Retirees after Hatsu 2018

[Asashosakari]

11 more after the pre-basho intais of Shotenro, Kitataiki and Sotairyu who were all former maegashira.

Tochinohama (Kasugano)
Kaigo (Minezaki)
Yutsukasa (Irumagawa)
Hokutogo (Hakkaku)
Daitenpaku (Isegahama)
Isshinryu (Yamahibiki)
Tokkoriki (Arashio)
Ichifuji (Isegahama)
Yokuyusei (Shibatayama)
Ogiryu (Tokitsukaze)
Kuwano (Onomatsu)

So would-be maezumo Kuwano retires without a single dohyo appearance. Conversely, 37-year-old Hokutogo leaves sumo after 22 years on the dohyo.

Really a shame to see Yokuyusei leave, at least by results he was one of the brightest young rikishi around right now. I wonder what led to his four-basho absence and now intai.

Three retiring yusho winners in the lot. Semi-promising Yutsukasa won the jonokuchi championship in Aki 2015, early in his career, while Tokkoriki took the same title (with a 6-1 record) as a 27-year-old in Hatsu 2014 following injury, beating this basho's jonidan runner-up Shingaku in a playoff. Isshinryu won in jonidan in Kyushu 2010, also coming back from a lengthy layoff at 26 years of age.

Edited January 31, 2018 by Asashosakari

[Yubinhaad]

Hokutogo was the longest-serving rikishi in Hakkaku-beya, having joined ozumo back in 1996. He signed off with a win in his final bout.

Spoiler

Final bout, an oshidashi win against Sorakaze.

The traditional greeting with flowers from his stablemates afterwards.

With an oichomage for the first and last time.

Commemorative picture with the heya.

Tokomichi makes some final repairs to the oichomage before the danpatsu-shiki begins.

Among the participants were two former stablemates, Shishio and Suzaku.

Tokomichi returns, this time to take a snip.

Heyagashira Hokutofuji.

Okinoumi.

Hakkaku-oyakata (former Yokozuna Hokutoumi) makes the final cut.

After a proper haircut, Hokutogo slips into a suit, again with assistance from Tokomichi.

And finally, a farewell speech.

 

Tokkoriki retires after nine years, he had been suffering with calf injuries in both legs for some time. Before joining ozumo at the relatively late age of 22 he was a care worker, and apparently he will return to that occupation in the future.

Spoiler

Flowers following his final bout.

He bumped into stablemate Fukugoriki outside the Kokugikan.

With his first and last oichomage, on the way to his danpatsu-shiki.

More flowers at the party.

Showing off his oichomage.

Fukugoriki makes his cut.

Heyagashira Sokokurai.

Arashio-oyakata (former Komusubi Oyutaka)

The severed mage.

Suited and booted, and still more flowers.

 

Isshinryu retires after almost 15 years in ozumo, joining Kitanoumi-beya in 2003. He was a yotsu-zumo specialist and was particularly strong at belt throws, even managing an all-shitatenage kachi-koshi last year. He has secured a job at a restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district.

Spoiler

Yamahibiki-oyakata (former Maegashira Ganyu) makes the final cut.

Isshinryu looking sharp after a proper haircut and a change of clothes.

Back on stage for a farewell speech.

After that, Isshinryu went out for dinner with some of his fellow debutants of the 2003 Natsu basho, including Moriurara.

 

Daitenpaku was one of four survivors from the previous Asahiyama-beya, which closed three years ago. He retires after a 14-year career in which he was ever-present, chalking up 574 consecutive bouts. After moving to Isegahama-beya he served as a tsukebito for Takarafuji and often wore his kesho-mawashi for his appearances in the jinku segment of jungyo events (shown below). Alas, I only found a single picture from the senshuraku party.

Spoiler

A past jinku performance.

With his first and last oichomage, and stablemate Nishikifuji.

 

As mentioned in the kyujo thread, Ogiryu suffered repeated shoulder injuries which never fully healed, so he calls it a day after almost five years. His danpatsu-shiki took place last month. He will (or maybe already has) return to his hometown of Sapporo, Hokkaido prefecture.

Spoiler

Commemorative group shot.

One of his junior stablemates, I guess either Asakura or Hayasaka.

Heyagashira Shodai.

Yutakayama.

Tokitsukaze-oyakata (former Maegashira Tokitsuumi) makes the final cut.

A round of applause after Ogiryu makes his farewell speech.

For his tidy-up he went all the way with a buzzcut.

And finally, another group shot with some stablemates.

 

[Yubinhaad]

He's not on the list this time, but certainly a notable retirement is 41-year-old Kyokuhikari, the second longest-serving rikishi, after 26 years on the dohyo. He made his debut in March 1992 and was the last survivor of the enormous class of 152 rikishi who entered then.

Kyokuhikari won all seven bouts in the 1999 Aki basho, but lost in the yusho kettei-sen against Tochisakae, who was making his comeback after injury knocked him down from the sekitori ranks.

Here are a few pictures from Kyokuhikari's danpatsu-shiki.
 

Spoiler

Actress Mako Kushimoto takes her turn.

Unknown participant.

Kyokushuho.

Kyokutaisei.

Yokozuna Hakuho.

Tomozuna-beya urakata take their turns - gyoji Kimura Hisanosuke (top), tokoyama Tokoyuki (left) yobidashi Akira (right).

Nishiiwa-oyakata (former Sekiwake Wakanosato), another member of the 1992 Haru entry class.

Tomozuna-oyakata (former Sekiwake Kyokutenho) makes the final cut - he too made his debut in 1992 Haru.

Back on stage after a proper haircut and change of clothes, suit possibly borrowed from the Oitekaze collection...

Joined by former Komusubi Kyokushuzan, former Makushita Kyokutenzan and the shisho.

Former Komusubi Kyokudozan joins in for another commemorative picture.

In the top right of this collage, former Ozeki Asahikuni makes his cut. He was Kyokuhikari's original shisho in Oshima-beya, which closed when he turned 65 in 2012. Kyokuhikari and the other survivors then moved to Tomozuna-beya.

 

One other note, Tatsunami-beya's Sandanme gyoji Kimura Toyohiko has also retired after eight years in the job. I'm rather sad about that as he was one of the most vocally distinctive gyoji.

 

EDIT: To belatedly add a few danpatsu-shiki pictures for Daitenpaku and Ichifuji. Daitenpaku first:
 

Spoiler

It was obviously quite emotional when Daitenpaku's original shisho (former Ozeki Daiju) came to make his cut.

The final cut was made by Isegahama-oyakata (former Yokozuna Asahifuji).

Suited and booted afterwards.

 

And now three from Ichifuji's danpatsu-shiki, which seems to have taken place after the Kyushu basho.
 

Spoiler

Final cut again from the shisho.

 

Edited July 26, 2018 by Yubinhaad

[Asashosakari]

I do have to say, watching Kyokuhikari compete was getting more and more painful of late...he really seemed to struggle just to move at all on the dohyo.