage	1
sotogake	1
abisetaoshi	1
kotehineri	1
kirikaeshi	1
tsukidashi	1
yobimodoshi	1
nodowa	1
shitatedashinage	1

[Reonito 1,781]

Compare to the Makuuchi kimarite frequency so far this year:

1.	yorikiri	420
2.	oshidashi	335
3.	hatakikomi	144
4.	tsukiotoshi	80
5.	uwatenage	68
6.	tsukidashi	61
7.	okuridashi	53
8.	oshitaoshi	50
9.	yoritaoshi	49
10.	hikiotoshi	43
11.	kotenage	34
12.	shitatenage	31
13.	sukuinage	30
14.	uwatedashinage	26
15.	katasukashi	18

[Reonito 1,781]

The first list is for 100 London "bouts", the second is for 1533 bouts in the 5 completed basho. Yorikiri frequency is reasonable, but way too few "boring" oshidashi and hatakikomi, way too many "exciting" uwatenage and tsuridashi. The 7 tsuridashi is one more than in all of last year's and this year's basho.

[Morning 99]

Well, the tsuridashi is spectacular to show off your strength and something you can only reasonably safely pull off at something like this, where your opponent will not fight the lift. I don't think the majority of the fights were intentionally scripted, rather they used the usual exhibition Gentlemen's Agreement like letting the yokozuna have the win and letting the winless guy have a win, and indeed not going at this in all the dangerous offensive and defensive full power that would be used during a basho.

[Asashosakari 20,243]

5 hours ago, Reonito said:

The first list is for 100 London "bouts" (...)

Where's that data from? Yobimodoshi? Nodowa?!

[Jakusotsu 6,392]

22 hours ago, I am the Yokozuna said:

Here’s hoping the Paris jungyo will have more tickets available during the initial booking rounds.

Gajingai has already booked our tickets many months ago.

[Morning 99]

I looked at tickets in Paris. They are so much more expensive than the London ones and the Royal Albert Hall simply beats the Paris venue in regards to ambient.

[Kintamayama 47,222]

7 hours ago, Koorifuu said:

"I must add, however, that I feel like the disappointment's not necessarily related to the bouts being uncompetitive at best, staged at worst. It's mostly towards the organisers' dishonesty regarding that matter.

Dishonesty? The sumo fans know this is a tournament only in name, so no letdown there. The people who came to watch sumo for the first time would be looking at it from a different angle. I'm pretty sure they were the overwhelmingly large majority that sold out the venue five times. I don't think there was huge line outside demanding a refund because "the bouts were fixed." It's that "expectations vs. reality" thing again.

[Kintamayama 47,222]

1 hour ago, Jakusotsu said:

Gajingai has already booked our tickets many months ago.

Beware- the bouts are fixed!

[Chijanofuji 113]

And here's Hiro Morita's wrap-up video on his Sumo Prime Time YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/RfpIGquAXgY?si=BgmDhvaBj4WvzQp_

 

 

[Akinomaki 41,812]

On 02/09/2025 at 21:46, Akinomaki said:

Today (yesterday in Japan) after the rikishi-kai, Hello Kitty was appointed PR ambassador for the ozumo London koen, to represent Japanese (pop?) culture. Sanrio will cooperate with the NSK for the London event. The yusho winner in London also get a Sanrio-sho, for which the trophy is a 100cm tall Hello Kitty plush toy.

with Hoshoryu at the departure ceremony for London

o

The Sanrio trophy was reserved for Hoshoryu of course

o o

[RabidJohn 2,069]

8 hours ago, Reonito said:

The first list is for 100 London "bouts"...

Ura's tsutaezori is missing from the list.

[Akinomaki 41,812]

Other one time only trophies - why do the sansho trophies have to look like a flattened football?

oo o o

[Bunbukuchagama 974]

They are wheels.

[Bunbukuchagama 974]

3 hours ago, Morning said:

Well, the tsuridashi is spectacular to show off your strength and something you can only reasonably safely pull off at something like this, where your opponent will not fight the lift. I don't think the majority of the fights were intentionally scripted, rather they used the usual exhibition Gentlemen's Agreement like letting the yokozuna have the win and letting the winless guy have a win, and indeed not going at this in all the dangerous offensive and defensive full power that would be used during a basho.

They were actually scripted throughout, remember the look of horror on Kinbozan's face when Tamawashi slipped and lost to him? 

[RabidJohn 2,069]

4 minutes ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

They are wheels.

They would make tremendously flashy mags, wouldn't they?

They appear to me to be based on the rosettes on the gyoji's outfits.

[Bunbukuchagama 974]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

Dishonesty? The sumo fans know this is a tournament only in name, so no letdown there. The people who came to watch sumo for the first time would be looking at it from a different angle. I'm pretty sure they were the overwhelmingly large majority that sold out the venue five times. I don't think there was huge line outside demanding a refund because "the bouts were fixed." It's that "expectations vs. reality" thing again.

This was like any exhibition sports show, just a glorified jungyo. However, there would be less negative feedback if they didn't try to sell it as an "official Grand Sumo Tournament" and Hiro didn't keep insisting on it being real while it was clearly scripted puroresu-style.

[Bunbukuchagama 974]

2 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

They would make tremendously flashy mags, wouldn't they?

They appear to me to be based on the rosettes on the gyoji's outfits.

I don't know if we got an official explanation of the designs.

[RabidJohn 2,069]

10 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

I remember the old jungyos where we fans lucky enough to watch were so taken aback by the mere fact that we were in the presence of the guys that none of us gave a rat's ass if it was staged or not. There is a big difference between a sumo fan and a first time "let's see them fat asses " fan. I thought that the whole thing was actually about bringing sumo to people who never saw it and never would if it wasn't brought to other parts of the world and wouldn't know or care if this was staged.. As a PR event, this was huge. Anyone watching sumo for a while should know that there is no way this is for real or expect it to be real, just like any jungyo isn't for real. Nobody needs to get hurt because somebody wants to see blood. Maybe back in the nineties there was real blood etc., but these days, nobody in the Kyokai in his right mind will do anything to endanger their assets.

You are correct. Back in 1991 I was less experienced and the rikishi performed in a way that made me believe it was real. It's only hindsight and increased knowledge that have convinced me otherwise. 

However, I do believe that the majority of attendees this time were sumo fans rather than first-time gawkers, simply because of the votes for Ura.