Abi and his wife were married in 2020 but their wedded bliss was deferred by his Covid violations (which Hakkaku proclaimed "unpardonable!") and subsequent punishment which included his physical retreat to Shikoroyama stable where he lived under the strict supervision of his stablemaster Terao.

These guys are big to us--with Kirishima a bonafide ozeki/prince of sumo-- but to this Frenchman with a camera, they are merely a quirky photo op. The man asks, "Do you speak English?" Koseiryu (a US collegiate athlete) curtly replies, "Ya." www.instagram.com/reels/DZkPaw...

It's hard to believe Yasuhiro Omori is still bewildered by the giggles and squeals from the ladies waiting at the Kokugikan gates. The incredibly handsome, 22-year-old Kanazawa University sumoist and 2nd-place winner of the 2024 National Sports Festival (sumo division), earned tsukedashi ...

1986--Itsuzu-beya stars Kirishima I, Sakahoko (Kakuryu's oyakata) and Terao (Abi's master) tour the Seine via the Bateau Mouche. June 16, 2026--Abi and Takanosho travel the same river-- 40 years later.

Howya gonna keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paree? Tobizaru--looking confident and at ease on a rented motorbike, notices he's being being filmed by a fan-- breaks out in a smile and says, "This feels great!" and "Paree saiko!" (Paris is the best). video: x.com/tobizaru_fc/...

Pictures from Paris. Yoshinofuji and Hakuoho show off they soccer skills.

Two fans from Germany in their Waka Bros merch.

The fellas from Isenoumi-beya chose haute cuisine for their Parisian mid-day meal. Other rikishi, not as gastronomically refined, went all out at a sidewalk cafe in the Latin Quarter. (pic next page)

And the champ of the Paris Tour de Sumo is-- Ozeki Kotozakura, who defeated Yokozuna Hoshoryu in the final. Hoshoryu wowed the crowd--no exaggeration-- by addressing them at the close of the tournament, reading his crib notes of thanks-- entirely in French.

While Paris may not be quite as tourist-friendly as London, our rikishi are enjoying their down-time in the French capital. On June 12, best friends Abi and Wakamotoharu visited an elementary school where they mingled, connected and had the absolute, best time with the students who broke out...

Tobizaru at Mont Saint Michel, Takanosho at Euro Disney and Akua in the City of Paris.

The lovely Saki Iizuka is traveling with our rikishi in Paris. She posts a video of Takayasu, Kotozakura and Tamawashi leading Japanese festival goers in odori. To watch the video: x.com/sakiiizuka/s...

Chamonix is over 2 1/2 hours by plane from Paris but Kirishima and tsukebito Koseiryu got there and to the summit of Mont Blanc. In Kirishima's Mongolia are the Altai Mountains (Khüiten Peak 4,374 m) that rival the French Alps but are far more formidable, remote and rugged, no Champagne or fondue.

Before departing for Paris, both yokozuna spoke of wanting to try French bread--and today was their day. Near the Eiffel Tower, the yoks were given baguettes by reporters who waited for their critiques. After his second chunk, a smiling Hoshoryu remarked, "You know what? It's surprisingly good."

As soon as his plane touched down at Charles de Gaulle did the Mitsubishi Financial Group Tournoi de Paris de Sumo execs whisk Onosato to a press event with Yokozuna Hoshoryu. 1. With co-chairs Marie Barsacq & David Rothchild. 2. Sitting in front of an Onosato banner, Hoshoryu smiles for the press.

Marie Antoinette traveled with as little as eleven attendants (and up to 250)... so Onosato's four is actually quite modest. It's good to be yokozuna.

Arriving first has its advantages. Arbiters of taste, Hoshoryu and best friend, Asahakuryu, tour the Louvre.

The first group of sumo wrestlers in the upcoming Paris tournament arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Tuesday as the City awaits the sport's second and equally dynamic contingent headed by Yokozuna Onosato and Ozeki Aonishiki of Ukraine--Europe's second largest country after Russia.

June 9 Tokyo. Off to Paris are ozumo's Makunouchi rikishi avec nos yokozuna et ozeki pour le Tournois de Paris de Sumo at the Accor Arena, June 13 and 14. The delegation is flying in two separate groups with Hoshoryu (and Kirishima) departing with the first wave, while Onosato is confirmed ...

Parents in Japan often laugh & clap at their terrified children to build moral strength, as they did at Gokokuji Temple for its anunal "Crying Sumo Tournament." Approximately 200 babies participated as East/West "rikishi" in the event to pray for their healthy growth. The winner was a screamer.

From the prefectures where he was working on the expansion of amateur sumo returned to Tokyo, HAKUHO, for the danpatsu-shiki of Komusubi Takarafuji. Entering the ceremony to thunderous applause, sumo's 69th yokozuna snipped the hair of his greatly admired comrade, about whom he said,

For those of us who thought Hakuho rash for resigning and not waiting another year for the JSA to lift sanctions against him and his Miyagino stable--as the JSA suggested it would do--think again. Announced the JSA on May 28, 2026: "Effective immediately. The Miyagino stable is officially...

Hopes were sky high for shin-Sekiwake Wakatakakage upon winning the yusho in a sensational bout versus Takayasu on the final day of spring 2022. Surely an ozeki title was in his future. Always in impecable condition, no one imagined he'd suffer a major knee injury (in 2023) that would derail ...

Arashio Beya had confidence in Wakatakakage and pre-ordered a lunker!

Family! Mom, Dad, wife and kids--Niichan and his wife and their little daughter.

The authoritative yet warm Fukunosato-san is retiring at age 65. Newbies through the yokozunae love him--as did the fates that provided a wakaimonogashira* slot for him immediately upon his retirement as an active rikishi in May 1993. *Wakaimonogashira is a JSA official who works primarily ...

Yusho winner Wakatakakage overrode his oyakata's choice for flag bearer in his championship parade--and personally selected his second-older brother Wakamotoharu to sit beside him. Even as late as the awards ceremony, the flag bearer was not named. Said a perplexed Wakamotoharu who waited in...

HAPPY!

Wakatakakage delivers a masterclass in taking the Natsu Honbasho. It's a magnificent triumph for him and a devastating loss for Kirishima. Still basking in the tournament's glow despite its early gloom from absences of both yokozuna and the celebrated Ukrainian ozeki, Chief Shimpan Asakayama...

The old eyes of former ozeki/oyakata Kotokaze identifies Kirishima's major fault and Wakatakakage's strength: "Kirishima’s defeat was due to a bad habit. In the flow of the match, he swung from the left to shift his stance, but his right front mawashi was stretched out by a full width.

OK--I think I've got it: On the final day, Kirishima will face Ura, and Wakatakakage will face Fujiryoga. If both Kiri and Takakage win, they will face-off in a championship playoff; if one wins and the other loses, the winner will be crowned champion. If both lose, the winner from among ...

Think ye Wakatakakage not strong? With ONE HAND, he raises and heaves Tobizaru out of the yusho race--wearing an expression of, "Easy peasy." The soon-to-return to Sekiwake (surely by Nagoya) Takakage faces the even stronger Kotoeiho tonight. They and Yoshinofuji are one match behind Kirishima.

"My final outer grip didn't work. If I had only countered there..." lamented Kotoheiho after coming this close to a bid for the Emperor's Cup. "It was my goal and my dream," he said looking dejected. "Still, I'm grateful to have fought so hard against a strong ozeki." The younger Tebakari...

When the dust settles on Day 13, the tournament will, for the 1st time in 8, days have a sole leader of either the high credentialed Ozeki Kirishima or Wonder Boy M13 Kotoeiho. Despite their diverse bona fides both men have been wrestling smartly and well, and oftentimes beautifully. ...

Life imitates art! with thanks to 霧島☆励子(Reiko)@Reikoz2n

Ura turns 34 on June 22 but while he's a mere 33 and in his last tournament at that tender age, he's cleaning up with winning matches. On Day 11 of Natsu, he's attained his first kachikoshi in three basho AND is tied with five others in second place. In the NHK interview room, he spoke...

Day 11 Natsu. Slaying his second ozeki in consecutive days, former ozeki SHODAI speaks of his revived confidence. "After I defeated a strong ozeki (Kirishima) yesterday," he began, "the strange tension I was carrying released. That gave me the assurance to fight my fight vs Kotozakura today."

Despite boasting of having "skin like a teenager," Tobizaru knows that at age 34, time is running out for his first yusho. Things look good on Day 9 of Natsu where he has secured his 1st kachikoshi in 8 tournaments and is tied for the lead with 5 others: Ozeki Kirishima, Komusubi Wakatakakage,

Day 9 Natsu. Reclaiming his lead after his Day 8 loss came with a cost for Kirishima--a big owie on his forehead and cut over his mouth--resulting from a fall from the ring via a Wakamotoharu utchari. Banging his face on the "agari-dan,” (a raised step in the dohyo) and landing smack on his back...

Kirishima's unexpected loss to Gonoyama cost him bigly--as it instantly deposed him from sole leader to a mere one of three chasing the yusho--specifically, M15 Tobizaru and, the more threatening, Komusubi Wakatakakage who has rediscovered his sumo of 2024-25. Speaking to the press post bout, ...

Takayasu's down, but he insists, not OUT. Declaring kyujo on Day 4 with a strained right adductor muscle that specialists predict will take two weeks of rest for recovery, the Papa Bear is sad but following doctors' orders-- AND looking at Week Two for a return to Natsu. And, I bet he will.

The match between Kirishima and Fujinokawa was not only spirited but controversial--due to Fujinokawa's right foot which stepped over the tawara in mid-match. The head shimpan--with a perfect sightline--may have seen it, but did not raise his hand to stop the bout, but someone called it ...

Tatsunami Oyakata has spoken to the press about Hoshoryu's injury and its impact on the yokozuna's immediate and near future. As of yesterday, the injury is considered a pulled muscle, the extent of which is unknown, but an MRI is scheduled today. According to Tatsunami, Hoshoryu was rushed to ...

The news is in and it ain't good. Hoshoryu has notified the JSA of his sitting-out for the remainder of Natsu due to an injury to the back of his thigh sustained in his opening day match versus Takayasu. This is Hoshoryu's third withdrawal as yokozuna and his eighth overall.

There's no official diagnosis yet, but there's lots of worrisome conjecture on Hoshoryu's right thigh that went kablooey in his Day One match vs Komusubi Takayasu. Said Chairman Hakkaku, "Hoshoryu was still in the fight, but Takayasu executed a clever move that caused the yokozuna's right leg ...

Hoshoryu's mother was not in Tokyo yesterday but watched on TV from Mongolia her son's loss to Takayasu that, while still undiagnosed on May 11, might sideline him for several weeks. Much more fortunate was Kirishima's mom who was in Tokyo to see and hear her son dedicate his Day One...

The Natsu Basho begins on May 10 which means tonight, May 9, in time zones behind Japan's. The pressure is on Hoshoryu who, due to Onosato's 2nd consecutive withdrawal, is carrying the weight of the yokozuna. "My workload has doubled and so has my responsibility," he told the press. ...

ONOSATO has officially withdrawn from the Natsu Basho citing pain in his left shoulder and balance issues due to his inability to train. AONISHIKI, who was kadoban in Haru has also withdrawn. Should he not return--or rejoin but not achieve kachikoshi--he will be demoted to Sekiwake. END

Aonishiki was not the only ozeki who sustained an injury while training as a guest at Arashio Beya on May 6. After colliding with his aite, Kirishima reported feeling a "strange sensation" deep in his right ear. Dismissing the seriousness of the injury he spoke of being "completely fine."

May 6. Ozeki Aonishiki suffered an ankle injury after being thrown in practice by Wakamotoharu at Arashio-beya. Unable to stand, he was immediately transferred to the hospital. Said his master Ajigawa, "He's been working hard, so until we know the extent of the injury, our approach is unchanged."