Hakuhō Cup
The Hakuhō Cup (Japanese: 白鵬杯, Hepburn: Hakuhō-hai) is a sumo competition for elementary and middle school students held every year in Japan.
| Hakuhō Cup 白鵬杯 | |
|---|---|
 Hakuhō Cup logo representing Hakuhō's shiranui ring-entering ceremony style | |
| Status | active |
| Genre | sports competition |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan |
| Location(s) | Sumida, Tokyo Japan |
| Years active | 12–13 |
| Founder | Hakuhō Shō |
| Participants | elementary, middle and junior high school students |
| Activity | sumo matches |
| Sponsors | JCI Tokyo ; SANKYO Co., Ltd. |
| Website | in Japanese hakuho-cup |
Origin
The Hakuhō Cup is a children's sumo event, second only to the annual Wanpaku National Championship. Its origins are actually in the Asashōryū Cup. The Wanpaku National Championship is an all-Japanese event, and Asashōryū wished to allow Mongolian kids on the dohyō in the Kokugikan. The first Asashōryū Cup was held in August 2009, in the Kokugikan. At the time, no individual competitions were held, and in total 12 teams of 5 wrestlers per team, each consisting of boys aged 8 to 12, competed in a team competition.[1] The event was largely won by the Mongolian delegation, who scored a no-defeats. The competition was however a mixed success with only 1,000 people in the audience instead of the advertised 7,000.[1] Asashōryū, who wanted to make this an annual event, was forced to retire a few months later, and the event was never repeated.
Hakuhō was then the only yokozuna and established his own event in 2011. The Hakuhō Cup in its current form is an event for boys from first to ninth grade. Around 1,300 boys attended the 2020 event, hailing from Asian countries, such as Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, but also from the USA.
Since 2014, the event is produced by Osamu Suzuki, an experienced screenwriter.[2] The tournament is a popular event with lectures by former professional wrestlers between competitions. The Hakuhō Cup is also a place where it is not uncommon to come across professional wrestlers, whether they are retired or active, who come to encourage their son or to participate in the organization by refereeing or in some other capacity. All the members of the Miyagino stable are involved in the event. Since the event has grown into a prestigious amateur competition, many participants have had successful careers in sumo, and include sekitori like makuuchi wrestlers Ōnoshō, Ura, Kotonowaka, and maegashira Hakuōhō.
Organization
The event is an amateur sumo competition. Therefore, participants are divided into 7 divisions (ranging from first grade to sixth grade and junior high school). An eighth category, combining participants from the first seven to form groups that will compete for the team title, is also its own division. Like in professional sumo, the most deserving young wrestlers are entitled to special awards modelled on the sanshō prizes. Another prize, the Osamu Suzuki Award, is also awarded. Each wrestler competing in his division must win to advance in the competition.
During the period of the event, it is common for stables to open their doors to students to train with professional wrestlers.[3][4]
Previous events
Results only began to be published in 2016
2010-2013
In 2010, the first Hakuhō Cup took place in the Ohama Sumo Hall of Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.[5] The event gathered around 750 elementary and junior high school students.[5]
Among them, 8 amateurs from Mongolia participated to a sumo event for the first time.[6] The original event should have taken place in Mongolia in June, but the travel was cancelled and the event postponed due to the scandals that erupted within the Japan Sumo Association at the time.[7] Professional wrestlers Ōnoshō Fumiya participated in the event[8] and his Aomori team won the team competition of that year.[9] Makuuchi wrestler Ura Kazuki also attended the event.[8] The Hakuho Cup then took place in December 2011 in Osaka.[10]
The following year, the Hakuhō Cup took place in April 2012 in Ōsaki, Miyagi Prefecture to entertain the children after the earthquake that devastated the prefecture.[11] The location was also chosen as Hakuhō is also a tourism ambassador for the city and he felt it was also his responsibility to help the reconstruction effort.[12] Only elementary and junior high school students from the Tōhoku region were allowed to participate in the tournament.[10]
In 2013, the event was held on February 11 and, for the first time, took place in Tokyo at the Ariake Colosseum.[13] The tournament was marked by the victory of the two children of Tokitsukaze stablemaster (Tokitsuumi Masahiro). His first son, Hiroichi Sakamoto, won the fourth-grade division, and his second son, Masamasa, won the first-grade division.[13] In the same tournament, Kamatani Masakatsu (son of Sadogatake stablemaster Kotonowaka Terumasa) came third in the junior high school division.[13]
2014
The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February, 2. Around 566 elementary and junior high school students from Japan, Mongolia, South Korea and China took part in the tournament.[14] For the first time, the event was produced by screenwriter Osamu Suzuki[2] who also designed a prize that was set to be awarded to the most memorable wrestler. The prize, taking the shape of a championship belt, went to Kaishin Nakanishi (from Wakayama Sumo School), who finished second in the individual competition in the first-grade division.[15] Among future sekitori, juryō wrestler Rōga Tokiyoshi placed 8th in the individual junior high school division.[16]
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
<unknown> |
<unknown> |
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2015
| 5th Hakuhō Cup | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | |||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February, 1. Some 800 children from eight countries participated in the tournament.[17] Among the participants, Kotomitsuki Keiji's son participated. It was the first public appearance of Kotomitsuki since his dismissal by the Association.[18] That year, the individual championship (junior high school) was won by Keita Kawazoe, who later joined Miyagino stable under the name Kihō, using the makushita tsukedashi system to reflects his other successes.[19]
2016
| 6th Hakuhō Cup[20] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on January, 31. The sponsor of that year's event was ōzeki Kotoshogiku who was the first Japanese wrestler to won a January tournament in ten years that year.[21] The individual championship (junior high school) of that year was won by Nakamura Daiki who later joined Nishonoseki stable under the shikona Ōnosato in 2023. Among the thousand participants, Hakuhō own son took part for the first time in the event.[22] For the first time, a Mongolian won the Outstanding Performance prize.
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2017
| 7th Hakuhō Cup[23] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on January, 29. The sponsor of that year's event was yokozuna Kakuryū.[24] A record number of more than 1,200 people gathered from Japan, Mongolia and the USA. Hakuhō's son, eight-year-old Mahato, participated in the second-grade division of the individual tournament but was eliminated in the first round, as he was in 2016.[25] It was also the first time a Mongolian won the Fighting Spirit prize.
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2018
| 8th Hakuhō Cup[26] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February, 13. Around 1,300 elementary and junior high school students from eight countries and regions, including Mongolia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, gathered for the event.[27] That year, the individual championship (junior high school division) was won by Shingo Mukainakano, who later joined Miyagino stable.
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2019
| 9th Hakuhō Cup[28] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February, 11. On this edition, 54 teams and 1,194 participants from eight countries, including Japan, China and Mongolia, took part to the event.[29] The sponsor of that year's event was yokozuna Kisenosato.[30] That year, the individual championship (junior high school division) was won by Tetsuya Ochiai, who later joined Miyagino stable.[31]
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2020
| 10th Hakuhō Cup[32] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February 2. A record number of more than 1,100 entrants from 14 countries participated to the event[33] with 142 teams competing in the team division.[34] This record makes the 10th edition of the Hakuhō Cup the largest sumo tournament in history.[35] For the first time, a team of 5 Brazilians participated to the event.[36] At the occasion of the ten years of the event, the Hakuhō Cup was sponsored by yokozuna Kisenosato and Harumafuji. It was also the first public appearance of Harumafuji to an event linked to the Japan Sumo Association since his retirement and the first time the three yokozuna publicly met together since Harumafuji and Kisenosato retired.[33] Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto also gave a speech for the opening ceremony.[34] The Chinese team, which was scheduled to participate, was unable to come to Japan due to the spread of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus.[35]
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2021
The 11th Hakuhō Cup was cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus.[37]
2022
| 12th Hakuhō Cup[38] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 12th Hakuhō Cup took place on April 3 in the Ōta-city General Gymnasium in Tokyo, a venue chosen at the last minute to comply with COVID-19 protocols.[39] Because of coronavirus protocols, the number of people in the venue, divided into morning and afternoon sessions for each grade, was kept to a minimum and general public admission was cancelled. The tournament was however streamed on YouTube.[37] About 2,000 people attended, including 600 contestants.[40] Former ōzeki Kotoōshū served as sponsor for this edition.[41]
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
2023
| 13th Hakuhō Cup[42] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tokyo, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The event was held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February 12. Over 122 teams with a total of 920 wrestlers were invited to compete.[43] The event had been scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to normal for the first time in three years. In addition to first to third-graders from all over Japan, children from seven countries (Mongolia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the US, Australia, and Ukraine) also gathered.[44] For the first time, a "Toddler division" was introduced to allow really young kids to compete.[45] During the competition, Uriah Ulima Kamahao Luamanu of Hawaii won a bronze medal in the elementary school fifth-grade division. By doing so, he became the first-ever Hakuhō Cup medalist from the United States, and also the first wrestler from outside of Japan or Mongolia to reach the podium in any classification during the 13-year history of the event.[39]
| Osamu Suzuki Award | Outstanding Performance prize | Technique prize | Fighting Spirit prize |
|---|---|---|---|
References
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- "Roga: "It took a little time", new juryo four years after his initiation, finally blossoming after overcoming the pressure of being a high school-yokozuna". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 28 September 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "No questions on the issue of criticising referees Hakuho 'shooed' to end the one-sidedness of the event". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 2 February 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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- "Kakuryu returns for tournament on 5 January next month, absent midway through first tournament". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 29 January 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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- "1,300 people at the Hakuho Cup. Smiling all day long as his eldest son celebrates his first victory". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 30 January 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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- "Araiso-oyakata establishes 'Kisenosato Cup' "to bring high school students to the main ring of the Kokugikan" in December". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 30 January 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "Araiso-oyakata announces the holding of the "Kisenosato Cup", preparing a "dream stage" to expand the base of the sumo world, and Hakuho welcomes the event". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 8 November 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "Corporate yokozuna Tetsuya Ochiai joins the Miyagino stable, approved for ranks of makushita 15, to make his debut in the first tournament". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 1 December 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "10th Hakuho Cup results" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2022.
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- "'Too bad I couldn't come to Japan from China for the Hakuho Cup. Good luck". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 2 February 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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- "The 12th Hakuho Cup, a sumo tournament for children, to be held on 3 April". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 15 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "12th Hakuho Cup results" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 1 December 2022.
- Gunning, John (15 February 2023). "Hawaiian sumo makes triumphant return to Kokugikan ring at Hakuho Cup". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ""12th Hakuho Cup" held on April 3, public admission is canceled due to infection control, and YouTube distribution. "Expects hot battles" Magaki-oyakata". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 15 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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- "13th Hakuho Cup results" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "[Hakuho Cup] Kazuma Nishimura victorious in junior high school division: 'I want to be a stoic player like Ochiai-senpai' at Tottori Johoku High School". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 12 February 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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