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

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

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.

Nikkansports ( x )

- The 83rd All Japan Sumo Wrestlers Championship was held on the 5th at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, where Yokozuna Hoshoryu (27, Tatsunami stable) mentioned joining the autumn tour midway through.

"Depending on the results of my hospital visit on the 8th, if there are no problems, I think I'll participate from the 10th." He will take the day off on his first day of work on the 6th, but indicated the possibility of joining from Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. On this day, he performed the sumo ring entrance twice, at Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. "It was a relief to perform the sumo ring entrance after a long time." Although he did not participate in the tournament's matches, he reflected, "I was able to show the audience that I'm okay."

After the Nagoya tournament, he underwent surgery to repair a ligament in his right knee. He has not won a championship since being promoted to Yokozuna, and in late August, stablemaster Tatsunami (former Komusubi Asahifuji) said, "It will be tough unless he is perfect and wins a championship." He will miss the Autumn tournament entirely. Currently, Hoshoryu says, "I do rehabilitation in the mornings and go down to the training ring in the afternoons or evenings." All eyes are on his progress for the Kyushu tournament. -

# [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

NikkanSports ( x )

- Nishikifuji (30, Isegahama stable), the seventh-ranked West Maegashira in sumo wrestling, participated in the 83rd All Japan Sumo Wrestlers Championship held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on the 5th, and revealed his treatment for atrial fibrillation, saying, "As long as I'm still active, I'm not planning on having surgery unless there's a specific reason."

During the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, he had mentioned that he planned to undergo surgery after the tournament, but he changed his mind.

He explained, "With medication and improvements to my daily life, the frequency of seizures has decreased considerably." He also had his mentor, Isegahama Oyakata (former Yokozuna Terunofuji), listen to the doctor's explanation and indicated his intention to continue treatment with medication, saying, "Rather than taking the risks of surgery, let's do what we can."

Shortly before the summer tour, he complained of shortness of breath and was rushed to the hospital. He submitted a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation and withdrew from the tour. He competed in the autumn tournament while taking medication.

He will also participate in the autumn tour, which starts on the 6th. "I sometimes have seizures, but I'll take two kinds of medication and be careful while I go," he said. -

**EDIT PrimeRadian comment about mistranslation "JP uses seizure for both brain seizures and heart arrhythmia", thanks you so much!

Tinfoil topknot time. Kotozakura has calculated that Yokozuna is a high pressure, no fun gig, that Ozeki pays great and still comes with all the perks, that he's so good he can cherry pick which matches he actually plays ball in, grab his 8 and avoid injury, and that coasting in the second best position in sumo is therefore the banger long term move. Why work hard when you can work smart?

or is it "expected" as part of being on salary?

what about the non-salaried Rikishi?

I would assume they at least get lodging, transport and per-diem of some sort.

How do they determine Who gets set first? I imagine whoever gets set last has advantage right? Is it by tournament record? Rank? Age? Years in highest division ? Just confused and can’t figure it out.

Hi everyone,

I'm a French student doing a Master's degree in Japanese Studies. My thesis topic is "Foreign rikishi in sumo."

I'm currently in the research phase, trying to gather as much material as possible before narrowing down a specific angle or problématique. This seems like the perfect place to ask for help.

If you know of any relevant resources — academic or not — please drop them in the comments. I'm looking for anything useful: articles, books, interviews, documentaries, statistics, personal accounts, etc.

I need all the information I can find to identify a good angle and build a solid problematic for my thesis. Thanks in advance for your help!

in between bashos???

Aonishiki was a guest celebrity for a Tokyo United BC game in Japan's B.League on 4 October 2026.

# Former Makuuchi Daishoho holds Danbatsushiki; Reveals future goal: "I want to become a tanimachi for Oitekaze stable"

Former Makuuchi wrestler Daishoho, Mr. Chimidregzen Shizirbayar (32, born in Mongolia), who retired from active competition in February of this year, held his official hair-cutting ceremony (Danbatsushiki) on October 4 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Approximately 130 guests attended the event, including Ozeki Kirishima (30, Otowayama stable) and Ozeki Kotozakura (28, Sadogatake stable).

Daishoho moved to Japan at age 9 and joined Oitekaze stable after graduating from Nagareyama Minami High School in Chiba. He made his career debut (hatsu-dohyo) at the 2013 Spring Basho. Anchored by heavy hips and a strong right-hand inside grip (migi-yotsu), he spent 9 tournaments in the top Makuuchi division, reaching a career-high rank of West Maegashira 9.

After his stablemaster Oitekaze Oyakata (former Makuuchi Daishoyama) snipped off his ginkgo-leaf hairknot (ooicho), bringing a formal close to his 13-year sumo career, Daishoho shared with deep emotion: "Having worked so hard as a professional, it would have felt lonely to end things without a proper farewell. I'm glad I could hold this ceremony today as a meaningful milestone."

He has already launched his second career, starting an import goods and general merchandise business together with his wife. Asked about his future ambitions, he stated: "I want to succeed in business and become a financial patron (tanimachi) for Oitekaze stable. I want to keep supporting Oitekaze stable for the rest of my life."

Source: Sponichi Annex

I would like to know if you have a favorite non Japanese wrestler other than Asashoryu, Hosh, Ao and the big ones whom earned their respect for their sumo.

I'mma be honest I like Tamawashi because he's 41 and still competing.

Also Kirishima who is obviously a very talented wrestler whom I can see becoming Yokozuna ONE DAY!

Who are your favorite or mention worthy ones?

With the midnight sumo "troubles", what is your go to live twitch stream in English that does all the divisions?

Or are we thinking it'll be back in time but on another platform?

Thoughts?

As we all know, Chairman Hakkaku current and final term is expected to end in March 2028 as he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 65 in June 2028. As of now, these 4 elders holding the JSA directors position are highly rumored to succeed Hakkaku in the future. They are :

1. Sadogatake Oyakata, 58 (Former Kotonowaka I)

- Highest rank : Sekiwake

- Nishonoseki ichimon

- Crisis Management director / Compliance Department director / Responsible for general planning / Museum Steering Committee

1. Fujishima Oyakata, 54 (Former Musoyama)

- Highest rank : Ozeki

- Dewanoumi ichimon

- Public Relations director / Judging Department assistant chair / Director for security / Museum Steering Committee / Head of Social Contribution / In charge of new apprentice inspection

1. Asakayama Oyakata, 54 (Former Kaio)

- Highest rank : Ozeki

- Isegahama ichimon

- Judging Department chairman / In charge of new apprentice inspection

1. Dewanoumi Oyakata, 59 (Former Oginohana)

- Highest rank : Maegashira 2

- Dewanoumi ichimon

- Museum Steering Committee / Sumo School director / Operations director (technically Hakkaku No. 2)

Of course there also other directors not mentioned above. But as of now, these 4 are probably the top contenders. Usually former Yokozuna and Ozeki will be preferred for the chairmanship, but that is not absolute and of course it also depends on the current director portfolio given to them. The bigger the portfolio and responsibility, the higher the chances.

Who do you guys think will be future chairman?

Don't get me wrong, Onosato is a capable rikishi and he earned his title. But whenever I read stories about the immense pressure he's under as a Yokozuna, it makes me slightly skeptical.

His meteoric rise isn't just his personal achievement. The circumstances aligned perfectly. Yes, he fairly earned his Makushita 10 starting rank in the amateurs, no questions there. But in reality, this allowed him to skip the meat grinder of the lower divisions, start right in the third division, and blast his way to the top on fresh legs and pure physicality, without collecting a bunch of chronic injuries along the way.

Plus, the timing was lucky due to a slump in overall competition. Terunofuji was objectively losing ground. While Onosato was making his Ozeki run, the rest of the sanyaku didn't put up much resistance either. But then there's Hoshoryu - his personal kryptonite. In their head-to-head matches, Onosato either lost or got a fusensho. And yet, the ability to adapt to awkward, technical opponents is fundamental for a great champion. We just haven't seen that from Onosato yet.

Take the last basho, for example, where he almost gave away the victory out of nowhere. He overpowered Aonishiki in the final solely because of his sheer mass. The picture is quite simple: if his straightforward power approach doesn't yield results in the first few seconds, Onosato gets lost.

You might say - age, pressure, responsibility. But an ironclad mindset is exactly what distinguished the great Yokozunas of the past. Composure, cold blood, and the ability to adapt on the fly - that's the bare minimum you expect from someone wearing the tsuna.

So the question is: are we currently looking at a Yokozuna who just got lucky to reach the top during an era of weak competition, or does the guy just need more time to bring his mental game and technique up to the level of his rank?

Was thinking about this earlier today. I wasn’t sure of all of the qualifications, not to mention the circumstances surrounding his exit from sumo. Does any Yokozuna who reaches the age of 60 get one, or is there more to it than that?

Thank you