Preparations of the Masses - Nagoya 2025

[Kintamayama 47,308]

New Makuuchi Kusano faced degeiko-ing Yokozuna Houshouryuu today at the Isegahama beya in Mizuho Ward, Nagoya. "His tachiai was quick," he said, losing all three bouts, but there were also moments he managed to push forward, and he commented, "If I lose so easily, people may think  'that's all Kusano can do..' so I'm glad I was able to move forward as well." The Makuuchi hopeful, who is coming off two consecutive Juryo yushos, struggled with the Nagoya heat, saying, "I'm going to work hard so I don't get exhausted.."

Edited July 4 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Makushita 1W and ex-Ozeki Asanoyama  who is trying to recover from a serious injury to his left knee, trained at his heya in Kaifu-gun, Aichi Prefecture today. He had 18 bouts with  Makuuchi  Ouhou and Gounoyama who came to train with him, and made his presence felt with 15 wins and 3 losses. After winning 8 consecutive matches against Makushita rikishi, he moved on to face the sekitori. He had 2 wins and 3 losses against Ouhou, and 5 wins against Gounoyama. "I'm grateful that Ouhou and Gounoyama came. Takasago beya doesn't have a rikishi with the kind of power Gounoyama has. I was able to do some training that I can't usually do," he said, expressing his gratitude. Against Gounoyama, he was pushed to the edge of the dohyo from the start of the match, but he got his right hand in and pulled back, showing no signs of being affected by his injured left knee. "I think the fact that I was able to stay at the edge of the dohyo despite being pushed is also something that happens during the basho. It was good," he said, nodding.

He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a bout on the fourth day of of the Nagoya tournament last year. After surgery and rehabilitation, he returned to Sandanme at this year's Spring tournament. He won all his matches in Sandanme and went on to win six matches and lose one in the summer tournament at Makushita 14W. A return to sekitori is on the horizon. "Before I knew it, a year had passed. I remember what all that was like. I think there is something I gained because of that injury. although tearing my anterior cruciate ligament nearly made me give up."

Even when he was forced to miss six tournaments due to a scandal as an Ozeki, he returned from the Sandanme division. "A year felt long when I was suspended. This time it was an injury. I couldn't wrestle, and after rehabilitation and discussions with my master and doctor, I arrived at the March tournament. It went by quickly. This time I was worried about recovering from the injury. It was a knee injury at 31 years old. It was scary."

Regarding his return to Juryo, he plans to take it "one step at a time, steadily, and avoid injury." "I want to get back to the top division soon. I want to fight a Yokozuna," he said, hinting at his eagerness to face Oonosato. He faced off against Oonosato twice, once during a training session at Nishonoseki beya in January 2012 after the announcement of his new Makuuchi ranking, and once during a tour.

Edited July 4 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Maegashira 5 Meisei was reported as suffering from back pains. Not that bad, it seems, as he has been training these last two days against Makushita rikishi and going 12-3. "It hurts, but I think I can move. Yesterday I was a bit worried so I didn't do that well, but today I was able to do forward moving sumo," he said. After training, he served as the tsuyuharai for Yokozuna Houshouryuu at the Atsuta Shrine dohyo-iri ceremony. With a winning record of 9-6 -for  two bashos in a row, he has risen to the top half of the banzuke. There is about one week until the Nagoya basho begins. "When it's the honbasho, I can't afford to complain about pain. I want to be in the best condition possible while being careful not to make my injury worse through keiko up until then." He is taking great care to prepare, reapplying the tapings during keiko, which come off easily due to the heat and sweat.

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Asanoyama, 19 bouts today in the sweltering heat against Makushita rikishi, 17-2. He showed versatility by winning with quick yorikiri when he was able to get his favorite right-hand grip, and by calmly pushing out his opponent when he couldn't, or slowly pushing forward from his left-hand grip. "I've been training at my heya since June. My body works better in the heat than in the cold," he said with a smile as he washed off his sand-covered body with water from a hose, expressing his feeling that his condition is improving. From the 1st of this month, the day after the banzuke announcements, he did not do any sumo for three days.. However, he has been fighting about 15 to 20 bouts every day since then. Asanoyama has his sights set on something higher than a promotion to Juryo.. Since he wants to return to Makuuchi  by the end of the year, he is aiming to win all seven of his matches this time in order to rise to a rank where he can pass Juryo in one tournament at  Aki basho. "The hurdle is high, but I want to do my best," he said with determination..In the heat, he had more matches than anyone else in the heya today , building up his stamina, and is determined to make this a basho where he can definitely grab a comeback to Juryo.

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Sekiwake Kirishima went to Sakaigawa beya, which is based in Fuso-cho, Aichi Prefecture, for degeiko today. He fought a total of 13 bouts against  Hiradoumi and new Yokozuna Oonosato who also came for degeiko for a total of 7 wins and 6 losses. He also won against Oonosato by blocking his favorite right thrusts, and said, "I think I did well." He won 11 bouts  last basho, which will be the starting point for his push to return to Ozeki . He aims to gain a foothold in Nagoya but he said seriously, "I don't think too much about that, I want to do everything as usual. I want to go about it with the same feeling I had before I was promoted to Ozeki last time." Since being demoted from Ozeki, he has not had double-digit wins in two consecutive tournaments, and he has been plagued by injuries such as chronic neck pain, which was also a factor in his demotion. When asked about the current condition of his neck, he said, "Lately, I've been able to hit with my head little by little. I had a few good hits against the Yokozuna today, so I'll keep that in mind and try to carry that over to the next training session." Since the rankings were announced on the 30th of last month, he has been training at Naruto beya and Isegahama beya, where he has faced many sekitori. "I was able to train with people who have a strong tachiai.. The start of the match is important, so I want to make sure I can hit well," he said, showing his enthusiasm facing opening day, which is less than a week away.

Edited July 9 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Today, new Makuuchi Fujinokawa (20, ex Wakaikari) and Kotoeihou (21) faced off in a "newbie showdown" at Sadogatake beya in Nishi-ku, Nagoya. Fujinokawa, who was a year younger than Kotoeihou at Saitama Sakae High School, finished with 3 wins and 2 losses and vowed to work hard, saying, "I don't want to lose, and I want to work together to reach our goals." Isenoumi beya to which Fujinokawa belongs also has lodgings in Nishi-ku, Nagoya, and Kotoeihou comes for keiko almost every day. Kotoeihou stressed their rivalry, saying, "I don't want to lose to him, so I made the effort."

Edited July 7 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Former Ozeki and current Komusubi Takayasu made his presence felt at his first degeiko  before  Nagoya. Today, he trained at Sakaigawa beya in Fuso-cho, Aichi. Yokozunae Houshouryuu and Oonosato were also there. Before the Yokozunae entered the ring, Takayasu faced some sekitori and won 10 consecutive bouts. He faced Sakaigawa beya's Maegashira Hiradoumi for five bouts, Sadanoumi for three bouts, and Sekiwake Kirishima, who also came for degeiko, for two bouts, won them all.  Then Oonosato entered the dohyo and fought Kirishima, so the consecutive run ended there.. After that, he had two bouts against Houshouryuu and lost them both, resulting in a total of 10 wins and 2 losses in 12 matches. After the session, when asked by the press about his feelings after winning 10 consecutive matches, he said, "10 consecutive wins!? I didn't know I had that many," and was more surprised than anyone else. He continued, "I moved well today, but my stamina ran out. I didn't have the stamina left to fight a Yokozuna, hahaha. I'm 35 years old after all," and laughed it off. He had known that Oonosato will be coming to train with him, but was surprised that Houshouryuu also showed up. In honbasho Takayasu leads their rivalry by 9-1 (!!). 

Although he was unable to win today due to being exhausted, he said that he had a good training session. During his 10-win streak, he tried out various tachiais and quickly responded to the high level of physical sumo of Kirishima and Hiradoumi. He showed off his movements without any signs of being affected by his chronic back pain. When asked if his back is better in hot weather, he replied, "I wonder. After all, it's the same if you're in an air-conditioned room," making the reporters laugh with his very smooth-talking. He was 6-9 at East Komusubi in the previous tournament, but was only demoted half a rank to the West. This is the first time since the 1949 summer tournament, when the 15-day basho system was established, that a Komusubi has dropped half a rank in the next tournament despite having only six wins. This was a rare occurrence, as all ten rikishi from East Maegashira 1 to West Maegashira 5 had a makekoshi in the previous basho. He expressed his gratitude for being able to compete again as a sanyaku rikishi, saying, "I'm grateful. I thought I would drop further." He has a chance to continue his goal of achieving double-digit wins in Sanyaku, which is the starting point for his return to Ozeki. Even though he is showing good form, he said, "I will not get carried away. I will not be able to perform well in the tournament if I do... Even if you're strong in training, it's meaningless if you can't win in the basho," he said, as if to convince himself. In the past, he has been in top form before tournaments, but his back pain would recur during the tournament, so he intends to pay close attention to keeping himself in good condition. He also enjoys Nagoya's specialty, eel, saying, "The chanko chef prepares it for me, and I have yakitori and kabayaki," while aiming to improve his stamina. As for future degeiko, "it all depends on my physical strength," he said, intending to take his time and adjust at his own pace.

Edited July 7 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Ouhou, Maegashira East 2, revealed that he had eaten a year's worth of Nagoya's specialty eel. Today, he went to Sadogatake beya in Nagoya for degeiko. He had a total of 17 matches, 6-3 against Maegashira Kotoeihou and Juryo Nishikigi, and then 2-6- against Ozeki Kotozakura. However, in the 2nd match he won, he maintained his forward-moving sumo, demonstrating his strengths, and nodded, saying, "Even though I was tired, I was able to put my weight on it and move my head and body." Then there's a story of how he ate a whole gigantic portion of eel that 4 people would eat etc.. etc.. but I'm not hungry now.

 

OK, OK, here's the story:

"Apparently that was a portion enough for four people. I didn't know they were ordering that much, so I got carried away and asked, "Can I also have an eel tempura bowl?" and when that came, I was like, "Eh, seriously?!" (laughs). And it was after lunch," he said, unexpectedly entering into a "big eating battle." He was invited to the meal and ate eel (what a deal! Unreal!). His Oyakata, Ootake and his younger brother, Makushita Mudouhou, were also there. "It's thought that sumo wrestlers eat a lot," he said, and four servings of hitsumabushi rice bowls were prepared for Ouhou, Mudouhou, and 64-year-old Ootake Oyakata. "Mudouhou and I ate my master's portion together." After having a normal lunch of conger eel (anago) tempura rice bowl, he had eel hitsumabushi for a total of six people... "It was really delicious. It was so good that I was able to finish it all," he said, full of stomach but also full of gratitude.

Edited July 8 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Sekiwake Wakatakakage trained at home against Rouga (11 bouts in a row) and  Juryo Daiseizan and was 9-3 . Against Rouga, who is good at migiyotsu, he pushed him out in one go with a powerful left otsuke. "Because (Rouga) came to train with us, I was able to stay focused. (My otsuke) is the same, coming from below," he reflected. He seriously injured his right knee in Haru 2023, missing three consecutive tournaments and falling to Makushita. He fought his way back up, winning 12 matches in the previous tournament as a Komusubi, and this tournament marks his first return to Sekiwake since the tournament where he was injured, 14 bashos. "In the last tournament, I was determined to fight my own style of sumo at all times. I think my wins accumulated by fighting from a low stance. I feel fulfilled to have returned to the rank of Sekiwake after my injury. I would like to give it my all again in this tournament," he said.

[dingo 1,479]

Well, just to get it out of the way before the basho starts -- Takayasu yusho!!! 

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Hakuouhou trained at home today. "I'm training well while keeping myself in good shape. I feel like the tournament could start tomorrow," he said with a satisfied look on his face. He has reached his highest rank of all time, East Maegashira 4 this basho, and will face all the top rankers. "I'm looking forward to it. The Yokozuna (Houshouryuu) came to train with us, as did Kirishima-zeki , so I want to beat them this Basho  " he said,  expressing his hope for his first kinboshi. Regarding the theme of his training before the tournament, he vowed to overcome an issue, saying, "Don't stop after the tachi-ai. I can't help but stop my feet. Isegahama Oyakata has been strict about that, so I'm going to hit low and aim for the mae-mitsu, without my feet stopping. It's very difficult for me, but I want to be able to do that."

[Tigerboy1966 1,637]

7 hours ago, dingo said:

Well, just to get it out of the way before the basho starts -- Takayasu yusho!!! 

When someone says this Takayasu typically has a bad run over the next four days. So, dingo, you have done him a favour, as he will have got his late-basho collapse over and done with before this one even starts.

[Andreas21 221]

11 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

When someone says this Takayasu typically has a bad run over the next four days. So, dingo, you have done him a favour, as he will have got his late-basho collapse over and done with before this one even starts.

Jinx the jinx doesn't work. Has been tried before!

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Shin-new-maku (Makuuchi Newcomer) Kotoeihou had eight training bouts at home today against shin-new-maku Fujinokawa and others who had come for degeiko. He faced Makuuchi rikishi Ouhou, said Fujinokawa, and Juryo Nishikigi who had also come for degeiko. After that, sanban- geiko (sumo against the same opponent) began between Fujinokawa and himself. However, he injured his left elbow when he was sukuinage'd by his opponent in the first bout. With a look of anguish on his face, the sanban geiko came to an abrupt end. In an interview after the session, he explained, "It's my elbow. I think I'll be able to compete in the basho, so I'm fine." As for his new entry into the top division, he said, "I've been able to put in a lot of practice, and I think the content is good. Now I just want to get my elbow fully healed and prepare for the tournament. There's nothing else I can do, so I'll just do my best."

Edited July 9 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Newcomer Fujinokawa went to Sadogatake beya for degeiko today.. He had seven bouts against fellow Makuuchi Ouhou , newcomer Kotoeihou and his Juryo Nishikigi winning five and losing two. He then had two bouts against Ozeki Kotozakura. There was a moment when he got his right hand in and then pushed his opponent out of the ring, "I had a chance to do it once before. It was in training, but this was the first time I won. It was yorikiri." He changed his name from Wakaikari with his fresh promotion to Makuuchi,  inheriting the traditional shikona of Isenoumi beya, which has a history of 148 years since its founding. After keiko, he is often asked for autographs by fans, and he signs "Fujinokawa" in his practiced handwriting. "Anyone can write 'nokawa,' so I learned 'Fuji' by watching YouTube. Those characters are in regular script, so I'm getting more and more used to writing them and I'm improving," he said with a smile. With his debut in the top division fast approaching, he said, "I've been practicing hard and I'm looking forward to it."

[Kintamayama 47,308]

I guess this is part of the preparations- new Komusubi Oushouma has a new mawashi. Today he practiced wearing his new mawashi at his heya in Midori Ward, Nagoya. He worked up a sweat with basic exercises. He wore the mawashi, which is a lot more blue than the light blue he had been wearing until the previous tournament, to get used to it as he intends to don it from the first day of the Nagoya tournament. Oushouma said, "I decided on the color myself. It's my favorite color. I'll be wearing this and stepping onto the dohyo for the first time on the first day for the Kyokai greeting (aisatsu) ceremony.. It's exciting," he said, smiling as he imagined the stage where only Sanyaku rikishi or above can stand (the ceremony). He was confident that he was in "perfect condition" for the tournament. On the previous day, the 9th, fellow Mongolian-born Yokozuna Houshouryuu and sekiwake Kirishima came to train with him, and he said, "I fought five or six matches against the Yokozuna, and my results were two wins, three or four losses," and it seems he has realized how much he has grown, saying, "It gave me confidence."

Edited July 10 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,308]

Even in the scorching heat, he single-mindedly continues to train his muscles and do basic exercises, and continues to do a lot of sumo.  Kusano has made it to Makuuchi after achieving two consecutive Juryo yushos. "I want to be able to enter Makuuchi  with confidence," he says, looking straight ahead.  He was crowned student Yokozuna in his fourth year at Nihon University and was originally slated to join Yokozuna Hakuhou's Miyagino beya, but he joined Isegahama beya after Miyagino was closed due to the violence scandal. His former Oyakata left the sumo world in June, and former Yokozuna Terunofuji became his new Oyakata. Despite the big change in environment, "it's still as strict as ever. I practice with the determination to do exactly what I'm told." He maintains his honest attitude. There are many sekitori in the stable. He is particularly inspired by his two senior rikishi, Takerufuji and Hakuouhou. Both competed for the yusho as Makuuchi rikishi in the past and Takerufuji won the Emperor's Cup. "Even as a newcomer to the top division, he fought aggressively and without hesitation. I want to be like him, attack aggressively, and do my own style of sumo," he said, showing his passion for keiko.

On the 4th, he was called out by Yokozuna Houshouryuu, who came to train at his heya, and faced him three times. "If I lose easily, people will think, 'That's how Kusano is ,'" he said, going at it head-on with a strong determination. Although he lost every match, "there were times when I was able to push forward and push him back. After that it was just a matter of a few issues." The 24-year-old is still developing and is gaining confidence every day. His goal for the Nagoya tournament is double-digit wins. He describes his ideal as "fighting unstoppable sumo from the start." With his long-desired topknot now in place, he is set to create a stir in the ring.

Edited July 10 by Kintamayama

[Kaikitsune Makoto 210]

Biological emergency is a nice way to express that poo is about to emerge from the anal canal but nice is also to hear newcomer talk confidently and not give nonsense statements like I am so weak when losing to yokozuna at keiko or so. Kusano does have that aura of knowing he has remarkable power and ability and doesn¨t give these fake modest idiotic statements belittling his abilities.