Featured rikishi - KaioU

[Rijicho 6]

KaioU!

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Hiroyuki was born in the Koga-family in 1972. He weighed 15 pounds at birth, was the third child of Koga-family and was raised in Fukuoka. He was interested in sports and once dreamed of becoming a professional bicyclist. At second grade in primary school young Hiroyuki picked up karate. When he went to high school he started with judo and dominated it many years in his hometown. He also excelled at sumo winning six consecutive championships until entering professional sumo. Initially he never really thought of becoming professional sumowrestler saying he was planning to live a secluded life working as a labourer in Kyushu but he was willing to watch practise at Kokonoe-beya during Kyushu Basho, especially since Chiyonofuji was there. He was also very impressed by Kirishima

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

KAIOU INTERVIEW AFTER NATSU 2000

Q. Congratulations on your May (Natsu) basho win, how did it feel when you held the winner

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Winning techniques:

In juryo:

Yorikiri 22

Uwatenage 17

Oshidashi 10

Tsukiotoshi 5

Shitatenage 4

Kotenage 3

Hikiotoshi 2

Okuridashi 2

Sukuinage 2

Yoritaoshi 2

Koshikudake 1

Oshitaoshi 1

Tottari 1

Watashikomi 1

In makuuchi:

595 wins at the end of 2004.

202 yorikiri

85 oshidashi

67 uwatenage (9 Nada, 8 Akinoshima, 7 Nami..)

35 hatakikomi (8 against Tosanoumi!)

30 kotenage (of the last 8 kotenage by him, 5 has caused an injury..)

24 okuridashi

21 tsukiotoshi

19 oshitaoshi

17 yoritaoshi

16 shitatenage (5 against yokozuna)

16 sukuinage

11 hikiotoshi

7 fusensho

7 tottari (2 against Musashimaru, most in makuuchi since 1990)

6 uwatedashinage (2 against Musoyama)

5 shitatedashinage (3 against Tosanoumi)

5 sotogake (2 against Musashimaru)

4 katasukashi

3 okuritaoshi

2 abisetaoshi

2 kubinage

2 makiotoshi

2 tsukidashi

1 ipponzeoi

1 kimetaoshi

1 kirikaeshi

1 koshikudake

1 nichonage

1 tsukitaoshi

1 watashikomi

151 throws (25.3%)

45 slap downs and pulls (7.7%)

221 yorikiri+yoritaoshi+abisetaoshi (37.1%)

107 oshidashi+taoshi+tsukidashi+taoshi (18%)

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1232

Mainoumi's interview with KaioU before Nagoya 2003. Interesting topics are covered.

[Ryukaze 0]

Lovely post! I've never been his biggest fan but he's been a powerhouse since back in the day. One of the bigger men who really knows how to use the mawashii, gotta respect him. Ato 2005 hatsu basho ni yokozuna shoshin o ukeru yoni kannari ganbaru to mo omoimasu.

Edited December 18, 2004 by Ryukaze

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Since people are mysteriously quiet about KaioU, I will continue filling my favourite thread :-)

Why I am a KaioU-fan:

He was the first non-Konishiki rikishi I learned to recognize from Eurosport's coverage. Syd Hoare always commented on his marvelous strength and said he has very bad days on the dohyo despite that. Maybe that caught my attention immediately along with a good sounding simple shikona. When finally entered the sumo+internet combination era I found myself checking everything on KaioU and next basho I watched live via Kyokai's page always rooting for KaioU.

There are a number of attributes in his sumo that appeal to me very much. Powerful, stylish, magnificent dohyo sense, big man's sumo with athletic abilities, the throwing techniques etc. I like his hidari-yotsu sumo where he has 5-6 variations (more on those in later posts) for attacks and his sumo is very balanced with co-operation between hip and upper body movements. His tsuki-defense is wonderful too; strong iron bar defense with 3-4 efficient variations for counter attack. Dohyo sense is better than you think. Many times he has shown that on the dohyo and it shows his overall control on the dohyo despite the huge size. It is also very difficult to slap him down or side step him.

Then there are other factors that make me his biggest fan. His overall movements in shiko, shikiri, after bout demeanor is very sumoish to my eyes. Really awesome shiko, perfect tachi-ai stance, just sumoish in every aspect. He also has a lot of sisu with the chronic injuries and doesn't bring them up much in interviews in complaning manner, is very balanced in his comments in interviews and can maintain a good humour even on worse days. Good support to his injury prone KaidoU too.

I like him also because he was written off soooo many times and he always comes back and shows he can still take further steps. In 1999 he was old talent and most people thought he will never get another chance to become an ozeki. When he became an ozeki and failed in his first two chances for yokozuna promotion and after that had 2 worse bashos, he was written off again as an old ozeki who can maybe hang on for a year or so. Zenjimoto has predicted his intai for 3 years I think in his banzuke guesses heh and other predictions suggested the same. In 2003 he was supposed to be long past his prime and he couple of "this is his last chance for yokozuna promotion". Same mantra was heard again before last basho. "KaioU's last chance..." and now if he will make the promotion in Hatsu, people write him off saying "He will probably be a mediocre yokozuna for few bashos like Wakanohana and then retire" or "He won't be a good rival for Asashoryu as yokozuna". There is of course good basis for the doubts too as he IS injury-burdened, he IS 32 and he has had many rough basho as ozeki too.. Yet the bottom line is that for many years he has been written off numerous times and yet he always takes a step further and at 32 year old injury-ridden ozeki he just went 17-1 against the toughest line-up of modern sumo. KaioU is a fighter whose sumo is BIG. Failures and bad bad sumo bouts too but those are part of his sumo. His sumo is the MAIN sumo to me.

KaioU's career has brought me many joyful moments as a fan and I am very proud of the fact that I always believed he will outclass all Dejimas, Miyabiyamas, Chiyotaikais etc. even when those youngsters surpassed him while climbing up. KaioU forever!!!!!!!! When he retires it will be a sad day but with a lot of gratitude too. Sumo will never be the same to me without KaioU but sumo will still be a big thing to me and I will enjoy it as much as now. The difference is that there can only be one KaioU and when he retires, there will be a void in ozumo that can't be filled.

In hockey legends' jerseys are frozen sometimes and lifted to the ceiling of their home team's stadium. Maybe Kyokai should freeze KaioU's mawashi and lift it up at Kokugikan :-O

Anyways, KaioU has OZUMO written all over him. OZUMO.

[Araiwa 0]

Well, the time when Kaio turned to one of my favourites was 1996, 1997. Futagoyama empire was in its prime, but there was one who disturbed its reign many times. A Tomozuna warrior who managed to make the King of the empire look human again at least some times. Even years later when Musashigawa took the leadership Kaio still was one his own. But he never gave up, even when his great rival Musoyama surpassed him. I loved the bouts between them at this time, it was another version of Takanonami vs. Musashimaru rivalry.

A strange thing about him his, he so long struggled to make it to Ozeki but when he finally made it he suddenly outclassed the other Ozeki. Since his first basho as Ozeki I knew that he is the eastman, the one who goes 11-4 when the others make 9-6 and so on...(I think same can happen with Wakanosato.)

He looks a bit like Hitachiyama. Same face.

[Manekineko 200]

I started liking KaioU little by little. Maybe it was that gap between his teeth, maybe it was the throws (for some reason, uwatenage is - for me at least - queen of kimarite, and I admire all rikishi that can win well with it), maybe it was giant-killerism... I can't tell now. I only know I was really happy when he got his ozeki promotion, and he stayed my favorite ozeki ever since.

Oh - and seing him squash those apples with his bare hands and run 100 m dash like a pro did much to increase my respect of him. I wonder what he'll do when he retires - I hope he will remain on as a shisho, so I can have another favorite heya to add to Kotonowaka's Sadogatake, Terao's Shikoroyama, Mitoizumi's Nishikido and Akinoshima's future heya... When you start liking heya because of their oyakata, you know you're an old sumo fan. :-)

[Kintamayama 45,122]

Well, someone has to even this out.. I never liked him really, he always seemed unnecessarily brutal to me, as his track record factually shows. But after undergoing heavy brainwashing by a not -to- be- named third party, I have become impartial to him, and even secretly wish that he becomes Yokozuna.

Nevertheless, we objective realists know that it is an axiom that he will forever remain in Ozeki orbit, for reasons we have debated lavishly and endlessly, so I shall leave it at that, and wish him good luck and health in his coming endeavor.

[Susanoo 382]

I evaluate highly the contents of the sumo of KaioU's winning in last basho.

I felt his force to his Tachiai with strong Fumikomi.

I regard that he does not persist in Uwatenage recently as it being a good tendency.

If he holds Uwate and stops a opponent, Yorikiri will be an easy thing for him.

Although it is required as a rikishi that he satisfies a spectator, I want him to be only now exempted from it.

In Kyushu basho, his three defeat was what is depended on his bad habit.

Owing to failure of Tachiai, it was defeat for his having performed Hiki.

When Tachiai succeeded, even if he had not held Migi-Uwate, made the opponent concentrate on a defensive battle by using his Hidari-Ottsuke&Shibori.

When Tachiai succeeds, now, he is second to nobody, Japanese rikishis.

His formidable enemies are several foreign-born rikishis who exceed him with speed.

The "speed" in this case is "speed of a reaction."

That was not required for the time of Akebono-Musashimaru for him, and, naturally it was not a fault, either.

And he is completing now sumo which can defeat Ake-Musa.

This gap is not a small thing.

However, several rikishis with "speed" are still a growth way now.

I think that it decreases whenever the chance of his promotion piles up a basho.

By the method with him able to perform it, I think of only the one most effective coping-with method to them.

It is the quick attack which continued from Tachisai [ he showed several times in Kyushu].

A jaw is pulled -and- storong Fumikomi -and- collides with the head -and- opponent's body is uprighted.

Although this method is simple, it is the effective only means for not making a rikishi with the outstanding reflexes demonstrate the capability.

This Torikuchi has the fault which is easy to receive Hiki, Hataki, and Inashi.

However, if this Torikuchi is not used, the fault referred to as only being pushed and losing will newly be added to him.

In order for him to perform this method smoothly, ｈe needs to reduce weight.

Kintamayama-san has already pointed out by topic[KaioU too fat].

I also approve that about 160kg is ideal of the opinion of Jonosuke-san.

It gathers the speed of Tachiai and increases the resistance to Hiki or Hataki.

However, he must not never overestimate the speed which increased slightly by reduction in weight.

It is impossible for him to maintain the speed and to continue moving.

I think that he should use the newly obtained speed only for the moment of Tachiai.

I think that this method is the best until he is promoted to Yokozuna.

After he is promoted to a yokozuna, I imagine that his situation will become quite more difficult than now.

However, he does not have the necessity of worrying about it now.

On the present sumo community, it is filled with the tendency which desires a Japanese yokozuna.

In this atmosphere, I imagine that it is rare for him to receive easy Hiki and Hataki.

I am wishing performing the sumo which made Tachiai the subject to Hatsu-basho using this, without his hesitating. :-)

Edited December 21, 2004 by Susanoo

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Well, the time when Kaio turned to one of my favourites was 1996, 1997. Futagoyama empire was in its prime, but there was one who disturbed its reign many times. A Tomozuna warrior who managed to make the King of the empire look human again at least some times.

KaioU beat Takanohana 12 times and first was in Hatsu 1995 where he got right uwate and dumped Taka with abisetaoshi.

1996 Hatsu:

Takanohana was unbeaten on day 14 when he faced KaioU. After tachi-ai KaioU got right hand outside grip which Taka momentarily broke but U got it again and throw Taka down with uwatenage.

1996 Nagoya:

Takanohana was in charge again until he faced KaioU on day 13. U got right hand outside immediately and bulldozed Taka to the tawara and out with a dominating yoritaoshi.

1997 Haru:

Another basho with Takanohana's yusho. He had a longish bout with U not being able to get superior grip this time. KaioU had left hand inside and threw down advancing Taka at the end of the bout. No migi-uwate this time. The first ever win by KaioU over Taka without the use of right arm.

1998 Hatsu:

On shonichi KaioU got migi-uwate and threw Taka down with massive uwatenage.

1998 Haru:

Takanohana in crisis and lost to KaioU with kotenage on day 2 couple of days before going kyujo.

1998 Aki:

Takanohana took another yusho but gave U migi-uwate on day 3. As always Taka had no chance against U when the latter got his favoured grip and after a long stalemate KaioU drove forward and yanked Taka out in businesslike manner.

1998 Kyushu:

Another right uwate drive by U. Takanohana won yusho again. It is possible that the bout described in 1998 Aki was actually this one and vice versa. Long stalemate was in one of these. Can't remember which one now.

1999 Kyushu:

KaioU did some tsuppari and slaps and drove Taka back finishing with one last push to the center of Taka's chest. Oshitaoshi.

2000 Haru:

KaioU came out of the tachi-ai like a rocket and slammed Taka back with two big impacts before reaching for the belt and sending Taka into the crowd.

2000 Natsu:

Some shuffling around and both being aggressors at times, Taka fell victim of KaioU's swinging kotenage at the edge. Oshidashi was official winning technique though.

KaioU won his first yusho in this basho when Taka beat Akebono on senshuraku securing KaioU's yusho.

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/natsu2000/d...aio_takahana.rm

2000 Nagoya:

KaioU was forced into defensive but fought back valiantly, then drove Taka back and as Taka circled away U planted his leg behind Taka's and slammed him down with the only kirikaeshi of his career.

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/nagoya2000/...aio_takahana.rm

KaioU vs Takanohana bouts were all quite similar. There are no slapdowns nor pulldown wins. Mostly yorikiri/nage wins. Takanohana had such technical superiority in belt sumo that he often forced KaioU's in gripless position without any chance to get the mawashi. Even though KaioU often gave Taka a hard time, the technical superiority in belt sumo made U's sumo very inefficient at times. Every time KaioU got into his game and Taka didn't manage to block his attempts, Taka lost. Many entertaining bouts between these two and the last ever encounter was one of the highlights of Aki 2002. In this bout you can see the decisive moment. After KaioU's chongake attempt he *almost* gets his left hand in and it would have been very strong surge then but look how brilliantly Taka blocks that and KaioU has no chance for any grip after that move! Watch:

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/aki2002/day...aio_takahana.rm

KaioU's rivalry with Wakanohana ended with 14-15 plus couple of bouts before Hatsu 1995 (no access now) so very even.

[Zentoryu 154]

Reading this thread leaves no doubt in my mind as to who Kaio's #1 fan is around here. (Laughing...) ;-)

Good job with the analysis as always... :-P

Edited December 21, 2004 by Zentoryu

[Manekineko 200]

The true fans are the one that open your eyes to the rikishi they love... I "caught" Wakanosato from Hananotaka, Tosanoumi from an US lady, Aogiyama from a Swedish lady, Miyabiyama from Exil (Sign of approval) , Musoyama very belatedly from MDS#7...

I still wait for an Asashoryu fan to show me the light. :-P

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Lets take a look at KaioU's head to head against some rikishi:

Musashimaru:

Not only is their rivarly long with 46 bouts in makuuchi, it is also even with peculiar streaks. First Maru dominated with 7-2 after Nagoya 1995. After that KaioU won 7 in a row against Maru with yorikiri, oshidashi, hataki, tottari. In Kyushu 1996 it looked like KaioU again as he seized right uwate but this time after a long stalemate Maru blocked U's throw and pushed him out given the chance. Maru ended up beating KaioU 6 more times in a row evening up that streak era from 0-7 to 7-7! KaioU broke the streak in Haru 1998 and from then on they went 12-11 to Maru. The whole rivarly ended with 26-20 to Maru. KaioU beat Maru with various techniques including aforementioned classic tottari, kotenage, shitatedashinage, massive shitatenage, ozeki promoting uwatedashinage, yusho deciding uwatenage and couple of sotogakes in addition to yorikiri,oshidashi, hatakikomi etc.

Wakanohana:

14-15. Throughout the years this was pretty even. Wakanohana's magical skills against KaioU's raw power. Wakanohana gave KaioU a nickname Gorilla and I suppose that sums it up how this rivalry was. KaioU has a lot of skill but against Wakanohana his power was the main factor.

Asashoryu:

Amazing that they have already had 18 bouts in makuuchi! Shoryu has been around longer than one thinks. 9-9 against him and very simple elements in their rivalry: morozashi vs "I am not giving you morozashi" battle.

Chiyotaikai:

The mysterious one. Taikai first came into makuuchi when KaioU was having his worst year in makuuchi. Taikai won 5 out of first 6 bouts against him. From Haru 99 until Hatsu 2002 the rivalry was even with 7-6 to KaioU. Then started the ultimate ozeki vs ozeki streak. KaioU has won last 14 bouts and if he beats Taikai in Hatsu it will be exactly 3 years since Taikai last beat KaioU in honbasho. Actually it will be exactly 3 years even if Taikai beats KaioU in Hatsu! In those 14 bouts there are some major domination by KaioU but also very intense yusho race encounters where both rikishi give their all. In 3 bouts Taikai was on the driver's seat quite exclusively but KaioU turned the tables at the tawara with tottari or okuritaoshi. 22-11 to KaioU.

Tochiazuma:

Another big streak in this one. Azuma too entered the spotlight during KaioU's year of struggles and went ahead in the rivalry with 7-3. But since Aki 1999 KaioU beat Azuma 13 times in a row before pulling one back with a hikiotoshi pull. After breaking the streak Azuma has won 3 out of 5 and so the overall score stands at 18-11 to KaioU.

Musoyama:

Looong rivalry between two big talents started already in 1993 with a bout in juryo. Musoyama won that one. They had exciting bouts for years in makuuchi and it was only 16-14 to KaioU when KaioU got promoted to ozeki. Musoyama was promoted almost at the same time but as ozeki KaioU dominated fully with 15-3. 31-17 overall to KaioU.

Takanonami:

52 bouts in makuuchi. 28-24 to Nami who was a challenging foe to KaioU until the very end. Nami had a nice 7 bouts winning streak against KaioU from Natsu1997 to Nagoya 1998.

Against other high maegashira/sanyaku veteran regulars:

Dejima 15-12

Miyabiyama 17-5

Kyokutenho 17-3

Tosanoumi 28-9 (KaioU has more wins only against Musoyama).

Tamanoshima 12-3

Tochinonada 19-11:

Nada was an easy foe statistics-wise for KaioU until Haru 2002. At that point it was 13-4 for KaioU but then something happened and Nada had a peculiar 7-1 dominance against U from Natsu 2002 until Kyushu 2003! In 2004 KaioU retained the grip on Nada both mentally and physically and manhandled him around the dohyo with 5-0. Nada has been able to beat KaioU despite giving that migi-uwate. In 2004 KaioU was extra careful in this sense though.

Wakanosato 13-11:

Wakanosato has been a powerful for KaioU. It was actually 11-10 for Waka three bashos ago but KaioU has now beaten him 3 times in a row with couple of uwatenage and one uwatedashinage. Wakanosato remains one of the key foes for KaioU in 2005 too.

Kotomitsuki 6-9:

KaioU's nigate. Hard to point out what goes wrong but KaioU often has pathetic bouts against Kotomitsuki. Kotomitsuki just knows how to deal with U. KaioU has lost the last 3 to Koto.

Some fresher faces against whom KaioU undoubtedly will have bouts in 2005:

Iwakiyama 5-0

Kokkai 2-1

Hakuho 1-1

Roho 1-0

Hokutoriki 3-1

Kakizoe 2-2 (!)

Shimotori 5-1

KaioU dominated Akinoshima with 25-6 and has 9-0 record against Kotoryu and out of those 9 bouts at least 7 have been complete annihilation so Kotoryu is truly helpless against the ozeki.

Historically KaioU toughest foe was Akebono with whom he trained a lot but whom he could only beat 6 times out of 31 attempts . Out of those 6 wins he took 5 with a throw. Akebono rarely let KaioU close at all.

Out of the still active and still sekitori rikishi against whom KaioU first fought as sekitori? Nope, not Kotonowaka who was already in makuuchi when KaioU entered juryo, not Maru either...the answer is Wakanoyama whom KaioU faced in his first ever honbasho as sekitori in Hatsu 1992 on day 4 and lost with oshidashi. 13 years later KaioU goes for yokozuna and Wakanoyama is still in juryo.

[Kaiomitsuki 408]

Hello everybody (Bonjour tout le monde)

Everywhere in the world we can find Kaiou fans.... i'm from France and i have a personal web site about my favorite rikishi

KAIOU French web site

It's a french language web site (but with an english menu too)

Please enjoy (Licking lips...)

Alex

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Everywhere in the world we can find Kaiou fans.... i'm from France and i have a personal web site about my favorite rikishi

KAIOU French web site

It's a french language web site (but with an english menu too)

Remarkable!

Uwatenage show and all :'-(

You have the best KaioU-pictures sites around. Perfect source for vast variety of KaioU's pictures in all sorts of times/situations.

Check this:

http://membres.lycos.fr/kaiou/kaiophotos.htm

And pages 2 and 3..

Very nice KaioU-site! Merci.

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Update 28.4.2006

Year 2005 was difficult for him.

2005 Hatsu O1e, 4-6-5

2005 Haru O1w, 10-5

2005 Natsu O1e, 5-1-9

2005 Nagoya O2w, 10-5

2005 Aki O1e, 0-4-11

2005 Kyushu O2w, 10-5

2006 Hatsu O1w, 3-6-6

2006 Haru O2w 8-7

In Hatsu basho he had to withdraw due to bad shoulder. In Haru he was in good shape before the old arm injury flared up again making him one-armed on the last days of the basho. In Natsu basho he was fit but on day 5 while beating Tochinonada, he felt awkward pain in his hip and had to withdraw the next day without any losses with a diagnosis of pelvic muscle injury. He came back in Nagoya basho with 10-5 but Aki basho was again complete disaster due to torn biceps femoris suffered in keiko against Hakuho before the basho. KaioU wobbled on the dohyo for 3 days without being able to stand on the injured leg before withdrawing winless. In Kyushu basho had a mediore 10-5 with sometimes dynamic, sometimes sluggish sumo.

The start of 2006 was once again time for difficult lower back problems and he was very immobile at Hatsu basho going 3-5 before withdrawing again. In Haru basho he also had problems with his back but managed 8-7 kachi koshi against expectations and saved his ozeki rank. There was a lot of talk about his possible retirement in case of make-koshi but he got 8-7 and continues his career.

Now we are approaching Natsu 2006 and he has resumed keiko with lower ranked guys.

In the recent French sumo magazine there was an interview with KaioU and his oyakata. The articles cover many topics and it has also been translated into English. Basically he says in the interview he was impressed by the foreign fans sending him support messages during Haru basho and he intends to carry on sumo as long as he can do his own sumo too. The articles can be found here:

http://www.lemondedusumo.com/download_e.php

Updated makuuchi kimarite stats of KaioU:

645 wins before Natsu basho 2006:.

213 yorikiri

95 oshidashi

74 uwatenage (9 Nada, 8 Akinoshima, 7 Nami..)

38 hatakikomi (8 against Tosanoumi!)

35 kotenage

29 okuridashi

21 tsukiotoshi

20 oshitaoshi

19 sukuinage

17 yoritaoshi

16 shitatenage (5 against yokozuna)

11 hikiotoshi

8 fusensho

7 tottari (2 against Musashimaru, most in makuuchi since 1990)

7 uwatedashinage (2 against Musoyama)

6 shitatedashinage (3 against Tosanoumi)

5 sotogake (2 against Musashimaru)

4 katasukashi

4 okuritaoshi

2 abisetaoshi

2 kubinage

2 makiotoshi

2 tsukidashi

1 ipponzeoi

1 kainahineri

1 kimetaoshi

1 kirikaeshi

1 koshikudake

1 nichonage

1 tsukitaoshi

1 watashikomi

[Kaiomitsuki 408]

Hello (Whistling...)

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/OzekiKaio/

is the adress for a group I create on Yahoo for sending messages to Ozeki Kaio

I hope it's a good idea... and that many people will subscribe :-P

For subscribe just send an EMail :

OzekiKaio-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Each time a new message will be send in the group, it will be forward to the Ozeki (a translation of each message will be made by Harumi)

Best wishes, Alexandre (Kaiomitsuki) (Nodding yes...)

Edited June 17, 2006 by Kaiomitsuki

[_the_mind_ 0]

might anyone have a video of the apple crushing? i have heard about it alot but never seen it. ive never seen anyone do that and would like to see him be the one

[Itchygao 0]

For those who wondered if their messages to Kaio, back in March when he was facing losing his Ozeki rank,

were ever heard, here is the proof!

I used the new Tomozuna-Beya web site to ask directly if Kaio had ever seen the messages of encouragement posted here at Sumo Forum. Here is the reply. It is currently posted in the Fan's room.

2. In March, special forum was started for sending encouragement and support to Kaio on SumoForum.net when Kaio was living on the edge, and so many people sent messages to Kaio to encourage and cheer him up. With some fan's effort, those messages were sent to us, were translated to Japanese language, and were forwarded Kaio. He surely received them!!! Kaio was so impressed and was happy to know that there were so many his supporters around the world. He said, "the messages were really big impact for me. That is why I didn't give up until the end and got over the difficulties."

You NEVER know if maybe your personmal message gave him the strength to get that 8th win so desperately needed.

Regards,

Itchygao

[Kaiomitsuki 408]

Hello everybody

This is the new address for my web site about Kaio :

http://www.sumo-webpaper.com/kaio/

Thanks Fay for hosting it :-)

Edited February 8, 2009 by Kaiomitsuki

[Kaiomitsuki 408]

Happy birthday Asakayama Oyakata 

50 years today