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Tokyo Weekender
5 days ago
- Sport
- Tokyo Weekender
Introducing Onosato: Japan's Record-Breaking Yokozuna Grand Champion
Onosato was promoted to the highest rank of yokozuna on Wednesday following his Summer Grand Sumo Tournament triumph. The 24-year-old Ishikawa Prefecture native achieved the feat after just 13 professional tournaments, making him the fastest to attain the exalted rank in the modern era. The previous record was held by fellow Ishikawa Prefecture native Wajima, who secured promotion after his 21st meet in 1973. Onosato, whose birth name is Daiki Nakamura, is the first Japanese-born sumo wrestler to become grand champion since 2017. List of Contents: A New Era in Sumo The Rise of Onosato Related Posts A New Era in Sumo The only other Japanese-born competitor promoted to the top rank of the sport this century was his stablemaster Nishonoseki, who wrestled as Kisenosato. He retired in 2019. Since Asashoryu's ascent to the highest rank 22 years ago, sumo has been dominated by Mongolian wrestlers, with six of the last eight yokozuna hailing from the world's second-largest landlocked country. The rise of Onosato, though, could mark a new era in the sport. A remarkable talent, he is the first wrestler to turn yokozuna without a single losing record. 'I'll devote myself to training in order not to bring the rank of yokozuna into disrepute, and aim for a one-of-a-kind yokozuna,' said Onosato during his promotion ceremony at his Nishonoseki stable in Ami, Ibaraki Prefecture. Nishonoseki added, 'I hope he leads by example and lifts the entire world of sumo. It's important to be strong, but I hope he becomes a role model for other wrestlers. I hope he wrestles while being aware (of a yokozuna's responsibilities).' The Rise of Onosato Described as 'the most eagerly awaited prospect to come out of collegiate sumo in decades,' Onosato only became a professional in May 2023 after graduating from Nippon Sport Science University. Speaking about the wrestler's potential, his former coach at Niigata's Kaiyo High School said , 'It may be presumptuous to call him the Shohei Otani of sumo, but I have high hopes for him to become a 'monster of a new era.'' So far, he has lived up to the hype. Beginning as a pro in the third-tier makushita division, Onosato won the Emperor's Cup in his seventh tournament, the fastest since the championship system was established more than a century ago. He secured his fourth career championship last Friday with two days to spare in the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. Going into the final day, he had a perfect 14-0 record. Hoshoryu , however, spoiled his bid to finish the tournament undefeated. The Mongolian is, of course, sumo's only other current yokozuna. He was promoted in January. The last two wrestlers promoted to yokozuna in the same year were Hokutoumi and Onokuni in 1987. It's hoped that the sport's latest rivalry will become one for the ages. Hoshoryu currently has the upper hand, with six wins in eight career bouts between the pair. They will meet as yokozuna for the first time at the IG Arena in Nagoya in July. Onosato will be hoping to claim his third successive title this year, while Hoshoryu will be aiming for his third career championship. Related Posts The Greatest Sumo Rivalries of All Time | List of 7 London To Host First Overseas Sumo Tournament in 20 Years A Guide to Sumo in Tokyo
The Mainichi
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Onosato's rapid rise to rank of yokozuna signals new era for sumo in Japan
Onosato, 24, has been promoted to yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo. In terms of speed, it was a record-breaking rise to the pinnacle of the sport, signaling the birth of a star wrestler with both popularity and ability. Hailing from Ishikawa Prefecture, Onosato is the first Japan-born wrestler to become a yokozuna in eight years, following his mentor Kisenosato (now stablemaster Nishonoseki). His promotion to yokozuna after just 13 tournaments since his debut is the fastest since the annual six-tournament system began in 1958, surpassing the 21 tournaments it took the champion Wajima, who was also from Ishikawa Prefecture, by a wide margin. Onosato's promotion also came after just nine tournaments following his entry into sumo's top makuuchi division, outpacing the Showa-era (1926-1989) grand yokozuna Taiho, who achieved the feat after 11 tournaments. In this year's May Grand Sumo Tournament, where his promotion was on the line, Onosato secured his second consecutive tournament victory on the 13th day. His total of four tournament wins is the most among active wrestlers. Onosato stands 192 centimeters tall and weighs 191 kilograms -- hefty even in the world of sumo -- and he wrestles with power from his large physique, coupled with speed at the initial charge. The wrestler's growth on the technical side has also been remarkable. From a young age, he has been diligent in his research of the sport, frequently questioning his coaches, analyzing match videos, and polishing his techniques. He seized the opportunity to ascend to the top of the sumo rankings in his first attempt, also demonstrating the mental strength to withstand the pressure. As his rank has increased, so has his popularity. Onosato is the second yokozuna to come from a student sumo background, following Wajima. During his time at Nippon Sport Science University, he became a student yokozuna and an amateur yokozuna. His achievements were recognized, allowing him to debut in the makushita division, several above the lowest jonokuchi division. The Yokozuna Deliberation Council unanimously recommended his promotion, with members successively expressing hopes that he would make new history in professional sumo. At the ceremony in which messengers from the Japan Sumo Association officially informed Onosato of his promotion, he declared his aim to become a "unique yokozuna." If he continues to work hard, he certainly has the potential to become a grand yokozuna. There was an incident in the past where Onosato received a stern warning from the Japan Sumo Association for drinking with a wrestler under 20. As a yokozuna, he will now be held to strict standards of "dignity." Onosato's success is uplifting those affected by last year's Noto Peninsula earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture. He is also driven by the support from people in his hometown. After the first tournament of the year, Mongolian-born Hoshoryu, 26, was similarly promoted to the rank of yokozuna, and the Nagoya tournament in July will have both an east yokozuna and a west yokozuna for the first time in four years. Amid concerns about a shortage of new wrestlers, it is hoped that they will strive through friendly rivalry to create an Onosato-Hoshoryu era and lead the sumo world.
Japan Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Historic rise to yokozuna just the beginning for Onosato
It's been an historic week for Japan's national sport, with Onosato's rapid rise to yokozuna forcing major revisions to sumo's record books. So head-spinningly fast has the 24-year-old's ascent been that it's hard to know where to even begin when describing the impact. First and foremost, there is a good argument to be made that Onosato is already the most widely decorated wrestler in sumo history. In addition to becoming just the second ever student yokozuna to reach the same rank in professional sumo, after fellow Ishikawa prefecture native Wajima, Onosato is also the first grand champion to have been amateur yokozuna, World Games gold medalist and National Sports Festival champion. Of course most stars of the past turned pro while still in their teens, and weren't part of the collegiate and international amateur circuit that Onosato dominated for years. Even so, the Nippon Sport Science University graduate has achieved far more in just two years as a professional than the vast majority of wrestlers manage over an entire career. With a fourth Emperor's Cup in just nine top division tournaments, the Nishonoseki stable man has reached the top of his chosen sport faster than anyone in modern sumo history. That Onosato has done so without posting a losing record in any tournament to date is simply mind-boggling. Since reaching the paid ranks he has won an incredible 82% of his bouts and reached double digits in 9 of 11 meets. Only 18 months ago Onosato had yet to compete in sumo's top division, yet now he becomes just the 75th man to reach the sport's ultimate rank. Onosato turns 25 on June 7 and is already in a place where it's simply a matter of burnishing his legacy. A first title as a yokozuna, followed by the five more that would put him in rarefied air, and then all that's left is chasing the marks reached by the sumo's greatest legends. Writing so flippantly about five championships – a number that many yokozuna never reached – should feel strange, but so overwhelming has Onosato been to date that it doesn't seem far-fetched. Sumo's newest grand champion isn't invincible as Hoshoryu demonstrated on the May meet's final day. However even that loss was hard-fought, and with the title (and promotion) having been sealed on day 13, a certain lapse in concentration was understandable. Failing to go unbeaten just gives Onosato something else to aim for in the future, and given how things stand in sumo currently it'd be a surprise if he doesn't achieve a perfect 15-0 championship soon. Predictions of greatness have become the norm when it comes to Onosato, but as he prepares to ascend to the sport's highest rank, it's worth pondering just how far he can go. In an activity as violent as sumo, where career-derailing injures are common and rikishi put their bodies on the line every time they step into the ring, success is never guaranteed. However if Onosato can avoid major harm, he should be able to match the achievements of the aforementioned Wajima and perhaps go even further. In addition to the sheer size and power that enables him to blow opponents away with ease, Onosato has gradually reduced his tendency to pull when a first attack stalls, which was his one remaining obvious weakness. With that one habit now almost entirely overcome, the new yokozuna goes into every fight with a significant advantage in physicality, offense and defense, making him incredibly difficult to defeat. While fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu has the ability to beat any opponent – including Onosato – he must work much harder to do so. That's not simply a matter of size. Virtually all great yokozuna have a side to their sumo that gives an almost insurmountable edge. Whether the massive bulk of Akebono, the technical perfection of Takanohana, or the raging intensity of Asashoryu, the sport's greatest exponents have at least one weapon that tips the balance in their favor most of the time. Hoshoryu is getting there in terms of aggressiveness and technique but isn't yet the finished product, while Onosato already has significant and established advantages in both power and offense. That means that while head-to-head bouts could lean toward the Mongolian native for a while, Onosato is far less likely to suffer the same two or three soft losses each tournament that have prevented Hoshoryu from claiming more silverware. With no one else able to consistently hit the same level that Onosato can manage, the 75th yokozuna should steadily add to his trophy cabinet over the next five years. On that timeline, if a conservative estimate is taken with Onosato winning an average of two to three tournaments a year, then the sport's newest grand champion will be more than capable of surpassing Terunofuji, Musashimaru and Wajima by the time he hits 30. The gap from Wajima's 14 Emperor's Cups to Takanohana's 22, though, is a large one with almost all of the most successful yokozuna — Chiyonofuji aside — having started their Emperor's Cup collection at a young age. There is no doubt that Onosato has the ability to write himself into the history books further and find himself described as a "dai-yokozuna" (great yokozuna) by the time he retires, but the most tantalizing part of his rapid rise is that he already shows all the traits needed to go even further and become part of the elite group of names mentioned in discussions about the all-time greats. It's been an historic ascent for Onosato already, but his greatest days may be yet to come.
Yomiuri Shimbun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Sumo Scene / Yasukuni Shrine, Holy Ground for Amateur Sumo Aiming for Greatness at Ryogoku Kokugikan
The Yomiuri Shimbun Yokozuna Hoshoryu performs the ring-entering ceremony at the honozumo tournament in the outdoor ring at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on April 14. The Summer Grand Sumo Tournament is underway at Tokyo's venerable Ryogoku Kokugikan, but are you aware there is another sumo ring in the city considered to be a 'sacred place' in the sport? It is the permanent ring at Yasukuni Shrine in the Kudan district. Located on the shrine's grounds, the ring has a long history dating back to the founding of Yasukuni in the early Meiji era (1867-1912). There are records of 'honozumo' — a ceremonial sumo tournament used to raise funds for shrines — being held there in 1869. In addition, the ring served as the venue for a total of four grand sumo tournaments in 1918 and 1919 after the former Kokugikan arena, located on the grounds of Ekoin temple, was damaged by a fire and rendered unusable. While Yasukuni's ring sits outdoors with only a simple roof, it has left an indelible mark in the history of sumo. Currently, a number of tournaments are regularly held there, mainly amateur collegiate competitions. Many of today's pros have strong memories of honing their skills there when they were students. Ozeki Onosato appeared quite a few times during his days at Nippon Sport Science University. Doing well at Yasukuni is considered an important step toward achieving success at the major competitions held at the Kokugikan, such as the national collegiate tournament and the general All-Japan Championship. From there, the prospect can aim for the next level of turning pro. In April every year, the Japan Sumo Association holds a honozumo tournament at Yasukuni. At this year's event, yokozuna Hoshoryu performed the ring-entering ceremony for the first time since being promoted to the top rank. He said it brought back memories of watching the collegians when he was a student at Nippon Sport Science University's Kashiwa High School in Chiba Prefecture. 'Wakatakakage was a Toyo University student at that time, and I remember how strong he was.' When informed that the shrine's ring had hosted grand sumo tournaments in the past, he said, pondering the history: 'That's amazing. I'm honored [to be here].' The Yasukuni ring will be busy again this year as the setting for collegiate competitions. At this other 'sacred place,' the young wrestlers will shed sweat and tears as they aim to turn pro and someday reach the pinnacle of yokozuna. — Kamimura is a sumo expert.
