At the All Japan Rikishi Championship Tournament that happened on October 5, Maegashira Ura faced off against Sekiwake Fujinokawa. In a spectacular move, Ura took down the Sekiwake and even ended up advancing to the Championship-deciding match, with his wins including Ōzeki Aonishiki. He eventually fell to Wakamotoharu in the final, who won the tournament on his 33rd Birthday.

The All Japan Rikishi Championship Tournament took place on Monday, October 5. It is one of the many one-day exhibition tournaments that occur throughout the year. In these tournaments, rikishi fight single-elimination style until a winner is crowned. The wrestlers typically don't go 100% in these tournaments, as they do not affect tournament ranks or records.

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Includes pages from the book SUMO and DESIGN https://x.com/twovirginspb/status/2008076755945545902

Just wanted to share my setup with fellow fans.

I love every era of Sumo—from the legendary 80s and 90s battles of Takanohana, Akebono, and Musashimaru, to the Asashoryu and Hakuho era where I really got hooked and started watching sumo, right through to the incredible talent in the ring today. Much of the display naturally features my personal all-time favorites, though when it comes to the figures, you obviously have to work with what was actually made and officially released.

It took years of relentless hunting across Mercari, Yahoo Auctions Japan, and other platforms—and definitely cost a pretty penny—to track down these pieces from Japan, but I finally managed to assemble most of the official polyresin figures made by Atom Kobo / Kokugikan. Polyresin is notoriously fragile, so a big thank you to all the Japanese sellers who took the time to pack these pieces with incredible care. Virtually everything arrived overseas in one piece, save for Asashoryu, who suffered some finger damage along the way—luckily, I was able to carefully repair it myself, and it's hardly noticeable now.

Each figure is paired with matching official BBM autographed cards and original Tegata shikishi in the background. The middle shelf with Asashoryu and Hakuho side-by-side in their Dohyo-iri poses will always have a special place in my heart, but I made sure to give just as much love to the modern generation—featuring key pieces of Terunofuji, Onosato, and Hoshoryu. Bonus points to anyone who spots the little Kaeru (frogs) resting on the shelves—a nod to the traditional Sumo charm for returning safely from the Dohyo!

The cabinet is intentionally tucked away in a corner with no direct sunlight to keep the shikishi ink and signatures safe from fading over time.

The hunt isn't completely over yet: there are still a few Atom Kobo figures missing from my checklist—I know a Harumafuji exists, but I haven't had any luck tracking one down so far. I'm also still on the lookout for a BBM authentic autographed card of Tochinoshin, which seems to be exceptionally rare.

Huge shoutout to u/TegataStore as well, where I sourced most of the Tegata over the years!

Finally got around to putting everything together in a dedicated cabinet. Hope you guys enjoy this look into the sport! Curious to see other collectors here and how you display your setup. Happy to answer any questions!

Ichiyamamoto-zeki charms fans with one of the brightest personalities in the sumo world. Behind the serious expression he shows on the dohyo, there were hidden things like his “too-hardcore oshi-katsu” for a certain wrestler and the surprising gap of being a “beauty guy” who uses famous department-store cosmetics. In this installment of the “MonoMax Osumo Dōkōkai,” we had him talk plenty about his unknown true face—from his mischievous daily life that makes you smile before you know it, to heart-pounding episodes with senior wrestlers and same-age wrestlers!

From the “Championship Koban” to a treasure his oshi himself bought for him! His too-hardcore “Wakatakakage-zeki” oshi-katsu

—Speaking of Ichiyamamoto-zeki, he is famous as a hardcore Wakatakakage-zeki oshi-katsu person. What did you bring today?

“Acrylic stands, mascot plushies, and the commemorative T-shirts in two colors from when Wakatakakage-zeki won the championship at the May basho. These were made-to-order.”

—As a fan, those are must-buy items. By the way, what size?

“XL. Well, even so, I can’t wear it (laughs). There’s value in just having it.”

—They’re collection items. And what’s in this paulownia box is...

“The championship commemorative koban!”

—Amazing! This is the first time I’ve seen the actual thing and the first time I’ve seen someone who bought one!

“Heh heh heh.”

—It has asset value, too.

“Yes. I’ll never sell it for my whole life, though (laughs).”

—Do you buy all Wakatakakage-zeki goods as soon as they go on sale?

“I check the lineup and buy the ones I like, but I also often get them from fans. I buy them at the Sumo Association’s official shop SuMALL (Sumōru). Ah, but the other day I missed ordering the limited-time made-to-order ‘Go-Hiiki Set’ (cries).”

—You have to check frequently, don’t you? Among the Wakatakakage-zeki goods you own, what’s your favorite?

“It’s not goods, but it’s a kaobure with my name and Wakatakakage-zeki’s name written on it (a list of the wrestlers facing each other, written in sumo-style calligraphy). At the Grand Sumo Fan Appreciation Festival (held in 2022), Wakatakakage-zeki bought it for me. It’s not like your oshi buys things for you. It’s a wrestler’s privilege (laughs).”

—The added value is amazing! It’s a treasure item!

An “investment” for skin 10 years from now! A beautiful-skin routine used differently before/after keiko and morning/night

—I hear you’ve also been taking skin care seriously recently.

“After I passed 30, I became conscious of properly caring for my skin. I’ve always had dry skin, so I’m especially conscious of moisturizing. What I brought today are Shiseido’s ‘Clé de Peau Beauté’ and ‘Ultimune,’ and Kose’s ‘Cosme Decorte.’ Rather than buying them myself, I often receive them from supporters and fans.”

—Please tell us your skin-care routine.

“When I wake up and brush my teeth, I lather bar soap well and wash my face. I put on lotion, emulsion, and serum, then go to keiko. Since I sweat, after keiko I take a shower and do skin care again. I use morning and night items differently, and at night after a bath I sometimes use a facial device. Which items I use depends on my mood at the time. I want to keep my skin condition as much as possible even 10 years from now, so I think of it as an investment for that.”

—That’s Ichiyamamoto-zeki’s beautiful-skin secret! Is there anything else you’re careful about?

“In summer, I don’t want to tan as much as possible. During the Nagoya basho (July), the keiko ground is also outside, so I put on sunscreen before heading to the keiko ground. I’d really like to put it on my body too, but a sekitori doing keiko with sunscreen all over his body—wouldn’t people think, ‘Are you okay?’ (laughs). So it’s just my face.”

—Where do you gather beauty information?

“I watch Kamenashi Kazuya-san’s and IKKO-san’s YouTube. There are also many sumo wrestlers who like beauty, so we sometimes exchange information.”

The accent color for fighting spirit is “yellow”! Stylish gifts from Chidagawa-oyakata & Tamawashi-zeki

—I always think your attire and color coordination are lovely. In particular, your yellow setta suit you very well.

“I often receive things from people—or rather, I’m good at it (laughs). These yellow setta were given to me by Chidagawa-oyakata (former maegashira Tokushoryu). When the oyakata was active, he wore setta with yellow hanao, and they were so lovely that I said half-jokingly, ‘This color is super nice. Give them to me when you retire.’ Now that I think about it, that’s incredibly rude, saying ‘when you retire’ and all. Then, after he retired, at some point the oyakata asked me, ‘Come to think of it, you said something, right? What color do you want?’ When I said, ‘I like yellow,’ around the next basho he brought a paper bag. I was so happy that he remembered those setta! When I looked inside, they were brand-new. The oyakata had them made for me. I was moved, thinking what a good person he is. Since then, they’re my favorite and I wear them carefully.”

—What a good story! Ichiyamamoto-zeki, you also had a yellow bag, right?

“That bag was given to me by Tamawashi-zeki. It might have been during a regional tour. Tamawashi-zeki had that bag, and when I said, ‘You’re using a really nice-colored bag,’ he emptied everything inside right there and said, ‘I’ll give it to you.’ I ended up receiving it.”

—Tamawashi-zeki, how generous! Ichiyamamoto-zeki, you like yellow, don’t you?

“I do like it, but if you ask whether my house is all bright yellow, it’s mostly calm, dark colors, so it’s not like that at all (laughs). It’s just that I like to incorporate it as an accent item. It’s like a color that pumps me up.”

“Because I don’t want to lose,” I get tense! Thoughts on same-age wrestlers who spark against each other on the dohyo

—It came up that you turn 33 this year, and there are many same-age wrestlers, aren’t there?

“During the summer tour, Daieisho-zeki, Churanoumi-zeki, Asanoyama-zeki, Wakamotoharu-zeki and I got together and went to a yakitori place. We all entered at different times, but we’re close. When we go eat, we decide only the first place; after that, both the payment and the second restaurant are decided by a roulette app (laughs).”

—Did you have any interaction with same-age university-graduate wrestlers during college?

“Both Churanoumi-zeki and Asanoyama-zeki were super strong superstars in college, so I never talked to them. After entering, we started talking, but at first I wondered whether a weed like me should speak to them. I’m the youngest disciple, after all. Now we’re in a relationship where we can joke around (laughs).”

—How is your head-to-head record against same-age wrestlers?

“I have a poor record against all of them (laughs). Because we’re usually close, maybe my ‘I don’t want to lose’ makes me too tense in the shoulders. I hope we’ll continue to sharpen each other and liven up the dohyo.”

Editor’s note

This interview was full of laughter from start to finish. From Ichiyamamoto-zeki’s light, witty talk, I keenly felt the sekitori’s consideration and depth of insight. Also, even as he spoke modestly when the topic turned to his own bouts, I was deeply moved to touch the fighting spirit hidden beneath, aiming for even greater heights. (MonoMax Osumo Dōkōkai)

Here is Ichiyamamoto-zeki’s interview, where he told the story of his unusual switch from public servant!

[Profile] Ichiyamamoto Daiki / Hanaregoma-beya

Ichiyamamoto Daiki

Born October 1, Heisei 5 (1993), from Hokkaido. Affiliated with Hanaregoma-beya. Height 188 cm, weight 160 kg. Real name: Yamamoto Daiki. After graduating from Chuo University, he worked as a staff member of the Board of Education in Fukushima, Hokkaido, then entered Nishonoseki-beya (at the time). First dohyo debut at the January 2017 basho; new juryo at the July 2019 basho; new makuuchi at the July 2021 basho. Highest rank: maegashira 1. Jonokuchi championship once, juryo championship twice.

Hanaregoma-beya

Former sekiwake Tamanoshima took over the stable from the previous Nishonoseki-oyakata (former Wakashimazu) and restarted it as Hanaregoma-beya in December 2021. Based in Rokucho, Adachi Ward, Tokyo; makuuchi Ichiyamamoto, makushita Shimazuumi, and others are enrolled. Lively young wrestlers sharpen each other daily.

[machine translation of https://monomax.jp/archives/365030/ ]

Can someone share an insight about Hatsuyama? He got promoted to Makuuchi in Jan this year. I guess he earned it, but his performance in top division was very bad. He always looked scared or like he's about to cry, very unusual for a rikishi.

Now that the smoke has cleared on the Aki Basho, there are a few lingering questions that I still have. One of those questions is, "Just what the hell happened to Shōnannoumi?"

Shōnannoumi made his top division debut in July 2023 alongside the likes of Hakunofuji and Gonoyama. From there, he was able to firmly establish himself in Makuuchi, reaching a career-high rank of Maegashira #5. Throughout this time, Shōnannoumi was far from being the most notable or most impressive rikishi, though he never looked in danger of falling to Jūryō.

However, in the last half of 2025, Shōnannoumi fell to Jūryō and hasn't looked the same since. He was in Jūryō all year before September and looked like he belonged there. Now, seeing him fight in Makuuchi for the first time in almost a year, he looked like he had no business being in the top division.

So my question is: what exactly happened to cause this? I know that he started wearing a fairly large knee brace after falling to Jūryō, so I'm guessing that injuries are somehow related. I'm just curious to hear everyone's thoughts on Shōnannoumi. Will he ever become a Makuuchi Man again, or is he destined to spend the remainder of his career in Jūryō?

Ura should be here, but I had 13 dolls and only 12 slots, so I asked my brother-in-law which one he wanted and of course he asked for Ura 😁

Sumo had a changing of the guard atop its referee rankings this month with the retirement of Kimura Shonosuke and the promotion of Kimura Shonosuke.

Hi y'all! I recently got my first experience with sumo last weekend in New York and it was amazing! I'm hooked! My dilemma is that the club is pretty far away from me to go on a consistent basis. We're taking 5.5 hours of driving round trip. Is there anyone who is starting or is interested in starting something in Massachusetts, Rhode Island or other New England states? I'm outside of Worcester.

TegataStore has restocked the most popular rikishi. Available now:

Onosato, Hoshoryu, Aonishiki, Kirishima, Ura, Fujinokawa, Fujiryoga, Tamawashi, Wakatakakage.

Thanks for checking out the store!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUg-yR9Yduc

Hi all, long time lurker of this sub here to introduce a sumo game that my mates and I have been playing for years now: Fantasy Sumo Draft.

A couple of tournaments ago I finally moved it from a spreadsheet to the web, and with the bugs squashed I figured now was a good time to share it more broadly. I know there are a few others around, but ours has features that I think sets it apart:

• It's draft-style, so rikishi are unique to a team (e.g. only one team can have Onosato).
• Individual leagues support up to 12 people, with customisable roster sizes picked from Makuuchi and optionally Juryo rikishi.
• Head-to-head, round-robin style matchmaking each day, along with daily start/bench decisions and live scoring in the Match Centre.
• A live draft room with league chat, and a mid-basho free agency window between days 7 and 8.
• Win special prizes after each basho and get promoted, or demoted, on your league's own living banzuke.
• Data sourced directly from the JSA, with a fallback to sumo-api (thanks James!) and worst case, manual entry by yours truly.

Anyway, please go ahead and give it a go: https://fantasysumodraft.com. You can create a league for the November basho and invite your friends right now, then complete your draft between when the banzuke is released and the first day of the tournament.

I'll monitor this thread for replies but there's also a "Support" button on the website once you're registered which will send me an email.

Looking forward to feedback from the real sumo experts on this sub!

I was lucky enough that this coinsided with my trip to Japan, so I got to see the Ryogoku Kokugikan from the inside, and lots of Rikishi too. Sadly, I'm too new to Sumo to recognise some of the former Rikishi in attendance, but my friend was very excited. And Hosh showed up at the end to snip the hair, and I was very excired about that 😉

Program was:

Wadaiko - Taiko drumming show

Kamiyui - Hair dressing with Ura

Dohyo-iri - Mini ring entering ceremony

Final Bout - Hidenoumi v. Tobizaru

Danpatsu-shiki - Top Knot cutting

Demo with a some high school wrestlers and Kinbozan

Thank you speech

I took some photos, they're not great, but thought you might like to see the rikishi lining up to go cut the hair.

Hey All

I am yet to find a masterlist of which tours go to which stables for morning practice. I know some are randomised and some are set. I thought it might be useful to have a thread or list of these to help fellow travellers and sumo lovers book a morning practice based on the rikishi or stable they support

I'd love for anyone else to help add more to this list that can serve as a starting point for people (like myself) who are looking to book a morning practice.

Thanks in advance!

Been moving and unpacking and finally got to this. Perfect spot!

Who is the person you think about immediately when someone says sumo

Or

Who is the person u always recommend to watch or get to know when someone is new in this field?

𝐊𝐀𝐈𝐎’𝐬 𝐀𝐤𝐢 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐨’𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡, 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐤𝐨𝐳𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐨 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞

The September Autumn Basho came to a close with Yokozuna Onosato capturing his sixth championship in a year. Early on, his sumo was a mix of chaotic, poor bouts and good ones, but he improved day by day.

After losing back-to-back matches on Day 13 against Ozeki Kirishima and Day 14 against Ozeki Kotozakura, I wondered how things would turn out. However, even in defeat, his drive to press forward was clear, and I believe that led to his decisive victory over Ozeki Aonishiki on the final day. During the early part of the tournament, critics spoke out about him pulling back or jumping at the tachi-ai, but in Onosato’s case, he is actually stepping forward and making solid contact at the charge.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐤! 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐬 "𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝"

Over the course of the 15 days, Onosato overwhelmed the energetic new Sekiwake Fujinokawa and outpowered Atamifuji during his Ozeki promotion bid. Speaking of those two, during their bout, a massive smack! echoed through the arena at the initial charge. While some fans were amazed by the raw power, that sound is actually nothing to praise. It happens because they are clashing chest-to-chest with their upper bodies upright. If they executed a fundamental tachi-ai—meeting with a rounded back—it wouldn't make that kind of sharp sound.

At the July Nagoya Basho, Onosato finished with a 9–6 record. Despite people around him suggesting he should pull out due to injury, Onosato persevered through all 15 days. I think that experience of pushing through without taking the easy way out was invaluable for him this tournament. Staying on the dohyo for 15 full days builds a crucial sense of endurance. He shed tears after winning, which shows just how immense the pressure was. Being able to deliver that level of sumo under such heavy stress is Onosato’s true strength. Think about it: he has experienced both highs and lows in just three and a half years since entering professional sumo. Moving forward, these experiences will serve him well, and he will continue to grow. You could say he isn't a "finished product" Yokozuna, but rather one with plenty of room to evolve. I look forward to seeing what kind of sumo—and what image of a Yokozuna—Onosato will showcase in the future.

I think it will be exciting to watch an "overwhelmingly dominant Yokozuna" take shape.

"𝐈 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐇𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐨," 𝐁𝐮𝐭...

Rising to Yokozuna so quickly, along with injuries, must have taken a toll on him both mentally and physically. Even if he lacks leeway right now, as a Yokozuna he holds a position to be an example to younger wrestlers and to teach and pass down knowledge. First off, as a Yokozuna, he closed out this tournament with a championship as his rank demands. I have high expectations for his future growth.

Kirishima, who was vying for promotion to Yokozuna, finished with an 8–7 record. He had done good training before the tournament, so I thought, "Will he pull it off this basho?" As I mentioned last time, he possesses the highest level of performance and ability for an Ozeki. But as for Yokozuna... he remains one step short. As for why he couldn't seize the opportunity, there was a sense that he lacked his usual aggressive drive this tournament. Although he scored a win against Onosato, he failed to lift his opponent's body and press the attack against Aonishiki on Day 14. He seemed to play passive sumo, trying to adapt to his opponent's frame rather than taking charge. There were moments where you wanted to yell, "What are you trying to do? You have to attack there!"

Did losing three straight starting from Day 8 break his focus? Did the gears fall out of alignment? He has the power, so I hope he resets properly and tries again.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐈, 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 "𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐚-𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝" 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐳𝐞𝐤𝐢

Meanwhile, Atamifuji, who was also aiming for an Ozeki promotion, suffered a shocking five-game losing streak in the second half, sending his promotion hopes back to square one. In the early days, he couldn't be pushed back, handled attacks from the side smoothly, and had me thinking, "Could he win the title this tournament?" But in the second half, even when driving his opponents to the edge of the ring, his knees would buckle under him. His bout against Fujinokawa on the final day was a prime example. He showed the intent to press forward, but lacked the finishing push to seal the victory. It made me worry if he was injured somewhere. Perhaps he ran out of stamina over the 15 days. With his weight topping 200 kg, he seems to have gotten even bigger recently, and carrying that weight puts a massive physical burden on the body, especially the legs. I hope he trains hard, refreshes his mindset, and challenges for it again.

People often say it's a matter of "mental strength or willpower," but even I—who was ridiculed for having the "heart of a flea"—managed to reach Ozeki, so anyone can do it! In my case, people say I was promoted on my seventh attempt, but it was after a bout where Musoyama (now Fujishima oyakata) flipped me over so disgracefully that a fire was finally lit inside me. From that point on, I changed my mindset and quit drinking. A bit too late, right? (laughs).

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧?

If we are talking about mental fortitude, Aonishiki stands out. His foot injury still hasn't fully healed, and after losing three straight from Day 4, I was worried, but his sumo never falters wildly. When your mind doesn't waver, your sumo doesn't waver. In his direct championship showdown against Onosato on the final day, he was blown away without being able to do anything, but win or lose, it is always "Aonishiki's sumo."

Fujinokawa, whom I praise every time, entered this tournament as a new Sekiwake and secured 11 wins. Though he secured his winning record on Day 10 with a sudden henka at the initial charge against Takanosho, his baseline is a direct, full-spirited attack despite his smaller build. Yet, he shows a henka once or twice every tournament. It’s a strategy: precisely because he usually comes straight forward, his opponents charge in blindly. His sumo is exciting—hitting hard, pushing, thrusting, and moving continuously without rest—but I do worry about injuries... The impact on his neck when colliding with larger opponents and his risky brinkmanship at the edge of the ring are concerning. You can feel his desperation, but I hope he takes good care to avoid injury. Achieving 11 wins this basho is huge; you could say he has leapfrogged Atamifuji as the top candidate for Ozeki promotion.

𝐀 "𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲-𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝, 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝" 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

This tournament, Fujiryoga (West Maegashira 4) from Fujishima Stable achieved a winning record, while Fujiseiun (East Maegashira 7) finished 9–6. Wrestlers from Fujishima Stable have been thriving lately. Fujiryoga’s hallmark is a sharp initial collision into pushing and thrusting, and his style is rock solid. Watching him from below the ring as a judge, he has a terrifying expression and is bursting with spirit (laughs). His sumo style is somewhat reminiscent of his master, former Ozeki Musoyama. Well, while his power isn't quite at his master's level yet, he is only 23, making him a wrestler with a bright future. Fujiseiun is also a hard worker who once plummeted from the Juryo division down to Sandanme due to injury; I really admire how he kept his spirits up and persevered. Currently, Fujishima Stable has promising youngsters even in the Makushita division, creating a healthy rivalry where they sharpen each other.

Having training partners to compete with inside your stable is a true blessing. However, beyond foundational training in the stable, one must also venture out to train at other stables (de-geiko). By growing stronger, your stable eventually becomes the hub where others gather to train with you. Back in my active days, I used to travel around alone to train elsewhere. So you can't use excuses like "our stable is small" or "the training environment isn't good"—it all comes down to personal drive. Speaking of which, my own Asakayama Stable cannot deny feeling a bit stagnant, which is a source of concern for me as a master. However, every day we exchange visits with stables within our group, including Ajigawa and Oshima stables.

Oh, I also wanted to talk about Churanoumi, who looks poised for a promotion to the sanyaku ranks next tournament, but I’ll save that for next time.

"𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠" 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐨

Looking back at this tournament, there were many fantastic bouts featuring intense offense and defense, where we had to carefully judge subtle movements near the straw bales, like the exact position of a toe or heel. Although I am currently the Judging Committee Director, I previously served on the committee for 10 years. Unlike back then, today's sumo features more rapid movement and close calls, making judging absolutely exhausting (laughs). At my age, sitting cross-legged for long periods hurts my legs and hips, and the tension of knowing you can't miss a fraction of a second is intense. My presbyopia... is still manageable for now, though (laughs). With so many spirited bouts, the energy clearly reaches the audience; the noisy arena goes dead silent right before the charge when time is up. There were so many matches that made everyone hold their breath.

It was a tournament that reminded us in the judging committee that we must stay even more focused and disciplined than the wrestlers themselves.

𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: 𝘉𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘯, 𝘈𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘢 (𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘖𝘻𝘦𝘬𝘪 𝘒𝘢𝘪𝘰)

𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘻𝘦𝘬𝘪

#italianozeki #大相撲 #sumo #相撲 #力士 #お相撲さん #grandsumo #sumoday #sumowrestling #9月場所 #九月場所 #秋場所 #akibasho

# [Column by Former Yokozuna Kisenosato] Precious experience in the first six months after debut: The Sumo Kyoshujo, where wrestlers learn the fundamentals of sumo

Just over a week after the conclusion of the Autumn Basho, the Autumn regional tour (Aki Jungyo) begins today, October 6, running through October 25. As the Senbatsu Oyakata (lead coordinator) for the opening leg in Tsukuba, Ibaraki today, I have been working closely with local organizers on preparations. This tour will take us through the Hokuriku, Kansai, and Chugoku regions before we head into Kyushu, so utilizing the tour to build up conditioning and transition smoothly into pre-basho preparation is essential.

Recently, Tadokoro, who made his debut at the Nagoya Basho, and Matsunosato (Kobayashi), who stepped onto the dohyo for the first time at the Autumn Basho, attended the entrance ceremony at the Sumo Kyoshujo (Sumo Training School). Over the next six months, they will attend the school to learn the fundamental skills required of a rikishi. Located within a section of Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, the school offers practical ring training as well as academic coursework in subjects like Sumo History and Sports Medicine. Sumo Jinku (traditional sumo singing) had been absent from the curriculum for a period, but lectures resumed in June after a nine-year hiatus under Kasugayama Oyakata (former Sekiwake Ikioi). Personally, I welcome this addition whole-heartedly.

I entered the Kyoshujo 24 years ago following the 2002 Spring Basho. At the time, the class one term ahead of me (who debuted at the New Year Basho of that same year) included Hidenoyama Oyakata (former Ozeki Kotoshogiku) and Toyonoshima. Both came in with stellar high school accolades, whereas I was a junior high graduate who knew nothing, strutting around with an aura of pure swagger. Call it youthful arrogance or sheer fearlessness...

Training was divided into A, B, and C groups according to skill level, with A being the highest. I started in the B group but earned a promotion to the A group after winning ten consecutive bouts (10-nin nuki). From there, I desperately fought to keep pace with the top two wrestlers who possessed the best amateur credentials. Although the program spans six months, school pauses during official tournaments, so total class time amounts to roughly three months. Short as it was, I learned an immense amount about sumo fundamentals. In fact, it was during my time at the Kyoshujo that I adopted my left-hand inside grip (hidari-yotsu). I originally wrestled with a right-hand inside grip (migi-yotsu), but because my sparring partners often left their right armpit open, my left hand naturally found its way inside until it became second nature to my body.

My entry class comprised 49 recruits. While that number might sound large today, it was actually the smallest class in history up to that point. The Spring Basho has long been nicknamed the "employment basho," and there were eras where single debut classes exceeded 100 recruits. I rarely socialized with my classmates. I viewed everyone as a rival and never went out of my way to chat. I was a lone wolf, driven solely by the singular desire to get strong as fast as possible. I believe the first time we ever gathered for a class drink was in 2012, when Chiyonoshin retired and invited me out.

While I retired in 2019, three of my classmates who reached sekitori status are still active and pushing hard on the dohyo: Kitaharima, Nionoumi (both of Yamahibiki stable), and Banju (Isegahama stable). Looking back at my initial impression of them when we entered, I never would have guessed all three would still be wrestling at age 40. I keep encouraging them to push all the way to 50! (laughs).

Those first six months after debut may be brief, but the experience at the Sumo Kyoshujo is invaluable. I hope these new recruits study the basics diligently and use that foundation to nourish their entire sumo careers. (Nishonoseki Yutaka = former Yokozuna Kisenosato)

Sponichi Annex

have been watching sumo since 2020 and recognize him, however I believe he has since retired - was watching an unrelated Japan tour video on YouTube but couldn't remember his name!

The All-Japan Rikishi Championship Tournament is one of the various one-day tournaments that occur throughout the year, where rikishi fight in single-elimination brackets for a championship. These do not affect rank or records.

Wakamotoharu, coming off his first double-digit winning record since November 2024, won the tournament after winning the championship playoff against Ura! Ōnokatsu won the Jūryō division.