One of the most surprising aspects of sumo for first-time watchers is the sheer violence of the sport. Notions of cuddly pandas gently belly bouncing each other out of the ring get blown away when the first thunderclap of a harite (roundhouse head slap) echoes ...
Recently retired yokozuna Kisenosato showed little emotion on the raised ring, but he has since revealed that the final days of his injury-troubled career were anxious ones as he tried to prove he belonged at the sport's highest rank. But looking back on his 17-year ...
Sumo 101: Retirement ceremonies
Now that Kisenosato has retired, one of the first orders of business for him will be arranging a retirement ceremony. Virtually all wrestlers end their career with a dampatsu-shiki (hair-cutting ceremony) but for lower-ranked wrestlers it's normally just part of their stable's regular end-of-tournament party. For ...
Despite injuries, Kisenosato embodied rikishi ideals
Kisenosato's retirement, while both inevitable and expected, casts a pall over the ongoing tournament. The veteran yokozuna has been one of sumo's most popular wrestlers over the past decade and a half. Initially a bright young talent whose rapid rise was catnip to a Japanese public ...
Remaining yokozuna post wins on fourth day of New Year Basho
Yokozuna Hakuho survived a scare against rank-and-file opponent Hokutofuji to remain perfect at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan on Wednesday. With headlines on the fourth day of the 15-day tournament dominated by the retirement of Japanese yokozuna Kisenosato, the other remaining ...
A 7-second bout may have decided the fate of yokozuna Kisenosato, who suffered his third straight loss of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday. In the penultimate bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, Kisenosato was quickly dispatched by Tochiozan (1-2) despite going into the match ...
Kisenosato's stablemaster says embattled yokozuna will keep fighting
Despite equaling the record for the worst losing streak by a yokozuna, Kisenosato will compete on Day 3 of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, according to his stablemaster. Asked by reporters if the 32-year-old yokozuna would fight on Tuesday, stablemaster Tagonoura answered, "Yes, of ...
Kisenosato inched closer to the professional precipice with his second straight loss at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday. The 32-year-old yokozuna, who has been tasked with wrestling well after two injury-plagued years, attacked huge Mongolian Ichinojo (2-0) from the get-go, but never ...
Doubts continue to cloud Kisenosato's future after another opening-day defeat
Members of the Japan Sumo Association's Yokozuna Council expressed hope Sunday that embattled Kisenosato can turn around his fortunes, but optimism was in short supply after his defeat on the opening day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. The yokozuna, who was not impressive ...
Yokozuna Kisenosato did nothing to dispel fears Sunday that his career may be over, as he looked powerless in his opening-day loss at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Hakuho and rivals seeking to taste success in opening tournament of new season
After one of the best years in the ring the past couple of decades, sumo heads into the final January tournament of the Heisei Era poised on the edge of its own era change. Fedor Emelianenko may be the self-styled "Last Emperor" but what yokozuna ...
In-arena experience provides thrills for fans
Why do people attend sumo tournaments? To watch the bouts and see their favorite rikishi in action? Sure. Those aren't the only reasons though, and for many people they're not even the main ones. A sumo basho, especially one at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, is unlike any other ...
