Sumo is cool!

I'm not really sure what direction I'm going with this blog. To be honest, I don't even know if I'm going anywhere with this blog, really. But alright. I'm a young western girl that has recently found a big interest in professional Sumo, and wanted to create a blog to spread some love for Japan's national sport~

[sumo-cult]

相撲は躍る

Sumo springs

[sumoiscool]

I’m just looking back at the old posts in my blog, and this one comes up. That’s SHOBUSHI-SAN!!!

If any of you are unaware, the smaller wrestler in the gif is Shobushi. He sadly passed away in May last year after suffering from Covid-19 at only 28 years old. May he rest in peace. <3

[sumoiscool]

It’s been so long even my URL had been changed. Happy it wasn’t taken.

I might want to try to come back, but no promises.

[sumoiscool]

Hatsu 2019 last day celebrations.

[sumoiscool]

Hatsu Basho, Hatsu Yusho!

This is also the fourth year in a row that the Hatsu basho sees a first-time winner: 2016 it was Kotoshogiku; 2017 Kisenosato; 2018 Tochinoshin; and 2019 Tamawashi. Will this pattern continue onto the next years? (I kind of hope so!)

[sumoiscool]

15 years after entering professional sumo, Tamawashi became the second oldest rikishi to win his first championship ever, at 34 years and 2 months!

[sumoiscool]

I’m just now realizing the amount of posts in my blog that have been flagged, and I’m just disappointed.

Dear Tumblr, sumo wresting is not “adult content”.

Also, way to shoot yourself on the foot with those new guidelines.

[sumoiscool]

A happy Hatsu 2019 champion. <3

[sumoiscool]

This article.

Harumafuji and Takanoiwa = “THE two bad boys of sumo”

Takanohana = “one of the most popular yokozuna”

I mean, I can understand, given some rumors about him, Takanoiwa being considered ONE of several “bad boys” in sumo, but Harumafuji? Obviously, his career ended after the well-known, ugly incident against Iwa... but?!?! That was one case staining an otherwise exemplary Yokozuna career, of a guy widely known and respected for his kindness and hard work...  In contrast, makushita and below guys have allegedly repeatedly bullied lower ranked rikishi and their names are never directly mentioned. 

Oh and poor Takanohana, these dirty Mongolians ruined his flawless oyakata career. </sarcasm> (Actually, the article doesn’t even mention the connection he had to the case and Takanoiwa, and how in March last year he actually protected his own pupil Takayoshitoshi when he was the aggressor, yet after he’s out of the Sumo Association he says he won’t meet Takanoiwa face-to-face in at least 10 years)

[tamagowaffle]

第70代横綱日馬富士　お疲れ様でした。

[sumoiscool]

Adorable!

[sumoiscool]

Hello guys, here I am after a long absence yet again! Hard to maintain some consistency when also my sumo interest has fluctuated due to an assortment of reasons.

However, 2 things have made me super excited and unable to resist posting about on here: 1- Tamawashi’s yusho; 2- Harumafuji and Takanoiwa’s reconciliation and the subsequent attendance of Haru to Iwa’s retirement ceremony(<3).

Also I noticed other important stuff I’ve missed and would likely be worthy posting about IMO: -2 year anniversary of my dear Tokitenku’s passing (he was really important to me okay); -Kisenosato’s retirement; -Takekaze’s retirement; -Harumafuji’s retirement ceremony (okay that was really long ago but pshh)

There’s probably more but please look forward to some new posts and please feel free to suggest some topics or pictures or whatever for me to post about!

And maybe a little bit late but I hope you all have a nice 2019 <3

[sumoiscool]

I wish I was fluent in Japanese so bad right now to read more on the whole NSK x Takanohana and see people's reactions and understand them... I've tried making out some of the comments on Instagram and Twitter with Google Translate but it's no help... (I've seen comments mentioning Hakuho on a bad light though, which makes me quite sad, like, what does he even have to do with the situation right now? I feel some people try too hard to make him and the other Mongolians look bad...)

Also, obviously, news sites have mentioned the Harumafuji x Takanoiwa thing as the start of this whole mess, but some still give the wrong (or at least disputed by the doctors who saw him) story stating that Takanoiwa was left with a fractured skull as a result of the incident, for example. I wish the rikishi were left out of this though, it's clear to me that the issue is between Takanohana and the Sumo Association now, both parties having done shady things.

I hope to update this post with sources or link the articles on this later, but things have been a bit harsh on me recently so I haven't had much time or inspiration to be here.

[sumoiscool]

Takayoshitoshi working as Takanoiwa’s tsukebito... oh, the irony...

(Context: in March Takayoshitoshi, upon promotion to Juryo, assaulted his tsukebito, just a few months after Takanoiwa was a victim of assault himself)

[sumoiscool]

Just wanted to leave this here... <3

Saw this earlier on YouTube and had to hold my tears, I miss this guy so much ;___;

Also, since my last few posts, I hadn’t yet updated myself on how the whole story that lead to his retirement had turned out to be, so in my head the story was still pretty much as it first emerged... After Takanoiwa returned to action (and with a nice kachi-koshi!), I finally managed to gather courage and read the whole story, and things started making a bit more sense and, at the same time I felt relieved for being able to forgive my favorite guy, I felt a whole new kind of grief, thinking what if this was all handled differently... Amid all the recent scandals, I think he owned up to his mistake as a the great Yokozuna he’d always shown to be, and seemed like the most honest to me.

[sumoiscool]

It’s now been a year without you, Tokitenku. There’s so much I’d do to see you just one more time on the dohyo... I pray that you’re happily wrestling and tripping other sumotori in heaven. I miss you dearly. <3

[sumoiscool]

Kitataiki behind the scenes for a wine glass company’s ads. ☆

He’s in the bottom of the Juryo division for the Nagoya basho that starts soon, I hope he can do okay and hold onto the paid ranks for some more, ganbatte~

[sumoiscool]

Aw, on a less happy note, yet another dear rikishi of mine has retired: Kitataiki. His highest rank was Maegashira #2, and he now goes by Onogawa okayata.

I wish him the best of luck in this new stage of his career!

[sumobasho]

Tochinoshin YUSHO! 

[sumoiscool]

YAY, awesome way to start the sumo year, isn’t it? Congratulations~

[sumoiscool]

Hello everyone, it’s been a while(again)!

Well, I’ve been away from sumo ever since I last posted on here, maybe some of you can even guess why, this time the reason has been way more than just being busy with life...

If I recall correctly, just the day after I last posted on here, or maybe just a few hours later, the news about the Harumafuji x Takanoiwa situation emerged. Obviously I was shocked and extremely disappointed at my #1 favorite rikishi... to the point that I simply started avoiding sumo as much as I could from that day on. Just reading about the situation made me sick so I have barely updated myself on any new information from the case, and I still haven’t gathered up the courage to read on the whole story even when (I believe) it’s been already 2 months since the yokozuna’s retirement. 

So I hope you understand my absence for that reason and respect that, the big guy meant a lot to me and I was already hyped for the possibility of a 10th yusho and seeing him get recognized as dai-yokozuna. But what he did was inexcusable, and while I’ll always remember him fondly, it will  also always hurt to know how his career ended. And how he could also have potentially put an end to a fellow rikishi’s career as well. I have not yet updated myself on Takanoiwa’s condition either, but I do pray that he recovers and makes a brilliant comeback showing all his potential, I love that guy too.

On a happier note, despite not searching for more information on the above mentioned, I have followed the Hatsu basho, and I’m delighted to have witnessed the first hiramaku yusho since I’ve started following sumo, and I’m super glad for Tochinoshin! What a surprising (and inspiring!) start to the sumo year! Congratulations!