2006 in sumo
Encyclopedia
Tournaments
- Hatsu bashoHonbashoA is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
, Ryogoku KokugikanRyogoku Kokugikan, also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...
, TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, 8 - 22 January - Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, 12 - 26 March - Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 - 27 May
- Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural GymnasiumAichi Prefectural GymnasiumThe is an all purpose gymnasium in Aichi, Japan, built in 1964. Located on the site of the secondary enclosure of Nagoya Castle, it is host to numerous concerts and events...
, Nagoya, 9 - 23 July - Aki basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 - 24 September
- Kyushu basho, Fukuoka International Centre, KyushuKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, 12 - 26 November
January
- At the Hatsu basho in Tokyo, ozeki Tochiazuma takes his third top division yushoYushoA Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
or championship with a 14-1 record. This stops Asashoryu's record streak of consecutive championships at seven. Tochiazuma will likely be promoted to yokozuna if he wins the next tournament or posts at least 13 wins. Sekiwake Hakuho is runner-up with a 13-2 record and wins the Outstanding Performance AwardSansho (Sumo)Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
. Ozeki KaioKaio HiroyukiKaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.He made his debut in 1988, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1993. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for eleven years from 2000 to 2011, and is the longest-serving ozeki of all time in terms of...
and Chiyotaikai both drop out through injury. Maegashira Tokitsuumi and Hokutoriki both win an impressive twelve bouts; Tokitsuumi is awarded his fourth Technique Prize while Hokutoriki gets the Fighting Spirit Award. Veteran Tochinonada wins the juryo division championship with a 12-3 record and earns promotion back to the top makuuchiMakuuchior is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division. Estonian Baruto, recovered from appendicitisAppendicitisAppendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
, wins the makushita division championship and returns to juryo. Former sekiwake Hayateumi, who has fallen to makushita 49, retires.
March
- At the Haru basho in Osaka, Asashoryu defeats Hakuho in a playoff bout to take his 16th championship with a 13-2 score. Hakuho is promoted to ozeki nevertheless, and is awarded the Technique and Outstanding Performance prizes. He becomes the sixth non Japanese to reach sumo's second highest rank, and is also the fourth youngest ozeki ever. Fellow Mongolians AmaAma KoheiHarumafuji Kōhei , previously known as Ama Kōhei, is a sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in 2001 and reached the top makuuchi division in 2004. A relative lightweight noted for his technical skill, he has won ten special prizes for his achievements in tournaments...
and Kyokushuzan win the Technique and Fighting Spirit prizes respectively. Tochiazauma, who was hoping for promotion to yokozuna, finishes in third place on 12-3 and narrowly misses out. Kaio and Chiyotaikai both post winning records to maintain their ozeki status. In the juryo division Baruto wins the championship with a perfect 15-0 record, the first man to do so since Kitanofuji in 1963. He is promoted to the top division for the first time, alongside Homasho.
May
- At the Natsu basho in Tokyo, Asashoryu bows out of the tournament early due to injury. Tochiazuma also withdraws after seven days. Hakuho takes his first championship in his debut tournament as an ozeki, with a 14-1 record. He defeats sekiwake Miyabiyama in a playoff. Miyabiyama's 14-1 score is his best ever, and there is speculation he could return to ozeki for the first time in five years with a good performance in July. He is awarded the Technique and Outstanding Performance prizes. Baruto scores eleven wins in his top division debut and wins the Fighting Spirit prize, as does Asasekiryu for his ten wins at maegashira 2. Toyozakura wins his first juryo championship and is promoted back to makuuchi. Daimanazuru is also promoted to the top division, in his case for the first time after 14 years in sumo. Former komusubi TokiToki SusumuTōki Susumu is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now a sumo coach.-Career:Tōki began his career in January 1991 after joining the Takasago stable...
retires.
June
- Following the death of its stablemaster, Hatachiyama stable is absorbed by the Kitanoumi stableKitanoumi stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in 1985 by former yokozuna Kitanoumi, who branched off from Mihogaseki stable. It absorbed Hatachiyama stable in 2006, following the death of its head coach, former ozeki Hokuten'yū...
. - Oshiogawa Oyakata, the former ozeki Daikirin, retires from the Sumo Association at the age of 64.
July
- After bowing out of the Natsu basho due to injury, Asashoryu comes back strong to win his 17th yushoYushoA Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
with a 14-1 record. Hakuho defeats Asashoryu on the final day but the championship had already been decided on Day 14 and his runner-up score of 13-2 is not considered good enough by the Sumo Association for promotion to yokozuna. Miyabiyama, who scored 10-5, is also denied promotion to ozeki, despite accumulating 34 wins over three tournaments. Tochiazuma races to an 8-0 lead, only to lose seven in a row. Veteran Tamakasuga is awarded the Technique Prize, some nine years after his previous special prize. Tamanoshima wins the Fighting Spirit Prize. Russian wrestler Roho is suspended for three days after striking two photographers and breaking a bathroom window following a bad-tempered defeat to Chiyotaikai. Hochiyama wins the juryo division championship. In the makushita division, Kageyama wins promotion to juryo after a 6-1 performance, and changes his fighting name to Tochiozan. Former maegashira Wakatsutomu retires.
August
- 1: Onoe Oyakata, the former komusubi Hamanoshima, leaves Mihogaseki stableMihogaseki stableThe is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. Its current head coach, former ozeki Masuiyama Daishiro II took charge in November 1984. He is the son of the previous head, also an ozeki under the name Masuiyama, making it one of only three current stables...
to set up his own Onoe stableOnoe stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi group of stables. It was established in August 2006 by former komusubi Hamanoshima, who branched off from Mihogaseki stable and took several of its leading wrestlers with him...
. He brings with him several sekitoriSekitoriA sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
, including Baruto. - 20-21: The Sumo Association visits TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
for the first time. The 42 sekitori take part in a two day tournament, won by Asashoryu.
September
- At the Aki basho in Tokyo, Asashoryu's dominance continues as he chalks up thirteen wins for his 18th championship. Hakuho and Miyabiyama's promotion hopes end as they score only 8-7 and 9-6 respectively. Runners-up are maegashira Aminishiki who is awarded the Technique Prize, and Ama who gets the Fighting Spirit Award. Komusubi Kisenosato is awarded his first Outstanding Performance prize for his victory over Asashoryu. Kaio withdraws on the seventh day of the tournament with only one win. In the juryo division, former sekiwake Takanowaka wins the yusho. The makushita championship goes to Sawai, who wins with a perfect 7-0 record. He is rewarded with promotion to the elite sekitoriSekitoriA sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
ranks and a shikonaShikonaA shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
change to Goeido. Former amateur champion KaidoKaido Yasuhirois a former sumo wrestler from Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He was a member of the Tomozuna-beya , and he was a tsukebito or personal attendant to Ōzeki Kaiō for a number of years, as well as a frequent training partner of Sentoryu.Kaidō went to Meiji Nakano High School where he was a year senior of...
, a stablemate of Kaio, retires. In addition, the 40 year old former juryo wrestler Kotokanyu, veteran of 154 tournaments, is forced to retire by his stablemaster after punching a young opponent in the face in the locker room after a defeat. - The Sumo Association raises the standard of qualification for former wrestlers who wish to open up their own stablesHeyaIn sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...
. They must now have spent at least 25 tournaments at a sanyaku rank or at least 60 tournaments ranked in the top division. The move is seen as an attempt to limit the number of stables, which now stands at 54.
November
- At the Kyushu basho, Asashoryu achieves a perfect 15-0 record to take his 19th championship. He has little competition; the closest being maegashira 11 Homasho, who finishes as runner-up on 12-3 and receives the Technique and Fighting Spirit Awards. Hakuho is missing, having injured himself in training shortly before the start of the tournament. Kotoshogiku shares the Technique Prize, scoring an impressive ten wins at maegashira 2. Kaio staves off retirement for another year by returning to win his first eight bouts in a row, although in the end he too finishes on 10-5. Jumonji wins the juryo championship. Former komusubi Kyokushuzan, who in 1996 was the first Mongolian to reach the top division, retires at the age of 33. He had been ranked as a maegashira for a record 58 consecutive tournaments. Former maegashira Harunoyama also announces his retirement.
- Isegahama Oyataka, the former ozeki Kiyokuni, reaches 65 and retires. Wakafuji Oyataka, the former Katsuhikari, takes over the running of Isegahama stableIsegahama stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was re-established by the 63rd Yokozuna Asahifuji Seiya in November 2007, who re-named his Ajigawa stable when he acquired the Isegahama toshiyori name....
, but only on a short-term basis.
Deaths
- 29 May: The former sekiwake Tsurugamine, who as the head of Izutsu stableIzutsu stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze group of stables.The stable was established in the Meiji era by former yokozuna Nishinoumi Kajirō I, the 16th yokozuna, who became the 7th Izutsu-oyakata. He was succeeded by Nishinoumi Kajirō II, the 25th yokozuna...
led his sons Sakahoko and Terao to the top division, dies of blood poisoning aged 77. - 23 June: The former ozeki Hokutenyu, head coach of the Hatachiyama stable, dies of cancer of the kidney aged 45.