Nagoya is nearly here!

Preparations are underway for the Grand Sumo Tournament in Nagoya, with recent training sessions offering an early look at the form of several key wrestlers. Activities at the Sakaigawa stable, among others, have seen established champions, veterans, and new entrants to the sport all stepping up their pre-tournament schedules.

With the tournament set to begin this Sunday at the new IG Arena, the training has provided context for several developing storylines.

At the top of the sport’s hierarchy, Yokozuna Hoshoryu and the newly promoted Onosato engaged in a series of practice bouts. Hoshoryu, who has been recovering from a toe injury, had a 3-1 advantage in the session. He noted the value of the practice, and offered a comment on his rival’s situation, stating, “I want him to do well because the first tournament as a yokozuna is hard.”

Onosato is the first Japanese-born wrestler to be promoted to Yokozuna since his own stablemaster, the former Kisenosato. Acknowledging his performance against the more experienced Hoshoryu, he commented, “The way I fought him today wasn’t good at all, but it was good to face him.”

In the sanyaku ranks, 35-year-old Komusubi Takayasu has also been active in training. Despite finishing the May tournament with a 6-9 record, he has maintained his rank and put in a strong recent performance, winning ten consecutive practice bouts against wrestlers including Kirishima and Hiradoumi. “I moved well and felt strong at the get-go today,” Takayasu said of his condition.

The upcoming tournament will also see the introduction of new talent to the top division. Fujinokawa of Isenoumi stable secured his promotion from the Juryo division with a 12-3 record in May. The 20-year-old is the son of a former wrestler and will adopt a historic ring name last used by a former sekiwake known for his technical ability.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Atamifuji is looking to improve on his recent results. After a period that saw him slip down the banzuke, he has reportedly refocused his training on fundamentals, particularly the shiko stomp. “I’ve started to understand things that I didn’t understand before, like how to use my body,” he explained, while also stating that his ambition is to reach the rank of Yokozuna.

The lower divisions will also see the professional debut of Ryusho Kawakami, a decorated amateur from Nihon University. He will begin his career at the makushita rank, bringing with him a notable family background in the sport; his uncle is the stablemaster Onoe, and his brother is the former juryo wrestler Ryuko. “I’ll surpass my brother and my uncle,” Kawakami said of his goals, citing a desire to honour his late grandfather, who was a chairman of the Kumamoto Prefecture Sumo Federation.

The mix of wrestlers at various stages of their careers is set to create an interesting dynamic for the fifteen-day tournament in Nagoya.