March 2024 Grand Sumo Tournament, Day 14 (Saturday 23 March 2024)

(Looking for a different day? Try the master list!)

Compiled from: JSA's postings for makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandanme, jonidan and jonokuchi; JSA's absence list, JSA's tournament leader list, JSA's tournament champions list and JSA's Day 14 program in Japanese.

There are 116 bouts listed on the schedule today. It's an even-numbered day which means the west side is first to get called.

Check the appendices at the end of the schedule for more useful information!

What our fave toriteki are doing today

If you want a toriteki (non-salaried rikishi from divisions 3 to 6) added to this watch list, get in touch!

Appearing on day 14: Asakiryu, Asanowaka, Asasorai, Baraki, Chikureisen, Chiyomaru, Furanshisu, Hayashiryu, Hogasho, Hokuyozan, Ikazuchido, Kaiseijo, Kamito, Kanzaki, Kawamura, Kirimaru, Kokiryu, Kokuryunami, Kotokuzan, Maikeru, Mineyaiba, Miyagi, Mogamizakura, Moriurara, Najima, Obara, Rinko, Sawayaka, Sazanami, Shunkaku, Shunrai, Taiga, Tatsuosho, Tsukubayama

Having a rest on day 14: Agora, Akenonami, Amakaze, Aonishiki, Asonoyama, Chiyooga, Dainichido, Dewanojo, Fujiseiun, Hagane, Ito, Kaihiryu, Kazeeidai, Kazekeno, Kazeyuki, Kazuto, Kenho, Kiryuko, Kitadaichi, Kitanosho, Koki, Kototebakari, Kyokutaisei, Nabatame, Nakashima, Nikko, Onokatsu, Otani, Satonofuji, Shoketsu, Shoran, Souga, Suyama, Tanji, Taranami, Tochimaru, Toshunryu, Urutora, Wakaikari, Wakatakamoto, Yago, Yamato, Yoshii, Yuki, Yukiamami, Yuma

Kyujo on day 14: Arise, Enho, Hananoumi, Kakuho, Kiho, Raiho, Satsumao

Note: Each division also has its own mini-report for who's on the schedule and who's kyujo!

Kyujo rikishi

The following rikishi are kyujo on day 14: Arise, Asadoji, Chikuba, Daikisho, Daiyusho, Enho, Gonoumi, Hananoumi, Kakuho, Kazunofuji, Kiho, Kotodaigo, Kotofuno, Kotokiho, Kototaiki, Kotoyusho, Minorufuji, Mishima, Nishikikuni, Oki, Raiho, Satsumao, Shimazuumi, Shosei, Takakento, Terunofuji, Terutsuyoshi, Tochikamiyama, Tochimusashi, Toramusashi, Tsurugisho, Tsuyasato, Wakayamanaka, Yurikisho

Salary promotions and demotions

Kotonowaka was promoted to ozeki shortly after the January tournament. We wish our shin-ozeki all the best!

Wakatakakage, Hakuoho, Tsushimanada and Kitaharima are all back in juryo as of March 2024.

Retirements

Omoto, Itadaki, Rao, Mitozakura, Maenofuji, Hatachijo, Takeazuma, Kosei, Asanotosa, Shinzan, Agazumazakura, Okuyama, Miyakogawa, Izumigawa, Hoshi and Chiyoarashi all retired either during or after the January tournament. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours!

Itadaki will be taking the elder name Gochisousama. (Not really. Credit to EmperorTeapot for that joke!)

Hokuseiho ("Tree") has been booted out of sumo for violent hazing so we won't be seeing him again.

Terutsuyoshi's retirement was announced on day 9. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours! His Twitter account is https://twitter.com/syoukiterutsuyo if you wish to keep abreast of his further adventures!

Absences

Hidenoumi had a short absence on day 4 but came back on day 4. Shimazuumi went absent from day 4. Kinbozan went absent from day 5 with a cervical sprain but came back on day 8. Tsurugisho went absent after a nasty knee injury on day 4. Terunofuji is absent from day 7 with his recurring back injury. Shirokuma went absent from day 8 with a suspected back injury (source) and returned on day 11. Tobizaru was out for day 10 with food poisoning. Takakeisho went absent on day 14 after getting his kachikoshi, possibly with an injured right pectoral muscle.

Referee Kimura Akijiro went absent from day 6. Starter referee Kimura Kazenosuke was absent on day 10.

Start at 11:15AM

Jonokuchi 序ノ口 (Division 6)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for jonokuchi

Coming up: Kirimaru, Moriurara

Shimpan are Urakaze (maegashira #1 Shikishima), Takenawa (sekiwake Tochinonada), Oshima* (sekiwake Kyokutenho), Takasago* (sekiwake Asasekiryu), Nishonoseki* (the 72nd yokozuna Kisenosato)

Yobidashi is Akitaka (Ajigawa stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kisaburo (Tokitsukaze stable)

Jonidan 序二段 (Division 5)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for jonidan

Coming up: Asasorai, Baraki, Chikureisen, Hayashiryu, Kokiryu, Kokuryunami, Najima, Sawayaka, Shunkaku, Tsukubayama

Gyoji is Kimura Shunta (Shikoroyama stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Ryunosuke (Kokonoe stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Keitaro (Musashigawa stable)

Shimpan shift change

Shimpan are Onaruto (ozeki Dejima), Edagawa (maegashira #1 Aogiyama), Asahiyama* (sekiwake Kotonishiki), Tanigawa (sekiwake Hokutoriki), Naruto* (ozeki Kotooshu)

Gyoji is Kimura Katsunosuke (Oshima stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Narimasa (Irumagawa)

Sandanme 三段目 (Division 4)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for sandanme

Coming up: Asakiryu, Furanshisu, Hogasho, Hokuyozan, Ikazuchido, Kawamura, Mogamizakura, Rinko, Tatsuosho

Gyoji is Shikimori Kainosuke (Isenoumi stable)

Gyoji is Shikimori Tatsunosuke (Takadagawa stable)

Shimpan shift change

Shimpan are Kataonami* (sekiwake Tamakasuga), Tamagaki (komusubi Tomonohana), Azumazeki (komusubi Takamisakari), Tokitsukaze* (maegashira #1 Tosayutaka), Ikazuchi* (komusubi Kakizoe)

Gyoji is Shikimori Seisuke (Miyagino stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Sakuranosuke (Shikihide stable)

Gyoji is Shikimori Seiichiro (Isegahama stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Kintaro (Nishikido stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Kazuma (Nishiiwa stable)

Gyoji is Shikimori Kinosuke (Sadogatake stable)

Gyoji is Shikimori Tomokazu (Oshima stable)

Makushita 幕下 (Division 3)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makushita

Coming up: Asanowaka, Kaiseijo, Kamito, Kanzaki, Maikeru, Obara, Sazanami, Shunrai, Taiga

Shimpan shift change

Shimpan are Tatekawa (sekiwake Tosanoumi), Hanaregoma* (sekiwake Tamanoshima), Futagoyama* (ozeki Miyabiyama), Ajigawa* (sekiwake Aminishiki), Hidenoyama (ozeki Kotoshogiku)

Yobidashi is Soichi (Yamahibiki stable); Gyoji is Kimura Ennosuke (Nishonoseki stable)

Yobidashi is Yohei (Dewanoumi stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Satoshi (Takasago stable)

Yobidashi is Keisuke (Shibatayama stable)

Yobidashi is Fujio (Isegahama stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kazuki (Arashio stable)

Yobidashi is Shigetaro (Kokonoe stable)

Gyoji is Kimura Hideaki (Tokiwayama stable)

Yobidashi is Tasuke (Yamahibiki stable)

Yobidashi is Satoru (Hanaregoma stable); Gyoji is Kimura Kozaburo (Hakkaku stable)

Juryo dohyo-iri at 2:15PM

Makushita Joi 幕下上位 (Division 3)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makushita

Coming up: Kotokuzan, Mineyaiba, Miyagi

Shimpan are Kumegawa (komusubi Kotoinazuma) facing away on mic, Edagawa (maegashira #1 Aogiyama), Asahiyama* (sekiwake Kotonishiki), Tanigawa (sekiwake Hokutoriki), Naruto* (ozeki Kotooshu)

Yobidashi is Masao (Nishiiwa stable); Gyoji is Kimura Zennosuke (Kasugano stable)

Yobidashi is Rokuro (Nishonoseki stable); Gyoji is Kimura Chishu (Dewanoumi stable)

Juryo 十両 (Division 2)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for juryo

Coming up: Chiyomaru

Yobidashi is Hiroyuki (Nishiiwa stable); Gyoji is Kimura KANKURO (Yamahibiki stable)

Yobidashi is Matsuo (Hanaregoma stable); Gyoji is Kimura Kichijiro (Shibatayama stable)

Yobidashi is Kunio (Takasago stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Shinnosuke (Hanaregoma stable)

Yobidashi is Mitsuaki (Tagonoura stable); Gyoji is Kimura Yukihiro (Tamanoi stable)

Yobidashi is Rikinojo (Takasago stable); Gyoji is Kimura Mitsunosuke (Takadagawa stable)

Yobidashi is Koji (Asakayama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Takao (Tagonoura stable)

Yobidashi is Teruki (Isegahama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Asanosuke (Takasago stable)

Intermission at 3:40PM: Makuuchi dohyo-iri and yokozuna dohyo-iri.

Makuuchi 幕内 (Division 1)

Official JSA fixtures, results and winning techniques for makuuchi

Shimpan are Sadogatake* (sekiwake Kotonowaka) facing away on mic, Tamagaki (komusubi Tomonohana), Azumazeki (komusubi Takamisakari), Tokitsukaze* (maegashira #1 Tosayutaka), Ikazuchi* (komusubi Kakizoe)

Yobidashi is Daikichi (Hakkaku stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kiichiro (Oitekaze stable)

Yobidashi is Kotoyoshi (Sadogatake stable); Gyoji is ❤️ Kimura Yonosuke ❤️ (Hakkaku stable)

Yobidashi is Kotozo (Sadogatake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Ginjiro (Shibatayama stable)

Yobidashi is Ryuji (Miyagino stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kindayu (Hanaregoma stable)

Yobidashi is Akira (Oshima stable); Gyoji is Kimura Akijiro (Kasugano stable)

Yobidashi is Kokichi (Oshima stable); Gyoji is Shikimori Kandayu (Miyagino stable)

Shimpan shift change

Shimpan are Asakayama* (ozeki Kaio) facing away on mic, Tatekawa (sekiwake Tosanoumi), Hanaregoma* (sekiwake Tamanoshima), Futagoyama* (ozeki Miyabiyama), Ajigawa* (sekiwake Aminishiki)

Yobidashi is Goro (Otake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Hisanosuke (Oshima stable)

Yobidashi is Shigeo (Kokonoe stable); Gyoji is Kimura Konosuke (Kokonoe stable)

Yobidashi is Shiro (Otake stable); Gyoji is Kimura Shotaro (Kasugano stable)

Yobidashi is Katsuyuki (Shibatayama stable); Gyoji is Kimura Yodo (Kokonoe stable)

Yobidashi is Jiro (Kasugano stable); Gyoji is Kimura Shonosuke (Takadagawa stable)

Bow-twirling with Yuki

Appendices

General knowledge

Wikipedia has a list of winning techniques like oshidashi, yorikiri, etc and a sumo glossary, the heaviest grand sumo competitors ever, and an English-language page for just about every sekitori there is or was.

SumoDB has the entire banzuke in both Japanese and English. SumoDB also contains information about historical results and head to head matchups.

Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association) links: current rankings Japanese/English; yobidashi (ushers & attendants) Japanese/English; gyoji (referees) Japanese/English; oyakata (coaches) Japanese/English; heya (training stables) Japanese/English. NSK homepage in English; retirees - Japanese only but only requires hiragana knowledge

Fred Pinkerton's promotion/demotion charts show who's moving where in top division.

News sources and blogs: Tachi-Ai sumo blog (in English); Japan Times sumo coverage (in English); Nikkan Sports sumo articles (in Japanese); Sponichi sumo articles (in Japanese); Chunichi sumo articles (in Japanese). Hochi.news sumo articles (in Japanese). Useful Japanese terms to search in the highlights page for: 休場 (kyujo, absence); コロナ (korona, COVID).

Japanese language resources: DeepL for translating entire articles; Jisho for looking up specific words and kanji; the 10ten extension for Firefox lets you mouse over particular Japanese text of interest on websites.

Curiosities: that time half a stable went AWOL because the stablemaster's wife was being too harsh on them; interview with a yobidashi

Videos

Miscellaneous

A comprehensive gallery featuring head shots and bios of rikishi, oyakata, gyoji, yobidashi and more (correct to the beginning of 2023). Pre-bout rituals explained; What do the gyoji say?

Sumo match announcements

  1. Yobidashi sings the names of the rikishi about to bout in turn, then rikishi ascend the dohyo
  2. Once rikishi are on the dohyo, gyoji hollers their names in turn while gesturing their way
  3. Announcer clearly announces each rikishi's starting side (nishi/higashi-gata rikishi), name, place of origin (-shusshin) and training stable (-beya) as they perform shikiri and throw salt
  4. Once timekeeper judge says to begin, gyoji commands rikishi into position, then officiates the match
  5. (optional) If the outcome is unclear or in dispute by a judge, a mono-ii is called and head judge reports on their findings; gyoji announces a rematch if that's what the judges want
  6. Gyoji announces winner's name turning to them and possibly giving them envelopes full of sponsor cash.
  7. Once winner is decided, announcer says who won and what the kimarite (deciding technique) was (technique de rikishi name no kachi) - this can be delayed by up to a few matches if the technique is hard to determine!

Understanding the judges' reports

Mono-ii reports are very formulaic! They're usually a couple of long run-on sentences that go something like this:

  1. Now we're going to explain our conference. Tadaima wa kyogi ni tsuite setsumei itashimasu or similar
  2. The gyoji pointed (one way or another), but.. Gyoji gunbai wa higashigata/nishigata/(rikishi name) arimashita ga..
  3. We had a conference about (something that affects the outcome of the match), the result of that conference was.. (???) mono-ii ga tsuki, kyougi shita kekka..
  4. (The findings of that discussion) (???)-te ori/orazu
  5. (The outcome of that discussion and the rightful winner of the bout if one was determined.)

Matters for discussion and findings may include a touchout (te ga dete ori/orazu..), a simultaneous landing for both rikishi (doutai or ryousha), or even a disqualification (hansoku).

Helpful words to listen out for to get the gist of the report:

Body parts

Actions and other stuff

Verdicts

The outcome can go three ways:

Who's that shimpan (ringside judge)?

Click the name of the shimpan to see what they look like. (You may need to middle-click it to open the link in a new window.) Thanks to the maintainer of this page for providing these images!

Shimpan groups

No new ringside judges to report this month!

Stablemasters have * after their name; everyone else is a coach.

Senior shimpan

Members of this senior group join up with other shimpan groups to act as head shimpan after the juryo ring entrance ceremony & intermission.

Substitute shimpan

Expect to see one or more of these folks subbing in if someone doesn't make their shift: Hatachiyama (komusubi Tochinohana), Minato* (maegashira 2 Minatofuji), Shiranui (komusubi Wakakoyu), Takadagawa (sekiwake Akinoshima)

Who's that off-schedule yobidashi

The official program only lists sekitori yobidashi from Soichi onwards. Even after their match-calling shifts, these youngsters work throughout the day as attendants.

There's a slightly outdated gallery of yobidashi headshots with bios at Heyaaz - it's missing Kumajiro because he debuted during 2023.

To help spot them, here's links to screencaps of the non-sekitori yobidashi in their order of appearance, including onscreen bios in Japanese: