WINNER: OHNOSATO
Outstanding Performance Award: Ohnosato
Outstanding Technique Award: Ohnosato
Fighting Spirit Award: Oushoma
Final day
Oushoma forced Konbozan out to win his 10th bout.
Meisei drove out Shonannoumi for his 10th win.
Takayasu shoved Gonoyama's arm prompting him to gall. It's his 7th win.
Daieisho attacked Kotoshoho, then appeared to slightly lose balance.
But in the end Daieisho made Kotoshoho touch the dirt.
Ura got hold of Wakamotoharu and forced him out to finish with 7 wins.
Ohnosato immediately pushed out Abi for his 12th win and secured the Emperor's Cup.
He did it in 7 tourneys.
Ozekis faced eachother. Kotozakura forced Hoshoryu down to win his 11th bout.
14th day
Takarafuji drove out Kotoshoho from behind and won his 9th bout.
Ryuden got hold of Mitakeumi's belt and drove out the former ozeki to win his 9th bout too.
Ohnosato pushed out Shonannoumi for his 11th win.
Hoshoryu got a good hold of Oushoma and shoved him out for his 10th win.
Kotozakura could not withstand Abi's shoves and lost.
Ohnosato is the sole leader.
13th day
Takayasu lost to Hiradoumi.
Mitakeumi gave in to Daieisho's thrust. Daieisho won his 9th bout.
Ohnosato forced Ura out of the ring for his 10th win.
Abi threw Meisei to win his 9th bout.
Oushoma was pushed out by Wakamotoharu and took his 4th loss.
Kotonowaka shifted slightly and threw Shonannoumi to win his 10th bout.
Hoshoryu forced down Midori fuji to win his 9th bout.
Ohnosato and Kotozakura tie for the lead.
12th day
Makuuchi debutant Oushoma forces Shodai on his hand to win his 9th bout.
Kotoshoho beat Ura for his 8th win. Ura is 6-6.
Tobizaru gave Takayasu thrusts but the former ozeki drove him down.
Takayasu wins again.
Daieisho lost to Meisei's push out. It's his 4th loss.
Ohnosato pushed out Takarafuji for his 9th win.
Shonannoumi pulled away and lost balance and lost to Abi.
Hoshoryu got a grip of Mitakeumi's belt and drove the former ozeki out.
Both are 8-4.
Kotozakura in a very close match was given the win against Wakamotoharu.
Shonannoumi, Oushoma, Ohnosato and Shonannoumi tie for the lead.
11th day
Shonannoumi threw Takarafuji for his 9th win.
Mitakeumi charged into Chiranoumi and secured a majority win.
Daieisho also clinched a majority win by forcing down Ura.
Takayasu struggled against the heavy Atamifuji but in the end managed to drive the 21 year old out.
Takayasu has won every bout fought or 5 this tourney.
Kotozakura forced down Meisei to win his 8th bout.
Hoshoryu easily threw Ohnosato for his 7th win.
Shonannoumi is the sole leader.
10th day
Takarafuji drove out Ichiyamamoto to secure a majority win.
Shonannoumi did too by forcing Midorifuji to fall.
Mitakumi lost to Kotoshosho for his 3rd loss.
Daieisho gave a strong shove to drive Ohho out the ring for his 7th win.
Ohnosato pushed down Gonoyama to secure a majority win.
Ura lost to Abi. Both are 6-4.
Hoshoryu forced Oonosho to fall forward to earn his 6th win.
Takayasu in a competitive bout threw Kotozakura and won. The young ozeki lost his 3rd bout.
Takarafuji,
9th day
Shonannoumi pushed out Russian Roga for his 7th win.
Mitakeumi immediately shifted to the side the forced down Kinbozan fo his 7th win.
Takanosho forced Ura to fly into the audience.
Atamifuji quickly pushed out Daeisho.
Ohnosato pulled back and lost to Hiradoumi.
Oonosho drove Kotozakura to the edge of the ring, but the yokozuna then threw him to win.
Hoshoryu hesitated facing off, and when he did, Takayasu,who was back after missing 5 days forced the ozeki down.
The leaders are with 2 losses, who are Kotozakura, Ohnosato, Takarafuji and Mitakeumi.
8th day
Ryuden's to touched outside the ring first, giving Takarafuji his 7th win.
Mitakeumi forced out Shonannoumi for his 6th win. The former ozeki could not get up for a while and needed
help to leave the mound.
Ohnosato managed to defeat Daieisho for his 7th win.
Hoshoryu drove out Ura. It's Ura's 2nd loss.
In a competitive bout between grandsons of former yokozunas, Kotozakura pushed out Ohho.
Ohnosato is the sole leader.
7th day
Takarafuji forced Mitoryu to fall on his knees and earned his 6th win.
So did Shonannoumi by throwing Kinbozan with his right.
Former ozekis faced eachother. Shodai drove out Mitakeumi for his 3rd win.
Daieisho charged with his head low and pushed out Hiradoumi to win his 6th bout.
Atamifuji pushed and Ohnosato tried to keep himself within the ring.
In the end Ohnosato pulled back and drove Atamifuji down to win his 6th bout.
Ura got into a good position against Kotozakura, but then he pulled back allowing the ozeki to push him down.
It's Ura's first loss.
Ohho forced Hoshoryu to fall and lose his 3rd bout.
Wakamotoharu and Kirishima withdrew from the tourney from this day.
If Kirishima does not return to fight by the 9th day, he will be demoted from ozeki ranking.
6th day
Ura stood firm and low as he kept Mitakeumi from getting hold of his belt.
Then he moved, grabbing Mitakeumi's belt then driving him out.
Ura is the sole leader.
Mitakeumi lost his first bout.
Daeisho gave Wakamotoharu powerful thrusts to win his 5th bout.
Kotozakura could not resist Ohnosato's force and his foot went out the ring.
It's the ozeki's 2nd loss.
Hoshoryu drove out Tobizaru for his 4th win.
Kirishima again lost. This time the ozeki fell to Ohho's thrust.
5th day
Takarafuji drove out Ohamami to earn his 5th win.
Mitakeumi forced out Meisei to keep his record clean.
Ura slammed Nishikigi's head and made him fall, to win his 5th bout.
Daieisho gave Abi powerful thrusts to win.
Hoshoryu quickly drove out Gonoyama fo his 3rd win.
Ohnosato and Kirishima shoved eachother at the verge of the ring and fell.
The judges ruled Ohnosato won.
Kotozakura forced down Tobizaru for his 4th win.
4th day
Mitakeumi managed to stay inside the ring while he forced down Oonosho for his 4th win.
Ura drove out Midorifuji for his 4th win.
Ohnosato forced Wakamotoharu to roll on the ring.
Abi forced Atamifuji to fall on his hands.
Daieisho and Kirishima was at one point were far apart from eachother during the bout.
But in the end Daieisho pushed out the poorly performing ozeki.
It's Kirishima's 3rd loss.
Kotozakura managed to stay inside the ring and forced down Gonoyama for his 3rd win.
Hoshoryu struggled against Hiradoumi but in the end forced him down to win his 2nd bout.
3rd day
Ryuden threw Nishikifuji for his 3rd win.
Kinbozan thrust down Ichiyamato also for his 3rd win.
Mitakeumi won his 3rd bout by immediately forcing out Nishikigi.
Ura forced Oonosho to fall to earn his 3rd win.
Ohnosato drove out Tobizaru for his 2nd win.
Hiradoumi gave thrusts which Kotozakura stopped then pushed him out for his 2nd win.
Hoshoryu in a competitive bout drove out Daieisho for his first win.
Atamiumi pushed out Kirishima. It's the ozeki's 2nd loss.
2nd day
Mitakeumi threw Midorifuji for his 2nd win.
Ura forced Meisei to lose balance and pushed him down.
Takayasu pushed out the up and coming Ohnosato.
Hoshoryu was easily forced out by Abi.
Kirishima fought hard against Hiradoumi and was able to push him out.
Kotozakura forced Atamifuji on his hands.
Takakeisho and Terunofuji were absent. They pulled out from the tourney.
First day
Japan Sumo Association thanked fans for a sell out tourney before the makuuchi division.
All ozeki and yokozuna were present.
As to some of the popular top rankers, Ura charged into Ohho with his head low and drove him out.
Takayasu pushed out Wakamotoharu.
Ozeki Kirishima was quickly driven out the ring by Gonoyama.
Hiradoyama forced out ozeki Takakeisho.
Daieisho pushed out the renamed Kotozakura.
Atamifuji prompted Hoshoryu to turn around and forced him to fall.
Ohnosato for the first time fought with his hair tied as it was long enough.
He pressured Terunofuji and drove him down.
None of the champion rankers won.
Pre Tourney highlights
Last tourney champion withdraws
Takerufuji, the young sensation who won the last grand tourney pulled out.
He forced himself to fight in the final day of last tourney after injuring his right foot.
He hasn't recovered.
Also withdrawing is former ozeki Asanoyama who sustained a knee injury.
Kotonowaka is Kotozakura
On Apr 30, Kotonowaka officially is named Kotozakura, taking on his grandfather's name.
The former Kotozakura was yokozuna.
His father was Kotonowaka and runs Sadogatake stable today.
Former Akebono dies
Hawaiian born Chad Rowan, who became yokozuna died from a heart failure in April.
He was 54.
He was bedridden for several years, paralized after competing in wrestling matches.
Akebono was scouted by the former Takamiyama, a popular Hawaiian born who was regarded the pioneer of Hawaiian born rikishi.
Akebono quickly rose the ladder and became yokozuna. He won the the grand touney 11 times.
He was one of the star rikishi when sumo's popularity was at its height with Takanohana and Wakanohana brothers also yokozuna.
I personally talked to him several times, including doing radio interviews.
He remember his vibrant smile and sparkling eyes.