<figure id="attachment_289430" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-289430" style="width: 1895px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7823027a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/d7821684ad043c15487b5597ec311fe3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-289430" class="wp-caption-text">At an open training session in August 2010, Hakuho said, &#8220;I want to raise a yokozuna. He left the restaurant happy, perhaps having learned a lot from his interactions with the other stablemasters.</figcaption></figure>
 On a night in late December of last year, luxury black cars and cabs lined up in front of a ryotei restaurant in Sumida Ward.
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 In the midst of the somber atmosphere, a giant of a man quietly emerged from inside the restaurant. It was Yasumi Hakkaku, 59, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. Also present were Shibatayama Oyakata (60, second photo), a former Onokuni, and Nisshonoseki Oyakata (36, third photo), a former Rikusei no Sato. Last to appear was Hakuho (37), who had just taken over the Miyagino stable in July.
 On this day, the Yokozuna Kai, which had been canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis, was held for the first time in three years. It is a social gathering of the stablemasters and current yokozuna, and this year seven people attended. Hakuho, who was attending for the first time as a yokozuna, seemed relaxed and enjoyed himself from start to finish,&#8221; said an association official who was present.
 After seeing off his seniors, he had a chat with the proprietress. He got into the Rolls Royce that was waiting for him and left the restaurant with the engine roaring.
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 Hakuho was a dignified man, but behind his confidence lay the confidence of his leadership.
 He said, &#8220;I have scouted him directly, and he is off to a good start, winning 10 matches in the November tournament. There is a good chance that he will become a great coach,&#8221; said sumo journalist Nobuaki Ohmi.
 Will he also be successful as a stablemaster?
<figure id="attachment_289428" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-289428" style="width: 2059px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="00bd466c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/0236d98396268280acb7821b265835f3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-289428" class="wp-caption-text"> Shibatayama Oyakata, who had contracted corona in early December, showed signs of recovery. Other participants include yokozuna Terunofuji and former Musashimaru Musashigawa Oyakata.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_289429" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-289429" style="width: 2045px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="55330573"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/02e08b13f3cba2e17138877a1a46f4a6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-289429" class="wp-caption-text"> A new training hall was completed last year. Nijonoseki Oyakata, who is close in age to Hakuho, is often compared to him. I hope they will have friendly rivalry and make the Kakukai more exciting.</figcaption></figure>
 From the January 20 and 27, 2023 issues of FRIDAY

 Ichiro Takatsuka

 The Yokozuna Kai, held for the first time in three years, is a social gathering of the stablemasters and current yokozuna. Hakuho, who had just taken over the Miyagino stable, participated for the first time as a stablemaster and was relaxed from start to finish. Behind his confidence was the confidence he had in his ability as a leader.

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Surrounded by women in kimonos&#8230;Former yokozuna Hakuho returns home in a Rolls Royce after his Yokozuna meeting! Newly appointed stablemaster shows his dignity

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