2001 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...
, 7 January - 21 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...
, 11 March - 25 March - Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 May - 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, 8 July - 22 July - Aki basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 September - 23 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....
, 11 November - 25 November
January
- 21: Yokozuna Takanohana wins his first yusho in over two years, defeating fellow yokozuna Musashimaru in a playoff after both men finish on 14-1. Tochinonada wins the Technique 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:...
. Wakanoyama scores 9-6 from maegashira 3, his best ever result, and wins the Fighting Spirit Prize. Wakanosato receives the Outstanding Performance Award for his win over Musashimaru. Tamanonada wins the juryo championship and 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, and changes his nameShikonaA 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...
to Tamanoshima. Maegashira 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...
is suspended from the tournament for being involved in a traffic accident in December, and drops to juryo. As a result, the Takasago stableTakasago stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
is without any makuuchi wrestlers for the first time in its history. - 22: Yokozuna AkebonoAkebono Tarois a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
, who won his 11th championship in the previous tournament in November but was absent through injury from this one, announces his retirement, due to the constant pain in both his knees. He will stay in sumo as a coach at his Azumazeki stableAzumazeki Stableis a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is located at Higashi–Komagata, Sumida, Tokyo. It was founded in April 1986 by the Hawaiian born Takamiyama of the Takasago stable. Azumazeki's first sekitori was Akebono, also from Hawaii, in 1990, who subsequently reached the...
, under the elder name Akebono Oyakata. - 29: The Japan Sumo AssociationJapan Sumo AssociationThe is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
award Akebono a bonus of 100 million yen for his services to sumo, tying the record amount awarded to Chiyonofuji upon his retirement in 1991.
February
- 21: The Sumo Association reduces the height requirement for new entrants from 173 to 167 centimetres, due to a shortage of applicants. 13 tryouts are accepted.
March
- 25: 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...
wins his second championship. He finishes on 13-2, one win ahead of Takanohana, Musashimaru and fellow ozeki Musoyama. Maegashira Tamanoshima gets the Fighting Spirit Award for his eleven wins. Kotomitsuki receives his second Technique prize, while Tochinonada and Tochiazuma share the Outstanding Performance Prize. Wakatsutomu wins the juryo championship with just a 10-5 score, after a playoff with Toki. Former maegashira Daihisho retires.
May
- 22: Takanohana wins his 22nd yusho in dramatic fashion, beating Musashimaru in a playoff despite clearly suffering from serious knee ligament damage sustained in a defeat to Musoyama the previous day. Kaio pulls out with back pain after losing four bouts in the first eight days. Kotomitsuki receives the Technique Award while fellow komusubi Asashoryu gets the Outstanding Performance Prize in his first tournament at the rank. Kitazakura wins his first juryo yusho. Former maegashira Shikishima retires.
June
- 5: Futagoyama OyakataTakanohana KenshiTakanohana Kenshi 貴ノ花健士 was a sumo wrestler from Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki, which he held for fifty tournaments. As an active rikishi he was extremely popular and was nicknamed the "prince of sumo" due to his good looks and relatively slim build...
announces that his son Takanohana will not take part in the next tournament, and indicates that he will require a lengthy layoff.
July
- 22: Kaio wins his second championship of the year with a 13-2 record despite limited training due to his ongoing back trouble. Musashimaru is runner up on 12-3 alongside Tamanoshima who gets another Fighting Spirit Award. The Technique Prize is shared between Tochiazuma and Tokitsuumi while Wakanosato receives the Outstanding Performance Prize. DejimaDejima TakeharuDejima Takeharu is a former sumo wrestler from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1996, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year...
is demoted from the ozeki rank. Buyuzan wins the juryo championship, coming through a series of playoffs after a record eight men finish on the same score, just 9-6. - 23: It is revealed that Takanohana has travelled to Paris to have his injured knee operated on by a specialist.
September
- 23: Maegashira 2 Kotomitsuki wins his first championship with a 13-2 record, and takes all three special prizes. Sekiwake Tochiazuma is runner-up on 12-3. Kaiho also receives a share of the Technique Prize, while Asashoryu gets a share of the Fighting Spirit prize. Takanohana is still recuperating from his surgery, and Kaio, Chiyotaikai and Miyabiyama all drop out early through injury. Miyabiyama joins his stablemate Dejima in being demoted from ozeki. Musashimaru finishes with a mediocre 9-6. Former maegashira Aogiyama wins the juryo yusho.
- 29: Akebono's retirement ceremony or danpatsu-shiki takes place at the Kokugikan. Guests taking part in the hair-cutting ritual include US Ambassador to Japan Howard BakerHoward BakerHoward Henry Baker, Jr. is a former Senate Majority Leader, Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee, White House Chief of Staff, and a former United States Ambassador to Japan.Known in Washington, D.C...
, an ambassador representing the French President (and sumo fan) Jacques ChiracJacques ChiracJacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
, Konishiki, Takanohana and finally Akebono's stablemaster Azumazeki OyakataTakamiyama DaigoroTakamiyama Daigorō 高見山大五郎 is a former sumo wrestler, the first foreign born rikishi to win the top division championship . His highest rank was sekiwake...
.
November
- 25: Musashimaru wins his first yusho since September 2000 with a 13-2 score. Tochiazuma is once again runner-up on 12-3 and seals his promotion to ozeki. He also receives his seventh Technique Prize. Takanohana, Chiyotaikai and Miyabiyama sit out, but Kaio returns to score 10-5. Asashoryu and Wakanosato share the Fighting Spirit Prize with top division debutant Buyuzan. Oikari wins the juryo championship. Former komusubi Tomonohana retires.
- 28: Tochiazuma's promotion to ozeki is officially confirmed. He becomes the fifth son of a former wrestler to make the ozeki rank.
Deaths
- 27 January: Onogawa Oyakata, former maegashira Hachiya, aged 50, of mouth cancer.