
Sumo: Veteran Takayasu in form ahead of Nagoya meet
The 35-year-old won a total of 10 straight bouts against Kirishima, Hiradoumi and Sadanoumi while losing two close matches to yokozuna Hoshoryu during his training visit to the Sakaigawa stable's base in Fuso, Aichi Prefecture.
"You look full of energy," a surprised stablemaster Sakaigawa told Takayasu.
Takayasu has stayed at the fourth-highest rank of komusubi despite struggling to a 6-9 win-loss record at the previous tournament in May.
"I feel lucky and thankful," said Takayasu, who belongs to the Tagonoura stable. "I moved well and felt strong at the get-go today."
The day's training session was also attended by the ancient sport's another grand champion Onosato.
Onosato will make his yokozuna debut at the fourth tournament of the year beginning Sunday at Nagoya's new IG Arena.

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Kyodo News
42 minutes 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.


Kyodo News
16 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Sumo: Wrestlers draw large crowd as regional tour visits Osaka expo
OSAKA - Some 4,000 spectators from home and abroad gathered to watch the Japan Sumo Association's regional summer tour make its first stop at the World Exposition in Osaka on Sunday. Yokozuna Onosato's ring-entering ritual and bouts between wrestlers were on display at the venue as well as a shokkiri show, which comically demonstrates prohibited moves in the ancient sport. "It's great to have many people from around the world getting to know sumo," said grand champion Onosato, who received the loudest cheer and was quickly surrounded by the crowd after stepping outside to pose for commemorative photos. Many also congratulated rank-and-file maegashira Kotoshoho after he won the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July. "I'm grateful people are counting on me," he said. Osaka-born stablemaster Takekuma was happy to see the event proving a big success after playing a big part behind the scenes. "It will be memorable for the wrestlers and I also hope it serves as a catalyst for people from overseas to get interested (in sumo)," the former ozeki Goeido said. The regional tour will run through the end of this month with the wrestlers visiting as far as Hokkaido.


The Mainichi
2 days ago
- The Mainichi
Sumo: Hoshoryu being treated for fractured, dislocated big toe
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Grand champion Hoshoryu has a fractured and dislocated left big toe, the Japan Sumo Association said Friday in announcing the diagnoses of wrestlers who will miss the summer regional tour beginning this weekend. When the Mongolian-born yokozuna withdrew from the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on its fifth day, July 17, his medical certificate stated that he "had a sprained MTP joint in his left first toe and a bone contusion in his left first metatarsal, requiring one month of rest and treatment." Hoshoryu, a two-time champion in the elite makuuchi division, aggravated an injury he had sustained before the tournament when he took on Ukrainian grappler Aonishiki on the third day, according to his stablemaster Tatsunami. The regional tour starts Sunday. The Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament is scheduled to begin on Sept. 14 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.