KS Cover no. 70 2006 March

MAR 2006 :: 070

 

Who do you support?

On Saturday, January 21st, a deep (for the capital) layer of snow lay over Tokyo for the first time in several years. The next day, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Stadium in the capital, a Japanese sekitori finally dethroned yokozuna Asashoryu to lay a domestic hand on the 80 year-old Emperor's Cup — the first Japanese hand to claim the trophy in around 16 calendar months. Was the appearance of snow linked to ozeki Tochiazuma's victory on that cold day?

Probably not but it made it all a little more picturesque as he took his trophy home and paraded it around the streets of his home in Adachi-ku in the city.

So, after a run of seven successive tournaments — and what some think was almost an international affront to Japanese pride in their national sport — Mongolian Asashoryu lost out to a local rikishi. The media rejoiced. The TV stations were clamoring all over the Tamanoi Stable of Tochiazuma in his northern Tokyo working class suburb, and the lone yokozuna essentially ceased to exist for a while.

Tochiazuma soon left for warmer climes and a break from the frenzy, Asashoryu took his own post-basho vacation, and the world of ozumo began to settle once more. The media moved on to Livedoor and Horie-mon with, ironically, the former media darling now detained but a couple of kilometers from Tochiazuma's home.

Having said that, come late February and early March, as the Tokyo based sumo stables start to filter down to Osaka for the March 12th — 26th Haru Basho (spring tournament), media attention will once again rise and ozeki Tochiazuma will be hounded with questions on his feelings about the opportunity to become a yokozuna. (If an ozeki wins two successive tournaments, yokozuna promotion is assured). All the time however, three foreign-born tigers will be prowling looking for their time to pounce, another 10 are lurking about in the undergrowth of the top makunouchi and juryo divisions and around a dozen others with true long-term potential are to be found making their way up the lower leagues with the top spot their goal.

Hakuho, runner up in the January Hatsu Basho and a rikishi mention-ed in the same breath as the great yokozuna Futabayama who won 69 consecutive winning bouts, is a man tipped by many as a future yokozuna, if not the next. His own 13-2 record two months ago included wins over Asashoryu, Kotooshu and then co-leaders Hokutoriki and Tokitsuumi. Indeed, he would have gone to a tournament play-off bout with Tochiazuma had the injury he inflicted on the yokozuna not left Asashoryu vulnerable in the closing stages of the tournament and easier than usual prey for the ozeki on the final day.

Kotooshu, the sport's newest ozeki is Bulgarian born, tall and hand- some to boot. A regular on TV shows and commercials now, although he put in an impressive 10-5 in his first tournament at sumo's second highest rank, he will be dangerous for a good many years to come barring physical injury. Along the way should claim at least half a dozen yusho and perhaps a few more still should he put on another 20kg or so and make the leap up a rank. A solid double figure outing would not be unexpected this month although the 'bad basho' many new ozeki go through may hit him hard if the yokozuna comes back wounded from his defeat and the stars align to throw kadoban Japanese ozeki Kaio and Chiyotaikai another lifeline as they attempt to avoid a drop
to sekiwake yet again.

Asashoryu is a tad annoyed at his 11-4 final record earlier this year and is more than a match for any one man in sumo today. Looking for yet another yusho, the Mongolian born yokozuna, who is known and admired for seeing people and not their passports, will, for the foreseeable future, be the betting man's favorite for any tournament he enters (ignoring the fact that betting on sumo is illegal).

To this end, as much as Tochiazuma will be simply plugging away at securing enough victories to be in contention for the title and will always have one eye on the yokozuna, he could well leave Hakuho and Kotooshu in a blind spot. Add to this dish of confusion another few foreign rikishi he could expect to face in the impressive forms of Roho, Ama and Kokkai. Whichever way 'Azuma' or any of the three Japanese ozeki look come March, the future looks different, the future looks foreign — and it isn't only in the top division.

Coming back to Juryo will be the 197cm, 165kg Estonian Baruto. At 21 years of age, although he fell from the division after missing the November tournament due to acute appendicitis, he is sure to follow up on his excellent September 2005 debut record of 12-3. Mongolian born Kakuryu is back for another shot and should do better this time out.

In Makushita (sumo's third and highest ranking non-salaried division) and below, the bulk of the 60 foreigners in the sport of around 715 active participants today ply their trade — some with better results than others of course. Names to watch are Wakanoho (Russia), Tsukasaumi (Georgia) and perhaps even Soukokurai (Mongolia), as these are men many long time sumo watchers have their eye on as being of the calibre to reach the upper echelons. What they do when they get there will depend on commitment, training and the ability to learn, but when all is said and done, when the rikishi start to leave Osaka at the end of March and as the dohyo is taken apart, one certainty will remain; that however hard it is for non-Japanese to make it in certain fields in Japan, it is to this most ancient of spor

Where tradition reigns supreme, equality and fair play for all in its ranks is a given, and, notwith-standing a recent shutting of the door to new foreign rikishi, in sumo, it is your previous performance that determines your position at any given time. Age and experience give you more chance to get higher but count for little, as bad performances lead to bad rankings.

For ticket information for the Osaka Haru Basho go to http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/index.html#osaka

Text: Mark Bucktton
Photos: Barbara Ann Klein

:: Online Articles

:: FEATURE

The rebirth of the hot spring
All about onsen

:: TRAVEL

The gem of South Africa
Cape Town

:: GETAWAY

Winter warmth in Okayama
Takebe International Villa

:: SPORT

Was the snow a sign?
Seasonal sumo update

:: UPDATE

Girls just wanna have fun
White Day datings

:: PROFILE

Hostel Takeover
Hidenori Yamada

:: Listings

:: CINEMA LISTINGS

Up to date cinema listings guide so you always know what's on, where and when!

:: ART

Best exhibitions + listings

:: EVENTS

Best events + listings

:: LIVE

Best gigs + listings

:: CLUB

Parties not to miss + listings

:: Also in this month's mag

:: FOOD

Honmachi's heart and soul
Korean kitchen Shotchu

:: DRINK

Telling it how it is
Irish pubs round-up for St. Patricks Day

:: FESTIVAL

Best festivals + listings

:: READ

New releases and top ten paperback books

:: FILM

Reel reviews of the silver screen

:: NEWS

Domestic and international news


List of all foreign rikishi —
all divisions (as of Jan 06 2006)

1. Asashoryu - Mongolia
2. Kotooshu - Bulgaria
3. Hakuho - Mongolia
4. Kyokutenho - Mongolia
5. Tokitenku - Mongolia
6. Roho - Russia
7. Kokkai - Georgia
8. Hakurozan - Russia
9. Asasekiryu - Mongolia
10. Ama - Mongolia
11. Kyokushuzan - Mongolia
12. Kasugao - South Korea
13. Moukonami - Mongolia
14. Kakuryu - Mongolia
15. Baruto - Estonia
16. Ryuou - Mongolia
17. Musashiryu - Mongolia
18. Kouryu - Mongolia
19. Daitenshou - Mongolia
20. Daisougen - Mongolia
21. Hoshihikari - Mongolia
22. Nakanokuni - China
23. Arawashi - Mongolia
24. Hakuba - Mongolia
25. Hoshizakura - Mongolia
26. Hoshikaze - Mongolia
27. Takanoyama - Czech Rep.
28. Shironishiki - Mongolia
29. Tamawashi - Mongolia
30. Soukokurai - China
31. Daiyuuchi - Mongolia
32. Minaminoshima - Tonga
33. Wakanoho - Russia
34. Maenoyu - Mongolia
35. Fudouyama - Mongolia
36. Kyokutenzan - Mongolia
37. Oorora - Russia
38. Kazafuzan - Kazakhstan
39. Takaazuma - Brazil
40. Daiki - Mongolia
41. Amuuru - Russia
42. Tokusegawa - Mongolia
43. Ako - Mongolia
44. Taika - Mongolia
45. Daiounami - Mongolia
46. Masutoo - Hungary
47. Kagamiou - Mongolia
48. Ryutei - China
49. Kousei - China
50. Wakatora - Mongolia
51. Hisanoumi - Tonga
52. Kainohama - Brazil
53. Shoushou - China
54. Yamada - South Korea
55. Seirou - Mongolia
56. Dewahikari - Mongolia
57. Haku - China
58. Tsukasaumi - Georgia
59. Gagamaru - Georgia
60. Kinryuzan - South Korea