For the first time since March of 2010, the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium played host to a sumo tournament.
Things started off slow and somber on the opening day as the tournament, as the entire nation paused to remember the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that changed Japan forever.
Later in the day, in an indication of things to come, Mongolian sekiwake Kakuryu downed his Day 1 opponent Kyokutenho with a well-worked yorikiri win, Estonian ozeki Baruto took on the heavier Gagamaru, employing a powerful uwatenage overarm throw move to finish him off, and Hakuho quietly stole beneath the radar with an all-too-easy thrust down to send komusubi Tochiozan to his first loss of the basho.