The great yokozuna Takanohana and Hakuho are gone… The power structure of sumo’s rise and fall can be seen in the names of the four wrestlers: “Ki” and “Peng” decrease sharply and “Fuji” increases sharply.

I like my shikona very much,” he said in an interview with FRIDAY (January 23, 2014).

In an interview with FRIDAY (January 23, 2014 issue), Ukrainian-born ozeki Yasuonishiki, 21, said, “I like my shikona very much.

The name Aseanishiki was taken from the character “an” in the name of his master, Ajikawa Oyakata’s current yokata name, Yasumishiki, and incorporates the color “blue,” the color of the Ukrainian national flag. It can be said that his yomata name reflects the characteristics of his respected master and his home country.

Yomata names are in vogue. A rikishi’s name can reveal the power structure of the sumo world.

The number of yokozuna names that have increased dramatically in the run-up to this year’s first tournament is “~Fuji,”” said former yokozuna Hakuho. A rikishi from the former Miyagino stable, where former yokozuna Hakuho was a master, transferred to the Isekehama stable in April 2012 after an assault incident in the stable. When Hakuho retired from the Sumo Association last June, eight of the nine former Miyagino-ya wrestlers changed their names to “~Fuji” after their stablemaster at the behest of former yokozuna Terunofuji, who was the master of the Isekehama stable.

For example, the maegashira Hakusabuho became Hakunofuji, and the makushita Seihakuho became Jyunofuji. The only one who did not change his name was the makushita makushita, Flameho, who is said to have a stronger attachment to the former Miyagino-ya than anyone else. With this change, there is now only one active rikishi who has inherited Hakuho’s “Hou” (except for the kobushi O-Hou, who is in a different lineage). On the other hand, the number of “~Fuji” rikishi is now 29, the largest faction in the sumo world. We do not know the exact reason why most of the former Miyagino-ya wrestlers changed their names, but there is a rumor that Terunofuji, who is rumored to have had a bad relationship with Hakuho, did not like the character for ‘-ho'” (source from the former Miyagino-ya).

Only two rikishi are named after Takanohana.

Each stable and clan in the sumo world has its own traditional yomata name. The aforementioned Isekehama has “~Fuji,” Sadogatake has “Koto~,” Kokonoe has “Chiyo~,” and Kasugano has “Tochi~. …… However, moving from one room to another does not necessarily require a name change, as was the case with the one at Isekehama.

The Tokiwayama stable (whose master is former kobozuna Takamisugi) took over the stable of former yokozuna Takanohana, who retired from the Sumo Association in October ’18. However, Tokiwanayama Oyakata did not change the names of the former Takanohana stable’s rikishi to “Takashi~,” the traditional name of the stable. A good example is former ozeki Takaketsugu, who is now the stable’s senior yoroi.

However, now that Takanohana has retired, no stablemaster or rikishi wants to change their name to “Ki-“. Currently, only two rikishi are named “Kikento” (makushita) and “Kidaisho” (san-danmei). It is sad to see that the yokozuna names of both Hakuho and Takanohana, the great yokozuna of the Heisei era, are now a dying breed,” said a member of the Japan Sumo Association.

In the first place, it is not mandatory to have a yokozuna’s yokozuna name. The Sekiwake wrestler Takayasu, the Maegashira wrestler Masashiro, and the former kobozuna Endo, who retired in the November tournament last year, have entered the ring under their real names.

There are no detailed rules regarding yomata names. The only rule is that there should be no rikishi of the same era with the same kanji and the same pronunciation. In some cases, if a rikishi’s stablemaster sees that he has potential, he may give him his own name, even if it is lower in the ranks.

The name Asahifuji was restored at this year’s New Year’s tournament for the first time in 34 years, but it was taken over from Isekehama Oyakata (former yokozuna Asahifuji), a Mongolian-born rikishi who was an early starter in the tournament. The names of rikishi reflect various factors, such as the wishes of the stablemaster and the influence of influential rikishi,” said a former yokozuna, Asahifuji.

The current state of sumo can be seen by checking the yomata names of each rikishi on the ranking list.