Minatogawa beya

8 views

Skip to first unread message

Moti Dichne

unread,

Feb 26, 2026, 4:21:40 PM (19 hours ago) Feb 26

to Sumo Newsletter2

It was a start that was one of "their own style." On the 26th, Minatogawa beya, led by ex- Takakeishou - now Minatogawa Oyakata, held an open training session at the heya in Osaka City. He took over from Tokiwayama Oyakata, who retired after the January basho, and has been in charge since last basho ended. This was the first time the heya was officially presented. The youngest Oyakata of all 45 heya, he provides strict yet detailed instructions while also bringing about reforms. With the same passion as when he was still active, he is preparing for his first tournament as an Oyakata. His angry voice reverberated. A scene that has become less common in recent years has been vividly brought back to life in the modern day. The advice given by Minatogawa, while harsh, always hits home the true duties of a rikishi. "He's not your friend. Beat him down!" "It's okay, you don't have to extend your hand." "Throw away your kindness." At first it could sound heartless, but heya-gashira Takanoshou adds, "We may be heyamates, but we're not teammates in the keiko-ba. The young rikishi need the mindset of, 'I'm going to get ahead of this guy.' My Oyakata's words remind me of that." While living as a group at the heya, sumo is an individual sport. That's why he encourages each rikishi with heartfelt words like, "You've got to be a good son, right? Do your best!" He emphasizes the content of his encouragement, saying, "Use as specific words as possible." He also actively promotes changes in mindset regarding meals and sleep, saying, "'Effort' doesn't just mean what you do when you're wearing your mawashi." In fact, practice start has been delayed from 8:00 a.m. under the previous Oyakata to 10:00 a.m. Minatogawa beya's first keiko in Osaka on the 19th marked the start of the heya for real. Keiko time has been condensed to about half, about two hours. "Sleep is also important. It helps clear your mind and restore your body so you can perform to your full potential." In fact, all the rikishi increased their sleep time by about two hours.