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Japan Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Onosato's yokozuna promotion causes rare quirk in new sumo rankings
Sumo's updated rankings have been released, and for the first time since Hakuho retired in 2021 there are yokozuna on both the east and west sides of the banzuke. Well, not exactly on both sides. Onosato may have been promoted to the sport's highest rank following back-to-back championship wins as an ōzeki in March and May, but one of sumo's lesser known rules means he's listed under both his new and old ranks on the latest banzuke. While it's acceptable (if not ideal) to have just one, or indeed no, yokozuna on the rankings, there must always be at least one ōzeki on each side of the banzuke. With Onosato's elevation to grand champion leaving Kotozakura as the sole occupant of sumo's second highest rank, that left a slot which had to be filled. As a result, Onosato finds himself listed as yokozuna-ōzeki for the upcoming Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. It's the first time since Chiyonofuji in 1981 that a newly promoted yokozuna was given such a designation. While yokozuna-ōzeki may sound like an intermediate rank, it's simply a formality to ensure that a centuries-old balance — which predates even the creation of the yokozuna rank — is maintained. Onosato, despite the designation, is a full yokozuna and considered equal in every way to Hoshoryu. Apart from additional kanji characters over the former man's name on the banzuke, nothing will be different in their responsibilities, or how they are treated. Onosato or Hoshoryu may not be required to hold down the second ōzeki slot for too long, as just below Kotozakura is a trio of sekiwake, all of whom have title-winning experience and are coming off double-digit wins. Kirishima, of course, already has reached sumo's second highest rank, while Daieisho or Wakatakakage making it to ōzeki is within the bounds of possibility — even with the past struggles of both men to maintain the consistently high standards needed to do so. Onosato (right) and fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu visit the IG Arena, the new venue for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, on Tuesday. | JIJI Historical rarities such as yokozuna-ōzeki aren't the only points of interest on sumo's latest banzuke, with an eye-raising decision immediately noticeable near the upper part of the rankings. Takayasu may possess a historic run of bad luck inside the ring, but the former ōzeki remaining at sumo's fourth highest rank of komusubi following a 6-9 outing in May is a stroke of unprecedented good fortune. Since the advent of the 15-day system in 1939, there have been 126 incidences of a komusubi posting a 6-9 record. In every single one of those 126 cases the man in question found himself back in the maegashira ranks the following tournament. Takayasu staying at komusubi means that for fast-rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki there is no sanyaku — the three ranks below yokozuna — debut this time out. The 21-year-old burst onto the scene after arriving in Japan as a refugee just three years ago, and has performed far better than almost anyone predicted in the top division thus far. With back-to-back 11-win outings that earned fighting spirit prizes, Aonishiki is on a tear though the top ranks that should see him in the sanyaku ranks before long. As expected, consecutive division titles in the second tier for Kusano have earned the former college standout a spot in the top tier. As is usual for wrestlers reaching a high rank or the top division for the first time, Kusano met the press while seated alongside his stablemaster. Isegahama, of course, is now run by former yokozuna Terunofuji, rather than his predecessor — the former Asahifuji — who had been in charge of the stable since 1993. That will take some getting used to, especially while Terunofuji still sports his top knot. For the moment Kusano is continuing to use his family name as a shikona (ring name) as have many other alumni from his alma mater sumo powerhouse Nihon University. In fact, prior to Onosato, the only college yokozuna to achieve the same rank in ōzumo, Wajima, also hailed from Nihon University and never adopted a shikona, using his family name throughout his entire professional career. But while Kusano opted to stand pat, another top division debutant who did have a shikona made a change. Wakaikari, the son of former maegashira Oikari, opted to revive the name of Fujinokawa just a couple of weeks after the most recent user of that shikona passed away at the age of 64. While Wakaikari was a unique name that honored his father, currently a sumo elder called Kabutoyama, Fujinokawa is a shikona that has a history in his Isenoumi stable that stretches back to the 1840s. On the topic of name changes, IG Arena — the newly opened venue which becomes the home of sumo in Nagoya from this year — appears on the banzuke for the first time, and it's jarring to see Roman letters among a sea of kanji written in a specific sumo style. As with every new banzuke there are countless other name changes, over-promotions and under-demotions worthy of discussion, but for Nagoya 2025 the name atop the rankings with the unusual designation stands out. A new yokozuna, a new venue. The latest banzuke continues a centuries-old tradition of setting the stage for what is to come. Here's hoping the tournament that takes place in Nagoya later this month lives up to its billing.
Japan Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Former college star Kusano looks ready for challenge of sumo's top tier
Back-to-back titles in March and May saw Onosato join Hoshoryu at the rank of yokozuna and bring a much more balanced feel to the top of sumo's upcoming banzuke (rankings list). With Onosato and Hoshoryu having recently celebrated their 25th and 26th birthdays, respectively, the stage seems to be set for the pair of young grand champions to monopolize the sport's silverware over the next half decade. That's a potential hegemony that won't go unchallenged, however, and the up-and-coming talent in the top division is about to be bolstered with a back-to-back champion of a different kind. While Onosato was claiming Emperor's Cups in Osaka and Tokyo in recent months, another ex-collegian was doing something similar, albeit one level down. Naoya Kusano, a former student yokozuna, narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division after a dominant 14-1 showing in the second-tier jūryō division in March. Quickly putting that disappointment behind him, Kusano repeated as division champion in May with another outstanding 13-2 mark that all but guaranteed he will be listed as a maegashira on the new banzuke that comes out Monday. It hasn't all been smooth sailing in ōzumō for the Nihon University graduate though. After a decorated amateur career, Kusano took some time to find his feet in professional sumo with a series of adequate, but not spectacular, performances in the third tier that gave little indication of what was to come in the salaried ranks. However, like many before him, the 24-year-old performed better once freed from the multitude of tasks and obligations that are part of daily life in sumo's lower divisions. Fighting every day in jūryō — as opposed to every other day, on average, in makushita — may be more tiring but it also allows wrestlers to maintain a consistent daily rhythm, and the Kumamoto native was able to showcase his talents over the past two tournaments. In an era when amateur and collegiate sumo are increasingly the main sources of new talent, many fans are excited to see how the latest prospect from those arenas does when matched up against the best in the world. Of course, the only way Kusano will face either of the yokozuna in Nagoya next month is if he is in the title race late into the second week of action. As good as he's been over the past couple of tournaments, that's a tall order. The incredible top-division debuts of Takerufuji, Hakuoho and others in recent years may have skewed perceptions somewhat, but the fact remains that for most newly promoted wrestlers, the speed and power found throughout sumo's top division comes as a shock and takes some getting used to. Even so, Kusano looks like a good bet to adapt quickly and continue his climb up the rankings. At 183 centimeters and 150 kilograms he may not have elite measurables in either height or weight, but he is in the sweet spot for both and has the physicality to match up with the sport's biggest men. Kusano is also well-rounded in terms of technique and comfortable both on the belt or at distance. Naoya Kusano competes at the All Japan Championships in Tokyo in December 2022. | John Gunning Whether involved in a pushing-thrusting battle or locked in an embrace with an opponent, Kusano has to date appeared comfortable and unflustered. Particularly impressive is his ability to swing opponents off balance to the side from a double handed inside grip position. Allowing an opponent to get both arms inside and on to the mawashi usually cedes control of the flow of a bout, so it's something that most rikishi fight hard to avoid. Kusano is able to achieve that position with regularity, and it's mostly thanks to his incredible speed off the line and continued use of the amateur style of putting two hands firmly down on the clay before an opponent can get set. Even when someone gets to that starting position before him — see his bout with Wakaikari on Day 8 of the most recent tournament for example — Kusano has the defensive capabilities and speed of lateral movement to overcome anyone using that tactic. Of course, in recent decades there have been numerous solidly built and technically sound former collegians who had good careers in professional sumo — including some with Emperor's Cups and ōzeki promotions to their name — but who never achieved greatness. In many cases that's been primarily because of an inability to adjust to the elite speed and unpredictable sumo of men like Asashoryu and Hakuho. Unlike with Onosato, whose potential was obvious before he even turned pro, musing over whether Kusano will 'only' reach ōzeki or push on to yokozuna makes no sense before he has even had a single bout in the top tier. And for every highly-touted amateur who had success at the top level, there's another who struggled, including some with better collegiate records than Kusano. Kusano's multiple 5-2 and 4-3 scores in the third tier can't be discounted entirely, either. Even so, what the 24-year-old has accomplished over the past four months has been very impressive, and he arrives on sumo's biggest stage riding a wave of positive vibes. Can Kusano follow in the footsteps of Takerufuji and upset the apple cart at the very beginning of the newly minted two-yokozuna era? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure, it will be worth keeping an eye on the top tier rookie in Nagoya.
Yomiuri Shimbun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Sumo Scene / Hopes High for Start of New Era-Defining Rivalry; 2 Yokozuna Atop Both Sides of Ranking for Grand Sumo Tournament
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo Ozeki Onosato, right, and yokozuna Hoshoryu battle on the last day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 25. With a dominant victory at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in May giving him back-to-back titles, Onosato earned promotion to sumo's highest rank, making him the 75th yokozuna in the sport's history. That puts a yokozuna on top of both sides of the banzuke rankings, along with Hoshoryu, a new addition himself after securing promotion following the New Year tournament in January. That adds to the excitement ahead of the July tournament, which will mark the opening of the newly built IG Arena in Nagoya. It brings an end to a long stretch of tournaments featuring a lone yokozuna, most recently either Hakuho or Terunofuji. Assuming that both yokozuna take to the ring on the first day of the tournament, it will mark the first time for that to happen in five years, dating back to the July 2020 tournament that was held in Tokyo. At that time, Hakuho and Kakuryu filled the yokozuna slots in the rankings. But an aging Kakuryu withdrew from the tournament on the second day, never to appear in the ring again. In that sense, expectations are high that, given the young ages of the current yokozuna duo, they can build an era-defining rivalry that will last for many years to come. The history of the sport is filled with eras in which two yokozuna have established a fierce rivalry. There were the battles between Tochinishiki and Wakanohana I, which boosted sumo's popularity in post-war Japan. This was dubbed the 'Tochi-Waka era,' using the Japanese media's affection for using a single kanji character from the name of each person in a sporting duo, in some cases with a different reading. Another was the 'Haku-Ho era' of Kashiwado and Taiho, who were both promoted simultaneously in 1961. The 'Rin-Ko era' of legendary yokozuna Wajima and Kitanoumi in the late 1970s thrilled fans for years. Although the name failed to take hold firmly, the 'Ake-Taka era' of Akebono and Takanohana brought an unprecedented boom that spread across the nation. Now, we finally have two yokozuna topping the rankings again. Still to be determined is what moniker will be assigned to their era. Will it be the 'Tai-Ho era' of Onosato and Hoshoryu, or the 'Toyo-Sato era' of Hoshoryu and Onosato? The mere thought of it gets me excited. Of course, if the gap between the two yokozuna becomes too big and one dominates, there will be little enthusiasm for defining an era. At the Summer tourney, Hoshoryu, as if to show his pride as the incumbent yokozuna, turned in a spirited performance to defeat Onosato in a head-to-head clash on the last day to deny him a perfect record. I hope to see similarly fierce encounters between the two in every tournament. — Kamimura is a sumo expert.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Onosato promoted to yokozuna after record-setting ascent in sumo
Onosato has been promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, the Japan Sumo Association announced on Wednesday, completing a meteoric rise to the summit of Japan's national sport in the record span of 13 tournaments. The 24-year-old, who weighs 421lb (191kg) and stands 6ft 4in (1.92m) tall, becomes the 75th yokozuna in sumo's centuries-spanning history and the first Japan-born wrestler to hold the title since Kisenosato in 2017. His promotion comes just days after clinching the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Sumo Hall with a 14-1 record, clinching his second straight championship and fourth overall. Onosato's promotion was made official after a unanimous recommendation from the JSA's advisory council on Monday and approved by the board of trustees at a special meeting on Wednesday. He is now the fastest wrestler to reach yokozuna in the modern six-tournament calendar era, which dates to 1958. The record ascent eclipses the previous mark of 21 basho set by Wajima, another Ishikawa native, in 1973. 'I am truly happy,' Onosato told reporters on Wednesday after receiving the decision from JSA envoys at his Nishonoseki stable in Ibaraki Prefecture. 'Now, things will become more important than ever. I want to stay focused and continue to work hard.' He added: 'I will devote myself to training so as not to disgrace the rank of yokozuna. I want to be the one and only grand champion.' The phrase 'one and only' echoed his remarks last September when he was promoted to ōzeki, sumo's second-highest rank. 'I didn't originally plan to say it again, but it just felt right,' he said. 'It was the only thing that came to mind.' Onosato, whose birth name is Daiki Nakamura, entered the professional ranks in May 2023 after a decorated amateur career at Toyo University. He began in the third-tier makushita division and quickly scaled the ranks without a single losing record, reaching ōzeki in his ninth tournament and before reaching the top in his 13th. He secured his latest title on day 13 of the Summer tournament – where competitors wrestle once daily and the best record after 15 days wins – by defeating fellow ōzeki Kotozakura to improve to 13-0. His only blemish came on the final day to Hoshoryu, the Mongolian-born yokozuna who was promoted in January. Hoshoryu finished 12-3 and the result has only heightened anticipation for the budding rivalry between the two. They are set to face off as yokozuna for the first time at the Nagoya tournament in July – sumo's grand tournaments are held every two months throughout the year in the odd-numbered months – the first time two grand champions will top the banzuke ranking list since 2021. It makes the first time that two rikishi have earned promotion to yokozuna in the same calendar year since 1987, when Hokutoumi and Onokuni both reached the top. 'Winning two straight tournaments as an ōzeki is an impressive feat,' said Tadamori Oshima, chairman of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, said on Sunday. 'Above all, he remained composed and consistent under pressure.' The promotion ends a period of scarcity for Japanese-born yokozuna. Before Kisenosato in 2017, Japan had gone nearly two decades without a native wrestler at the top rank, as Mongolian wrestlers dominated the sport. Six of the last seven yokozuna before Onosato were born in Mongolia, including the record-shattering Hakuho, Harumafuji and Asashoryu. Their emergence followed Akebono, the American who became the first rikishi born outside Japan to earn the rank in 1993. 'I hope he leads by example and lifts the entire world of sumo,' said Nishonoseki, Onosato's stablemaster, who competed as Kisenosato. 'He's still developing. He's been building his body properly since entering the stable, making steady efforts. Training does not lie.' Onosato's rise has been widely hailed both for its symbolic significance and his calm, composed style. A technical and balanced wrestler, he has been praised for his maturity in the ring and his steady temperament off it. His promotion has also been a source of pride in his home prefecture of Ishikawa, which was devastated by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on New Year's Day in 2025. More than 600 people died in a disaster that displaced thousands and the Noto Peninsula region continues to rebuild. 'I will work hard as a yokozuna to encourage and cheer up the Ishikawa prefecture and the Noto region,' he said. He is now the third yokozuna from Ishikawa, following Wajima and Haguroyama. With the sport preparing for an international exhibition at London's Royal Albert Hall in October, his promotion comes at a time when JSA is seeking to broaden its global profile while reconnecting with fans at home. At 24, Onosato is the youngest yokozuna since Takanohana's promotion in 1994 and thought to be the first to reach the rank without a single losing record in the top division. What comes next is not only the pressure of defending the rank, but the responsibility that accompanies it both inside and outside the dohyo. 'This is unknown territory for me,' Onosato said. 'But I want to continue being myself: to wrestle my way, stay focused, and become a unique and unparalleled yokozuna.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Onosato promoted to yokozuna after record-setting ascent in sumo
Onosato's promotion comes just days after clinching the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Sumo Hall with a 14-1 record, clinching second straight championship and fourth overall. Onosato's promotion comes just days after clinching the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Sumo Hall with a 14-1 record, clinching second straight championship and fourth overall. Photograph: Japan Pool/JIJI Press/AFP/Getty Images Onosato has been promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, the Japan Sumo Association announced on Wednesday, completing a meteoric rise to the summit of Japan's national sport in the record span of 13 tournaments. The 24-year-old, who weighs 421lb (191kg) and stands 6ft 4in (1.92m) tall, becomes the 75th yokozuna in sumo's centuries-spanning history and the first Japan-born wrestler to hold the title since Kisenosato in 2017. His promotion comes just days after clinching the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Sumo Hall with a 14-1 record, clinching his second straight championship and fourth overall. Advertisement Onosato's promotion was made official after a unanimous recommendation from the JSA's advisory council on Monday and approved by the board of trustees at a special meeting on Wednesday. He is now the fastest wrestler to reach yokozuna in the modern six-tournament calendar era, which dates to 1958. The record ascent eclipses the previous mark of 21 basho set by Wajima, another Ishikawa native, in 1973. 'I am truly happy,' Onosato told reporters on Wednesday after receiving the decision from JSA envoys at his Nishonoseki stable in Ibaraki Prefecture. 'Now, things will become more important than ever. I want to stay focused and continue to work hard.' He added: 'I will devote myself to training so as not to disgrace the rank of yokozuna. I want to be the one and only grand champion.' The phrase 'one and only' echoed his remarks last September when he was promoted to ōzeki, sumo's second-highest rank. 'I didn't originally plan to say it again, but it just felt right,' he said. 'It was the only thing that came to mind.' Advertisement Onosato, whose birth name is Daiki Nakamura, entered the professional ranks in May 2023 after a decorated amateur career at Toyo University. He began in the third-tier makushita division and quickly scaled the ranks without a single losing record, reaching ōzeki in his ninth tournament and before reaching the top in his 13th. He secured his latest title on day 13 of the Summer tournament – where competitors wrestle once daily and the best record after 15 days wins – by defeating fellow ōzeki Kotozakura to improve to 13-0. His only loss came on the final day to Hoshoryu, the Mongolian-born yokozuna who was promoted in January. Hoshoryu finished 12-3 and the result has only heightened anticipation for a nascent rivalry between the two. They are set to face off as yokozuna for the first time at the Nagoya tournament in July – sumo's grand tournaments are held every two months throughout the year in the odd-numbered months – the first time two grand champions will top the banzuke ranking list since 2021. It makes the first time that two rikishi have earned promotion to yokozuna in the same calendar year since 1987, when Hokutoumi and Onokuni both reached the top. 'Winning two straight tournaments as an ōzeki is an impressive feat,' said Tadamori Oshima, chairman of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, said on Sunday. 'Above all, he remained composed and consistent under pressure.' Advertisement The promotion ends a period of scarcity for Japanese-born yokozuna. Before Kisenosato in 2017, Japan had gone nearly two decades without a native wrestler at the top rank, as Mongolian wrestlers dominated the sport. Six of the last seven yokozuna before Onosato were born in Mongolia, including the record-shattering Hakuho, Harumafuji and Asashoryu. 'I hope he leads by example and lifts the entire world of sumo,' said Nishonoseki, Onosato's stablemaster, who competed as Kisenosato. 'He's still developing. He's been building his body properly since entering the stable, making steady efforts. Training does not lie.' Onosato's rise has been widely hailed both for its symbolic significance and his calm, composed style. A technical and balanced wrestler, he has been praised for his maturity in the ring and his steady temperament off it. His promotion has also been a source of pride in his home prefecture of Ishikawa, which was devastated by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on New Year's Day in 2025. More than 600 people died in a disaster that displaced thousands and the Noto Peninsula region continues to rebuild. 'I will work hard as a yokozuna to encourage and cheer up the Ishikawa prefecture and the Noto region,' he said. He is now the third yokozuna from Ishikawa, following Wajima and Haguroyama. With the sport preparing for an international exhibition at London's Royal Albert Hall in October, his promotion comes at a time when JSA is seeking to broaden its global profile while reconnecting with fans at home. Advertisement At 24, Onosato is the youngest yokozuna since Takanohana's promotion in 1994 and thought to be the first to reach the rank without a single losing record in the top division. What comes next is not only the pressure of defending the rank, but the responsibility that accompanies it both inside and outside the dohyo. 'This is unknown territory for me,' Onosato said. 'But I want to continue being myself: to wrestle my way, stay focused, and become a unique and unparalleled yokozuna.'
