Hakuho, sumo's best grand champion in the past 25 years, will be aiming to win his fourth Nagoya Basho since being promoted to the top rank in 2007, and his 26th overall. Some would say this will be the toughest basho he has faced as a yokozuna.
Incredibly popular with both Japanese and foreign fans of sumo, most following the Nagoya Basho will, however, be hoping he slips up, and that for the first time in over seven years a Japan-born rikishi picks up the title come July 21. That rikishi's name is Kisenosato.
In recent basho he has stood head and shoulders above all others, bar Hakuho, in the quest for his own ceremonial white tsuna belt that would see him crowned the first Japanese yokozuna in 15 years.