Ikioi marries pro golfer Mamiko Higa - never

[Midoriyama]

Sorry for the question but is the postponing of the wedding normal thing in Japan or could this mean they are having problems and second thoughts about the wedding? 

 

I follow pro golf even more closely than sumo and know her quite well from golf. Wish them well in life 

[Churaumi]

It’s pretty common to do the legal side of it first and then do the ceremonial stuff months later. Some wrestlers even delay things for years. Takarafuji just did his ceremony but has a toddler that was born after he was legally married. Between pro-athlete schedules, arranging the parties, getting the crowd together, it is quite a production to put on. Even regular Japanese do it, just less fabulously.

[Tsuchinoninjin]

50 minutes ago, Churaumi said:

It’s pretty common to do the legal side of it first and then do the ceremonial stuff months later. Some wrestlers even delay things for years. Takarafuji just did his ceremony but has a toddler that was born after he was legally married. Between pro-athlete schedules, arranging the parties, getting the crowd together, it is quite a production to put on. Even regular Japanese do it, just less fabulously.

Yeah, but the registration is the legal side, right?

I dunno how common it is to announce and not be registered yet.

[Akinomaki]

26 minutes ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Yeah, but the registration is the legal side, right?

I dunno how common it is to announce and not be registered yet.

For the registration, they don't even have to be present in the city hall: somebody else can hand in the signed form. But they had announced that they want to do it personally and together. Unimaginable though that there wasn't a possibility for that within the many months they had planned to be married already.

[Churaumi]

I thought they had already done the registration months ago.

[Akinomaki]

HIga for the last days is all over the sumo news: both she and Ikoi have their home tournaments - he in Osaka, she in Okinawa: and she got the yusho today: Ikioi: "A good stimulus. I have to gambarize as well." http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20190310-OHT1T50187.html

[Kintamayama]

Some commotion on the TV broadcast on the Japanese side regarding this. After Ikioi's one-sided win, Mainoumi who was on the other side mentioned the fact that his fiancee won the golf tournament. Kitanoumi, Kitanofuji, who was the lead commentator, rumbled:" Why are you talking about golf!!!" to which Mainoumi meekly apologized, explaining that he thought Ikioi was gambarizing too after his fiancee gambarized so it was kinda connected... Then, an uneasy silence. Later, when her championship was announced again: "I don't hate golf.. I may have gone a bit overboard before.." said Kitanoumifuji. Scandalous.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Kintamayama

[robnplunder]

55 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

Some commotion on the TV broadcast on the Japanese side regarding this. After Ikioi's one-sided win, Mainoumi who was on the other side mentioned the fact that his fiancee won the golf tournament. Kitanoumi, who was the lead commentator, rumbled:" Why are you talking about golf!!!" to which Mainoumi meekly apologized, explaining that he thought Ikioi was gambarizing too after his fiancee gambarized so it was kinda connected... Then, an uneasy silence. Later, when her championship was announced again: "I don't hate golf.. I may have gone a bit overboard before.." said Kitanoumi. Scandalous.

I only understand few words of Japanese here and there.  But it's not hard to figure out topics other than golf get covered by the broadcast crew.    Not only that, some guests are not related to golf at all (e.g, Judo champion, actress, ...).     Hypocrisy if you ask me.  

BTW, I am a fervent golf fan and watch JLPGA time to time.  Before the start of Basho, I knew Higa is on a path to win the tournament and commented to my wife that Ikioi's wife is winning an JLPGA tournament.

Edited March 10, 2019 by robnplunder

[Kishinoyama]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

....said Kitanoumi. Scandalous.

Kitanoumi?

[bettega]

3 hours ago, Kishinoyama said:

Kitanoumi?

 

Otherwordly serious business.

[Kintamayama]

8 hours ago, Kishinoyama said:

Kitanoumi?

Kitanofuji. Just checking how scandalous.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Kintamayama

[Otokonoyama]

She is extremely popular here.

https://www.qab.co.jp/news/20190311112076.html

[Akinomaki]

Ikoi came to watch his fiancee play today, for the first time after the engagement announcement

o

About the health problems (esp.cellulitis):  "It was a good stimulus for me. Also I have to gambarize." - but no date for the marriage: "I have to become stronger also for her sake" and "First of all the return to makuuchi."

o o o 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

On 21/06/2019 at 17:39, Akinomaki said:

Ikoi came to watch his fiancee play today, for the first time after the engagement announcement

o

The tabloid Shukan Post (the home of yaocho articles) pointed to a problem for Ikioi at the golf course: as rikishi he has to wear a kimono in public - as guest to the clubhouse or at the course the golf dress code for men is polo shirt and long pants. Apparently Ikioi changed on arrival into the wear appropriate for golf and back to kimono for this commemorative shot for the media. http://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20190701_1402220.html

Rikishi often play golf - Ikioi is one of the best among the active ones - in proper golf wear - and were shown like that regularly in the media. Apparently the NSK allows other "uniforms" - or doesn't care anymore: just look at Asanoyama in the public yesterday

o

or maybe the police in Kanie town has this special uniform for summer

[Akinomaki]

After his juryo yusho Ikioi went to watch his fiancee  play at the Japan tour - on day 1 of the current tournament he saw her finish 2nd place - day 2 she got to 1st - he is now busy with weekend duties at the 2 danpatsu-shiki.

o o

o o o 

[since_94]

Glad to seem him fighting well and winning the juryo yusho. Hopefully his injuries are behind him. They make a nice couple. How could anybody not like Ikioi?

[Naganoyama]

5 hours ago, since_94 said:

Glad to seem him fighting well and winning the juryo yusho. Hopefully his injuries are behind him. They make a nice couple. How could anybody not like Ikioi?

He's not very popular with crows.

[Akinomaki]

On 11/10/2018 at 11:52, Akinomaki said:

On 27/06/2018 at 12:47, Akinomaki said:

Ikioi (31) and Mamiko Higa (24) intend to marry this autumn (sanspo confirms that they confirmed to have the wedding registration on their mutual birthday).

Postponed - their mutual birthday is today, but she has a pro-ama match and he is kyujo for the jungyo and resting in Tokyo. Higa: "We want to go together to hand in the registration. Without being fixated on a date, we hand it in when the timing is matched."

Same procedure as last year with the same comment by Higa - "We want to do it together". Today on their mutual birthday again no marriage registration - he will be at the jungyo in Kanagawa. https://www.sanspo.com/golf/news/20191011/jlp19101105000001-n1.html

[Akinomaki]

The topic title question may not be answered for another year: Higa declared there is no plan for the marriage: "Now I want to devote myself to concentrate on playing golf." Ikioi has dropped from the paid ranks after being sekitori since Kyushu 2011 and his career may be near its end. Higa: "Injuries come with it when doing sports, but ..." "We haven't talked about these things in particular." http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/golf/news/202103020000340.html

[Akinomaki]

Since it came up again, I'll update the thread

On 23/06/2021 at 10:09, Kaninoyama said:

Ikioi and his now former fiancé, pro golfer Mamiko Higa, have broken off their wedding engagement, citing differences in life directions moving forward.  

Could be that with Ikioi retiring, Higa has no interest/intention of ever becoming an Okamisan. 

Source

Edited June 10, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Gurowake]

I was wondering about this with Ikioi's recent danpatsushiki, but I couldn't find any updated information anywhere.  Everywhere online seemed to still say that they were engaged or even married, but I was fairly sure I remembered the quoted post that said they had broken up.  I also failed to see any recent (like, since 2022) tournament results for Mamiko Higa anywhere, suggesting that her good run had come to an end, but I don't really know what's happening in the golf world so maybe there's some explanation other than her not being any good any more.

[Koorifuu]

A stark reminder that these guys are simply not allowed to both stay in the NSK and fancy an independent woman.

[Tsuchinoninjin]

21 hours ago, Gurowake said:

I was wondering about this with Ikioi's recent danpatsushiki, but I couldn't find any updated information anywhere.  Everywhere online seemed to still say that they were engaged or even married, but I was fairly sure I remembered the quoted post that said they had broken up.  I also failed to see any recent (like, since 2022) tournament results for Mamiko Higa anywhere, suggesting that her good run had come to an end, but I don't really know what's happening in the golf world so maybe there's some explanation other than her not being any good any more.

Its weird, last year she basically failed to make the cut in almost every single tournament. This year she's back to her normal average round score. I couldn't find an article about an injury or anything. I won't speculate on Ikioi's effect. I guess there is no news articles because people don't really care about someone who averages in the bottom of the top-50 in their domestic women's league. It was just the novelty of the engagement.

By the way, the URL link for the marriage breaking off is dead, and I can't find it anywhere.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Tsuchinoninjin

[Kishinoyama]

16 hours ago, Koorifuu said:

A stark reminder that these guys are simply not allowed to both stay in the NSK and fancy an independent woman.

But, if he is just a coach in another oyakata’s stable then their wouldn’t be a need for an okamisan.

To those that have more sumo knowledge about the role of an okamisan, am I wrong?

[Asashosakari]

3 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

By the way, the URL link for the marriage breaking off is dead, and I can't find it anywhere.

Archive.org has a copy, and as it was originally a Sports Hochi article, a permanent version still exists there.
 

3 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Its weird, last year she basically failed to make the cut in almost every single tournament. This year she's back to her normal average round score. I couldn't find an article about an injury or anything. I won't speculate on Ikioi's effect. I guess there is no news articles because people don't really care about someone who averages in the bottom of the top-50 in their domestic women's league. It was just the novelty of the engagement.

I mean, you just posted stats showing that her profile was quite a bit higher than that at the time the engagement was announced in 2018, that of a recent multiple tournament winner and top 10-20 caliber player. In any case, she currently doesn't have full playing rights on the tour after last year's disaster season (and a just as bad tour qualifying tournament, 82nd out of 96). She finished runner-up as a sponsor's invitation in a tournament back in March, and an article written before the final round quotes her to the effect that her game fell apart both physically and mentally during the pandemic. Looking at her results from 2021, the downturn seems to have started quite suddenly in August of that year.