Photo by Michihiro Taguchi — shot ringside.
In sumo, Asanoyama is a rikishi who has just been promoted to ozeki, the second-highest rank. His promotion was formally decided at the rankings-editing meeting and an extraordinary board meeting of the Japan Sumo Association. He fights with a right-hand inside grip, and at his proclamation ceremony he pledged to love sumo, fulfil justice as a rikishi, and devote himself with all his effort.
Promotion to ozeki
Among the current makuuchi division, Asanoyama stood out as the one rikishi capable of aiming for ozeki. His promotion to the rank was made official at the banzuke-editing meeting and an extraordinary board meeting — the birth of a new ozeki. At the proclamation ceremony, he delivered his statement: that he would not disgrace the name of ozeki, that he would love sumo, fulfil justice as a rikishi, and work hard with everything he had.
A style built on pressure and forward drive
Asanoyama wrestles with a right-hand inside grip, the migi-yotsu style. The grip calls to mind past greats such as Futabayama and Tamanoumi, but those men fought from the hips. Asanoyama is different: he wins through pressure and forward movement. The pressure he generates is considerable, and it is the source of his strength. For a time he struggled against thrusting-and-pushing power wrestlers, but that pressure is exactly what let him overcome the problem.
The challenge: contending for a yusho
So what is Asanoyama’s task now? Having become an ozeki, he must fight for the championship. His best result at the upper ranks so far has been 11 wins, which leaves him far from a yusho. Until now, even when yokozuna Hakuho and Kakuryu sat out, the ozeki still could not win — and the hope is that Asanoyama will not become that kind of ozeki. Whether the yokozuna are absent or competing, he is wanted in the yusho race.
No ozeki has taken a championship since Kisenosato at the January 2017 basho. Maegashira, komusubi and sekiwake have all produced yusho winners, yet the ozeki who reign above them have not — and that erodes the very value of the rank. The hope is that Asanoyama can break this state of affairs.
Not getting comfortable at the rank
An ozeki is not demoted to sekiwake unless he posts losing records in two consecutive basho. Yet how many senior ozeki have leaned on that rule and piled up single-digit win totals? Under the 15-day system, the only top-ranked ozeki with more 10-win-or-better tournaments than tournaments of nine wins or fewer is Kotokaze. If Asanoyama lets the rule make him complacent, he risks following the same path.
A Kindai man, following his seniors
Asanoyama comes from Kinki University. Among his seniors in student sumo, Yutakayama — earlier known as Uchida — carried the potential to reach yokozuna, and Wajima did become yokozuna. Asanoyama is currently 26. Yutakayama reached ozeki at 25, and Wajima at 24; Wajima was then promoted to yokozuna after just four basho as an ozeki. On that count, Asanoyama is a step behind.
A window at the top
When Yutakayama rose to ozeki, the wall of Taiho stood in the way. When Wajima became yokozuna, the senior yokozuna Kitanofuji and Kotozakura had already entered their decline. Now Hakuho and Kakuryu are in the twilight of their careers — and that is precisely why Asanoyama has a chance to reach the top. Asanoyama has also already beaten Kakuryu.
Now that Asanoyama has been promoted to ozeki, other rikishi will look at him differently. How he answers that — what kind of sumo he shows in response — is the question. The May basho is one to watch.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What rank did Asanoyama reach?
Ozeki. His promotion was formally decided at the rankings-editing meeting and an extraordinary board meeting of the association.
Q. What is Asanoyama’s wrestling style?
A right-hand inside grip (migi-yotsu), but rather than fighting from the hips he wins through considerable pressure and forward drive.
Q. What is the main challenge for Asanoyama as an ozeki?
Contending for a yusho. His best result at the upper ranks has been 11 wins, and no ozeki has won a championship since Kisenosato in January 2017.
Photos by Michihiro Taguchi, shot ringside.
