John Gunning

Takayasu’s latest heartbreak creates sumo history My column today

”Backstage Dodgers” Episode 2 is available to watch now on Amazon Prime. I took them to a sumo demo. Backstage: Dodgers - Episode 2

Japan’s twin obsessions meet as MLB visits sumo’s heartland

Took some of the Dodgers players to a sumo demo event in Tokyo this morning. Logistics and schedule meant going to Osaka for the real deal wasn't possible but they enjoyed it nonetheless. The results will be on BACKSTAGE: DODGERS on Amazon Prime soon. Couple of phone snaps of Clayton Kershaw and other players at the event here:

I tried to warn people. Been writing and posting for almost five years about unprecedented demand for sumo content from overseas. As I’ve said elsewhere its up between 600% and 2000% depending on outlet since the pandemic began.

Hoshoryu isn't the only new yokozuna for Haru

In a few years sumo might have its own version of NFL Network, with live streaming of basho, documentaries, historical footage AOD, studio debate shows etc all in English. Some major players in global media are eyeing Japan's national sport with a view to making all that a reality

Both are Komatsuryu kids.

Update for my amateur sumo friends around the world.

The 15th Hakuho Cup WILL take place Details: * 2025-2-11 Kokugikan * JSA approval ・ Guidance from Isegahama Oyakata * Noto & Ukraine teams invited * Miyagino in mawashi teaching * 1,100 kids approx. (Age 5-15) * Admission FREE

Announcement coming in the next hour or so that’s probably going to make some European sumo fans very happy.

•Sumo protests against nuclear tests •Arson in Paris destroying dozens of kesho mawashi •French presidents waging war through sumo •Yokozuna disappearing forever in South America •Samurai at the Great Sphinx of Giza in 1864 ....and more.... in my column this week

Hearing that ticket sales (applications?) for the June 2026 Sumo event in Paris open this Monday (February 10) at 10am French time on the AEG website.

Sumo’s newest yokozuna is all smiles — but major challenges await

Thanks for alerting me to the fact that TBS is using one of my photos without permission.

Yep

Not only that but a major news agency just got slapped with punishments and threatened with having their access to a certain sport revoked for accidentally putting embargoed news online for a few minutes half an hour before the time allowed.

Nothing to do with London. Can’t say more until the announcement is made tomorrow but it will happen probably around 2pm Japan time

Got my days mixed up. It’s tomorrow

I talked to some sumo fans who were at the Royal Albert Hall in 1991.

Will we see Paris Syndrome on the kyujo certificates?

The counterpoint of course is that if such deliberate misinformation is of little consequence to those in attendance and / or won't affect tickets sales, then why do it? With no apparent upside, all it's doing is simply annoying people who do understand the false nature of the claims, and putting even more incorrect info about sumo out into the world. They could simply have said the Japan Sumo Association is returning to London after 34 years, and even used the 'basho' moniker without issue (as Canada did in 1998).

All JSA info related to the event treats it as a normal Koen. The presenting it as a real basho comes entirely from the organiser and the RAH. I’m pretty sure no one in the kyokai is reading English language media connected to the event, and even if they did I doubt they would care enough to start correcting their business partners in the venture over such phrasing as it has no effect on them or their core audience, nor is it ever picked up by media in Japan. I don’t even know why it bugs me so much - I’ve seen far more egregious claims made about sumo in the past by foreign media.

If anyone was at the 1991 London sumo event and is willing to talk about their recollections please give me a shout.