This year's Kyushu Basho gets under way in Fukuoka today with all three yokozuna and all five ozeki ready to compete.
Yokozuna Takanohana will be setting foot on the dohyo for the first time since July. Given the frequent absences of the yokozuna over the last three years, just having all the top-rankers compete in the Kyushu Basho is an achievement.
The Kyushu Basho has been held every November since 1957. It has had its share of unexpected winners over the years. Perhaps the most dramatic Fukuoka basho was the first, which was won by the then 34-year-old No. 14 maegashira Tamanoumi.