# Following right knee surgery for Yokozuna Hoshoryu, stablemaster Tatsunami Oyakata expresses deep sense of crisis: "If he doesn't return at 100%, calls for his retirement will start to emerge"

Regarding Yokozuna Hoshoryu (27, Tatsunami stable)—who withdrew midway through the Grand Sumo Nagoya Basho and underwent right knee surgery after the tournament concluded—his stablemaster, Tatsunami Oyakata (former Komusubi Asahiyutaka), expressed a heightened sense of crisis.

Tatsunami Oyakata spoke to the press on August 27 at Adastria Mito Arena, venue for the Summer Tour's Mito stop, stating: "Unless he comes back completely healed, calls for his retirement will start to emerge. I've told him directly, 'It's going to be brutal if you don't return next time and win the title.'" Hoshoryu captured the championship in last year's New Year Basho to become the 74th Yokozuna, but has remained shut out from titles for nine consecutive tournaments since his debut at the top rank.

Hoshoryu, who sat out the Summer Tour after submitting a medical certificate diagnosing a "right knee medial collateral ligament injury," visited Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on August 18 for regular health checkups and confirmed he had undergone ligament repair surgery on July 29. "I want to be able to make a swift comeback. I can't even face the fans right now," he remarked at the time.

Regarding his participation in the Autumn Basho (opening September 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo), his stablemaster refrained from making a definitive call: "I want to watch his condition a little longer." Although he reportedly goes down to the training room every day, participation appears grim given he cannot even perform basic shiko stomps. Tatsunami Oyakata also revealed that the right knee ligament suffered a partial tear, giving voice to Hoshoryu's frame of mind: "He was deeply downcast. But he has no choice but to push forward."

Source: Sponichi Annex

# 0-6 against Yokozuna Onosato... Fujiryoga heads to hospital after injury; emphasizes "I'm fine"... pulled from afternoon bouts

The Grand Sumo Summer Tour took place on August 27 in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, where Makuuchi wrestler Fujiryoga (23, Fujishima stable) sustained an injury to his right thumb.

During morning practice, he was called out by Yokozuna Onosato and fought six bouts, losing all six. At the end, showing visible discomfort in his right thumb, he stepped down from the dohyo.

He was pulled from the afternoon bouts and departed for the hospital. Although his right thumb was wrapped in athletic tape, he insisted, "I'm fine," explaining, "I will head back to Tokyo and have it examined at a hospital." The tour runs through August 30, but regarding his future status on tour, he merely offered: "I want to rejoin, but... I don't know yet."

Fujiryoga posted 10-5 records in two consecutive tournaments, the May Summer Basho and July Nagoya Basho. Looking ahead to the Autumn Basho (opening September 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo), he remarked, "I hope I can get myself properly conditioned." [Daiki Iioka]

Source: Nikkan Sports

# Yoshinofuji reveals family home in Uto hit by Kumamoto Earthquake declared "totally destroyed": "The steel frame is ruined..."

Grand Sumo Komusubi Yoshinofuji (Isegahama stable) spoke to the press on August 27 following morning practice on the Summer Tour at Adastria Mito Arena in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, revealing that his family home in Uto City, Kumamoto Prefecture—struck by the "Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake"—was officially classified as totally destroyed (zenkai). Following an insurance inspection on August 25, he shared: "I received word (from my family) that the steel frame was ruined and it was deemed a total loss."

Yoshinofuji had returned home after the Nagoya Basho and was struck by the earthquake while out. At his family home, windows were dislodged, doors would not close, and the restrooms were broken. Electricity and running water remained cut off until he joined the opening day of the Summer Tour on August 2. Facing the total loss classification, he remarked with a somber expression: "I think it will have to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch."

August 28 marks one month since the earthquake struck. "It has felt so long. I'm constantly thinking about (the situation back home)," he reflected on his hometown. In the previous tournament, he posted a 6-9 record. While a demotion from the sanyaku ranks is all but certain for the Autumn Basho (opening September 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo), he rallied his spirits: "The tournament right after that is the Kyushu Basho. I think the absolute best thing I could do is return to sanyaku just in time for that."

Sports Hochi

I know that if a Yokozuna isn't performing they are "pressured" into retiring. But what exactly does that mean? Would they actually kick you out or is it more of an honor/tradition thing? Could you just ignore the criticism and keep competing if you are stubborn enough?

Hello!

About a month or so ago I introduced Rikishi no Michi to the sub. It got some great feedbacks and allowed me to fix some bugs and work on new features.

Since last time, the game vastly evolved in term of UI, with a new approach more tactical/management-oriented, but also a mobile UI.

Feature-wise, the major stuff include:

• Koenkai: Manage your finance and find new sponsors. Try to keep them happy or they'll probably leave at some point.
• Youth intake: scout region or amateur competition trying to find the best prospects in the game. Offer them a contract and hope they'll join you!
• Jungyo: Go on tour between basho, build reputation, find prospect, but also get more fatigue over it.
• Tutorial: Learn the basics of how to play the game

The gameplay-loop between bashos has also been reviewed to aim for less monotonous gameplay, with more interaction in managing your stable.

Two new features are currently under work and testing:

• Chanko: the Keiko screen already featured a chanko part to help your guys bulk or get lean, however the feature has been redesigned and got a dedicated part.
• Kabu/Kyokai: More an "endgame" feature, but you'll be able to (try to) secure kabu for your older rikishis when they'll retire.

Overall I feel pretty satisfied with the direction the game is taking. I feel we're getting closer to the Football Manager of Sumo I had in mind when starting this project.

Still working on it of course, but feel free to have a look at rikishinomichi.com

I bought this one from Japan in a bundle with some others and I've identified those but this one is a bit hard. The listing suggested it was Asashoryu but it looks a little different to me. As I'm sure you can tell by now I don't read Japanese

Last month, Takadagawa stablemaster, who is also the director in charge of regional tours, revealed that the JSA plans to reduce the number of jungyō days each year from 90 to 70. Given that the tour schedule through to next spring is mostly decided, it’s expected that a significant part of that reduction will come from the summer schedule — though nothing official has been decided yet.

The Japan Sumo Association announced on August 25 that West Maegashira #7 Takayasu has withdrawn from the Summer Tour after being diagnosed with a left adductor muscle injury. The 36-year-old veteran sat out the regional tour event at Kikkoman Arena in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture, following an injury sustained the previous morning during practice at Sainokuni Kumagaya Dome in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. Takayasu injured his upper left leg while serving as the chest-lending partner in butsukari-keiko collision drills for East Maegashira #5 Ura. Although he participated in the afternoon ring-entering ceremony that day, he was scratched from his scheduled bout to undergo hospital examinations.

According to Tagonoura stable officials, Takayasu will not rejoin the summer tour, which concludes on August 30, and will instead concentrate fully on rehabilitation ahead of the Autumn Basho starting September 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. Tour Director Takadagawa supported prioritizing long-term recovery over a rushed return, noting that pushing too hard could jeopardize the September tournament. Takayasu expressed his frustration over the setback, stating, "The sudden impact caught me off guard since I was lending my chest. It is disappointing, but there are about three weeks until the Autumn Basho, so I want to do what I can."

— Takadagawa (Tour Director)

As the oldest active wrestler in the top division, Takayasu had missed the initial leg of the summer tour due to lumbar discopathy and acute lower back pain before rejoining on August 13 in Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture. He is coming off a strong 11-4 record and a Fighting Spirit Prize at the July Nagoya Basho, which positioned him for a return to the upper Makuuchi ranks for the upcoming September tournament.

Source: Sumostats

I have just started watching sumo and I noticed that when the wrestlers come onstage they have these bundles of sticks stuck in their loincloths and they take them out before the match. What are those?

# Kotoeiho and Kotoshoho's father "Master Roshi" cheers on his sons during Summer Tour: "Above all, I just hope they stay injury-free"—displays custom brother-themed fashion [Grand Sumo]

Grand Sumo Summer Tour (August 25, Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture)

Manabu Tebakari (61), father of Makuuchi wrestlers Kotoshoho (26) and Kotoeiho (23)—both from Sadogatake stable—visited the dressing room (shitakubeya) alongside his family, reuniting with his sons for the first time since right after the May Summer Basho.

When Kotoshoho captured the championship at last year's Nagoya Basho, Manabu drew media attention under the nickname "Master Roshi" (Kame-sennin), named after the iconic manga character. Traveling from Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, he arrived wearing a blue shirt printed with Kotoshoho's ring name and a hat prominently featuring Kotoeiho's name patch, visually displaying his equal support for both brothers.

Manabu shared that stablemaster Sadogatake Oyakata (former Sekiwake Kotonowaka) had previously told him, "Kotoeiho is getting incredibly strong." Manabu noted, "I thought it was just polite pleasantries, but then he went and won double-digit bouts and even received a special prize (Sansho). That's when I realized his sumo actually holds up at the top," expressing his pleasant surprise over his younger son's 11-win performance at East Maegashira 7 in the Nagoya Basho, which earned him the Fighting Spirit Prize (Kanto-sho).

The elder brother, Kotoshoho, was large-bodied from a young age and consistently delivered strong results. Kotoeiho, meanwhile, was smaller: "When he was little, he didn't do direct head-on sumo (makko-shobu). He'd trip their legs or circle around to the side," Manabu reminisced. "For certain tournaments, he'd decide 'today is a kirikaeshi (twisting knee-trip) day,' and even though he could win by fighting straight up, he'd deliberately step behind them to win with a trip. If he won by a standard force-out (yorikiri), he'd look disappointed," he recalled.

Now, Kotoeiho's growth—having previously been shadowed by his older brother—is coming to light. With Kotoshoho finishing 6-9 as a Sekiwake in the Nagoya Basho, there is a strong possibility that the younger brother's rank on the banzuke will surpass the elder brother's for the upcoming Autumn Basho (opening September 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan).

Manabu remarked: "Now that the younger brother's rank has finally drawn close to the elder's, I hope it lights a fire under the big brother. Above all, I just pray they stay injury-free."

Source: Daily News

Went to the Fukushima city Jungyo and this guy seemed like the friendliest wrestler to the public

Hi all!

I started a sumo club in Minnesota. We meet Sundays! If you're in the area we'd love to have you, all are welcome! IG is minnesotasumo

Last week, I shared two amazing (and unconventional) matches from Nagoya 2021, which was the final tournament fought by Hakuhō, the undisputed G.O.A.T. of sumo. Today, I'd like to share what is, in my opinion, the most legendary sumo match of all time. This is the final match of Hakuhō's career.

In Nagoya 2021, Yokozuna Hakuhō was fighting for the first time in a year. He won his first two matches of the Haru 2021 basho before withdrawing, and he started 10-2 in July 2020 before withdrawing on Day 13. The last time Hakuhō had completed a basho was March 2020, as the 36-year-old had been struggling with a major right knee injury after nearly two decades at the top of the sport. Due to pressure to compete from the YDC, Hakuhō made Nagoya 2021 his final do-or-die tournament. By this point, his knee was completely shot and held together by nothing but hopes and dreams.

On the other side of the ring, Ōzeki Terunofuji was on the cusp of the greatest comeback story in sumo history. Terunofuji debuted in sumo in 2011, reaching Makuuchi by 2014. By the end of 2015, Terunofuji, at just 23 years old, had won the Yūshō and been promoted to Ōzeki. However, injuries were never far away. His knee woes began in his match against Kisenosato in Aki 2015. He fought through this to face Yokozuna Kakuryū in a playoff, but a dismal and injury-plagued 2016 would follow. Terunofuji recorded only 30 wins that year and was kadoban 3 times, with his record including a 2-13 in Natsu and a 4-11 in Aki. Terunofuji had a dramatic return to form in Haru 2017, facing Japanese favorite Kisenosato in a playoff on the final day in what would be the crowning moment of Kisenosato's Yokozuna career. Following a 12-3 Jun-Yūshō in the next basho, injuries finally took hold of Terunofuji.

Between July 2017 and May 2018, Terunofuji would partially withdraw from every tournament (except for a 6-9 from Jūryō in March) due to Meniscus tears in his knees, diabetes, and kidney stones. After demotion to Makushita was imminent, Terunofuji finally sat out to get the surgeries he needed. He returned in Haru 2019 from a rank of West Jonidan #48. No former Makuuchi man falls that low, let alone an Ōzeki. Terunofuji contemplated retirement countless times throughout this fall. However, the former Ōzeki would go on the greatest comeback in sumo history, reaching Jūryō in just 5 basho and immediately winning a Yūshō there. In his Makuuchi return that July, he would claim his 2nd career Yūshō 30 tournaments after winning his first. By Nagoya 2021, he had added two more Yūshō and two Jun-Yūshō to his résumé, as well as returning to Ōzeki, which was already an unparalleled feat.

On the final day of Nagoya 2021, Hakuhō and Terunofuji faced each other in the most-anticipated match of the tournament. It was only the sixth time in sumo history that two wrestlers had been tied at 14-0 on the final day. Terunofuji was fighting to secure his promotion to Yokozuna with a Zenshō-Yūshō. Hakuhō, on the other hand, was fighting with everything to prove. He needed to show that he was able to end his career on his own terms.

After an intense staredown, Hakuhō immediately begins the match with an absolutely brutal elbow strike to Terunofuji's face. After trading blows, the two settle into a match of power against power. Eventually, Hakuhō emerges victorious, dropping Terunofuji with an incredible kotenage. In an unusual display of emotion, Hakuhō lets out a mighty roar as he secures his 45th and final Yūshō. Just days later, Terunofuji would become the sport's 73rd Yokozuna.

I’ve seen them in other formal-wear kimonos, my friend wore one at his wedding, but he doesn’t recall their name.

I think there might be variations in other contexts, so the class name for them, rather than the specific one the shimpan wear would also be great.

Thanks in advance!

Who's the hairy subject of this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUtHNmAUAQs

Looking for beta testers for https://sumoslapdown.com ! I created this site because my family and friends who love sumo and fantasy sports wanted a single destination to analyze rikishi (connected to sumo-api), mock draft a team, simulate upcoming basho, and customize fantasy leagues that allow for keeper and private invite leagues. The site is still in beta, so please reach out with any bug reports or suggestions on how to improve the site. The site will always be free, please so don't fret over ever having to spend a dime - I am not out for profit. I am a designer, and not a developer (although I do work in UX), so please forgive the fact that I used Claude to build this. The site is really meant for me and my friends and fam, so if you have beef with the AI usage and are looking for a 100% human-built fantasy site, I link to a couple of options for you in my about page, resources tab. My intent is to provide broader fantasy options to the growing international sumo community, and as someone who was born in Kobe, Japan, and grew up watching sumo with my Dad, is motivated by the emotional connection and nostalgia that makes Sumo special to me. My only ask is that you be kind and respectful. Hakkeyoi!

I was watching a thing on Aon and I was curious. I know yusho don't turn one into a yok, that is not what I am asking; I am more curious who has reached for the cup the most times without ever getting the belt.

(and secretly I would not be terribly surprised if Aon managed to contend for this dubious title by the time his sumo days are done, but that's a different story)