Takakeisho’s victory in January may have given the rank of ozeki its first silverware since Terunofuji lifted the Emperor’s Cup in May of 2021, but it hasn’t brought any clarity to a top division several years deep into a sort of Sengoku period lacking dominant rikishi.

That may soon change as Miyagino stablemaster — former yokozuna Hakuho — whose retirement precipitated the current state of flux, appears to be positioning himself both to return stability to makuuchi (sumo's top division), and to exert significant influence on what happens inside the ring over the next decade.

As a sumo elder, the most natural battleground for Miyagino would be Japan Sumo Association politics, but that’s a tough arena even for a name as big his, a 45-time champion.

Top level athletes rarely need help finding chips to place on their shoulders, and the denial of ichidai toshiyori status would have provided the former yokozuna with plenty of motivation to replicate his dohyō successes in the corridors of power, but the nature of such a fight may not be appealing.

One problem of course is that the "Game of Thrones" style struggle for power among sumo stables and ichimons (clans), with their ever shifting alliances, makes it very difficult for one man alone to exert control.

It’s also a battle that plays out mostly in the shadows, and not necessarily one that would interest someone accustomed to the limelight.

The Mongolian native spent the bulk of his career (84 tournaments) at yokozuna — a rank which is often described as a living representation of Japan’s national sport — and from his mid-teens to late 30s was rarely out of the headlines.

The former Hakuho may one day grow tired of the attention, but for now the hunger to stay involved at the sharp end of things appears as keen as ever.

That has been made clear by a proactive recruiting style that has seen Miyagino stable add some seriously impressive talent under his watch.

Miyagino’s latest recruit, former amateur star Ochiai, went 7-0 with a rank of makushita 15 tsukedashi — a system of promoting top talent from amateur sumo to the professional level — in January and became the first lower tier wrestler to be promoted to jūryō after just one tournament in the modern sumo era.

Ochiai is a product of high school powerhouse Tottori Johoku, which counts Terunofuji and Ichinojo among its graduates.

Miyagino men Hokuseiho and Ishiura also hail from Tottori Johoku, and with the latter’s father being the school’s sumo coach, as well as a stream of Mongolian talent passing through its doors, Miyagino has several points of contact to aid with recruiting from the famed program.

Hokuseiho arguably has the highest ceiling among those Miyagino has brought into his growing stable of talent to date.

Although it seems like we’ve been talking about him forever, the rising star is still just 21 years of age.

Expected to make his top division debut in March, Hokuseiho has a way to go to fulfill his undoubted potential, but continues to improve — and time is on his side.

Just as with high school stars, Miyagino hasn’t been shy about recruiting from the university ranks either, with Otani and Kawazoe former collegians that look to have long-term solid sekitori abilities.

Those two men, like Enho and Ishiura before them, may not reach the very top but should ensure daily training quality remains high in the stable, and help create an environment that pushes everyone to maximize their potential.

If the former yokozuna can land the biggest name on the market, Miyagino stable could position itself to be a power the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Futagoyama dominance two decades ago.

Daiki Nakamura is expected to make his pro debut next month, but he hasn’t yet been announced the joining of any stable.

The Nippon Sport Science standout is arguably the most talented amateur wrestler to turn pro since Keiji Tamiya in 1999.

If Miyagino can convince Nakamura to join his heya it would be the sumo equivalent of getting a generational quarterback in the NFL draft.

Nakamura has at least ozeki level potential, and in a stable with Ochiai, Hokuseiho et al, and coached by the greatest rikishi of all time, the sky would be the limit.

His value to the stable would also be more than what he does in the ring.

Should the back-to-back All-Japan champion reach his undoubted potential, he’ll be a major draw for future recruitment.

Time moves quickly, and Hakuho’s name value will be at it’s maximum over the next five years. A decade from now, most new recruits will only have hazy childhood memories of seeing him fight, and many others are more likely to have been Hokuseiho or Nakamura fans when they were children.

Having a star rikishi would ensure Miyagino stays in the headlines and continue to reap glory.

Should Ochiai, Nakamura, or Hokuseiho make it to the top, it would bring back echos of former grand champion Kitanofuji raising yokozuna pair Chiyonofuji and Hokutoumi.

Miyagino could follow Kitanofuji’s path in more ways than one.

Now at the age of 80, the 52nd yokozuna is one of the few men to have remained squarely in the spotlight post retirement or after leaving the JSA.

Kitanofuji’s dohyō debut came almost seven decades ago, but thanks to his position as commentator on NHK he is still widely known.

Soccer and gridiron of course have many former professional players with standout careers in the booth. Gary Lineker and Troy Aikman are just two of dozens who played on the biggest stage before turning to broadcasting.

In sumo that’s much less common.

Miyagino has already done some media gigs and it’s easy to imagine him eventually slipping into a similar broadcasting role.

Before that though, there is the domination of sumo from the sidelines — a project already well underway.