Former yokozuna Kitanoumi was imposing figure in sumo
Intimidation factor is something that cannot be discounted when it comes to finding reasons for success in sumo. Some of the greatest yokozuna of all time struck such fear into their opponents that many bouts seemed decided before they even stepped into the ring. For an ...
Sumo practice blowups nothing new in sport ruled by traditions
The problem of violence reared its ugly head in sumo again recently, but this time it came with a twist. Instead of a hazing and bullying or a drunken brawl in a bar, the violence on this occasion occurred inside a ring — specifically the ...
JSA needs to look outward for good of sumo
Whatever hopes fans had for a peaceful end to the year were dashed when Japan Sumo Association officials instructed Takagenji to take part in his regularly scheduled bout on Dec. 11 despite the wrestler being diagnosed with influenza earlier in the day. Ten years after ...
Hakuho more than deserving of special elder status
When you think of sumo, what's the first word that comes to mind? Certainly, for anyone who has ever set foot inside the ring, "painful" would be right up there. Traditional, ritualistic, historical — there are any number of adjectives you could use to describe Japan's ...
Muscular Chiyonofuji's career bloomed late
For a certain generation of fans there is only one name that comes to mind when discussing the greatest of all time and that name is Chiyonofuji. The muscular yokozuna dominated inside the ring and won hearts outside it during the 1980s. Known as "the Wolf," ...
Unpredictable banzuke adds flavor to sumo
For sports journalists based in Japan's capital, no reminders are needed to know the last of the three annual non-Tokyo tournaments is just around the corner. The decamping of the Japan Sumo Association to Fukuoka and its surroundings is lock, stock and barrel, meaning that ...
Naturalized Sokokurai fought for JSA return
One of the more interesting bits of news over the past month was the announcement that Arashio stable veteran Sokokurai had acquired Japanese nationality. By far the most successful of the 12 rikishi in sumo history to have hailed from mainland China, Sokokurai's switch leaves ...
Takanofuji calls punishment for out-of-ring violence 'too heavy'
Second-tier juryo division wrestler Takanofuji, who is facing disciplinary action for hitting a lower-ranked wrestler in the forehead, said Friday after issuing an apology that he is not ready to end his career. "This penalty is too heavy and I can't accept it," said Takanofuji, ...
Every day of a sumo tournament contains hundreds of bouts. From early in the morning until late in the evening, a virtually non-stop parade of wrestlers arrives at the arena. They change, warm up, stand in line in the hanamichi (aisle leading to the ring), ...
Kids tournaments provide much more than just recruiting grounds
You can become a professional sumo wrestler at 15 years old. That's the age most kids are when they graduate junior high school and complete compulsory education. The academic year in Japan ends in March and that month's tournament in Osaka sees more new recruits join ...
The Japan Sumo Association's highest authority is the chairman of its board of directors. The current occupant is 56-year-old Hakkaku, who has been in power since 2015. Like the majority of his predecessors, Hakkaku is a former yokozuna. Known as Hokutoumi when at that rank, he won ...
Much talk, no action from sumo committees
The Japan Sumo Association loves committees. Barely a scandal or incident goes by without the creation of some kind of panel or investigative group. Last month saw the establishment of yet another. The "Expert Committee to Contemplate the Future Succession of Sumo" is an advisory body whose ...
