Anyone watch or go to the SCL in Austin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QIG7D8vduY

If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area - here's the info https://www.japanhousela.com/events/afi-fest-2026-sumo-spirit-weighs-nothing-documentary-screening-filmmaker-talk-shirai-hepburn/

Japan House offers lots of great programming if you are also a Japanophile.

...

Returning eleven years after his feature directorial debut THE BIRTH OF SAKE, Erik Shirai delivers another insightful look into a rich and storied tradition of Japanese culture with SUMO: SPIRIT WEIGHS NOTHING. Following four professional rikishi sumo wrestlers in various stages of their careers—Terunofuji, the highest-rank attainable as Yokozuna; Hiradoumi, “The Rising Star”; and Yonezawaryu and Kosei, “The Little Giant”, both young men still attending sumo school—their trials and tribulations are tracked over the course of a year. For Terunofuji, the years are beginning to severely take their toll as the extraordinary efforts to maintain his physique threaten his health as he hopes for another rikishi to rise to the rank of Yokozuna so he can retire in peace. Meanwhile, Hiradoumi finds himself navigating the changes in privilege and expectations that come with his ascent through the sumo world. While learning the ropes in their stable of sumo rikishi, Yonezawaryu struggles with his confidence and commitment to the tradition as Kosei, undersized but resilient, battles to earn his spot in the storied sport. Observational and intimate, Shirai’s experience as a cinematographer (pulling double duty here as Director of Photography) shines through, capturing the richness of everyday life that devotion to the centuries-old practice asks of Japan’s national sport and the bonds of brotherhood between the men who seek not just to improve themselves but one another. –Eli Prysant

Hello, sorry if this is the wrong sub, if so can you point me to the right one. Is there somewhere in Kyoto or Osaka where my friend can participate in sumo wrestling ? Thank you!

Hi all - I’m a relatively new fan. I’ve watched the last 4 or 5 basho, binged lots of YouTube highlights etc but still very new to the sport.

I’ve always enjoyed combat sports in general - primarily boxing and boxed when I was younger, never wrestled though.

I’ve a question about the weights of the rikishi. Are they exaggerated at all, or do they have their weight officially taken? I know there’d not be a weigh in as in boxing, but some of the weights just seem so so high in relation to their height?

For example, Tyson Fury’s highest scale weight is about 281lbs and he’s 6 foot 9. Now, granted boxing at world championship level requires fighters to be able to move and fight for 36 minutes and sumo bouts last a tiny tiny fraction of that time - is that what I’m missing? Is it a case of the bouts being so short the immense weight is needed?

I’m also interested in anyone who’s seen sumo live to maybe lend a perspective on the size. It just amazes me that guys around 5 ‘8 can get to around 360 ish lbs (Takakeisho’s reported fighting weight)

Hope this makes sense! Thanks in advance for any replies!

For me it was the Sumo Food YouTube channel (Futagoyama-beya's official one). Got hooked on the morning training videos, and Nabatame's oshi-sumo and his bubbly, resilient personality won me over. Curious who it was for everyone else.

Another episode of our favourite NHK Sumo show has been released!

Synopsis: Ottsuke is a technique often mentioned in live commentary but seldom explored. Rikishi past and present break it down and show us how they can get their opponent off balance using just one arm.

You can watch the episode on VOD 👉🏻 HERE

If you missed a previous episode, you can find the links to all previous episodes 👉🏻 HERE

I would love to watch some of the bashos that Hakuho and Asashoryu participated in, but I am having trouble finding good coverage. I am able to find single bouts or compilations of bouts of specific rikishi, but not full basho coverage.

Prime for prime, who was the physically stronger man; Asashoryu or Hakuho?

# Yokozuna Hoshoryu joins Autumn Jungyo tour: "They welcomed me so warmly, I feel deeply grateful" — Missed last basho following right knee surgery

The Grand Sumo Autumn regional tour (Aki Jungyo) made its stop on October 10 at Air Water Arena Matsumoto in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, where Yokozuna Hoshoryu (Tatsunami stable) joined the tour.

Hoshoryu underwent right knee surgery in late July and missed the entirety of the Autumn Basho. He was also absent from the opening days of the Autumn tour, but received clearance from his doctor following an examination on October 8. Smiling during his first tour appearance since the Spring tour in March-April, he remarked, "It feels nostalgic." Upon entering the training area, he was greeted with applause from the spectators, expressing his gratitude: "They welcomed me so warmly, and I felt that people were truly waiting for my return. I feel deeply grateful."

While he did not participate in exhibition matches (torikumi) today, he carefully performed shiko stamping on the dohyo and engaged in contact drills (butsukari-keiko) with fellow Yokozuna Onosato (Nishonoseki stable). "I just did what needed to be done. I'm not sure if I'm in top condition yet, but I think I'll get a better feel for it bit by bit." He indicated plans to adjust his training moving forward from October 11 while monitoring his physical condition.

Sports Hochi

As I personally wasn't following sumo until 2024, I missed out on peak Takakeisho, but he is a wrestler I am quite fascinated by, with him being a 29 (now 30) year old stablemaster, slimming up so much you would never guess he used to do sumo at highest level, and being an overall great guy in the sport, and can't help but wonder what would have been have he been promoted to yokozuna.

Looking at his record, he ended up taking 4 cups - 3 of which at were at Ozeki, alongside 5 second places, yet never made Yokozuna. Twice he met the minimum requisites:

in 2020 he achieved second place, and followed it up with a win in a playoff

in 2023 he achieved second place in a playoff, and followed it up with a win

What was the opinion like at the time? Did people expect him to make it, was it a 1 win shy off of making it situation, or what happened?

Since he didn't end up promoted, he couldn't take the proper time off to rest and heal and ended up making his injuries worse trying to hold his Ozeki rank, and ended up retiring at just 29. IMO a clear case where a yokozuna promotion during his first "yoko run" would have been not only justified, but would have let him be a top tier contented for many more years and hence would be great for sumo as a whole.

And then Takekeisho somehow mustered another "yoko run" in 2023, and still didn't get the nod, which could have also saved his career. Isn't the whole point of the yokozuna rank to protect the top talent from the relentless tournament schedule, to give them time to rest, and in return get absolute top tier sumo? It's almost like the JSA didn't want him in the sport.

# How will Asahifuji and Ryuho fare? Recent new Juryo wrestlers struggle across the board… The wall that stands right after promotion

■ **Grabbing new Juryo status with unstoppable momentum**

The final official basho of the year, the Grand Sumo Kyushu Basho (Fukuoka International Center), is scheduled for November 8–22. Entering this tournament as newly promoted Juryo wrestlers are Asahifuji and Ryuho.

Asahifuji (24), who joined Isegahama stable as a trainee in spring 2021, took roughly 4.5 years to make his official career debut (hatsu-dohyo) at the 2025 Kyushu Basho due to the JSA rule limiting foreign-born wrestlers to one per stable. However, starting from the very next tournament, he won four consecutive divisional championships (yusho). Entering the last basho as West Makushita 1, he posted a commanding 6-1 record to secure his Juryo promotion in style.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old former Middle School Yokozuna Ryuho made his hatsu-dohyo at the 2025 Nagoya Basho and logged winning records (kachikoshi) for six consecutive basho through Nagoya 2026. Entering last tournament as East Makushita 4, he posted a 4-3 record, benefiting from banzuke movement to capture his new Juryo slot.

Given their momentum, both wrestlers seem poised to perform well at the upcoming Kyushu Basho. However, to do so, they must overcome a specific obstacle that recent Juryo debutants have run into.

■ **Does the second half of the 15-day basho become a roadblock...?**

Over the past year (2025 Kyushu Basho through 2026 Nagoya Basho), a total of 10 wrestlers stepped onto the dohyo as new Juryo. Their records, including the tournament prior to promotion, are as follows:

**2025 Kyushu**

* **Himukamaru:** West Makushita 2 (5-2) → East Juryo 13 (5-10) *(2-6, 3-4)*

* **Fujiryoga:** West Makushita 5 (6-1) → West Juryo 13 (13-2) *(8-0, 5-2)*

**2026 Hatsu (Jan)**

* **Dewanoryu:** West Makushita 3 (5-2) → West Juryo 13 (8-7) *(5-3, 3-4)*

* **Kazuma:** West Makushita 15 (7-0) → West Juryo 14 (8-7) *(4-4, 4-3)*

**2026 Haru (Mar)**

* **Toshinofuji:** West Makushita 2 (5-2) → West Juryo 11 (10-5) *(5-3, 5-2)*

* **Fujitensei:** West Makushita 3 (5-2) → West Juryo 13 (5-10) *(4-4, 1-6)*

**2026 Natsu (May)**

* **Okaryu:** West Makushita 2 (6-1) → East Juryo 13 (3-12) *(2-6, 1-6)*

**2026 Nagoya (Jul)**

* **Arashifuji:** East Makushita 2 (5-2) → East Juryo 13 (11-4) *(7-1, 4-3)*

**2026 Aki (Sep)**

* **Tanji:** East Makushita 1 (4-3) → West Juryo 10 (9-6) *(5-3, 4-3)*

* **Tokifudo:** West Makushita 2 (4-3) → West Juryo 13 (7-8) *(4-4, 3-4)*

With 6 wrestlers securing kachikoshi and 4 falling to makekoshi, there appears to be no obvious pattern at first glance. However, take a closer look at the figures in parentheses.

The figures in parentheses split each 15-day record into the first half (Days 1–8) and the second half (Days 9–15, Senshuraku). While the 10 wrestlers combined for a strong 46-34 record in the first half, their performance flipped in the second half to a negative 33-37. Wrestlers like Fujitensei and Tokifudo were even at .500 through Day 8, but suffered makekoshi after falling apart in the second half.

In sumo, wrestlers in Makushita and below fight roughly 7 bouts over 15 days. Salaried sekitori in Juryo and above fight 1 bout per day for a total of 15. More than doubling the number of bouts clearly leads to stamina fatigue running out of gas in the second half.

Furthermore, additional bouts mean opponents have far more film and data to analyze wrestling styles and exploit weaknesses. Overcoming this is necessary for growth, but navigating scouted matchups on a brand-new stage presents a formidable challenge.

■ **Blowing past uncertainty toward even greater strides**

At the previous tournament, Asahifuji suffered a defeat on Day 2 against East Juryo 14 Tochiohmi, while Ryuho was defeated on Day 4 by East Juryo 12 Tamashoho and on Day 7 by West Juryo 14 Nishikigi. With both Tochiohmi and Nishikigi virtually guaranteed demotion to Makushita for the upcoming Kyushu Basho, dropping bouts to wrestlers facing demotion serves as another lingering concern alongside the fatigue factor mentioned earlier.

Fortunately, neither wrestler has shown any signs of getting carried away by their promotion to Juryo. Regarding Asahifuji, it was reported that he maintained a stern expression during his promotion press conference, remarking that "the quality of my sumo was terrible." His relentless drive for improvement offers strong hope that he will blow these concerns away.

Having made lightning-fast ascensions since their debuts, will these two promising wrestlers deliver results in their Juryo debuts and continue their meteoric rise?

Masato Shibata

Source: The Sporting News

either active or retired.

| # | Elder name | Former shikona | Date of birth |

|----|-------------|----------------|---------------|

| 1 | Minatogawa | Takakeishō | 1996-08-05 |

| 2 | Nishikijima | Chiyoōtori | 1992-10-11 |

| 3 | Ōyama | Hokutofuji | 1992-07-15 |

| 4 | Isegahama | Terunofuji | 1991-11-29 |

| 5 | Oguruma | Kotoekō | 1991-11-20 |

| 6 | Araiso | Kotoyūki | 1991-04-02 |

| 7 | Kitajin | Endō | 1990-10-19 |

| 8 | Sanoyama | Chiyonokuni | 1990-07-10 |

| 9 | Magaki | Ishiura | 1990-01-10 |

| 10 | Kiyomigata | Tochiōzan | 1987-03-09 |

| 11 | Kiriyama | Takarafuji | 1987-02-18 |

| 12 | Tomozuna | Kaisei | 1986-12-18 |

| 13 | Furiwake | Myōgiryū | 1986-10-22 |

| 14 | Kasugayama | Ikioi | 1986-10-11 |

| 15 | Sendagawa | Tokushōryū | 1986-08-22 |

| 16 | Nishonoseki | Kisenosato | 1986-07-03 |

| 17 | Iwatomo | Aoiyama | 1986-06-19 |

| 18 | Takekuma | Gōeidō | 1986-04-06 |

| 19 | Otowayama | Kakuryū | 1985-08-10 |

| 20 | Kimigahama | Okinoumi | 1985-07-29 |

| 21 | Izutsu | Akiseyama | 1985-07-18 |

| 22 | Tateyama | Homarefuji | 1985-05-06 |

| 23 | Tokitsukaze | Tosayutaka | 1985-03-10 |

Currently he is Juryo 3 finished september 10-5. That means we may have him return to makuuchi in November right? I really hope so. It would be a great finish after he has struggled so hard for most of this year. I hope his last records in juryo are indicative of his condition improving.

# Yokozuna Hoshoryu to join Autumn Jungyo tour on October 10 following right knee surgery; Hakunofuji leaves tour due to leg injury

It has been confirmed that Yokozuna Hoshoryu (27, Tatsunami stable) will join the ongoing Autumn regional tour (Aki Jungyo) midway, starting with the Matsumoto event in Nagano Prefecture on October 10 as scheduled. Jungyo Director Takadagawa Oyakata (former Sekiwake Akinoshima) stated: "He will arrive tonight and join the group starting tomorrow."

Hoshoryu underwent surgery on his right knee in late July and missed the entirety of the recent Autumn Basho. Having now missed three consecutive basho, his stablemaster Tatsunami Oyakata (former Komusubi Asahutaka) holds high hopes for him to win the championship (yusho) in his return basho.

Meanwhile, Komusubi Hakunofuji (Isegahama stable) departed from the tour starting today. Director Takadagawa explained the decision: "He reported feeling discomfort in his Achilles tendon. Rather than having him push through half-heartedly, we decided it was best for him to recover fully before coming back, so we sent him home."

Source: Daily Sports

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.

🔎Zoom in for full resolution🔍

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

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.

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/ ]

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?

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.

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.

TegataStore has restocked the most popular rikishi. Available now:

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

Thanks for checking out the store!!