My Introduction to Sumo

My introduction to sumo was twofold. When I was a kid in Honolulu, the Japanese superhero shows were super popular. Before the show started, if it was basho time, there would be sumo highlights. I wasn't interested but I had a glimmer of what it was about from KIKU TV, channel 13. Then in 1990, I left America to work in Japan. My homestay family helped me find a job. My flatmate introduced me to foreign friends, that circle of friends grew and I meet an American on a 1-year assignment, Andy. Andy was a sports freak, he wanted to see every sport live. He asked me about sumo. I had no clue. We started getting in line for tickets and kept failing. Finally, we got in line before the JR trains started running, and landed last row tickets. That first time sealed it, I was hooked. The atmosphere of a basho, the bouts, the people meeting and people watching. It turns out my neighborhood in Koto-Ku was near many stables. So we would write a letter, asking if we could visit morning practice. A couple of times we got a reply. It was a blast. Later on, I had lady friends who dated junior sumo wrestlers from Hawaii. That got me into the inner circle, all the Hawaiian wrestlers called me Kawika and I started to hang out with the lower-ranked Hawaiian wrestlers. That got me the opportunity to show Konishiki how to use the laptop he got for his birthday. I also went to Akihabara with Akebono's tsubeito and brought his first laptop. Later I took Yamato and his tsubeito to Akihabara to buy his first laptop. I was lucky to have been from Hawaii. I was lucky to have lived in Koto-ku. I was lucky that I had friends that wanted to go to sumo and would wait in line with me from 4:45 am to get tickets. As time went by, I would organize groups of 10-20 or more to see sumo. I learned to buy from the box office, if you buy more than 20 you get a discount, after filling out some paperwork, which I couldn't really read 100%, but they helped me fill out anyway. I was able to watch sumo practice at Musashigawa beya, and with his manager's help, get box seat tickets. I have attended the big stable party on senshuraku. Sumo is a big part of my life. Not to mention, in the late 90s, I decided that I could do the play-by-play on the foreign channel of NHK for sumo. I approached the writers of Sumo World for an introduction. I get one, but I became a columnist for Sumo World. I have a regular column that reviews the newly promote or returning rikishiki to sekitori. So that is a summary of my introduction to sumo. Please reach out to me with any feedback or questions. Mahalo, Kawika

Behind the Curtain - July 2021

 Good news!  The July basho will be held in Nagoya.  The rijicho said "We will hold the Nagoya basho and it will be a success. We will make sure that the sumo culture will not be forgotten around the country." It will be the first time in a year and four months that a local basho will be held. It was held in March 2020 in Osaka but with no spectators. It will be the first local basho with fans since November 2019. The number of spectators will be limited to 3800, half the capacity in Nagoya. "All Kyokai members will undergo PCR tests and only negative people will be allowed to travel to Nagoya. Stringent measures similar to the Kokugikan will be taken at the venue to prevent infection. As a general rule, going out from the lodgings will be strictly forbidden, " summed Hakkaku rijicho.

What does this mean?  The lucky rikishi stepping from behind the curtain will step on the Nagoya dohyo and not the dohyo in Kokugikan.  Who are these lucky rikishi?  We have one new face entering Juryo and 3 returnees to sekitori.

Kotoukuzan (ms 1e) racked up a 5 - 2 record to move upwards.  Koto is interesting since he from the Philippines.  His name is Jasper Kenneth.  His mother is Catherine and his father is Japanese.  His father was the one who encouraged Jasper to join sumo.  He lived in the Philippines until he was 12 years old.  He entered sumo at 15 years old.  He debuted in makushita at 20 years old.  He is a pusher-thruster who models himself after Mitakeumi and Chiyotaikai.  Interestingly his least favorite class in school was Japanese.  Also, his least favorite food is natto.  Thanks to his mom, who sometimes brings Filipino food to the heya, so he is not homesick for Filpino food.   

Abi (ms 7e ) scored 7 - 0 to take the makushita yusho and thereby putting on the silk mawashi back on.  Abi was stuck behind the curtain for 4 basho since his demotion.  You may recall that a year ago, Abi stepped out for a night out during the last basho, when there are strict orders not to do so, particularly with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.   This lead to his suspension, which ended with a demotion to makushita.

Yago (ms 4w) managed a 4 - 3 to step out from the curtain after wearing a cotton mawashi for the last 2 basho.  Yago was a college sumo champion who entered sumo at makushita tsukedashi 15.  He hails from Hokkaido.

Kaishou (ms 2w) notched a 6 - 1 to get his silk mawashi back after 18 months.

Behind the Curtain - May 2021

 The cherry blossom season is behind us, Golden Week has arrived and it is time for sumo at Kokugikan. Joining the rikishi with silk mawashi are two returnees for this basho, Oho Konosuke and Daishoho Kiyohiro are in the paid ranks once again.

Oho (Ms2e) posted a 4-3 record to secure his return to Juryo. Taihō's grandson continues to show us that he has sekitori DNA in his body. Oho won his 4 bouts primarily via his tsuki/oshi technique, which is pushing and thrusting. In general, Oho most common winning technique or kimarite is oshidashi, known as straightforward push out. His father, Takatoriki, was also a big oshidashi fighter.

The last time he was promoted to the paid ranks, his Oyakata changed his shikona from Naya to Oho (王鵬) which means King Peng (phoenix). 

Oho is the third of four sons and his father was the sekitori Takatoriki. And of course, his mother is the 48th yokozuna Taiho’s daughter. In his fourth year at Arima Elementary School, he was the runner-up in the national tournament.

Oho attended Saitama Sakae High School that has a strong sumo program. One of his classmates with the future Kotoshoho. In Oho’s third year at high school, he won both the group and individual championships on the national level. After high school, he joined Otake stable, which was founded by his grandfather. 

Fun fact. Oho is also the second third-generation sumo wrestler after Kotonowaka to become a sekitori.

Daishōhō (Ms2w) notched 5 wins and 2 losses to punch his return ticket to the paid ranks. Now where Oho is a pusher, Daishōhō is a traditional grappler, with his main technique yotsu sumo. Over his career, he has won mostly via tori-kiri or force out. He is also a right hand grip the mawashi kind of guy, migh-yotsu.

Daishōhō spent his childhood in Ulan-Bator and was a good student. He was sent to Japan to study after his fourth-grade year seeking a better education. He attended Kashiwa City Daini Elementary School and after 3 months he was able to speak basic Japanese.

Daishōhō attended Chiba Prefectural Nagareyama Minami High School. One of his classmates with future makuuchi wrestler Abi. In the New Year Chiba Prefecture sumo tournament, Daishōhō led his school to a team championship for the first time in 19 years. The next year the in the national competition he lost to sekiwake Ichinojo . Daishōhō would train with the Meiji University sumo club. Daishōhō graduated at the top of his class academically. It was in high school where he was introduced to Oitekaze Oyakata. Eventually, Daishōhō joined Oitekaze stable.

Fun fact. Daishōhō was the 25th Mongolian to be promoted to makuuchi.