New recruits -March 2010

[Kintamayama 45,527]

The largest recruitment of the year basho is coming up, and we have some numbers. Actually, it's the number of new recruits for the second tier tests (1.67/67). We have 8, which is relatively low. It's the second straight one-digit recruitment for these guys, and the second time since the introduction of the second-tier tests in 2001. Three of the eight are joining Hakkaku beya.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Kintamayama

[ilovesumo 12]

The biggest recruit of the year basho is coming up, and we have some numbers. Actually, it's the number of new recruits for the second tier tests (1.67/67). We have 8, which is relatively low. It's the second straight one-digit recruitment for these guys, and the second time since the introduction of the second-tier tests in 2001. Three of the eight are joining Hakkaku beya.

Man...

I really wonder how Hakkaku is doing that again and again...

is there any space left? (I am not worthy...) (give em to Takashima!) (Clapping wildly...)

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Well, at least eight's much improved over last year's four... That should (hopefully) bode well for an overall better recruiting, because last year's Haru basho total of only 41 was indeed a bit embarrassing.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Jonosuke 28]

Personally I think if you weigh only 68 kg then there are whole lot of other things you can do in your life but wanting to join Ozumo despite all that means these guys really love sumo and having even one person per basho joining Ozumo bodes well for them. It isn't how you start out but how you end up and the journey that is all worthwhile.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

All eight have passed the physical tests-the internal organs examinations will be held on March 6th.

[yorikiried by fate 2,029]

the internal organs examinations

How do they do that? Open them?

(Foot in mouth...)

[Andreas 0]

the internal organs examinations

How do they do that? Open them?

(Being unsure...)

Rubber gloves...

[Kintamayama 45,527]

the internal organs examinations

How do they do that? Open them?

No, play them.

[Orion 431]

Personally I think if you weigh only 68 kg then there are whole lot of other things you can do in your life but wanting to join Ozumo despite all that means these guys really love sumo and having even one person per basho joining Ozumo bodes well for them. It isn't how you start out but how you end up and the journey that is all worthwhile.

And don't forget that Toyonoshima was the first of these guys who took the second tests and got in under the height minimum to make sekitori....

Orion, strongly into 'the best stuff comes in small packages' (Being unsure...)

[Asashosakari 19,657]

And don't forget that Toyonoshima was the first of these guys who took the second tests and got in under the height minimum to make sekitori....

Still, there's a world of difference between those who only miss the original 173 cm height minimum and those who also fail to weigh 75 kg. I think Jonosuke was speaking more about the latter group. The three sub-173 cm guys who have become sekitori thus far all weighed well over 100 kg for their hatsu-dohyo.

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Some very neat impressions from the secondary exams courtesy of FNN.

(Nice to see that the practice of faking your way to sufficient height via your hairstyle is still alive and well...see 0:52.)

Edited February 14, 2010 by Asashosakari

[ilovesumo 12]

Have you seen how he quickly adjusted again before the 168cm was spoken out? (Nodding yes...)

Second one- he measured the hair...and the guy with the implant said "no, nothing was implanted"..............

Edited February 14, 2010 by ilovesumo

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Time to preview a few shindeshi. First up, as already mentioned a few times in various threads: last year's individual (in a field of 184) and team champion at the All-Japan Middle School championships, 15-year-old Ryoya Tatsu 達綾哉. Hailing from yokozuna Wajima and active Tochinonada's hometown Nanao-shi in Ishikawa prefecture, his reputation already precedes him before he's even stepped on a professional dohyo for the first time. And it just might be deserved, too, given his physical attributes of 193 cm / 145 kg and a reputation as an enthusiast of hard and frequent keiko, the latter certainly endearing him to his new shisho, Takadagawa-okayata (former Akinoshima). Neither is shy about the path they're planning to travel together: Takadagawa wants to raise a Japanese yokozuna, and Tatsu wants to be one. First goal: "Becoming sekitori in three years!", the youngster declared, naming Hakuho as his idol and inspiration. However, unlike the yokozuna he currently prefers to go with fierce tsuki-oshi.

As is customary the new ozumo-san made the tour through various hometown places recently, saying goodbye to supporters, coaches and the like, and promising to gambarize. Even so, there appears to be a certain buzz here that I've rarely encountered in shindeshi press clippings. Tatsu is officially joining the stable on Feb 22.

Press conference with Takadagawa-oyakata at Seinanbu Middle School on Jan 25:

At Nanao city hall on Feb 5 (he also visited his old elementary school that day):

At keiko:

Edited February 14, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Our next contestant is a real bundle of energy. 14-year-old Yuki Nanba 南場雄貴 from Shobara-shi, Hiroshima prefecture has been active in kendo and tennis in his young life, and while he hasn't done much sumo yet he's looking forward to joining Sadogatake-beya. A supporter of the stable "discovered" the athletic kid during his first year at Municipal Tojo Middle School and took him to the 2007 Kyushu basho, where Nanba was immediately fascinated by the sheer force of the sumotori as they clashed and decided to make ozumo his goal. Since then he's been drinking three liters of milk per day on the advice of his future shisho and tried to build his strength in various ways, from pushups to...well, just look at the pics below. He measured 176 cm / 102 kg when the press covered him a few weeks ago, though I wouldn't be surprised if he's already put on some more weight by the time the March shindeshi kensa rolls around.

Back on the 29th he had his ceremonial hometown send-off at the local retirement welfare center, with some 350 guests in attendance and Sadogatake-oyakata giving a lecture on his own sumo life and exhorting his new recruit to "become a sumotori who wins the hearts of the fans". For his part, Nanba offered a comment that adeptly hit all the right buttons: "Through diligent practice I'd like to become a sekitori that the people of my hometown can be proud of!"

Edited February 15, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Azumashida 1]

Takadagawa wants to raise a Japanese yokozuna, and Tatsu wants to be one.

(...)

Even so, there appears to be a certain buzz here that I've rarely encountered in shindeshi press clippings.

No wonder! I can't recall an oyakata saying that he wants his 15-year old Japanese shindeshi to become a yokozuna - maybe this happened when Futagoyama recruited his sons but since then? And coming from Takadagawa, who always seemed so composed and dignified on the dohyo, it sounds all the more convincing to me. Hard to imagine him get completely carried away for no reason...

193 cm and 145 kg (+ 1 cm and 9 kg since his middle school yokozuna title in mid-August) at 15 is extremely impressive, his idol Hakuho was 180 for 80 kg at 16... Now hopefully he will keep his weight under control...

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Seiya Minami already took the Kyokai physical in January, but it turns out Isegahama-oyakata has had a second reason to travel to Minamiawaji-shi in Hyogo prefecture: 15-year-old Shoki Fukuoka 福岡翔輝 was the recipient of a minor press blitz following the secondary tests the other day, after it surfaced that he was born on January 17, 1995, the day of the Kobe Earthquake that devastated his hometown and surrounding areas. His family's home was mostly spared, fortunately, and he came into the world amid aftershocks some 15 hours after the quake hit.

Fukuoka's been practicing sumo for some time, finishing runner-up in a local tournament in elementary school 4th grade and reaching the top 16 in the Hyogo tournament of the All-Japan Middle School sumo circuit this past year. And he has a pragmatic reason for turning pro right out of middle school: "Even if I win a title in high school it's not going to change [my starting rank], so I'd rather get on it right now." Can't argue with that, and Isegahama-oyakata (who's acquainted with one of Fukuoka's coaches) should be a shisho who'll make it worth his time. Quite on the small side at 167 cm / 89 kg, Fukuoka is nevertheless setting his sights high - "I'll gambarize so I can be a sekitori in five years, doing sumo that dominates my opponents right from the tachiai", he promised, naming ozeki and future senpai Harumafuji as his idol. His shikona has already been chosen, it'll be 照強 (Terutsuyoshi).

And one bit about Minami - as his inspiration he named Otsukasa, a fellow alum of Ichikawa High School (and fellow enthusiast of oshi-zumo).

Fukuoka (middle) and Minami (right) in their farewell meeting with the city mayor on Feb 5:

More Fukuoka:

[Asashosakari 19,657]

And not only do we have a new deshi named Fukuoka, we also have one from Oki Island. 18-year-old Ryota Mukai 向井涼太 is one of the gaggle of undersized Hakkaku-beya recruits, and he's good enough that he qualified for the national inter-high school tournament.

[Sashohitowa 6]

His shikona has already been chosen, it'll be 照強 (Terutsuyoshi).

I thought that something-fuji is the new fashion at Isegahama recently...

[Gusoyama 104]

that Tatsu guy is beastly for 15. One to keep an eye on, if he can learn good form. Also, it looks like the "invisible flag" pose has been replaced with "fist bump" or "invisible shopping bag" pose.(last two pics)

[Asashosakari 19,657]

193 cm and 145 kg (+ 1 cm and 9 kg since his middle school yokozuna title in mid-August) at 15 is extremely impressive ...

BTW, one article mentioned that he was 135 / 35 when he entered elementary school nine years ago, so already very tall but not really heavy. In other words, body-wise he's probably quite far away from the typical 150 kg young shindeshi who first need to get rid of a significant amount of fat after entering ozumo.

Of course, what remains to be seen is whether he's just dominated his age group on his physical tools or can back it up with skillful sumo. Jonosuke's post from last year certainly sounded promising on that front. (And if I may say so, from the handful of pictures above he has looks on his side, too...I'll be the first to caution against excessive hype, but if in eight years he's developed into a heartthrob yokozuna who makes all the women swoon in addition to dominating the dohyo, you heard it here first.)

Edited February 16, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Gusoyama 104]

this thread made me think, how many more years until Kotonowaka's son enters, 3 years? 4? Is he even interested?

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Naomitsu Sugimoto (fourth in the National sumo meet) is joining Kasugano beya in March. He received a citation today (together with another young man) for saving a guy from a fire by carrying him on his shoulder. "It's OK, hold on to my shoulder", he was said to have said at the time. "I'm happy it all ended well. I will gambarize and hope to become a strong rikishi', he said today.

Sugimoto points to the point on the second floor where he saved a man from a fire:

Edited February 21, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 19,657]

Naomitsu Sugimoto (fourth in the National sumo meet)

Fourth place in the team competition, that is, with Kyoto prefecture. He went out in the first round of the individuals.

(Full results...looks like there was a point to typing all that up, after all. Especially as they've apparently been deleted from the official source I used. (Sign of disapproval...))

[Jonosuke 28]

He saved a four year old boy. Hope someone tells the boy about it when he grows up so he too can join Kasugano Beya. By then Sugjimoto may be in high Makushita, aiming for his juryo promotion.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Naomitsu Sugimoto (fourth in the National sumo meet) is joining Kasugano beya in March.

and now, in English.