2016 in sumo
The following are the events in professional sumo during 2016.
Tournaments
- Hatsu basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 January – 24 January[1]
- Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 13 March – 27 March[1]
- Natsu basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 May – 22 May[1]
- Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 10 July – 24 July[1]
- Aki basho, Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 September – 25 September[1]
- Kyushu basho, Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Kyushu, 13 November – 27 November[1]
News
January
- 7: Yokozuna Hakuhō, Harumafuji and Kakuryū perform the hono dohyo-iri or New Year ring-entering ceremony before crowds at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.[2]
- 10: Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend the first day of the New Year tournament in Tokyo, and express their sadness over the recent death of the Sumo Association chairman, Kitanoumi.[3]
- 24: Kotoshōgiku defeats all three yokozuna to win his first top division championship, becoming the first Japanese born wrestler to win the top division championship since Tochiazuma in 2006.[4] He finishes with a 14-1 record, his only defeat is to maegashira Toyonoshima. Toyonoshima is the runner-up on 12-3, shared with Hakuhō and Harumafuji. Toynoshima is also given the Outstanding Performance award. The Fighting Spirit Award goes to Shōdai, who scores 10-5 on his top division debut. Yoshikaze achieves an 8-7 record in his sekiwake debut. Hidenoumi, two tournaments after being demoted to jūryō, gets his first sekitori championship with an 11-4 record and will be promoted back to the top division next tournament. Two promising young Japanese wrestlers, Jokoryu (2-4-9) and Endo (1-6-8), both pull out through injury and will be demoted to the second division. Ōzeki Terunofuji also withdraws and will be kadoban in March, alongside Gōeidō who scores only 4-11.
February
- 7: The 40th Fuji TV Grans Sumo exhibition tournament takes place at the Kokugikan. In addition to the usual knock-out tournament featuring active wrestlers (won by Hakuho who defeats Harumafuji in the final), there are three matches featuring oyakata: Takamisakari (Furiwake Oyakata) vs Homasho (Tatsutagawa), Kyokutenho (Oshima) vs Tokitsuumi (Tokitsukaze), and Kotooshu (Naruto) vs Kotonishiki (Asahiyama).
- 29 The banzuke for the upcoming tournament in Osaka is released. Toyonoshima returns to the sekiwake rank for the first time since 2012. There are two makuuchi debutants, amateur champion Daishomaru and journeyman Akiseyama, while Satoyama, Daieisho and Hidenoumi return to the top division. Osunaarashi, Jokoryu and Endo lose makuuchi status due to absence through injury, as do Homarefuji and Kagayaki. There are no new sekitori, but Shotenro returns to juryo at the expense of Tokitenku, who is having treatment for lymphoma.
March
- 24: Shibatayama Oyakata and one of his wrestlers are ordered by the Tokyo District Court to pay 32.4 million yen (287,500 USD) in compensation to a former wrestler who the court ruled had faced "daily abuse" since joining in 2008 and had to undergo four surgeries for a detached retina, eventually losing sight in the eye in 2013.[5] Shibatayama says he will appeal the ruling.[5]
- 26: On the final day of the Osaka tournament, Hakuho wins his 36th yusho, and first since July 2015 in Nagoya, by sidestepping Harumafuji at the initial charge. Having won fourteen straight matches after an opening day defeat to Takarafuji, he finishes on 14–1, one win ahead of ozeki Kisenosato on 13-2. Goeido has his best tournament as an ozeki, with a 12–3 score. Kotoshogiku, by contrast, finishes on 8–7, his yokozuna hopes dashed. The Outstanding Performance Award goes to Kotoyuki who scores 12-3 and has defeated a yokozuna and two ozeki. Ikioi scores 10-5 but fails to win on the final day and so misses out on the Fighting Spirit Prize. Osunaarashi wins the juryo division championship with a 13-2 record, ensuring his immediate return to makuuchi. The makushita champion is won by Satō with a perfect 7–0 record, guaranteeing his promotion to juryo next time.
- 28: The results of elections to the Sumo Association's board of directors are announced. Hakkaku Oyakata is confirmed as chairman, a position he has already been in since the death of the previous incumbent Kitanoumi in November last year. His only rival for the post, Takanohana, receives the backing of only two directors, with Hakkaku winning the support of six.
- 30: The various roles of the new board are announced. Oguruma Oyakata is the senior executive manager, Nishonoseki is the new head of the judging department, replacing Isegahama, Takanohana is in charge of jungyo (regional tours), Kasugano is head of PR, and Kagamiyama will head the planning department.
- 30: Promotions to juryo are announced. Joining Sato are Ura, a former amateur competitor from Kwansei Gakuin University, and the returning Tamaasuka, a veteran who is being promoted to juryo for the seventh time.
April
The spring regional tour visits the following locations:
- 3: Ise Shrine (Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shine’s precincts), Mie Prefecture
- 4: Iga, Mie Prefecture
- 5: Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture
- 6: Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture
- 7: Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture
- 8: Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture
- 9: Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture
- 10: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture
- 12: Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture
- 13: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
- 14: Machida, Tokyo
- 16: Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture
- 17: Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture
- 18:Yasukuni Shrine (Honozumo ceremonial tournament held in the shrine’s precincts), Tokyo
- 19: Saku, Nagano Prefecture
- 20: Toyama, Toyama Prefecture
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Grand Tournament Schedule". Japan Sumo Association.
- ↑ "Top sumo wrestlers stomp in new year". Reuters. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ↑ "Imperial couple in the audience on Day 1 of New Year sumo tournament". AJW/Asahi Shimbun. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ↑ "SUMO/ Kotoshogiku triumphs on Day 15 to become first Japan-born champion in 10 years". AJW/Asahi Shimbun. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- 1 2 "Sumo wrestler and stable master 'to pay damages over abuse'". Daily Mail. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
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