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Japan Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Nagoya Basho shaping up to be another red-hot affair at new venue
July 21, 2019 — that's the date of the most recent bout between two yokozuna with spectators in attendance. Thanks to a global pandemic — which forced the March 2020 tournament to be held behind closed doors — and the inevitable injury absences that come to all wrestlers with age, there hasn't been another clash between yokozuna in the intervening six years. That long drought should finally come to an end later this month, after back-to-back championships in March and May saw Onosato being promoted to sumo's highest rank. With Hoshoryu having reached the sport's summit just a few months earlier, there are now two young, healthy and still improving talents at the top of the banzuke rankings. It's a situation that has been commonplace throughout much of sumo's history over the past century, but not one that a large section of its international fanbase, which discovered the sport during various COVID-19 lockdowns, has ever experienced. And with a new arena promising a far more pleasant viewing experience, anyone lucky enough to get tickets for the upcoming Nagoya tournament should be in for a treat. In terms of who will emerge victorious from the 15-day meet that begins on Sunday, it's hard to look past the aforementioned yokozuna pair. Onosato's rise has been nothing short of stunning. This will be just the third time the new yokozuna competes in Nagoya, with the 2023 tournament being only his second in professional sumo. Onosato recently turned 25, has yet to post a losing record in ōzumō and is visibly becoming a more complete wrestler with each tournament. That's a frightening thought for anyone else with championship ambitions, and if Onosato remains healthy, he will likely be considered the odds-on favorite for every tournament he enters over the next couple of years. The only glimmer of hope for opponents in Nagoya is that, over the past 30 years, only three of 10 newly promoted yokozuna lifted the Emperor's Cup in their debut at the rank. The combination of a sudden surge in commitments related to the promotion, and the almost unavoidable dip in focus and drive that comes upon reaching any goal, makes winning a tournament more difficult than normal for new yokozuna. It's no coincidence that the three men to have claimed the title in their yokozuna debut since 1995 were seasoned veterans who had taken the hard road to the white rope. Terunofuji's story needs no introduction to modern fans, while Kisenosato was 13 years into his top-division career. Takanohana had lifted the Emperor's Cup seven times before being deemed worthy of promotion. Even all-time greats such as Asashoryu and Hakuho didn't manage to win the first time out as yokozuna. All of which means that while Onosato is clearly the No. 1 rikishi on the banzuke right now, the odds of him winning a third successive championship aren't as high as might be expected. Yokozuna Hoshoryu can be considered one of the favorites to win the title in Nagoya. | JIJI For the upcoming meet at least, Hoshoryu probably deserves the tag as favorite. Apart from an injury-enforced absence in his yokozuna debut, Hoshoryu has reached 12 wins or better in every tournament since November. The young Mongolian-born wrestler has taken his sumo to another level over the past six months and has won six of his seven bouts with Onosato to date. Soft first-week losses continue to be his Achilles' heel, however, and Hoshoryu has yet to make it to Day 7 in any tournament as a sekitori without at least one defeat. In the 11 tournaments since becoming an ōzeki, Hoshoryu has a 55-22 record across the first seven days of those meets. When you are going into the toughest part of the schedule with an average of two losses already under your belt, it's hard to consistently win titles. But given the fact that Onosato isn't likely to be as locked-in as last time out, even one or two losses before the midpoint shouldn't be fatal to Hoshoryu's hopes this time out. Just below sumo's two main stars, sits a man who was on the cusp of yokozuna promotion going into January, but now, just six months later, has lost more bouts than he has won in 2025 and been overtaken by two younger rivals. Kotozakura has barely avoided kadoban status in both of his most recent tournaments, so even a losing record in Nagoya wouldn't see him drop from the rank of ōzeki. But that has to be a small consolation after going into the new year with so much promise. Neck issues have been a concern, but over the past week or so, Kotozakura appears to be able to train without any problems. The grandson of a yokozuna who appeared in the James Bond movie 'You Only Live Twice,' Kotozakura still has size, youth and power and, if healthy, could be a dark horse candidate to get a second life of his own. With the pressure off, and all the focus on the two new yokozuna, it wouldn't be a complete surprise if Kotozakura sneaks in, lifts the Emperor's Cup, and kick-starts a debate about whether we could see three men earn the white rope in 2025. Further down the rankings is a trio of interesting top-division debutants. Kusano, who has won back-to-back titles in the jūryō division, has been on a tear over the past few months, and it's very possible that another title challenge by a first-timer could be on the cards in Nagoya. Joining Kusano at the rank of maegashira 14, is the newly renamed Fujinokawa, who had competed under the name Wakaikari up to this point. The son of Kabutoyama elder, Fujinokawa is a small but extremely feisty wrestler who is almost certain to become a fan favorite. There are sumo family connections for the third rookie as well, with Kotoeiho being the younger brother of maegashira Kotoshoho. Just two ranks separate the siblings heading into the Nagoya meet, and not falling behind a younger sibling is certain to add extra motivation for Kotoshoho this time out. Between the yokozuna and the newcomers, there is no shortage of exciting talent in sumo's top tier on the current banzuke. Oshima, Aonishiki, Onokatsu and Hakuoho are all at career-high ranks and many sumo fans will be keenly watching to see how the young hopefuls do as they approach sumo's higher ranks. A new yokozuna, a new arena, and no shortage of potential stars. The 2025 Nagoya Basho promises to be one of the hottest of recent years — figuratively, not literally.
Japan Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Onosato's yokozuna promotion causes rare quirk in new sumo rankings
Sumo's updated rankings have been released, and for the first time since Hakuho retired in 2021 there are yokozuna on both the east and west sides of the banzuke. Well, not exactly on both sides. Onosato may have been promoted to the sport's highest rank following back-to-back championship wins as an ōzeki in March and May, but one of sumo's lesser known rules means he's listed under both his new and old ranks on the latest banzuke. While it's acceptable (if not ideal) to have just one, or indeed no, yokozuna on the rankings, there must always be at least one ōzeki on each side of the banzuke. With Onosato's elevation to grand champion leaving Kotozakura as the sole occupant of sumo's second highest rank, that left a slot which had to be filled. As a result, Onosato finds himself listed as yokozuna-ōzeki for the upcoming Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. It's the first time since Chiyonofuji in 1981 that a newly promoted yokozuna was given such a designation. While yokozuna-ōzeki may sound like an intermediate rank, it's simply a formality to ensure that a centuries-old balance — which predates even the creation of the yokozuna rank — is maintained. Onosato, despite the designation, is a full yokozuna and considered equal in every way to Hoshoryu. Apart from additional kanji characters over the former man's name on the banzuke, nothing will be different in their responsibilities, or how they are treated. Onosato or Hoshoryu may not be required to hold down the second ōzeki slot for too long, as just below Kotozakura is a trio of sekiwake, all of whom have title-winning experience and are coming off double-digit wins. Kirishima, of course, already has reached sumo's second highest rank, while Daieisho or Wakatakakage making it to ōzeki is within the bounds of possibility — even with the past struggles of both men to maintain the consistently high standards needed to do so. Onosato (right) and fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu visit the IG Arena, the new venue for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, on Tuesday. | JIJI Historical rarities such as yokozuna-ōzeki aren't the only points of interest on sumo's latest banzuke, with an eye-raising decision immediately noticeable near the upper part of the rankings. Takayasu may possess a historic run of bad luck inside the ring, but the former ōzeki remaining at sumo's fourth highest rank of komusubi following a 6-9 outing in May is a stroke of unprecedented good fortune. Since the advent of the 15-day system in 1939, there have been 126 incidences of a komusubi posting a 6-9 record. In every single one of those 126 cases the man in question found himself back in the maegashira ranks the following tournament. Takayasu staying at komusubi means that for fast-rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki there is no sanyaku — the three ranks below yokozuna — debut this time out. The 21-year-old burst onto the scene after arriving in Japan as a refugee just three years ago, and has performed far better than almost anyone predicted in the top division thus far. With back-to-back 11-win outings that earned fighting spirit prizes, Aonishiki is on a tear though the top ranks that should see him in the sanyaku ranks before long. As expected, consecutive division titles in the second tier for Kusano have earned the former college standout a spot in the top tier. As is usual for wrestlers reaching a high rank or the top division for the first time, Kusano met the press while seated alongside his stablemaster. Isegahama, of course, is now run by former yokozuna Terunofuji, rather than his predecessor — the former Asahifuji — who had been in charge of the stable since 1993. That will take some getting used to, especially while Terunofuji still sports his top knot. For the moment Kusano is continuing to use his family name as a shikona (ring name) as have many other alumni from his alma mater sumo powerhouse Nihon University. In fact, prior to Onosato, the only college yokozuna to achieve the same rank in ōzumo, Wajima, also hailed from Nihon University and never adopted a shikona, using his family name throughout his entire professional career. But while Kusano opted to stand pat, another top division debutant who did have a shikona made a change. Wakaikari, the son of former maegashira Oikari, opted to revive the name of Fujinokawa just a couple of weeks after the most recent user of that shikona passed away at the age of 64. While Wakaikari was a unique name that honored his father, currently a sumo elder called Kabutoyama, Fujinokawa is a shikona that has a history in his Isenoumi stable that stretches back to the 1840s. On the topic of name changes, IG Arena — the newly opened venue which becomes the home of sumo in Nagoya from this year — appears on the banzuke for the first time, and it's jarring to see Roman letters among a sea of kanji written in a specific sumo style. As with every new banzuke there are countless other name changes, over-promotions and under-demotions worthy of discussion, but for Nagoya 2025 the name atop the rankings with the unusual designation stands out. A new yokozuna, a new venue. The latest banzuke continues a centuries-old tradition of setting the stage for what is to come. Here's hoping the tournament that takes place in Nagoya later this month lives up to its billing.
Japan Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Former college star Kusano looks ready for challenge of sumo's top tier
Back-to-back titles in March and May saw Onosato join Hoshoryu at the rank of yokozuna and bring a much more balanced feel to the top of sumo's upcoming banzuke (rankings list). With Onosato and Hoshoryu having recently celebrated their 25th and 26th birthdays, respectively, the stage seems to be set for the pair of young grand champions to monopolize the sport's silverware over the next half decade. That's a potential hegemony that won't go unchallenged, however, and the up-and-coming talent in the top division is about to be bolstered with a back-to-back champion of a different kind. While Onosato was claiming Emperor's Cups in Osaka and Tokyo in recent months, another ex-collegian was doing something similar, albeit one level down. Naoya Kusano, a former student yokozuna, narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division after a dominant 14-1 showing in the second-tier jūryō division in March. Quickly putting that disappointment behind him, Kusano repeated as division champion in May with another outstanding 13-2 mark that all but guaranteed he will be listed as a maegashira on the new banzuke that comes out Monday. It hasn't all been smooth sailing in ōzumō for the Nihon University graduate though. After a decorated amateur career, Kusano took some time to find his feet in professional sumo with a series of adequate, but not spectacular, performances in the third tier that gave little indication of what was to come in the salaried ranks. However, like many before him, the 24-year-old performed better once freed from the multitude of tasks and obligations that are part of daily life in sumo's lower divisions. Fighting every day in jūryō — as opposed to every other day, on average, in makushita — may be more tiring but it also allows wrestlers to maintain a consistent daily rhythm, and the Kumamoto native was able to showcase his talents over the past two tournaments. In an era when amateur and collegiate sumo are increasingly the main sources of new talent, many fans are excited to see how the latest prospect from those arenas does when matched up against the best in the world. Of course, the only way Kusano will face either of the yokozuna in Nagoya next month is if he is in the title race late into the second week of action. As good as he's been over the past couple of tournaments, that's a tall order. The incredible top-division debuts of Takerufuji, Hakuoho and others in recent years may have skewed perceptions somewhat, but the fact remains that for most newly promoted wrestlers, the speed and power found throughout sumo's top division comes as a shock and takes some getting used to. Even so, Kusano looks like a good bet to adapt quickly and continue his climb up the rankings. At 183 centimeters and 150 kilograms he may not have elite measurables in either height or weight, but he is in the sweet spot for both and has the physicality to match up with the sport's biggest men. Kusano is also well-rounded in terms of technique and comfortable both on the belt or at distance. Naoya Kusano competes at the All Japan Championships in Tokyo in December 2022. | John Gunning Whether involved in a pushing-thrusting battle or locked in an embrace with an opponent, Kusano has to date appeared comfortable and unflustered. Particularly impressive is his ability to swing opponents off balance to the side from a double handed inside grip position. Allowing an opponent to get both arms inside and on to the mawashi usually cedes control of the flow of a bout, so it's something that most rikishi fight hard to avoid. Kusano is able to achieve that position with regularity, and it's mostly thanks to his incredible speed off the line and continued use of the amateur style of putting two hands firmly down on the clay before an opponent can get set. Even when someone gets to that starting position before him — see his bout with Wakaikari on Day 8 of the most recent tournament for example — Kusano has the defensive capabilities and speed of lateral movement to overcome anyone using that tactic. Of course, in recent decades there have been numerous solidly built and technically sound former collegians who had good careers in professional sumo — including some with Emperor's Cups and ōzeki promotions to their name — but who never achieved greatness. In many cases that's been primarily because of an inability to adjust to the elite speed and unpredictable sumo of men like Asashoryu and Hakuho. Unlike with Onosato, whose potential was obvious before he even turned pro, musing over whether Kusano will 'only' reach ōzeki or push on to yokozuna makes no sense before he has even had a single bout in the top tier. And for every highly-touted amateur who had success at the top level, there's another who struggled, including some with better collegiate records than Kusano. Kusano's multiple 5-2 and 4-3 scores in the third tier can't be discounted entirely, either. Even so, what the 24-year-old has accomplished over the past four months has been very impressive, and he arrives on sumo's biggest stage riding a wave of positive vibes. Can Kusano follow in the footsteps of Takerufuji and upset the apple cart at the very beginning of the newly minted two-yokozuna era? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure, it will be worth keeping an eye on the top tier rookie in Nagoya.
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Teenager from Hull becomes second Briton ever to join a professional sumo stable
A teenager from Hull has arrived in Japan to pursue his dream of becoming a grand champion sumo wrestler, as only the second Briton to win a place at one of the ancient sport's professional stables. Nicholas Tarasenko, 15, left Yorkshire for Japan straight after finishing his GCSEs, to become the first British hopeful to join a stable since Nathan Strange – a Londoner who fought under the ring name Hidenokuni – in 1989. Tarasenko, who is 187cm tall, was given the rare opportunity to break into the Japanese sport's professional ranks after winning amateur tournaments and demonstrating a commitment to learning Japanese – a requirement if his trial period at the Minato stable near Tokyo is to turn into a professional career. Tarasenko was invited back after reportedly impressing the stable when he trained there last year, and now is on the brink of what some experts believe could be the start of a successful life as a full-time rikishi, or wrestler, with his sights set firmly on reaching yokozuna grand champion status. Despite his youth, Tarasenko's physique and years spent practising judo and playing rugby helped him win under-18 gold in the 90kg weight class at an amateur tournament in Estonia – his father's country of birth – in 2023, after just an hour of formal sumo training, according to the Japan Times. His father, Georgi Zilkin, said he was confident his son would thrive in Japan and quickly become part of the sumo family. 'They [the stablemaster and his wife] are considered his parents from the moment he enters the club,' Zilkin told Hull Live, adding that Tarasenko had been selected for his 'raw ability' and work ethic. 'He was learning Japanese every day at 5am, waking up in the morning because of the time difference to speak to his tutor online,' he said. Tarasenko's feat is all the more impressive given that sumo's 45 stables have been limited to one foreign wrestler each since 2002, although that did not prevent the sport's recent domination by Mongolian-born wrestlers, decades after Hawaiian rikishi first penetrated sumo's famously conservative culture. The Minato stable, based in Saitama prefecture, confirmed that Tarasenko had been accepted as a trainee, adding that he could make his professional debut at the spring basho, or major tournament, in Osaka in March next year provided he passes his Japanese exams. Tarasenko will be expected to perform cooking and other duties and live alongside his fellow wrestlers as he adjusts to regimented stable life. He will also have to fit his Japanese studies around early-morning training sessions and twice-daily meals of chanko nabe – a protein-rich hotpot – to help him gain weight. The crewcut he sported during his amateur career will eventually give way to a chonmage top-knot. 'He will have to adjust to lots of things, such as diet and lifestyle, but he's an earnest and honest boy, and his Japanese ability has improved considerably, so we are not particularly worried about him settling in,' a Minato stable spokesperson told the Guardian. 'He has already made friends with the other wrestlers and gets plenty of support from the people around him. We hope he'll continue to work hard at his sumo and live up to everyone's expectations.'
Japan Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Hakuho's new venture not an automatic 'Grand Slam'
World Sumo Grand Slam was the moniker used by former yokozuna Hakuho to describe his next venture during a retirement press conference on Monday. It's a smart move to adopt a label used for golf and tennis majors that also evokes imagery of dynamic sumo finishes. In addition to being instantly recognizable and easy to remember, World Sumo Grand Slam is a very catchy name. Unfortunately for those hoping for more details, that's all it seems to be — at least for the moment. Given the suddenness of his departure from professional sumo, it isn't surprising that Hakuho hasn't yet worked out the particulars of this new path. Even so, it was disappointing to receive so little of substance from Hakuho during what was ostensibly an announcement of future plans. The fact that nothing seems to have been decided beyond a vague notion of something related to global sumo was obvious in the hesitant and at times confusing language used by the participants. For example, at one point "rikishi" rather than "senshu" was used to describe international sumo wrestlers, though the former is a term exclusively reserved for those in ōzumo. And while he was no doubt being allegorical, Hakuho's claim that each country has its own yokozuna was a reminder that wrestlers who didn't come up through the collegiate or international amateur systems often have a poor understanding of exactly how those organizations work. The mixing of amateur and professional sumo terminology was unfortunately reminiscent of past failed efforts to create a commercially viable version of international sumo. The most recent of those, World Championship Sumo – a U.S. based production that featured amateurs facing off against former ozumo stars such as Osunaarashi and Wakanoho — hasn't been heard from since a social media post 12 months ago claiming that it was about to 'take off.' It's a reminder that while there has been no shortage of excitement and enthusiasm expressed about Hakuho — arguably sumo's greatest ever exponent — turning his full attention to the global game, expectations should be kept in check. WCS, despite putting on several sold-out shows at large venues and receiving extensive media coverage from outlets such as Jomboy with millions of followers, was unable to parlay early gains into sustained success. Twenty years ago an even bigger production 'World S.U.M.O. Challenge: Battle of the Giants" sold out the almost 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden in New York. With an event that featured taiko drumming and pageantry more akin to professional wrestling, that 2005 tournament was broadcast live on ESPN and covered by CNN, with its participants making appearances on shows such as 'Regis and Kelly' and 'The Late Show with David Letterman.' Despite all the attention and strong ticket sales, plans for a worldwide sumo tour never came to fruition and World S.U.M.O. Challenge met the same fate as every other attempt to create a viable professional sumo organization outside Japan. Hakuho poses with the Brazil team at the Sumo World Championships in Osaka on Aug. 28, 2015. | John Gunning Of course, none of those efforts were led by a 45-time Emperor's Cup winner with significant backing from some of Japan's biggest companies. And Hakuho isn't a total novice when it comes to international or amateur sumo, with his namesake tournament — the Hakuho Cup — being arguably the biggest and most important event on the calendar for elementary school boys, and the Dream Girls Tournament a trailblazing effort to provide something similar for girls. Even so it's going to take significant work — in countries where he has little to no name recognition — for Hakuho to establish a commercially sustainable sumo venture. That's of course assuming World Sumo Grand Slam is even intended to be a professional sports organization. The lack of details in Monday's press conference left it uncertain whether Hakuho's new project will be a professional sporting body or an effort to enhance and build on existing amateur sumo structures. With the stated goal of getting sumo into the Olympic Games, it could very well be the latter. Should that be the case, the former yokozuna may find that the politics and factionalism inherent in amateur sumo are far deeper and more bitterly fought than even those in ōzumo. Over the past three decades, amateur sumo has seen numerous spats and schisms with every split of a governing body or usurping of power weakening the sport and leaving athletes out in the cold — in an activity which can ill-afford to lose participants. And while some may hail Hakuho as a hero riding in on a white horse to save the day, there are plenty who will see the yokozuna's arrival as a threat to their power. Just as there has been backlash in flag football circles to NFL players assuming they can waltz in and take slots on national teams for the 2028 Olympic Games — particularly when many of them display a lack of even the most basic knowledge about the sport — so too may there be resistance in amateur sumo's halls of power to 'outside' interference, even if it comes from the sport's most decorated champion. There is no doubt that ōzumo's loss is international sumo's gain, and having someone with the profile and powerful backing that Hakuho brings opens up all kinds of exciting possibilities. But whether it's a new professional organization, or the improving of existing amateur structures, the scale of the challenge is enormous. Until Hakuho shows he's able to win outside the ring in the same manner that he did inside it, expectations should be tempered.
