A bout that went down in history.

An 18-year-old Takahanada...

...defeats the great Yokozuna Chiyonofuji, prompting Chiyonofuji to retire!

Yorikiri, frontal force out!
Takahanada wins!

Which day of the tournament?

On what day did this dream showdown take place?

It was Day 1 - opening day!

Whoa, on Day 1?

On that occasion, two of four Yokozuna were sitting out the tournament.

Some say the first face-off between these two celebrity rikishi was scheduled for Day 1

in order to start things off with a bang.

On opening day, there's sometimes someone very special in attendance: the Emperor!

Ah, tenran-zumo.

That means the rikishi perform a special Ring-entering Ceremony.

Day 1 is also when the latest championship portraits are unveiled.

The music always feels surreal to me...

On the opening day of a Grand Sumo tournament, there's something in the air.

On Day 1 of the 2021 July tournament...

The next 15 days will decide
the course of his career.

Hakuho was back after missing part or all of the previous six tournaments.

This was an amazing match.

Shitatenage, underarm throw!
Hakuho wins!

If he had lost, it might have been his last bout.

He was ready to retire?

That's how important opening day bouts are.

But it's also a day when anything can happen.

Mitakeumi wins!

Wow, right off the bat!

Today, active rikishi speak frankly about Day 1.

In terms of frame of mind, it's hard to be at 100 percent on Day 1.

If I go in full tilt, I'll lose steam later on.

Including the story behind this opening day slipup!

I didn't think anyone would notice.

What dangers lurk on opening day?

It's time for DOSUKOI Sumo Salon!

Welcome to DOSUKOI Sumo Salon.

Our topic today is "opening day."

It's a term we use a lot in showbiz, so the concept feels very familiar to me.

Not sure about sumo, though...

Commentators do two weeks of prep ahead of opening day.

We discuss potential storylines and which rikishi might be in the running for the title.

I've been listening to this voice for over 30 years!

We particularly look forward to Day 1 in the September tournament.

And here's why.

It's right after the Summer Tour.

A rikishi's physique on Day 1 tells you how they spent the Summer Tour.

They come back transformed.

- Exactly. They bulk up dramatically.
- Oh wow.

They're sun-bronzed.

Not sun-tanned, but sun-bronzed?

- They're glowing.
- I see.

And there's also a portrait unveiling ceremony?

Yes, it's set to this super dramatic music, and some fans actually look forward to that moment.

- It's always the same music?
- Yes.

Stirring music fills the air for the championship portrait unveiling.

- It's strangely majestic.
- I had no idea!

The ceremony is held on opening day at the three Tokyo tournaments each year.

Fans on social media like to mimic the angelic voices.

For many years, there was no set format to the ceremony,

and often the portrait was just illuminated.

So originally there was no veil?

- Or even if there was a veil, it was removed manually.
- Ah, I see.

- This is the old sumo hall.
- Ah, right!

The current style was conceived in 1988.

The Japan Sumo Association chairman at the time wanted to draw fresh attention to the ceremony.

So the music has been around for a while!

- Here's an interesting fact about the music...
- Oh!

It was used by the Japanese synchronized swimming duet team at the Seoul Olympics that year.

- Fascinating!
- They used it for one of their routines!

I did not know that!

- No?
- No idea.

All right. I think it's about time we brought in the last member of our panel.

The 72nd Yokozuna Grand Champion, Nishonoseki Oyakata.

Ah, I see what you did there. What an entrance!

Welcome, Oyakata!

Wow, thank you. What a great feeling.

Oyakata, what did opening day mean to you?

The opening bout is very important in terms of starting off on the right foot.

It sets up expectations for the rest of the tournament.

What makes Day 1 so hard?

Day 1 was the bane of my existence.

- Even for Yokozuna and Ozeki, it's hard to hit the ground running.
- I see.

The tournament starts - and suddenly you find you can't do the things you were doing in practice.

So getting a win on opening day really gives you a boost.

I guess the higher your ranking, the more pressure to perform on Day 1.

Now let's take a closer look at opening day performance.

Time for a pop quiz! We researched rikishi who ended a tournament with more wins than losses

and looked at their performance over the 15 days.

On what day did they have the highest win rate?

Interesting. I think most casual viewers would say Day 1.

When a rikishi wins on opening day, it gives them momentum.

- I also think it's Day 1.
- My gut tells me it's Day 2.

Rikishi build on their Day 1 performance.

They either win again or come in eager to get back on track.

- Oyakata, your thoughts?
- I'm no fan of these pop quizzes!

You underperform!

I'll play safe and say Day 1.

And here are the percentages!

Look at that!

The answer is Day 1!

- So it is in fact Day 1.
- What a relief!

Rikishi who win on opening day have a higher chance of securing a winning record.

Take Endo, who's fought in dozens of top division tournaments.

A right-hand grip!

Endo wins!

At this tournament he defeated a Yokozuna on Day 1 and went on to a 9 and 6 record.

After an opening day win, he's gone on to a winning record 64 percent of the time.

But after an opening day loss, he achieved a winning record just 38 percent of the time.

The difference was even more extreme for Shodai.

After an opening day loss, he managed a winning record only 24 percent of the time.

Compare that to when he got an opening day win...

Wow...what a contrast!

Getting a good result on Day 1 can make all the difference!

Oyakata, are rikishi conscious of their winning percentage?

- No, not to this degree of detail.
- Right.

But I do think it's imprinted in our minds that a win on opening day is a big plus.

For me, it set me up for the rest of the tournament.

That was my mindset going in.

OK, next - how do rikishi feel about opening day?

- We surveyed nine people.
- What a diverse group.

Question one: "Do you like opening day?"

That's pretty basic.

Their answers split evenly into three groups.

We invited a representative from each group to share their thoughts.

It's time for a DOSUKOI virtual roundtable!

Representing Team "Like," Terutsuyoshi.

He's a giant killer known for his quickness in the ring.

What a difference in size!

His win rate on opening day is higher than his overall win rate.

What are his thoughts?

Day 1 feels like a warm-up - no nerves.

If anything, I feel nice and loose.

That's why I circled "like."

- So when does the tension start?
- Right? Which day?

Representing Team "Hmm...," Meisei.

At one time he reached sumo's third-highest rank.

But his win rate for Day 1 is not especially high.

What are his thoughts going into opening day?

- It's just Day 1 of 15.
- There's plenty more to go.

He's unfazed!

But what about the crowd on Day 1?

- Don't they get you pumped up?
- Not really.

You sound even less bothered than me!

And lastly, Hoshoryu, the nephew of former Yokozuna Asashoryu.

He has a high win rate on Day 1.

But he's not a fan of opening day. Why?

I get really nervous.

It may not show on my face, but I'm very much on edge.

He feels the tension.

And yet, in tournaments when he suffers an opening day loss, he often gets a winning record.

In this one-year period, 100%! Great work!

Incredible!

You guys do your research!

That's amazing, a winning record even after an initial loss!

Maybe it gets you fired up for the rest of the tournament.

It's more like I get a call from my uncle...

he sets me straight...and I adjust accordingly.

- Just imagine!
- Right.

- Wow. But his uncle should call the day before opening day!
- Yes!

Next, we asked these three rikishi, "What's your ideal readiness level going into opening day?"

Meisei was the only one who answered "100 percent."

I always want to compete at 100 percent - full tilt for all 15 days of the tournament.

If that were possible, we'd all have a much easier time.

But it's easier said than done. That's why I said 70.

In terms of spirit, I'm always at 100.

But then your mind and body are out of sync.

Recently, I've had to face Yokozuna and Ozeki early in the tournament.

So I want to be at a 100 percent from the get-go, and I try to maintain that till the end.

I still think it's hard to be at 100 percent on opening day. Especially mentally.

Right. Those Day 1 nerves.

For me Day 1 feels like a preview.

It finally hits me that the tournament is happening around Day 3.

Day 3!

I'm not confident I can compete at my best, so I went with 70 percent.

We have to compete for 15 days.

If I go in full tilt, I'll lose steam later.

My spirit's in it 100 percent, but physically I'm not there yet, so there's some scrambling.

It starts coming together on Day 2.

- Times change! In the past, no rikishi would have said that.
- Right.

And now, let's bring in a man with many special Day 1 memories.

It's DOSUKOI superfan Ajigawa Oyakata, who fought as Aminishiki!

It's Opening Day.

He sometimes had to face off against a Yokozuna on opening day.

I think of him as a strong
Opening Day fighter.

Wow, against Asashoryu!

And he managed to win three of those big bouts.

It's time for Mr. Day One himself to join the chat!

My answer is also 100 percent.

- Terutsuyoshi and Hoshoryu, you're saying you don't need to be at 100 to win?
- No, no!

I should've said 100 percent...

I suppose if you're at 70 and lose, it's easier to get over it.

- You weren't at full strength.
- That's it exactly!

But you think you can win on Day 1 at 70.

I wouldn't put it that way, but basically yes.

- Next time I'll start off at 100 percent!
- Sneaky!

- He knows how to course-correct.
- He does what he's told.

That's Hoshoryu's strength. He knows when to adjust.

But Kariya-san, as you said earlier, in the past everyone would've said 100 percent.

Rikishi train day-in and day-out to maintain their full potential until they retire.

So you would never think about peaking at the right time.

That's what it meant to be a rikishi. That's how it used to be.

And Terutsuyoshi was saying it doesn't feel like the tournament has actually started. That's a new one!

As a fan, I get what he's saying.

Fans have no idea about rikishi condition on opening day.

So Day 1 does feel like a preview.

Even for a sumo buff like yourself?

It takes a while for me to get with the program.

Around Day 3 things finally feel like they're coming together - they start to click.

Interesting. And Terutsuyoshi, as a rikishi, feels the same way.

I wasn't expecting that.

Oyakata, what was your level going in?

Somewhere between 90 and 95 percent.

So, not a hundred.

I'd think of that 5 percent as room to grow.

But you said earlier Day 1 was the bane of your life.

Right, but I would strive to peak on opening day.

So I'd start preparing about three weeks in advance.

Intense training all the way up until three or four days before the tournament.

Then two days before, I'd start reviewing my form and making adjustments.

I'd check in with myself and figure out how to be at full power heading into Day 1.

You got a feel for your form and then fine-tuned it.

Your waist position, your stance, it's a question of millimeters when it comes to sumo.

I see. It's the competitive mindset of an athlete.

I wasn't a fan of opening day because of all the prep.

- In that sense if Terutsuyoshi learns to dislike Day 1, he will rise even higher.
- A-ha!

Ah, OK, you think he's getting too comfortable!

Each rikishi really has a unique perspective.

I wish we could hear them all!

Let's get back to our virtual roundtable about opening day.

Prior to the session, we analyzed each rikishi's Day 1 sumo.

We identified certain patterns in the data for Terutsuyoshi and Meisei.

So we asked them about it.

First, here's Terutsuyoshi on opening day.

He sidesteps.

Kotenage, arm lock throw!
Terutsuyoshi wins.

His Day 1 bouts were very short.

Classic Terutsuyoshi.

Overall, his average match duration is 7.4 seconds.

But his average on Day 1 is 5.8 seconds.

1.6 seconds shorter.

I pull out all the stops. So bouts are over quickly.

Everyone's feeling the nerves, so many try to play it safe and go for a belt grip.

Especially on Day 1. But playing it safe is not an option for me.

I come out and charge with full force, then try to execute something bold.

That's why my bouts are shorter.

By contrast, here's Meisei on opening day.

Hatakikomi, slap down. Takekaze wins.

He had several losses by hatakikomi.

Hatakikomi, slap down. Yoshikaze wins.

Of his 10 Day 1 losses in the top division, three were by slap down.

On Day 1, he suffered a higher rate of loss by slapdown than on any other day of the tournament.

Yeah, I guess I'm feeling a little tight.

They say when you're nervous your legs feel weak.

So maybe your legs aren't working.

It's not so much that my legs aren't working.

In my case, I'm overeager and end up getting slapped down.

Yeah. That's how it feels to me.

That's how I see it.

If you're not in a proper squat, hatakikomi poses a threat.

So from now on, I'll be careful.

Next tournament, I'll remember that on Day 1!

- This show's a real education!
- For sure!

- These are deep secrets!
- I'm very grateful!

- That should help Meisei out.
- Yeah!

He now knows how many times he's been slapped down on opening day.

And he immediately saw why.

He was overeager in his attack.

Next, Ajigawa Oyakata has some words of wisdom for these ambitious rikishi.

- Meisei, does a win on Day 1 feel especially significant?
- I think so, yes.

I mean... your goal is to win the championship.

So you want at most 2 to 3 losses.

Of course, on Day 1, it's too early to start talking about winning titles.

But if you lose on Day 1, your chances of getting there go down.

Moving forward, as you rise in the rankings and compete with the top rikishi,

I think your perspective may change.

I faced off against Yokozuna on Day 1,

and I went in with the mindset that opening day was the entire tournament.

I put everything I had into defeating the Yokozuna.

And the times that I won, it felt like I'd done my job for the tournament.

My wish is for you guys to understand that Day 1 mindset.

Spoken like a true Oyakata.

You're saying that single win on Day 1 was worth all 15 days.

I'd say it was worth even more!

- That was a great discussion.
- Yes, fascinating opinions.

- This really is an informative show!
- You agree, Oyakata?

During the first five days of a tournament, a win feels like it's worth more than a win.

Those early wins carry weight.

A Day 1 win is worth two or three wins, even more.

Did it always feel that way?

Or only when you started going for the title?

After I became Ozeki.

In my day, we had three, four Yokozuna, and many Ozeki.

So even one loss would reduce your chance of finishing the tournament with a winning record.

Even if you had a 6 and 2 record at the halfway mark, you still had to face the other top rikishi.

And if you lost those, you could end with a losing record.

So...just one early loss can end up ruining your tournament.

- It sounds like your ranking can make a big difference.
- It does for sure.

Your perspective changes.

So far we've considered the importance of opening day.

Now let's look at some memorable Day 1 mishaps.

Among the rikishi we surveyed this time...

Ura wins!

...was Ura, known for his unpredictable approach.

What a move!

Does he have any memorable Day 1 mishaps?

When did that happen?

How do you end up with the wrong ceremonial apron? We asked him to explain.

I believe it was in Nagoya.

There was a mixup with my gear.

Rikishi have all of their gear packed up in a box.

They take what they need to the dressing room the day before the tournament starts.

But Ura neglected to check what he had until opening day.

When he finally did, he realized he'd brought the wrong ceremonial apron.

- How did you react?
- I was shocked.

It was very careless of me.

So what kind of kesho mawashi had he brought?

Let's see the Ring-entering Ceremony.

Oh wow!

Hey, that's based on the national flag of Georgia!

- Isn't that Gagamaru's?
- It is!

He wore someone else's? It wasn't even his?

I asked Gagamaru for his permission.

And so Ura, with no personal connection to Georgia, entered the ring wearing a Georgian flag motif.

The online reaction was swift.

I was surprised. I didn't think anyone would notice.

Other rikishi also brought up instances of forgetting to bring something. Here's Meisei.

My athletic tape.

He says his attendant left his athletic tape back at their stable.

Back when I was in the third division, I was Meisei's attendant, and one time I forgot his tape.

So it was you, Hoshoryu! You were the one who messed up.

I immediately turned around and went back to our stable to get it.

- I was only just in time getting back to the arena.
- So you made it.

That day, I was so relieved when he won.

If he'd lost, I would've been in big trouble.

On days like that you usually manage to win.

When there's a slipup, you know that if you lose your bout on top of that, your Oyakata will really chew you out.

So at the very least, you could say you're motivated to win your match.

- Who knew we had an offender?
- Yes, plot twist!

And Ura's kesho mawashi.

That almost sounds too bizarre to be true.

A rikishi's attendants can change, and that can lead to disruptions on a day like opening day.

The rikishi assumes things are being carried out a certain way, when in fact they're not.

Right. It's like when my talent agency assigns me a new manager.

Apparently they hand over a manual on how to handle me and deal with my needs.

Supposedly it's now 16 pages long.

- Wow!
- It used to be a single sheet.

Oyakata, any memorable Day 1 mishaps?

- Oh yeah.
- What was it?

Back in the day I was an attendant to Wakanosato.

- And one time I forgot his mawashi belt.
- What!

I went into a panic.

- That's the worst one yet!
- He can't fight!

- Exactly!
- I panicked.

Did Wakanosato win his bout?

I'm drawing a blank...

I don't buy it! Selective memory!

Moving on, we also asked the rikishi about their personal opening day rituals.

- Terutsuyoshi ritually cleanses his mawashi.
- With salt.

- And...
- Kirishima takes a bathroom break.

Maybe to get in the right frame of mind?

- And Mitakeumi: "having no rituals is my ritual."
- I get it.

- Because if you forget to do it, it can throw you off.
- Good point.

- And here's one more...
- Akua.

- Time for a pop quiz!
- Again?

Oarai is famous for monkfish hot pot, so...

Food related?

Akua is the kind who pumps himself up, so I'm thinking he sings out loud or something.

- Ah, to psych himself up.
- Could be.

And the answer is...!

Eye drops!

I don't understand.

My vision gets blurry from the sweat, so I do it to freshen up.

- You always do that on Opening Day?
- Yes.

Before I walk down the entrance aisle, an attendant hands me my eye drops.

Does it make an impact on your sumo?

I would say so, but I guess not in any major way.

Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win...Hard to say.

So Oyakata, did you have any opening day rituals?

Since my days at the former Naruto stable, on opening day I would always have asari soup and tonkatsu for lunch.

- Pork cutlet.
- Because "assari katsu" means "to win easily."

It was your good luck meal!

One time there was a shortage, so I had shijimi clams instead.

- It wasn't the same.
- I bet!

So...that would be "shimi-jimi katsu"?

"A deeply felt win."

OK, moving on, we asked rikishi if they had any particular concerns going into opening day,

which led to a surprising revelation. Check it out.

Here are some of the noteworthy answers.

Ishiura said his concern was the dressing room atmosphere.

Interesting.

I mostly want to be left alone, especially on Day 1.

Then next to me, someone like Terutsuyoshi may be getting ready.

Boy, he loves to talk...Then I start to get anxious.

I can imagine!

A short chat is fine. I'm OK with that.

But there have been times when, right before my bout, and he'll say something like,

"I'm wondering about my game plan today."

I feel that. You want to be left alone, but some people are just talkers.

Next, Hoshoryu's answer.

What does he mean by "the feel of the ring"?

The condition of the clay. You know, sometimes it can be slippery.

So the clay is my main initial concern.

Opening day is your first bout of the tournament,

so when I enter the ring I look at the clay and wonder if I need to watch my footing.

It's never bothered me.

The feel?...I don't really think about it.

Surprising answer!

The sumo ring is built anew for each tournament.

Hoshoryu says the feel is slightly different each time.

Veteran rikishi Shimanoumi agrees.

There are variables we can't do anything about, like humidity.

The clay is drier in the winter and stickier in the summer.

Your feet are sensitive to those changes.

When you're called up for the Ring-entering Ceremony, you get to walk around the ring.

I make sure to take a look at the ring, to look down and get a feel for any slight slopes.

Maybe some areas feel uneven.

He really takes a close look!

Ring attendants have the job of pounding the ring, and it's pretty flat,

but there can be times when the edges slope down a bit.

I always look for those irregularities.

Even as I'm preparing to fight and going through my pre-bout rituals,

I try to get a feel for my footing.

Some rikishi are mindful of the ring.

Others say it's not a factor.

Oyakata, your thoughts?

I'm also very mindful of the ring.

- My number one concern is the dampness of the clay.
- Dampness?

They say the surface at the November Tournament takes some time to get used to.

- Explain.
- The air is drier, and it gets dusty and slippery.

You can even injure yourself.

The clay in Kyushu is not the same as Tokyo clay.

When they water the surface, the water doesn't get absorbed as well.

So the surface is wet, and that makes it slippery, too.

I see! And did you check the surface on Day 1?

Yes. I'd check my footing over and over again during the Ring-entering Ceremony and pre-bout rituals.

So did you have a favorite ring surface?

Tokyo tournaments, especially May.

You get some rain from time to time.

There's moisture in the air, so the ring is a little damp, a little moist.

That enabled me to get a good grip with my feet.

- These are things only a rikishi would know.
- Indeed.

So personally...I did well on rainy days.

When it rained I did very well.

- Wow.
- I'd thank my lucky stars it was raining.

Fascinating....What's this?

We looked at the correlation between the weather and the Oyakata's win rate on Day 1.

- This is fascinating!
- Oyakata.

Whoa! Would you look at that!

- He was right!
- What a high win rate!

Yup! I'm strong in the rain!

OK, now we'll look at the times when Yokozuna and Ozeki stumble out of the gate.

Anything can happen on Day 1. Check it out.

Opening day can be a big day for upsets.

The 2017 July Tournament was a great example.

Hokutofuji wins!

Newly minted Ozeki Takayasu's loss was followed by the defeat of two more Ozeki.

And it didn't end there.

Here's Yokozuna Kisenosato.

Mitakeumi wins!

A string of upsets!

And even Yokozuna Harumafuji...

What an amazingly eventful day!

It was the first time in 10 years that five representatives of the top two ranks had been defeated on the same day.

- So what happened?
- Yeah, I have no idea.

But I do remember...we all felt we were struggling.

We Yokozuna and Ozeki weren't able to perform at our best that opening day.

Whatever we tried...many of us just seemed to be floundering out there.

Even Hakuho experienced Day 1 upsets.

After winning his maiden title in his first tournament as Ozeki, he sought to earn a quick promotion to Yokozuna.

I'm confident.

If I can defeat the Yokozuna and earn
promotion, that would be great.

He went into opening day brimming with confidence...

Okuritaoshi, rear push down! Asasekiryu wins!

Hakuho falls on Opening Day!

He ended up falling short of the title by one win, and was passed over for promotion.

He was on a roll.

How did he reflect on the loss after the tournament?

On the first day, I was a little tight.

Do you always feel tight on Day 1?

I think all rikishi feel that way.

This time I just happened to lose.

At the following tournament, he was again looking to earn promotion to Yokozuna.

His opening day opponent was then-Komusubi Kisenosato.

Hakuho attacks but Kisenosato wins!

Hakuho falls on Day 1!

He finished with an 8 and 7 record, putting promotion out of the question.

Even the great Hakuho has had his share of Day 1 upsets.

What a shocker. So promotion was out of the question?

Yes, back to square one.

I want to ask the Oyakata, what was going through your mind on that opening day?

I thought: "If I win, I'll be in the papers."

I would've never guessed from your expression!

You've been on both sides.

You've been the hunter and the hunted.

Do they experience Day 1 differently?

Oh, the hunter has it way easier.

Right, I thought so.

You have the leeway to think about making the papers.

When you become Yokozuna or Ozeki, you really can't afford to lose.

But even if you're feeling great in training, Day 1 of the actual tournament is a different beast.

- I see.
- You might go in with confidence, but there are times when things don't click in the ring.

Hakuho probably experienced the same thing.

I wonder what it is that trips rikishi up on opening day?

- Rikishi trip themselves up.
- Ah.

You obsess about opening day, and put pressure on yourself to the point that it undermines you.

As you wait ringside before your bout, your mind goes into a negative spiral.

- Wow.
- You start doubting advice, or doubting yourself.

- When that happens you tend to have a bad Day 1.
- That happens ringside?

Yes, your thoughts drift to bad places, you start rethinking your game plan.

- Distracting thoughts.
- You become your own enemy.

Exactly. You undermine yourself.

September, 2021: a new Yokozuna, Terunofuji.

For a new Grand Champion, they say Day 1 can be a real challenge.

What was it like for Terunofuji?

First, let's look back on his journey to the top rank.

He had previously risen to Ozeki, and then a knee injury and diabetes took him down to the fifth division.

But he never gave up.

I'd fallen so far but so many people
were still rooting for me.

I couldn't just give up.

And he made a miraculous comeback to the top division.

Terunofuji gets the upper hand.

Hatakikomi, slap down!

He won three championships within the span of a year, and was promoted to sumo's highest rank.

The first new Yokozuna after Kisenosato.

- That's right.
- Yokozuna perform a Yokozuna Ring-entering Ceremony.

In the ceremony you use up about as much energy as in a sumo bout.

And, right after you've been promoted, the ceremony is still unfamiliar.

So you have the ceremony and then you have your Day 1 bout.

I was so tense...I was beyond nervous.

That's what it felt like.

OK, now let's check out Terunofuji's pre-promotion Day 1 data.

How did Terunofuji do on opening day?

In the year leading up to his promotion, his average match duration was shortest on Day 1.

He used his signature power to keep his opponents at bay and end bouts in a flash.

In terms of winning techniques, his use of kimedashi,

an arm-barring force out, was especially notable.

Kimedashi, arm-barring force out!
Terunofuji wins!

Overall it's his fourth most used winning technique, but on Day 1 it's his second.

But because the move brings the opponent in close, there's a risk of being driven out.

Your armpits tend to be vulnerable.

Maybe on Day 1, his nerves are driving his actions.

Now, let's see how Terunofuji did on his first opening day as Yokozuna!

Yokozuna Terunofuji.

It's the new Yokozuna's Day 1 bout.

Frontal grip. He gets a deeper hold.

The new Yokozuna wins on Day 1.

In terms of match duration...

Just 4.13 seconds.

He ended it more quickly than his average before promotion.

And he did it with a frontal force out.

Instead of attempting a risky arm-barring force out, he seized the mawashi and drove his opponent out of the ring.

He was able to put on a dominant display on his first opening day as Yokozuna.

But recently he's been out of action due to injury.

Let's hope we can see the Yokozuna back in full form on opening day soon.

So Oyakata, you said Day 1 was the bane of your existence.

Any final thoughts?

Yes. This program has really spotlighted what opening day means to us.

I'm very grateful for that.

Personally, today has reminded me just how much I disliked opening day.

It brought back painful memories!

Yes, which I will keep in mind as I watch the next tournament.

OK, Imada-san, it's that time again.

This is a tough one.

- Could you sum it up for us?
- Yes.

Opening day is... someone I'd like to date.

Please explain.

Well, when I'm attracted to someone, I find I tend to get ahead of myself.

- I get overeager, and often end up taking the loss.
- I see.

So I suffer a lot of upsets.

Now I see things clearly.

When I'm really into someone, I'm too forward and ultimately end up putting them off.

- You get slapped down.
- Exactly.

Oyakata, what do you think?

Imada-san...just keep trying!

All eyes on opening day!

More insights soon, on DOSUKOI Sumo Salon!