[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news:sports-wakatakakage-comeback-title-2026-05-25":3},{"meta":4,"markdown":60},{"type":5,"articleId":6,"slug":7,"title":8,"titleEn":9,"category":10,"summary":11,"publishedAt":12,"image":13,"vocabulary":14,"source":58},"news","news-sports-wakatakakage-comeback-title-2026-05-25","sports-wakatakakage-comeback-title-2026-05-25","若隆景、夏場所で25場所ぶりV　決定戦で霧島を下す","Wakatakakage Wins Summer Basho Title, First in 25 Tournaments","sports","Komusubi Wakatakakage beat ozeki Kirishima in a playoff on May 24 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to win the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, earning his second top-division championship and his first since March 2022. The 31-year-old from Fukushima had fallen to the makushita division after a serious right knee injury in 2023, so the title was widely seen as a major comeback. His victory also renewed attention on whether he can build an ozeki promotion run in the coming tournaments.\n","2026-05-25T00:00:00Z","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.yamiyomi.com\u002Fnews\u002Fsports-wakatakakage-comeback-title-2026-05-25.png",[15,20,25,29,34,38,42,46,50,54],{"word":16,"reading":17,"meaning":18,"level":19},"優勝決定戦","ゆうしょうけっていせん","championship playoff","N2",{"word":21,"reading":22,"meaning":23,"level":24},"賜杯","しはい","Emperor's Cup","N1",{"word":26,"reading":27,"meaning":28,"level":24},"幕下","まくした","third-highest sumo division",{"word":30,"reading":31,"meaning":32,"level":33},"復活","ふっかつ","comeback","N3",{"word":35,"reading":36,"meaning":37,"level":19},"休場","きゅうじょう","absence from a tournament",{"word":39,"reading":40,"meaning":41,"level":33},"昇進","しょうしん","promotion",{"word":43,"reading":44,"meaning":45,"level":24},"角界","かくかい","the sumo world",{"word":47,"reading":48,"meaning":49,"level":24},"技巧派","ぎこうは","technical wrestler",{"word":51,"reading":52,"meaning":53,"level":19},"再出発","さいしゅっぱつ","fresh start",{"word":55,"reading":56,"meaning":57,"level":19},"存在感","そんざいかん","presence",{"url":59},"https:\u002F\u002Fjapan-forward.com\u002Fsumo-wakatakakage-defeats-kirishima-in-playoff-to-win-the-summer-basho\u002F","\n::para\n[小結]{こむすび:komusubi:N1}の[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は、[5月24日]{ごがつにじゅうよっか:May 24:N5}に[東京]{とうきょう:Tokyo:N4}の[両国国技館]{りょうごくこくぎかん:Ryogoku Kokugikan:N2}で[行われた]{おこなわれた:was held:N5} [大相撲]{おおずもう:grand sumo:N1} [夏場所]{なつばしょ:Summer Basho:N3}で、[優勝決定戦]{ゆうしょうけっていせん:championship playoff:N3}の[末]{すえ:after:N3}に[霧島]{きりしま:Kirishima:N1}を[破り]{やぶり:defeated:N3}、25[場所]{ばしょ:tournaments:N3}ぶり2[度目]{どめ:second time:N4}の[優勝]{ゆうしょう:championship:N3}を[決めた]{きめた:secured:N3}。\n\n#en\nKomusubi Wakatakakage beat Kirishima in a playoff at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 24 to win the Summer Basho. It was his second championship and his first in 25 tournaments.\n::\n\n::heading\n[12勝3敗]{じゅうにしょうさんぱい:12 wins and 3 losses:N3}で[並んだ]{ならんだ:finished level:N2} [千秋楽]{せんしゅうらく:final day:N4}\n\n#en\nLevel at 12-3 on the Final Day\n::\n\n::para\n[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}と[大関]{おおぜき:ozeki:N3}の[霧島]{きりしま:Kirishima:N1}は、[15日間]{じゅうごにちかん:15-day span:N5}の[本割]{ほんわり:regulation bouts:N3}をともに[12勝3敗]{じゅうにしょうさんぱい:12 wins and 3 losses:N3}で[終えた]{おえた:finished:N4}ため、[優勝]{ゆうしょう:title:N3}の[行方]{ゆくえ:outcome:N4}は[決定戦]{けっていせん:playoff:N3}に[持ち込まれた]{もちこまれた:was carried into:N3}。\n\n#en\nWakatakakage and ozeki Kirishima both finished the 15-day regulation schedule at 12-3, so the title race had to be settled in a playoff.\n::\n\n::para\n[報道]{ほうどう:reports:N3}によると、[決定戦]{けっていせん:playoff:N3}で[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は[立ち合い]{たちあい:initial charge:N3}から[強く]{つよく:strongly:N4} [当たり]{あたり:made contact:N3}、[最後]{さいご:in the end:N3}は[押し出し]{おしだし:frontal push-out:N3}で[霧島]{きりしま:Kirishima:N1}を[土俵]{どひょう:ring:N1}の[外]{そと:outside:N5}へ[出した]{だした:pushed out:N5}とされる。[賜杯]{しはい:Emperor's Cup:N1}は2022[年]{ねん:year:N5} [春場所]{はるばしょ:Spring Basho:N3} [以来]{いらい:since:N4}のものになった。\n\n#en\nReports said Wakatakakage hit hard at the tachiai and eventually forced Kirishima out with an oshidashi. It brought him his first Emperor's Cup since the 2022 Spring Basho.\n::\n\n::callout\n[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は、[家族]{かぞく:family:N4}の[前]{まえ:in front of:N5}で[優勝]{ゆうしょう:championship:N3}できてうれしかったという[趣旨]{しゅし:meaning:N1}の[言葉]{ことば:remarks:N3}を[伝えた]{つたえた:conveyed:N3}と[報じられた]{ほうじられた:was reported:N3}。[長い]{ながい:long:N5} [復帰戦]{ふっきせん:return journey:N2}を[支えた]{ささえた:supported:N3} [存在]{そんざい:presence:N3}として、[家族]{かぞく:family:N4}への[感謝]{かんしゃ:gratitude:N1}が[強く]{つよく:strongly:N4} [出た]{でた:appeared:N5}ようだ。\n\n#en\nWakatakakage was reported to have said he was happy to win in front of his family. His comments seemed to show strong gratitude to the family members who supported his long road back.\n::\n\n::heading\n[大けが]{おおけが:serious injury:N5}からの[復活]{ふっかつ:comeback:N2}\n\n#en\nComeback from a Serious Injury\n::\n\n::para\n[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は2023[年]{ねん:year:N5}に[右膝]{みぎひざ:right knee:N2}の[大けが]{おおけが:serious injury:N5}で3[場所]{ばしょ:tournaments:N3}を[休場]{きゅうじょう:missed:N4}し、その[後]{あと:afterward:N5}[幕下]{まくした:makushita:N1}まで[番付]{ばんづけ:ranking:N3}を[下げた]{さげた:dropped:N5}。[元大関]{もとおおぜき:former top-ranked wrestler:N3}でもない[力士]{りきし:sumo wrestler:N1}が、そこから[幕内優勝]{まくうちゆうしょう:top-division title:N1}まで[戻る]{もどる:return:N3}のは[簡単]{かんたん:easy:N2}ではなかったと[見られる]{みられる:is seen:N5}。\n\n#en\nIn 2023, Wakatakakage missed three tournaments because of a serious right knee injury and then fell as low as the makushita division. It is seen as no easy task for a wrestler to return from there all the way to a top-division title.\n::\n\n::para\n[報道]{ほうどう:reports:N3}では、[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は2024[年]{ねん:year:N5}に[幕下優勝]{まくしたゆうしょう:makushita championship:N1}と[十両優勝]{じゅうりょうゆうしょう:juryo championship:N3}を[重ね]{かさね:added:N4}、[幕内]{まくうち:top division:N1}へ[戻った]{もどった:returned:N3}とされる。[技巧派]{ぎこうは:technical wrestler:N1}としての[持ち味]{もちあじ:strong point:N4}を[失わず]{うしなわず:without losing:N3}、[段階的]{だんかいてき:step by step:N2}に[地位]{ちい:standing:N3}を[回復した]{かいふくした:restored:N2}。\n\n#en\nReports say he won the makushita and juryo division titles in 2024 before returning to the top division. He appears to have restored his standing step by step without losing the technical style that defines him.\n::\n\n::heading\n[次]{つぎ:next:N3}の[焦点]{しょうてん:focus:N1}は[昇進]{しょうしん:promotion:N2}への[再出発]{さいしゅっぱつ:fresh start:N2}\n\n#en\nThe Next Focus Is a Fresh Start Toward Promotion\n::\n\n::para\n[今場所]{こんばしょ:this tournament:N3}は、[横綱]{よこづな:yokozuna:N1}の[豊昇龍]{ほうしょうりゅう:Hoshoryu:N1}と[大の里]{おおのさと:Onosato:N2}が[休場]{きゅうじょう:absent:N4}し、[上位陣]{じょういじん:top-ranked wrestlers:N1}の[顔触れ]{かおぶれ:lineup:N2}が[変わった]{かわった:changed:N3} [場所]{ばしょ:tournament:N3}でもあった。それでも[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}は[最後]{さいご:the end:N3}に[霧島]{きりしま:Kirishima:N1}を[退け]{しりぞけ:turned back:N3}、[優勝]{ゆうしょう:title:N3}に[必要]{ひつよう:necessary:N3}な[勝負強さ]{しょうぶづよさ:competitive toughness:N3}を[示した]{しめした:showed:N3}と[見られる]{みられる:is seen:N5}。\n\n#en\nThis tournament also unfolded with yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato absent, changing the top-rank picture. Even so, Wakatakakage still had to beat Kirishima at the end and is seen as having shown the toughness needed to win a title.\n::\n\n::para\n[夏場所]{なつばしょ:Summer Basho:N3}の[優勝]{ゆうしょう:title:N3}で、[若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}に[大関昇進]{おおぜきしょうしん:promotion to ozeki:N2}への[期待]{きたい:expectation:N3}が[集まりそうだ]{あつまりそうだ:is likely to gather:N4}。ただし、[昇進]{しょうしん:promotion:N2}には[次]{つぎ:next:N3}の[場所]{ばしょ:tournament:N3}でも[高い]{たかい:high:N5} [成績]{せいせき:results:N2}が[求められる]{もとめられる:are required:N3}と[見られる]{みられる:is seen:N5}ため、この[優勝]{ゆうしょう:title:N3}は[再出発]{さいしゅっぱつ:fresh start:N2}の1[歩]{ぽ:first step:N4}とも[言えそうだ]{いえそうだ:can likely be said:N4}。\n\n#en\nThis championship is likely to increase attention on a possible run toward promotion to ozeki. But high results are still thought to be required in the next tournament, so this title can likely be seen as the first step in a new push.\n::\n\n::para\n[福島県]{ふくしまけん:Fukushima Prefecture:N2} [出身]{しゅっしん:from:N4}の31[歳]{さい:31 years old:N3}が[大舞台]{おおぶたい:big stage:N3}で[再び]{ふたたび:once again:N2} [賜杯]{しはい:Emperor's Cup:N1}を[抱いた]{かかえた:held:N3}ことは、[角界]{かくかい:sumo world:N2}だけでなく[地元]{じもと:hometown:N4}の[人々]{ひとびと:people:N5}にも[明るい]{あかるい:positive:N4} [話題]{わだい:topic:N4}になったと[見られる]{みられる:is seen:N5}。[存在感]{そんざいかん:presence:N3}を[取り戻した]{とりもどした:regained:N3} [若隆景]{わかたかかげ:Wakatakakage:N1}が、[次]{つぎ:next:N3}にどこまで[伸びる]{のびる:go further:N2}かにも[注目]{ちゅうもく:attention:N4}が[集まりそうだ]{あつまりそうだ:is likely to gather:N4}。\n\n#en\nFor people in Fukushima as well as for the sumo world, seeing the 31-year-old hold the Emperor's Cup again appears to have become a bright topic. Attention is also likely to gather around how far Wakatakakage can go next after regaining his presence.\n::\n"]