As the calendar turned to July, the banzuke (rankings) for the last-ever Nagoya tournament at Dolphins Arena (also known as Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) were released by the Japan Sumo Association (JSA), with one name in particular beginning to loom large.
With the July meet set to move to the IG Arena from next year, sumo in central Japan will not only have a new home starting in 2025, but one with a capacity larger than even that of Kokugikan in Tokyo.
By the time the next Nagoya tournament rolls around at the massive, new 17,000-seat venue (12,000 for sumo), the top of the sport’s rankings could also look very different.