Shikoroyama Oyakata (Former Terao)

[Muhomatsu 227]

It seems he has passed away today.  He was one of my favorites in the mid-90s.  He is Abi’s Oyakata. 
https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202312170001399.html

[sekihiryu 51]

My wife just said to me, I immediately checked the news, all news seems to be in the past few minutes. I am stunned. I live very near to the location where Shikoroyama stable have the Osaka Basho lodgings and training. I frequently watched them train.

Just 60 years old.  Such sad news 

[code_number3 701]

He come to his brothers, Sakahoko and Kakureizan.

RIP

Edited December 17, 2023 by code_number3

[Nantonoyama 249]

Very sad news indeed. His brother did die at approx. the same age...

[RabidJohn 1,771]

I really enjoyed watching Terao on C4 in the late 80s/early 90s - he was a tsuppari specialist at the time with a style all his own.

I knew he'd been hospitalised last year when Abi won his yusho, but I'd heard nothing recently. He was only a month or so older than me. 

I know rikishi can die early from weight-related issues, but Terao was always so skinny, so this has come as a bit of a shock

Maybe it explains the comment under Chris Sumo's recent video on Kakuryu's new deshi. Someone said he was after Shikoroyama, which didn't make much sense to me yesterday...

[Kintamayama 45,085]

He has been ill lately, heart problems. ``His condition had stabilized after being hospitalized for about three months, but his condition suddenly deteriorated yesterday (16th) evening due to cardiac arrhythmia,'' said a source close to the heya.

[Saburo 18]

Just stunning news. He became an immediate favorite when I got back into watching sumo in the mid-1980s. Even the most casual of ozumo observers recognized Terao.

I just saw Konishki this past Thursday in Waikiki and thought to myself, man he looks like he's slowed down considerably. The eighties are all dying, man...

[Akinomaki 40,403]

The heya around 21h JST

o

Abi arriving

oo

close to midnight the deshi brought the body of Shikoroyama to the heya from the hospital

o o o o o

Eldest Kakureizan died from heart failure age 60 and 4 months in 2020, Sakahoko age 58 in 2019 from cancer, Terao age 60 and 10 months. Their mother had died age 43 of cancer just before he joined ozumo. He had used her maiden name as shikona, only on juryo promotion he took for one basho the first shikona of 3rd yokozuna Nishinoumi, deshi of his maternal great grandfather, 2nd yokozuna Nishinoumi and 9th Izutsu (died age 50).

3 months ago on day 9 of the Aki basho he appeared on the NSK YT channel

Tatsutagawa (Homasho) said they'll discuss the plans for the future from now on (I don't know what the deadline is to determine the next shisho, one or two days I think)

Edited December 17, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Yamanashi 3,837]

49 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

He has been ill lately, heart problems. ``His condition had stabilized after being hospitalized for about three months, but his condition suddenly deteriorated yesterday (16th) evening due to cardiac arrhythmia,'' said a source close to the heya.

It's interesting that his Wikipedia bio says : "Despite suffering from a heart condition,[3] Terao enjoyed an exceptionally long and relatively injury-free career ... "

The footnote refers to the book "Grand Sumo ... " (1993) by Lora Sharnoff.

[Kintamayama 45,085]

I stood next to him in May 2019 (he was in the ticket booth at the entrance of the KKan) and he did not look well at all. I think I wrote about that somewhere, voicing my concern that he may be seriously ill.

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Churaumi 743]

I remember seeing him there that basho. He had pulled back on a lot of his duties due to health and on the day I saw him he looked kind of gray but was enjoying the crowd. Too sad.

[Kaninoyama 1,777]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

I stood next to him in May 2019 (he was in the ticket booth at the entrance of the KKan) and he did not look well at all. I think I wrote about that somewhere, voicing my concern that he may be seriously ill.

 

I also saw him that year. There was a huge line at his ticket window. The other one was virtually empty. Everyone wanted a chance to greet him, and he had a friendly word and smile for every fan.

R.I.P.

[Getayukata 119]

Terao was the first rikishi that I rooted for when I first started watching sumo in 1990. This is sad news, but I am glad that Abi got a yusho for him. 

RIP Terao.

[WAKATAKE 2,655]

I remember watching him when I first got into him. So unfortunate that all the brothers died so young.

Wondering what will happen to the heya

[Seiyashi 4,077]

9 minutes ago, WAKATAKE said:

I remember watching him when I first got into him. So unfortunate that all the brothers died so young.

Wondering what will happen to the heya

https://hochi.news/articles/20231217-OHT1T51235.html?page=1

Hochi suggests that Tatsutagawa (ex-Hōmashō) will take over the heya - but whether as Shikoroyama or Tatsutagawa is currently unstated.

Might be a bit perverse to discuss this now, but that means a kabu just came free for Kakuryū as well - if he can secure it.

[Kaitetsu 293]

31 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Might be a bit perverse to discuss this now, but that means a kabu just came free for Kakuryū as well - if he can secure it.

Might be as well but, if you look at it from the angle that Kakuryu when first joining sumo had Terao as a senior stablemate in Izutsu, maybe whatever estate of the departed Terao might allow him to purchase the Shikoroyama stock to keep his memory living through him?

[mikawa 1,794]

Rest in Peace!

[Kamitsuumi 399]

2 hours ago, Kaitetsu said:

Might be as well but, if you look at it from the angle that Kakuryu when first joining sumo had Terao as a senior stablemate in Izutsu, maybe whatever estate of the departed Terao might allow him to purchase the Shikoroyama stock to keep his memory living through him?

Right, and Kakuryu Rikisaburo is named after Genjiyama Rikisaburo, which was Terao's shikona for one basho, and Kakuryu's tsukioshi skills were said to have been taught by Terao (as opposed to his yotsu skills, taught by Sakahoko).

But on the other hand doen't Abi have a pretty good claim to the kabu as well? Although he's still young and his body is still holding up, so he might not need a kabu for a couple more years.

[Kintamayama 45,085]

In 1998 I went back to Japan for the first time in 31 years. Most of that visit was spent in the Kokugikan area visiting various heya. One sunny morning I was randomly ambling through the neighborhood when I passed Izutsu beya. I immediately recognized Terao standing outside chatting with other rikishi, wearing short gym pants. It was in the dawn of his career and he seemed a bit tired to me. No phones with cameras back then, but I had a real camera with me, so I gestured that I would like a photo with him like the fanboy that I was.. He seemed fed up with these foreigners and their pictures and  turned to one of the other rikishi and said in Japanese: “ Is this one of your boyfriends?” I answered in street Japanese that he wasn’t my type. Terao was more amused than embarrassed and sort of smiled (??) as the photo was taken. I was  thrilled just to be standing next to him..

Edited December 18, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Jejima 1,384]

Terao was one of the stars when I first started watching sumo. I was really saddened when I read the news.

[Akinomaki 40,403]

Like Kakureizan, the cause of death was heart failure, in Terao's case congestive heart failure, at 20h27m JST on Dec. 17th. Tatsutagawa (Homasho) will take on the name Shikoroyama as the new shisho o

at the heya, condolence calls by Shibatayama, Hakkkaku, interviews by Abi, Tatsutagawa, Shibatayama

o o oo 

oooo oo o o o o

o  oo o

o o o  o o o

ooo

 o o o o oo

o o  o

Edited December 19, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Seiyashi 4,077]

4 hours ago, Kamitsuumi said:

7 hours ago, Kaitetsu said:

Might be as well but, if you look at it from the angle that Kakuryu when first joining sumo had Terao as a senior stablemate in Izutsu, maybe whatever estate of the departed Terao might allow him to purchase the Shikoroyama stock to keep his memory living through him?

Right, and Kakuryu Rikisaburo is named after Genjiyama Rikisaburo, which was Terao's shikona for one basho, and Kakuryu's tsukioshi skills were said to have been taught by Terao (as opposed to his yotsu skills, taught by Sakahoko).

But on the other hand doen't Abi have a pretty good claim to the kabu as well? Although he's still young and his body is still holding up, so he might not need a kabu for a couple more years.

In view of the news that Tatsutagawa is taking over as Shikoroyama, this is most likely not going to happen. I feel like us fans tend to get a bit more sentimental more often about kabu and lineages than the rikishi themselves.

[Akinomaki 40,403]

8 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Like Kakureizan, the cause of death was heart failure, in Terao's case congestive heart failure, at 20h27m JST on Dec. 17th. Tatsutagawa (Homasho) will take on the name Shikoroyama as the new shisho o

The funeral service for Terao will be on the 23rd, from 10a.m. on at the heya. Chief mourner is his wife Itsumi. o

3 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

I don't know much about Japanese funeral customs, but is it normal for the coffin to be placed in a cardboard box? Looks very.... dubious.

sorry, I didn't look in at the pics in detail - removed

[Obana 315]

A few postcards by Daimon of Terao along with a coaster from his restaurant and a photo from a January 1986 rikishi guide.

 

[Kamitsuumi 399]

7 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

In view of the news that Tatsutagawa is taking over as Shikoroyama, this is most likely not going to happen. I feel like us fans tend to get a bit more sentimental more often about kabu and lineages than the rikishi themselves.

I didn't think this was particularly relevant (or maybe it is and I'm in denial)? It still puts Tatsutagawa up for grabs, and Kakuryu talked recently about opening his own stable anyway.