The ceremonies are complete, the celebrations are done, and now it’s time for sumo’s newest yokozuna to get down to the daily task of leading Japan’s national sport.
Hoshoryu’s promotion to grand champion following the January tournament came on the heels of Terunofuji’s mid-basho retirement, which makes the former now the sole holder of sumo’s most exalted position.
Promotion for Hoshoryu was sealed with a second career Emperor’s Cup. It was a title that came one tournament after he narrowly missed out on glory in a playoff, and there is little doubt that the arrow is pointing up for the 25-year-old.
So just what can sumo fans expect from sumo’s 74th yokozuna over the next five to seven years? Will he begin to dominate in the manner of Mongolian predecessors Asashoryu and Hakuho, or will his career conclude with a tournament win total somewhere closer to those of countrymen Kakuryu, Harumafuji and Terunofuji?
The former scenario can be ruled out straight off the bat. At around Hoshoryu’s current age, both Asashoryu and Hakuho were claiming their 17th Emperor’s Cups, having already been at sumo’s highest rank for several years.
Even with his undoubted progress to date, both physically and technically, it would take a monumental jump in performance level for Hoshoryu to challenge the records of either man.
Given the rise of Onosato, the improvements shown by rivals such as Kotozakura and Oho in recent months and the ever-present specter of injury in sumo, the possibility of Hoshoryu winning four to six tournaments a year, every year for the next half-decade or so is remote.
However, should he stay healthy for that period, there is a reasonable chance that sumo’s newest grand champion could become the third-most decorated wrestler promoted to yokozuna after the turn of the millennium.
And while accusations of inconsistency have followed Hoshoryu throughout his top-division career to date, there are reasons to believe that the Tatsunami stable man has turned the corner and is finally realizing his undoubted potential.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference inside the ring over the past couple of years is Hoshoryu’s improved defense.
As a newcomer to professional sumo, Hoshoryu displayed good ring sense and an ability to switch grips and angles at speed mid-bout — a trademark of his famous uncle Asashoryu — but he often fell victim to well-timed counterattacks when attempting to execute a move.
In particular, throws that involved raising one leg off the ground exposed a weakness in the young Mongolian hopeful’s sumo.
Overeagerness, combined with a lighter body, resulted in regular losses during Hoshoryu’s journey through the lower divisions.
The 25-year-old is a much sturdier wrestler in 2025, however, both in terms of physical bulk and resistance to counterattacks.
Hoshoryu still loses too often to opponents with lesser abilities, but these days, his losses are more a result of his opponents’ strong performances and less about his own mistakes or lapses in concentration.
Though not a comparison that is made often, the Hoshoryu who reached sumo’s summit has begun to resemble Harumafuji in some ways.
In addition to his having a greater reliance on both underarm and overarm throws than the average rikishi, the way Hoshoryu has settled down is reminiscent of the former yokozuna’s efforts to rein in some of his wilder impulses and perform more straightforward sumo after reaching the sport’s highest ranks.
Though most would agree that Harumafuji was a more complete wrestler, the fact that he had to compete against numerous yokozuna and strong ozeki — as well as how prematurely his career ended — means there is a path for Hoshoryu to surpass Harumafuji’s nine career Emperor’s Cup titles if he continues along his present trajectory.
In addition to his physical growth and improved technique, Hoshoryu may benefit from a reduction in pressure and expectation.
That may seem counterintuitive for someone at a rank that not only embodies Japan’s national sport, but also comes with a requirement to succeed or retire.
For Hoshoryu, however, the shadow of Asashoryu has hung over everything he has done since turning pro, and now, with a second Emperor’s Cup and promotion to yokozuna, expectations have been met.
No one is predicting 20-plus tournament wins for the new yokozuna, so almost everything he achieves from here on out is a bonus.
Of course, winning a first Emperor’s Cup as a yokozuna will be significant, and Hoshoryu will have to maintain a higher level of performance than he has consistently been able to achieve to date, but such challenges are a normal part of life at the top.
As the sole yokozuna and still a young wrestler, no one inside sumo will be in any hurry to back Hoshoryu into a perform-or-quit corner, so he’ll benefit from the kind of leeway that appears to be more common in recent years.
Given the current state of sumo, Hoshoryu has reached a level of performance that, if maintained, is more than capable of bringing one or two tournament wins a year. Should he continue to improve, that could even become three or four.
If he can remain in the hunt and play a role in the destination of the Emperor’s Cup in most tournaments, Hoshoryu can enjoy a relatively smooth ride over the next few years.
Onosato’s ceiling still appears to be higher, and there are several talented young wrestlers that are more than capable of winning tournaments. But given the current landscape, it wouldn’t be a great surprise if Hoshoryu eventually retires with more Emperor’s Cup wins than the recently retired Terunofuji.
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