Fujinokawa Gives Kyoto 1st Sekiwake in 2 Centuries

Kyoto Prefecture has finally witnessed the emergence of a wrestler reaching the rank of sekiwake after a 198-year wait. The prodigious talent, Fujinokawa, hailing from Kyoto, has been promoted to the third-highest rank for the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. This historic promotion marks the first time a wrestler from Kyoto Prefecture has attained sekiwake in the past two centuries, following the trailblazing journey of Hiodoshi in 1828.

Fujinokawa, a 21-year-old member of the Isenoumi stable, ascended the ranks, bypassing the komusubi position and directly reaching sekiwake in his 22nd tournament since turning professional. This impressive feat ties him for the 10th fastest rise since the current six-tournament system was introduced in 1958. Fujinokawa's exceptional performance, including victories against both yokozuna, Onosato and Hoshoryu, earned him the Outstanding Performance Award during the previous Nagoya Grand Tournament in July.

The Autumn tournament, set to take place from September 13-27 at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, presents an opportunity for Fujinokawa to showcase his skills further. Notably, ozeki Kirishima, who narrowly missed out on the championship in both previous tournaments by losing a playoff after posting back-to-back 12-3 records, aspires to claim the title that could propel him to the coveted status of yokozuna.