Preparations of the masses Hatsu 2013

[Akinomaki]

Maegashira 5 Ikioi at an event at a shopping district at Akabane station, pounding mochi.
"At that rank I have to pay. But first it's experience, I have to pile up experiences."

[shumitto]

Goeido had 36 bouts with heya-mate Sadanofuji, winning 35. "I don't think there was that big of a difference, but it was a small one that really showed."

He also had some words on Hideki Matsui's recent retirement "It is sad. I remember when I first saw him in his heyday and he hit a remarkable home-run."

His goal of course is Ozeki and for that he plans on doing sumo with technique, but more aggressive than before as well.

Edited December 28, 2012 by shumitto

[Igordemorais]

Hellz ya war Goeido!

[Akinomaki]

Masunoyama will pause keiko only on New Years Day, though he is alone in the keiko place. Doing the basics: suriashi, shiko, teppo: "The time is too precious to waste."
Having kachi-koshi 4 basho this year gave him confidence. Next year he wants to become the first Heisei born sanyaku.
As to his heart problem, after the Hatsu basho he plans to have another medical check, precondition to surgery.

[Akinomaki]

The two other Fuji's compete for the tsuyu-harai post in Harumafuji's dohyo-iri. Tachi-mochi is fixed with Aminishiki.
Takarafuji (right) is makuuchi this time and gets the post, juryo Homarefuji wants to get there: "In September I want to overtake him. I'd like to act as tsuyu-harai." It's custom that the higher ranked makuuchi does the duty. Both are from Aomori, one year apart from Kinki university.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

Goeido on the 29th did 20 bouts sanban-geiko with Hochiyama. He wants to get bigger, as part of his quest to become ozeki, like also Hakuho had suggested. He gained 2kg to reach his top weight of 154kg, 10 kg increase this year, no limit of that planned.
Each day several tens of moushi-ai bouts and weight training. In autumn he recovered from his several injuries this year.

[Akinomaki]

Kotoyuuki back to his home island Shodoshima at a celebration for becoming new makuuchi. For all 15 days of the Hatsu basho there will be a kensho for his bouts, also as PR for Shodoshima. From among the about 150 people present, connected to the koenkai etc.: "Go for yokozuna!"
The design of the kesho-mawashi currently in production was presented, with symbols of Kagawa-ken, Mt. Iino and the island Yashima and on the other side Shodoshima floating, cost about 2 milion yen.

[Benevolance]

Whenever the rikishi are holding up a victory fish, it looks like it's always the same type of fish to my highly unpracticed eye. Is this a particular type of fish used for celebration?

[Igordemorais]

Masunoyama will pause keiko only on New Years Day, though he is alone in the keiko place. Doing the basics: suriashi, shiko, teppo: "The time is too precious to waste."

Having kachi-koshi 4 basho this year gave him confidence. Next year he wants to become the first Heisei born sanyaku.

As to his heart problem, after the Hatsu basho he plans to have another medical check, precondition to surgery.

Go Lungie!

[kuroimori]

Whenever the rikishi are holding up a victory fish, it looks like it's always the same type of fish to my highly unpracticed eye. Is this a particular type of fish used for celebration?

Yes, it's always　鯛 "tai" (red sea bream) which is used for many kinds of celebrations in Japan for ages.

The reason why it is "tai" and no other fish is that "tai" is a part of the phrase "medetai" めでたい　which means auspiciousness/happiness.

(as in "omedetou gozaimasu"　おめでとうございます, which is translated as "congratulations!")

(Big fish...)

...and while we|re at it, I would make use of this phrase on this occasion and wish everybody

開けましておめでとうございます。

Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!

Happy New Year! (Holiday feeling...)

Edited December 31, 2012 by kuroimori

[Mukonoso]

Akemashite omedetou gozimasu! Or as the young people say "Ake Ome!"

[Akinomaki]

Wakanosato doing squats carrying a young rikishi. He started this years keiko today. Working hard doing weight training etc. and putting out his chest to Kisenosato etc. in butsukari-geiko. It's a year of challenge for him: age, how far he can go, also thinking a bit about records.
"While having injuries, I want to challenge for various things."

[Akinomaki]

Baruto (no longer ozeki, so it's this topic) started this years keiko. 30 minutes shiko, suri-ashi and other light training. After that the years first visit to a shrine, at the Tokumochi shrine close to Onoe-beya.

[Akinomaki]

Dewanoumi ichimon rengo-geiko on the 3rd at Chiganoura-beya.
Goeido against Myogiryu, Tochiozan etc. 15-4, including 10 wins in a row on his first training day this year.

Baruto showed a worrisome performance, only presenting his chest in butsukari-geiko.

[kuroimori]

Dewanoumi ichimon rengo-geiko on the 3rd at Chiganoura-beya.

Goeido against Myogiryu, Tochiozan etc. 15-4, including 10 wins in a row on his first training day this year.

Baruto showed a worrisome performance, only presenting his chest in butsukari-geiko.

Thanks as always to Akinomaki for the keiko houkoku!

Well, now one can start to wonder if Goeido really can keep his focus (and his nerves in check) and bring another solid performance in Hatsu so he can aim for an Ozeki promotion in his home turf in March.

As for Baruto, let's hope he just takes a slow and careful approach getting back to the real action without re-injuring himself in the process. Could also be that he is still hampered by the injury - both physically and mentally...

Maybe it's some kind of being used to the recent performance of both guys, but I still don't believe that Goeido can make the next step and also that it'll be the end of the road for Baruto.

I hope both get double digit KKs though!

Edited January 3, 2013 by kuroimori

[Yubinhaad]

Hakkaku-beya keiko pictures, courtesy of the Kyokai. The heya's two sekitori, Okinoumi and Oiwato, are both present. Spot the arm-wrestler!

I heard that at least eight members of the heya came down with norovirus in the first week of December, but I would assume it's all clear now.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Yubinhaad

[shumitto]

The Ozeki Kisenosato lent his chest to heya-mate Takayasu a total of 35 consecutive times. "It is always a good training, I have practiced my tachiai almost to the point of collapsing" said a tired-looking Takayasu.

After missing out on a sansho last year, his goal for 2013 is to achieve a San'yaku rank and beat someone from the Ozeki/Yokozuna camp for the first time. "Actually, those are things I should have done last year" he said, rousing himself.

Edited January 4, 2013 by shumitto

[Akinomaki]

Goeido on the 4th 25-0 against Myogiryu, Sadanofuji etc. Going into it sharp, grabbing the mawashi front, attaching his head and moving out in one go was a sumo he continued.

3rd:


After keiko.

Dewanoumi ichimon rengo-geiko on the 3rd at Chiganoura-beya.
Goeido against Myogiryu, Tochiozan etc. 15-4, including 10 wins in a row on his first training day this year.

Baruto showed a worrisome performance, only presenting his chest in butsukari-geiko.

Baruto doing his first keiko with sekitori on the 4th, with Tenkaiho 10-3.

[Akinomaki]

Myogiryu has problems with his right ankle, having hurt it about a week ago. On the 5th with Goeido etc. on degeiko to Tamanoi-beya, doing 16 bouts with sekitori.

Goeido did bouts with Fujiazuma, Sadanofuji etc., 29-1.
The reason for keeping his weight with the intense keiko is eating a lot of meat. "I eat nothing but meat, that's it. Much yakiniku, I think. If I don't eat meat I have the feeling that I can't use my power. I eat beef nearly every day. I can't eat sashimi (raw fish)." In return "I eat only one bowl of white rice", not wanting to have his weight increase too much.


Baruto on the 5th did 19 bouts with Tenkaiho, more than yesterday, but his sharp tachi-ai is not back yet.

[Yubinhaad]

A few more from the Hakkaku-beya keiko session.

[Kintamayama]

Crowd favorite Juryo Takamisakari has reiterated that if he drops to Makushita he will retire. "Nothing has changed. That is my intention," he said. "My first dream of the year was a nightmare and that doesn't bode well. I don't remember what it was in detail, but it feels like it was a nightmare..," he added.

[Fukurou]

Any news on Makushita Chokozan or Sandanme Kaisho? I have a note to myself that they'd both retired after last basho, but that wasn't announced.

[Akinomaki]

Takamisakari was on degeiko on the 6th in Oguruma-beya. Against makuuchi Yoshikaze and Chiyotairyu 1-17, no match.
"I can't put any strength into it, they tear me to shreds."

[Akinomaki]

Myogiryu has problems with his right ankle, having hurt it about a week ago. On the 5th with Goeido etc. on degeiko to Tamanoi-beya, doing 16 bouts with sekitori.

Goeido did bouts with Fujiazuma, Sadanofuji etc., 29-1.

Myogiryu on the 5th in moushi-ai 14-2 against Goeido, Fujiazuma etc.

Goeido on the 6th in Sakaigawa-beya, in moushi-ai 27-1, including 21 wins in a row and at times dominating Myogiryu.

Myogiryu 15-7. Training with the young ones:

[Akinomaki]

Baruto on the 8th, keiko at Onoe-beya.

Takamisakari on the 8th, keiko at Tomozuna-beya, 8-8 against Kaisei, Asahisho etc. - not bad, he's slowly gaining momentum.