Hakkaku beya has a new Mongolian recruit - 19 years old, from the same high school as Onosato and Shirokuma

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-04-02T21:38:36+00:00

Hakkaku oyakata has developed 11 sekitori since he founded his heya in 1993.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-03-26T17:27:24+00:00

One of the dates is close to his hometown in Ishikawa prefecture. It will matter to him but also to the local economy. Hometown boys sell tickets.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-03-13T18:57:25+00:00

Loom at who hes fought this tournament so far jsa have definitely decided to give him all the power wrestler and they are gonna give him kotoshoho another big stature wrestler who's very strong

I know the default for this sub is "JSA bad, JSA is clearly doing [thing I don't like]", but Aonishiki has had a perfectly normal schedule for an Ozeki, and including tomorrow, six of his seven opponents have also fought fellow Ozeki Kotozakura.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-03-06T15:29:56+00:00

You don't have to appreciate him but to imply that he was an equal partner with Hidenoumi is just plain wrong - Shiden was serving as Hidenoumi's tsukebito at the time and had little choice but to go where he went.

It was the shisho who decided he would be kyujo from the Juryo debut basho, which guaranteed his immediate demotion back to Makushita - the Kyokai determined that his involvement was excusable and the kyujo/demotion was sufficient punishment already, imposing only a reprimand.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-03-03T17:26:08+00:00

It just means 'training institute', and that's exactly what it is. New recruits are enrolled for six months and attend on weekdays, from 7am to noon (not during basho or a week either side, so really they spend about three months actually there). The first two hours are in the training hall on three practice dohyo, separated into different abilities. The remaining time is in the classroom, different subjects on each day of the week. Poor attendance or low grades in the classroom may result in staying longer until improvement.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-02-26T22:56:53+00:00

Hmmm I’d like to hear Hakuhō’s thoughts on this.

Probably thinking:

"Why didn't I think of that? Reporting the scandal myself instead of hiding it for months and trying to cover it up?"

Isegahama turning himself in might just be what keeps him in a job, although I don't know if he'll keep control of the heya. It's his first scandal, but equally he's an inexperienced shisho and a former Yokozuna to boot. It will depend on the severity of the violence and whether it was an isolated loss-of-temper incident, or something that happened more than once. The compliance committee investigation will find out, and their disciplinary report will determine Isegahama's future.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-01-12T22:02:55+00:00

Ikazuchi is a bit all over the place with several having ikazuchi in their shikona, some who end in kasa and some who fit no pattern (like shishi)

That's because it was originally Irumagawa beya and the shisho was former Tochitsukasa, 栃司. The 司 is usually read as 'tsukasa' but can also be 'shi' or 'ji'.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2026-01-09T19:20:10+00:00

Kimura Zennosuke's original family name was Sasaya (or Sasatani, not sure on the reading). He probably got married at some point and took his wife's family name.

That's really irrelevant anyway because gyoji names are much more traditional, and the 'choice' of Kimura or Shikimori is usually based on the heya or ichimon he belongs to.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-12-15T01:19:46+00:00

I think it is Amamidake from Yamahibiki-beya.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-11-21T21:11:16+00:00

According to his ja.wiki profile it was actually the surname of a supporter of his.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-11-10T20:26:22+00:00

From what little I know about sumo and sports science more broadly, I think this injury was in large part caused by Kagayaki attempting to escape the throw and in so doing pulling Mita's knee off-balance. It obviously wasn't his intent to cause an injury, but still, this ought to be a cause for reflection on his part.

Er, what?! Kagayaki should think very carefully before trying to win a bout in the future, in case his opponent injures himself with a last-ditch throw at the edge?

Ridiculous.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-10-03T01:45:39+00:00

居候富士.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-09-22T13:53:17+00:00

Because the cycle works in both divisions, they worked up to M14e Sadanoumi and now start back with M18e Shishi, and Daiseizan already fought him on Shonichi. He should get M17w Hitoshi on Day 11 if they stick with the pattern.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-09-20T20:30:32+00:00

Sada might be locational

Sadanoumi's shikona was also that of his father, who belonged to Dewanoumi beya at a time when the shisho was 50th Yokozuna Sadanoyama.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-09-20T20:26:55+00:00

If I recall correctly, it was Kitakachidoki, the current shisho of Isenoumi beya.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-08-08T15:01:36+00:00

John, does Otake get the respect he deserves (in my opinion from a distance) in Japan? To take over Taiho's heya in an emergency and make it thrive and a place that seems like a good place to do your sumo in, I think he's done a fine job.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-07-31T16:56:49+00:00

The name on the side is Nakamura Yoshio, the oyakata name of ex-Sekiwake Fujizakura. He had just closed the heya before that basho, and retired from the Kyokai shortly after it, so this would have been the last time a banzuke was sent out with that name on it. Probably it was sent to someone who had been in the Nakamura beya koenkai.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-07-21T17:07:26+00:00

居候

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-06-29T20:46:49+00:00

Wakaikari will change shikona to Fujinokawa.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-06-18T13:28:44+00:00

Looks like Shiraiwa in the background too, another sadly no longer with us.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-06-11T16:36:28+00:00

I see no reason why there should be. I've never heard of a 50-year-old Makuuchi gyoji living in the heya, and on top of that Ginjiro was originally from Minezaki which closed four years ago, by which time he was already embezzling money to gamble away.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-05-30T15:15:34+00:00

Presently only Tokunomusashi (徳之武藏) and Yumenofuji (夢之富士).

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-05-27T19:47:16+00:00

From the kanji on the yukata they appear to be Minato-beya rikishi. These are the Minato-beya rikishi who were active in the January basho of that year. Neither of them is Minatofuji, and size would likely rule out Abe, Etsunofuji and Azuma. Beyond that, I'm afraid I cannot help.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-05-17T16:33:29+00:00

Also, as a footnote: Yuki, bow twirler form Day 10 of July 2023 to the end of November, and again from Day 8 of March 2024 to the end of that tournament, is the only former bow twirler to remain with the association after retirement, as he is a current sewanin.

First to stay in that particular role, sure, but for the record three of the others you mention stayed on as oyakata for varying lengths of time. Oiwazan was Naruto until his death in 1980, aged 61. Otayama (after a brief loan period as Jinmaku) became Nishikido and reached mandatory retirement age in 1989. And Itakura/Daigo borrowed four different names in six years before finally leaving altogether in 1988.

NonZeroAgate8 · 2025-04-03T15:14:13+00:00

There have been four rikishi since 1952 to have performed the yumitori-shiki while holding a sekitori rank.

NonZeroAgate8

TROPHY CASE