Rikishi's kanji of the year

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Aminishiki has selected 「絆」 (kizuna, emotional ties) as the kanji representing his year of sumo. "For one year, I took on sumo together with my tsukebito. I'm injured, thus by taking care of me, they are of great help. To them I'm the most thankful." They are Ougifuji and Tsubakifuji.

Harumafuji selected 「夢」(yume, dream). "I chased after the dream of becoming yokozuna and caught it, so that's it." On the 12th he did 20 bouts tachi-ai training with Homarefuji. The next dream: "My sumo isn't stable yet. That's also typical for me. Achieving two zensho yusho was a miracle. As a yokozuna I have to reach stability."

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Kyokutenho also selected 『夢』, dream. "There have been various things, but coming true was the yusho."

Asashisho has 『初』, hatsu, first. "First time in makuuchi, also in a yokozuna dohyo-iri. I received the water from my senior heya-mate Kyokutenho." He added "Next year it's 『続』, zoku, continuation. In the year my active career is over it will be 『完』, kan, the end."

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Takamisakari selected “無”(nothing), from 無我夢中 (mugamuchu, in no-self trance, totally absorbed in) staying active, no room for anything else.
Next year he would like to have 「明」(bright). At J12 he needs 7 wins to avoid intai.

[Akinomaki 40,098]

The Kanji of the year this time is "zei" (tax) and as always many persons, among them many rikishi, are asked for their kanji of the year.
Ichinojo's was asked at (before) his sekiwake promotion party with about 300 guests, his kanji of the year is the first of his shikona, 逸, read itsu from itsuzai, outstanding talent, he simply loves that kanji. His oyakata has chosen 驚, "odoroki", amazement and surprise all over the year for him.
http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/141213/spo1412130038-n1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AmGYJiZxfE



Kanji of the year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoXxOnPgCtk
The poll had 167 613 entries this year and 8679 selected "tax". As always (started in 1995) it was written at the Kiyomizu-temple in Kyoto by the chief abbot on the “Kanji Day”, Dec. 12^th.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Endo named 忙 (from isogashii, busy) as the kanji symbolizing his year: "In January it came to the Nagatanien commercial appearance and from about March on I became busy."

In January he got his first kanto-sho with 11-4 and in March he first met the top rankers and as we all know he went to all kinds of extra events.

His goal for next year is sanyaku.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/12/14/kiji/K20141214009456320.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Kanji of the year 2015 is AN 安, this year exclusively from (in)security (treaty), also yasu in Takayasu.

2nd this year with 4929 was baku, explode, not just bombs, one of the 2 top phrases of this year was "bakugai", shopping spree (the 50 nominations).

3rd was sen, fight, battle, with 4556.

Generally all popular rikishi are asked about their kanji of the year and many are reported

And Nikkan has begun to post one each day yesterday, starting with Aminishiki http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1579708.html

He wants to go home, but can't: therefore 帰 KI, kae(ru), return, is his kanji. The oyakata (who selected 偽 nise, fake, for society as a whole this year) let them stay in Okinawa after the jungyo.

But that's not all. He's back after injury, 復帰 fukKI, in the higher maegashira ranks, though a return to sanyaku (with a different kae(ri) as kanji) is not likely. As the oldest in makuuchi, to stay active, he also wants to get back to his roots as a shrewed technician.

Today it's Yoshikaze http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1580137.html

with 技 waza, GI from GInousho, the technique award he got twice in a row now: "Ain't I the only one who can write this character (as the kanji of his year)?"

[Gurowake 4,021]

Hey, even I can tell what kanji Yoshikaze wrote there. It's not just a mess of scribbling like his shikona is.

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Toyonoshima selected one that even a child could tell: 子, ko, child: he is the core of the Keiko With Kids squad at the jungyo. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1580479.html

Shohozan makes it into my favorite rikishi top group with that selection: 気

KI, the thing omnipresent in everything, especially in Japanese words - (some Westerner called it The Force)

Kimochi (attitude), Kiai (fighting spirit), Kihaku (vigor) are the ones he thought of.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1581029.html

Edited December 19, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Kotoshogiku, freshly married this year, selected 変, hen, as of change, henka - not one at the tachiai but in his life this year, and not the hen= weird. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1581443.html

Takarafuji is part of one big united group, team Isegahama, thus he selected 団, dan.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1581656.html

Edited December 21, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Tamawashi when asked about his kanji for the year answered "happiness", shiawase. Given the cardboard paper to write it down he took out his smart-phone, entered the word and changed it to the proper kanji 幸 and wrote it down (just like I would do).
Thus not as impressive as that of the others.

And why happiness? "Because I was happy and hope to be so next year as well."
And he has reason for that: at age 30 and in his 66th basho he made it to sanyaku for the first time this year, slowest foreigner to do so.
And he got his first kinboshi this year as well, again the slowest foreigner for that, in his 10th bout against a yokozuna.
And for the first time he managed to stay above maegashira 10 for the whole year.
http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1581662.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Homarefuji has to endure a lot: 耐 from taeru is his kanji thus.
At age 30 he doesn't want to be just trying to defend his position, he endures keiko to improve it.
He's the sole among the 5 sekitori in Isegahama-beya who hasn't ever reached sanyaku yet and would like to aim for it, to be able to select "joy" next year. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1582900.html



Takayasu had a year of learning, he selected 勉, ben from benkyo. "My sumo this year was awful. Privately it went well though."
His best memory this year was the meeting with president Aquino, on a visit to his mother's homeland, the Philippines.
In sumo: a heavy drop from komusubi and the first kyujo of his career, then having to enter the basho unprepared: many unpleasant, but learning experiences. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1582912.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Ikioi did what I (and surely most fans) hoped he would do:
he selected 勢 ikioi (vigor, force, impetus) as his kanji of the year (thus double on the card, as the sign as well)

Not only did he fight with vigor on the dohyo, he resolutely opted for surgery on his left shoulder in August, which had gotten more and more painful since he became sekitori in Kyushu 2011. Clotted blood on one location and of fluid on two were removed in an 2 hour operation. After that he had 11 and 12 wins and ended the year ikioi yoku, in/as good Ikioi.
Next year he would like to be able to select 信, shin, belief - in himself.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1582925.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

And last not least Hakuho: he selected 成, SEI, nari, become, from seicho, growth, maturing - as a yokozuna.
A bit similar to Takayasu, but of course with much better experiences: Record number of yusho, the Mongolian National honor award - but of course also the first kyujo as a yokozuna (and massive bashing, at the beginning of the year for his shimpan slander, at the end for his neko-damashi). http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1583828.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Nikkan has finished their series, but Sponichi (and others) reported Endo's kanji of the year.

He selected 辛, tsurai etc., for a bitter and painful year of injuries, with proper recovery being the only thing on his mind. Next year he would like to be able to add one stroke to get 幸, shiawase etc., happiness and good luck.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/12/29/kiji/K20151229011770480.html

Edited December 30, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

No Nikkan series on the net this year so far. Sanspo reports for Takayasu this year 夢 yume, dream (of getting to ozeki). "Double digits in a row at sanyaku, able to challenge for ozeki: when I think of the time I entered, this was like being in a dream." http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20161229/sum16122916480003-n1.html

On 25.12.2015 at 18:08, Akinomaki said:

Takayasu had a year of learning, he selected 勉, ben from benkyo. "My sumo this year was awful.

Ishiura selected  筋 suji, kin: tendon and muscle - he doesn't stop training even over the year end/start.  http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20161229/sum16122918400005-n1.html

Bench press 200kg, squat 260kg, combined with and building on the explosive power that showed in high school as a 50m dash in 6.3s. His trainer wants him to do a sumo like a bullet. http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/sumo/news/CK2016122702000153.html

[rhyen 1,823]

Nikkan doesn't seem to have posted any picture of the rikishi with tegata. 

Endo chose pain to represent his 2016 memories: http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1759154.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

On 15.12.2013 at 15:21, Akinomaki said:

Endo selected 縁, EN (not his from Endo), connection, destiny.

On 14.12.2014 at 11:28, Akinomaki said:

Endo named 忙 (from isogashii, busy) as the kanji symbolizing his year: "In January it came to the Nagatanien commercial appearance and from about March on I became busy."

His goal for next year is sanyaku.

On 30.12.2015 at 11:12, Akinomaki said:

Endo's kanji of the year.

He selected 辛, tsurai etc., for a bitter and painful year of injuries, with proper recovery being the only thing on his mind. Next year he would like to be able to add one stroke to get 幸, shiawase etc., happiness and good luck.

Didn't quite turned out happy:

1 hour ago, rhyen said:

Endo chose pain to represent his 2016 memories: http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1759154.html

痛, TSUU, itai(i): the Hatsu basho he was kyujo after the pain in the leg got worse, Haru a drop to juryo and in the end in Kyushu, after beating 3 ozeki in a row and Hakuho and with sanyaku in reach, a make-koshi on the final day - that surely ruined his year. Still he has for the first time an overall kachi-koshi this year: 46 wins of 90 possible. "I want to make next year better than this and one of which I can say 'It was a good year'."

Edited December 31, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

On 20.12.2015 at 18:22, Akinomaki said:

Kotoshogiku, freshly married this year, selected 変, hen, as of change, henka - not one at the tachiai but in his life this year, and not the hen= weird.

Kadoban now, but a good year for him of course: Kotoshogiku selected 望, BOU from kibou, hope that got fulfilled - with a yusho - and in April 2017 his first son is expected to be born. http://www.daily.co.jp/sumo/2016/12/31/0009794536.shtml

[Akinomaki 40,098]

On 30.12.2016 at 14:38, Akinomaki said:

Ishiura selected  筋 suji, kin: tendon and muscle

Now we are already at the motto for the new year - more than one kanji. For Ishiura: 無心無欲 - mushin-muyoku: free from obstructive thoughts and desires: "I was thinking all the time about how I should go into the bouts, to get stronger. Now I feel it's best if I think of nothing and max out my own sumo. It's the style I'm aiming for, which brings me closer to real strength."

"This basho they all have studied me. To counter that I need more pushing power at the tachi-ai." "I want to get the gino-sho and become one of the skilled small rikishi in history." http://www.nnn.co.jp/news/170104/20170104031.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

The kanji of the year 2018 is disaster 災 sai, written as always by the abbot of Kiyomizu-dera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y75LraWq6R4

This year, Mitakeumi as the one kanji to represent his whole year selected 魅 mi (of miryoku 魅力), fascination, charm, bewitch https://www.japandict.com/kanji/魅

"I was really appealing this year - the yusho, and also the final bout (that smashed the hopes of Takayasu and gave the yusho to Takakeisho)"

"In the very end I managed to show a bout that connects to next year"

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/column/sumo/news/201812120000716.html

[Akinomaki 40,098]

The kanji of the year 2019, reiwa 1, is - no surprise - the rei from reiwa 令 topic/38500-news-of-abdication-and-new-reign

o

as always performed and presented by the abbot of the Kiyomizu temple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkD3s2-ySoU

o o

 

2 rikishi had already revealed their kanji for 2019

Asanoyama picked 初 hatsu, start, first, as in hatsu yusho - at the natsu basho he also got his first kinboshi and made it to sanyaku for the first time last basho - and got his first ginosho http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2019/12/04/kiji/20191203s00005000507000c.html

For Mitakeumi the year was nil, nothing, zero, zilch - 無 mu. He has to start from zero again next year, but actually he meant the mind free of (obstructive) thoughts, mushin when he picked that kanji (a year with a yusho is not nothing). http://hochi.news/articles/20191206-OHT1T50268.html

Edited December 12, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Enho picked  苦 ku from kurushii, painful, as the kanji to represent his year. "This year was painfully long. Such an experience is a source of encouragement. The hardest was the fight against myself. Such that I wanted to run away. I can't get a win unless I fight at the limit. It is really worth a lot when you overcome yourself." http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2019/12/26/0012991360.shtml

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Hakuho this year chose 復 fuku from fukkatsu, for comeback. He had been told his injuries could not be cured fully, but he made it. http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201912280000239.html

Edited December 28, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Mitakeumi this year picked 貫 - tsuranuku (going through with it, persist): "I had the feeling of absolutely having to get kachikoshi, then going for double digits. With gratitude towards lots of people, I did sumo this year." http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2021/12/08/0014900486.shtml

[Katooshu 3,182]

Interesting. I hadn't been aware that Mitakeumi did sumo this year.