sumo

Mongolian Harumafuji promoted to yokozuna

19 Comments

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19 Comments
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Congratulations Harumafuji!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

****Yokozuna Harumafuji, congratulations on your promotion and best of luck in future bouts.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I must say, that was an awesome match between him and Hakuho on the final day!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I may be wrong but as more and more Mongolians dominate this sport it seems to be less and less relevant as a cornerstone of Japanese culture

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I may be wrong but as more and more Mongolians dominate this sport it seems to be less and less relevant as a cornerstone of Japanese culture

I wouldn't say less relevant, just that the Japanese wrestlers don't seem to have that "hungry-seishin" look when they get up on the ring to wrestle. Many Japanese sumo enthusiasts are commenting often during the tournaments about the lack of Japanese wrestlers in the upper ranks and their inability to crack through to the top.

The smart ones are commenting that they need to get their heads together and work harder at learning how to over come Hakuho and the other foreign wrestlers.

The ignorant ones are the ones who are commenting that there should be even more limitations on how many foreign wrestlers can be in each sumo stable.

Congrats to Harumafuji, he truly earned his way, and I hope he keeps the pressure on Hakuho and all the other wrestlers out there!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

man, isn't it embarassing that sumo STILL doesn't have a japanese yokozuna? even with the limit of only two foreigners per stable, the foreigners are kicking j-arse.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The just-concluded sumo tournament looked more like a boxing tournament. Both Harumafuji & Hakuho delivered KO techniques on consecutive days ... with their Japanese opponents knocked senseless. Guess it's sumo ... but it surely didn't look like sumo.

So ... in the next tournament, they should bar the guys ... sorry, but mainly the foreigners and namely the Mongolians ... who start off with a slap or more to the face and go from there. And if they get in trouble, they try to duke it out with their opponent for the win.

They should get back to traditional sumo instead of throwing vicious punches, shoulder blasts and such. Perhaps such tactics will give the Japanese sumoists a better chance of gaining some wins.

And NHK has to do something about the quality of their foreign commentators. I gave up early in the tournament listening to their babble and went back to listening to the Japanese version.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

edojin My point but more comprehensively made. The techniques, spirituality and essential Japanese-ness of sumo appear to me to be things of the past.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Yes Wakarimasen ... you are correct.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Mongolians have drastically changed sumo by speeding up the sport. In the past there were quick and agile little guys, but now there are quick and agile big guys who are also strong, and who can win using different techniques on all 15 days of a tournament. That said, I have no explanation for how the Mongols have come to dominate the sport so completely. Perhaps they owe it to their psychological strength, because they don't seem to choke up in the important matches they way many Japanese rikishi seem to be notorious for doing.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Congratulations...I wonder how long his unbeaten streak will last. He come close many times to losing, but finds new ways to defeat his opponents.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Here we go again. It wasn't too long ago guys that the great Hawaiian yokozuna Akebono reigned supreme on the banzuke alone for around two years. This conversation took place then also! Sumo seems to be going down the same road as judo, internationalization and all! To me, anyone who can navigate the ultra-traditional and at times, seemingly medieval world of sumo deserves all the kudos we have to offer! I am a super fan of this sport! I wish nothing but the best to ALL sumotori!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Mongolians literally rebooted the sumo for new age audience and whole sumo atmosphere clearly gotten refreshed with swift warrior Mongol spirit and fighting fashion seemingly. Congrats to new yokozuna H!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Despite being a very traditional and the national sport of Japan. Sumo has opened it;s doors to non-Japanese sumo wrestlers for decades now and quite a few have risen to the top levels. They are both loved and criticized by the obviously predomonantly Japanese Sumo fans as sumo wrestlers, not as "foreigners". Then we get brilliant comments like this that try to derail that success.

ickyveeSep. 26, 2012 - 04:50PM JST man, isn't it embarassing that sumo STILL doesn't have a japanese yokozuna? even with the limit of only two >foreigners per stable, the foreigners are kicking j-arse.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Bravo zulu Yokozuna Harumafuji the guys worked his bottom off to get the title!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

After all the Mongolian Yokozunas recently I guess the next Japanese wrestler who becomes Yokozuna will be treated like royalty in the Japanese sumo world. It has been a while since a japanese wrestler (Takanohana being the last) has dominatated the sport and it doesn't seem to be getting any closer either. The mongolians have certainly raised the bar.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Congrats to Harumafuji. It's been a lot of fun watching his enthusiasm as he moved up the ranks. I just hope that it's not premature, as this perfect 15-0 tournament happened as most of the ozeki took two weeks off for injuries. But he's beating Hakuho, so that's a good sign he might have some longevity.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Congratulations to Harumafuji! We all knew it was coming, well earned indeed.

I hope in a few years we'll see an up and comer Japanese sumo reach this pinnacle. Okinoumi or Jokoryu are my two to watch.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't see why some folk have an issue with a foreigner dominating in a Japanese sport?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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