Sumo: Ichiyamamoto falls into share of lead, Onosato stays in hunt
Grand champion Onosato, the lone yokozuna at Nagoya's new IG Arena after Hoshoryu's injury withdrawal, managed to beat Mongolian-born sekiwake Kirishima, leaving the two at 8-3 after Day 11 of the 15-day tournament.
Onosato is bidding to win his yokozuna debut tournament after winning the previous two meets in March and May to raise his career top-division title count to four.
No. 8 maegashira Ichiyamamoto is now tied for the lead with rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki, Kusano and Kotoshoho, fellow maegashira wrestlers who are ranked first, 14th and 15th.
Former ozeki Takayasu (8-3) executed an underarm throw to win his hard-fought battle against Ichiyamamoto, a 31-year-old who is looking for his first championship in the elite makuuchi division.
"Without giving up, I've been trying to improve my sumo, so I'm glad to have secured a winning record," Takayasu said. "I wanted to take the initiative (against Ichiyamamoto). He was tough and made me work hard for the win."
Aonishiki continued his impressive run with a force-out victory over No. 2 maegashira Abi (6-5).
Trailing behind at 8-3 are Onosato, Kirishima, Takayasu, No. 4 maegashira Tamawashi, No. 10 maegashira Atamifuji and No. 16 maegashira Mitakeumi.
Struggling ozeki Kotozakura (6-5) picked up an important victory in his attempt to secure at least a winning record of 8-7, defeating 40-year-old iron man Tamawashi.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
12 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
IG Arena opens with promise to make Nagoya a must-visit city
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Japan is making a major push to construct new multipurpose arenas outside Tokyo and Osaka, with IG Arena in Nagoya -- Japan's third largest metropolis -- the latest high-tech addition. Designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the oval-shaped hybrid indoor arena opened in the Aichi Prefecture capital on July 13. It hosted the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament as its inaugural event. With a maximum capacity of 17,000 people, it is among the largest indoor venues in Japan. Local businesses hope the arena can combat the "bypass Nagoya" phenomenon in which popular touring events skip the city and the broader Chukyo area in central Japan. At the May 31 ceremony commemorating the arena's completion, Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura stressed that the new venue "will bolster the future" of the prefecture. The main arena has an area of 4,600 square meters and 15,000 seats. The bowl design gives spectators an immersive viewing experience, and it also features a giant eight-sided, center-hanging jumbo screen, visible from every seat in the venue. With a ceiling of roughly 30 meters, one of the highest in the world, the arena can host concerts that feature enormous stage installations. NTT Docomo Inc. is a major shareholder in Aichi International Arena Co., which manages IG Arena. The telecommunications company provides the new facility with technologies such as the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network that will enable performances to be broadcast to people watching in remote locations. Major events have already been scheduled at the arena, including a performance by British musician Sting in September and figure skating's Grand Prix Final in December. Construction of more arena projects under the "Sports Open Innovation" initiative of the Japan Sports Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is ongoing. The authorities aim to promote economic growth via sport. As of January, the agency reported that 45 construction and renovation projects were under way. Major information technology company DeNA Co. and railway operator Keikyu Corp. are building an entertainment complex featuring a 15,000-seat arena in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. The complex is set to open in 2030. The B-League, Japan's top professional basketball league, has set requirements for teams to join its new "Premiere" top division, to be launched in 2026. The league mandates that teams must have a home arena with a seating capacity of at least 5,000, driving the current boom in construction. In this competitive environment, facilities must differentiate themselves to thrive. IG Arena should not serve as a "mere venue," but rather have a unique selling point: "If it's this event, IG Arena is the place to hold it," said Eiji Ito, a professor at Chukyo University's School of Health and Sport Sciences. Nagoya already has the Vantelin Dome Nagoya, which has a maximum capacity of 50,000 and is primarily used as the Chunichi Dragons baseball team's home stadium. Opened in 1997 as Nagoya Dome, it has also hosted large music concerts. The absence of a 10,000 to 20,000-seat multipurpose arena has led event organizers to avoid Nagoya in the past. Anschutz Entertainment Group, an American multinational entertainment company in a naming rights partnership with Aichi International Arena, is expected to facilitate the hosting of international sports events and performances by overseas artists at IG Arena. "We will host events unique to Nagoya and draw people into the city," said Hisato Hiroshi, president and chief executive of Aichi International Arena. (By Eri Shinagawa)
Yomiuri Shimbun
20 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Sumo Scene / ‘Gomenfuda' Signage Stand as Remnant of Edo Sumo Tournaments Fundraising for Shrines, Temples
The present-day grand sumo tournament originated from 'kanjin zumo,' — events held to raise funds for temples or shrines during the Edo period (1603-1867) — and many customs remain that are closely tied to ones from those bygone days. As fans enter the grounds of the venue for a tournament, they may notice a large, vertical sign with the words 'gomen komuru' written in the large font specific to sumo. This is called a 'gomen-fuda,' which long ago was a sort of legal permit for the tournament. During the Edo period, when sumo matches were held to raise funds to construct a shrine or temple building, official authorization from the magistrate of shrines and temples was required. The sign was erected as proof of permission, and, it is said, to serve to widely announce the holding of the sumo tournament in town. The phrase 'gomen komuru' means permission granted by the shogunate. The present-day gomen-fuda continues that tradition, with the signs placed outside each venue several weeks before the start of a tournament. The name of the event organizer, in this case the Japan Sumo Association, is written in large characters below the tournament schedule and the venue name. On the day the placard is erected, the association hosts an event called a 'gomen-iwai' (permission celebration), to which concerned parties are invited and a banquet is held as an appeal for the successful holding of the tournament. This can be regarded as one of the charming old traditions of the sumo world. At IG Arena in Nagoya, which began a new history as the venue for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, a gomen-fuda was erected near the entrance and remained in place until the final day of the tourney. Up to last year, when the tournament was held at Aichi Prefectural Gym, the gomen-fuda was erected near the east gate of Nagoya Castle. The sign blended in well against the castle's stone walls. With the change of venue, however, the look changed completely. The coexistence of a cultural tradition that has survived since the Edo period and the huge arena that boasts cutting-edge amenities offered a refreshing contrast. This month, a gomen-fuda will be erected in front of Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan in preparation for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in September. Seeing the gomen-fuda blend in with the Ryogoku neighborhood, certainly many people sense the change in seasons, reminded that the grand tournament is due to start soon. I hope that such positive traditions continue to be treasured. — Kamimura is a sumo expert.
Kyodo News
3 days ago
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: IG Arena opens with promise to make Nagoya a must-visit city
NAGOYA - Japan is making a major push to construct new multipurpose arenas outside Tokyo and Osaka, with IG Arena in Nagoya -- Japan's third largest metropolis -- the latest high-tech addition. Designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the oval-shaped hybrid indoor arena opened in the Aichi Prefecture capital on July 13. It hosted the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament as its inaugural event. With a maximum capacity of 17,000 people, it is among the largest indoor venues in Japan. Local businesses hope the arena can combat the "bypass Nagoya" phenomenon in which popular touring events skip the city and the broader Chukyo area in central Japan. At the May 31 ceremony commemorating the arena's completion, Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura stressed that the new venue "will bolster the future" of the prefecture. The main arena has an area of 4,600 square meters and 15,000 seats. The bowl design gives spectators an immersive viewing experience, and it also features a giant eight-sided, center-hanging jumbo screen, visible from every seat in the venue. With a ceiling of roughly 30 meters, one of the highest in the world, the arena can host concerts that feature enormous stage installations. NTT Docomo Inc. is a major shareholder in Aichi International Arena Co., which manages IG Arena. The telecommunications company provides the new facility with technologies such as the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network that will enable performances to be broadcast to people watching in remote locations. Major events have already been scheduled at the arena, including a performance by British musician Sting in September and figure skating's Grand Prix Final in December. Construction of more arena projects under the "Sports Open Innovation" initiative of the Japan Sports Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is ongoing. The authorities aim to promote economic growth via sport. As of January, the agency reported that 45 construction and renovation projects were under way. Major information technology company DeNA Co. and railway operator Keikyu Corp. are building an entertainment complex featuring a 15,000-seat arena in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. The complex is set to open in 2030. The B-League, Japan's top professional basketball league, has set requirements for teams to join its new "Premiere" top division, to be launched in 2026. The league mandates that teams must have a home arena with a seating capacity of at least 5,000, driving the current boom in construction. In this competitive environment, facilities must differentiate themselves to thrive. IG Arena should not serve as a "mere venue," but rather have a unique selling point: "If it's this event, IG Arena is the place to hold it," said Eiji Ito, a professor at Chukyo University's School of Health and Sport Sciences. Nagoya already has the Vantelin Dome Nagoya, which has a maximum capacity of 50,000 and is primarily used as the Chunichi Dragons baseball team's home stadium. Opened in 1997 as Nagoya Dome, it has also hosted large music concerts. The absence of a 10,000 to 20,000-seat multipurpose arena has led event organizers to avoid Nagoya in the past. Anschutz Entertainment Group, an American multinational entertainment company in a naming rights partnership with Aichi International Arena, is expected to facilitate the hosting of international sports events and performances by overseas artists at IG Arena. "We will host events unique to Nagoya and draw people into the city," said Hisato Hiroshi, president and chief executive of Aichi International Arena.
