Tag - sumo

 
 

SUMO

Yokozuna Kitanofuji enters the ring during the May 1970 grand sumo tournament in Tokyo.
SUMO
Nov 21, 2024
Ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji dies at 82
After a stellar career, Kitanofuji remained popular in retirement for delivering witty comments during live sumo tournament broadcasts.
Hoshoryu (right) defeats Wakatakakage at the Fukuoka International Center on Thursday, Day 5 of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 20, 2024
Ozeki lead the way in Kyushu, but title contenders abound
Hoshoryu, in particular, has been impressive, seeming like he is finally living up to his undoubted potential.
Onosato (above) defeats Hiradoumi on the first day of the Kyushu Basho in Fukuoka on Sunday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 13, 2024
The good, the bad and the sumo: Kyushu Basho gets underway
To no one’s surprise, new ozeki Onosato continues to tear through the top division with ease.
Onosato (left) and his stablemaster Nishonoseki celebrate after his victory at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in September.
SUMO
Nov 8, 2024
New ozeki Onosato tops list of contenders aiming for glory in Kyushu
Onosato could become the first wrestler since Hakuho in 2006 to win a championship in his debut at sumo’s second-highest rank.
Aonishiki competes at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Jan. 28.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 6, 2024
Head to sumo's second tier and it's a dog-eat-dog world
Jūryō action is something fans of exciting sumo shouldn’t miss.
Onosato pushes out Hoshoryu during the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo last month.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 30, 2024
Onosato hogs spotlight, but there are big changes in latest sumo ranks
With his name writ large as ozeki on the latest banzuke, sumo’s hottest ticket took another step toward what looks like a procession to yokozuna.
Australian Giselle Shaw, 18, competes at the All-Japan Women's Sumo Championships in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, on Sunday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 16, 2024
Foreign wrestlers add international flair to All Japan Women’s Sumo Championships
From an experienced world champion down to a teen looking to make her mark, the tournament in Kyoto Prefecture showcased a wide range of talent.
Shonannoumi hits the dirt at the hands of Kotozakura during a bout in Tokyo in May. Shonannoumi is among the many top wrestlers who have dropped out of this month's regional tour due to injury.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 9, 2024
Spate of sumo tour dropouts highlights need to rethink wrestlers' health
While it would be foolish not to capitalize on sumo’s surging popularity, expanded tour schedules cut into recovery time and push wrestlers to their physical limits.
Onosato (right) during his bout against Kotoshoho in Tokyo on Wednesday, which marked his 11th straight win to open the Autumn Basho.
SUMO / Basho reports
Sep 22, 2024
With Autumn Basho win, Onosato makes it clear that he is sumo's dominant force
Onosato was so dominant over the course of the Autumn Basho that it's hard to see who can stop him from adding even more silverware in the coming tournaments.
Onosato shoves out Mitakeumi on Sunday in Tokyo to continue his perfect run at the Autumn Basho. At 192-centimeters-tall and 177 kilograms, Onosato may be neither the tallest nor the heaviest wrestler in the makuuchi division, but he is very close to the top in each of those two categories.
SUMO
Sep 18, 2024
Onosato’s meteoric rise is stunning — but not surprising
Well on his way to ozeki, for Onosato, further promotion to yokozuna has become a question of when, not if.
Kotozakura (left) defeats Tobizaru in a controversial finish to their bout on Day 3 of the Autumn Basho in Tokyo on Tuesday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 11, 2024
Thrilling bouts — and controversy — have Autumn Basho off to hot start
Often the first three days of a sumo tournament see little more than jockeying for position, but not this tournament.
Onosato will have his sights set on sumo's second-highest rank as the Autumn Basho gets underway Sunday.
SUMO
Sep 6, 2024
Onosato poised to shine at Autumn Basho with ozeki rank in sight
The fact that nine wins in Onosato's sekiwake debut in July was seen by some as disappointing tells you all you need to know about sumo’s hottest wrestler.
A sumo referee performs the dohyō matsuri, or ring purification ceremony, in January 2017 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 5, 2024
No talking, no eating, no standing: Inside sumo's ring purification ceremony
Spectators are required to stay seated for its duration, and refrain from using flash when taking photos.
Kotozakura (left) defeats Terunofuji at Dolphins Arena in Nagoya on July 28.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 21, 2024
NFL-style changes sumo could and should make
Many of the sport’s centuries-old systems and methodologies are an increasingly awkward fit in the modern world.
Yuzuki Komiya (left) competes in the first national high school sumo tournament for girls in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on Saturday.
SUMO
Aug 14, 2024
Women's sumo takes big step forward with first high school championships
Athletes from all over the country took part in the historic meet, with many expressing hope that the tournament would lead to greater exposure for women’s sumo.
Gold medalist Nao Kusaka celebrates after winning the men's 77-kg Greco-Roman event at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
OLYMPICS
Aug 8, 2024
How wrestler Nao Kusaka used sumo to win Olympic gold
A timid and kind-hearted boy, Kusaka reached the top by developing resilient legs in the sumo ring and fully dedicating himself to his craft.
Wrestlers battle during the national women's championships in Osaka in 2018. Amateur sumo is a great way to experience the sport for tourists who are unable to get tickets to professional tournaments.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 8, 2024
No sumo tickets? No problem. Here are some other ways to take in the sport.
Japan’s ongoing tourism boom has resulted in a year-round influx of people interested in experiencing the country’s national sport.
An event that was part of a regional sumo tour in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, in April 2019.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 1, 2024
Summer sumo tour may be tough for wrestlers, but it's a boon for fans
Grueling tours can be quite taxing for top pros, but they offer fans in small cities a rare chance of seeing their heroes up close.
Terunofuji accepts the Emperor's Cup after winning the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday.
SUMO
Jul 28, 2024
Terunofuji rebounds from stumbles to claim milestone 10th Emperor’s Cup
Thanks to a series of stumbles by the previously imperious yokozuna, the destination of the title was not decided until a playoff in the tournament’s final bout.
Terunofuji (left) throws down Kirishima on Tuesday to build on his perfect record at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 24, 2024
Terunofuji, as he tends to do, returns to stamp his authority on sumo pretenders
The veteran was in vintage form through the first 10 days, simply overwhelming opponents and appearing impervious to all manner of attacks.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?