New Drops, Double the Yokozuna, and more Sumo Action Ahead!
Cheeky Chanko July 2025
Summer is in full swing, and here at Cheeky Sumo, we're bringing the heat with some exciting news! Get ready to refresh your wardrobe and gear up for some serious sumo action, both in Japan and right here in the US. We've got four brand-new designs dropping this month, so be sure to subscribe if you’d like a Cheek Peeks and first access at our upcoming designs sent straight to your inbox!
Cheeky Sumo Nagoya Basho Partnerships
This Nagoya Basho we are thrilled to be partnering with the podcast Sumo Kaboom again and offering the prize for the most creative BINGO card!
Who they are
These two hilarious sisters from Texas bring you the Sumo Kaboom podcast every week full of sumo chat, wrestler deep-dives, and tournament fun. Plus, every basho they host an online BINGO game that’s free and open to all! Grab your BINGO card here!
How to Enter
Besides playing their BINGO during the Nagoya basho, you can enter to win Cheeky swag by decorating your BINGO card and entering the most creative BINGO card contest! Didn’t get BINGO at the end of the basho? No problem! Grab your computer, paints, stickers, crayons, or whatever you use and make and submit your creative card!
Grand Sumo Updates: Nagoya Basho Preview
Kotoshoho, Kotoeiho, and their father make mochi. Photo credit u/Entire-Gas6656
The July Nagoya Basho (running from July 13th to 27th) is just around the corner, and the banzuke is out, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling tournament! At the very top, we have our two Yokozuna, Onosato and Hoshoryu. The rivalry between these two has been captivating, and we can't wait to see it continue to escalate in Nagoya. On the banzuke, my big surprise has to be Hakuoho's climb up three spots despite an 8-7 record. While an 8-7 is a winning record, his string of losses to top rikishi like Daieisho, Hoshoryu, Onosato, Aonishiki, and Kirishima in the latter half of the last basho suggests he might not quite be ready for the very top tier of the Makuuchi division just yet. Beyond the Yokozuna duel, I'm particularly excited to watch Aonishiki's performance from M1 and to see Kusano make his highly anticipated debut in the top division. And for a unique twist, get ready for three sets of brothers in the Makuuchi division: Kotoeiho and Kotoshoho, Hidenoumi and Tobizaru, and, of course, the ever-popular Waka Bros!
US Sumo Scene: Thunderdome Recap & Training Camp Excitement!
Stateside, the sumo scene is buzzing! This past month, Raijin Sumo hosted the East Coast Thunderdome in North Carolina, delivering a fantastic display of sumo action. It's truly awesome to see events held on a real clay dohyo, which adds an authentic touch to the competition. A huge congratulations to Eric Huynh, who emerged as the champion of the day!
Get your keiko on!
Looking ahead to July, Honu Sumo is hosting their West Coast Training Camp in San Diego from the 11th through the 13th. This is an incredible opportunity for aspiring and seasoned sumo wrestlers alike to hone their skills and train with some of the best in the US. We're proud to announce that Cheeky Sumo has donated one of our training mawashi as a prize for the event! Furthermore, we've partnered with Honu Sumo for a vital fundraiser to help send the club’s talented US wrestlers to Thailand for the World Championships this September. From now until July 14th, a portion of all purchases from our store, including our premium mawashi, will go directly towards covering airline tickets and hotel rooms for our dedicated US wrestlers. Let's help them get to Worlds!
The Sacred Ground: Crafting a Traditional Sumo Dohyo
Creating a traditional sumo dohyo is a meticulous and revered process, steeped in centuries of tradition and requiring immense skill and dedication. More than just a wrestling ring, the dohyo is considered sacred ground, blessed by Shinto priests and imbued with spiritual significance. The foundation begins with carefully selected clay, often a specific type of reddish soil known as arakida-tsuchi, which is then meticulously mixed with sand and sometimes even straw to achieve the perfect consistency. This mixture is then packed down layer by layer, often by hand, with great force and precision to ensure a solid and stable base. The circular shape is then formed, and the edges are carefully sculpted, leading to the distinctive raised platform that is the heart of every sumo bout.
Once the main structure is complete, the details that define a dohyo are added. The most prominent feature is the tawara, straw bales that delineate the ring. These bales are firmly embedded into the clay, serving as the boundaries for the wrestlers. In the center, two white lines, shikiri-sen, are placed to mark the starting positions for the rikishi. Finally, the entire surface is smoothed and leveled, by hand, and then covered with a thin layer of fine sand. This final touch not only provides a clean and even surface for the wrestlers but also helps to reveal any body parts that touch the ground outside the circle, crucial for determining the winner of a match. The entire construction process usually takes three days and is a testament to the enduring traditions and respect for the sport of sumo.
Dohyo nearing completion. Photo credit: Sumo Prime Time
Sumo Trivia
Shiranui on the left. Unryu on the right.
Last month’s question: What is the main visual difference between the Unryu and Shiranui styles of tsuna?
A: The way the rope is tied in the back! The Unryu style has one loop while the Shiranui has two!
July 2025 Cheeky Chanko Trivia Question:
During the construction of the dohyo, what is often buried in the center as an offering?
Till next month!
We're incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support we've received since our launch! This was our fourth month live, and we couldn't be happier with the response. Thank you to everyone who's visited our site, followed us on social media, liked our posts, and made a purchase. We're committed to bringing you fresh designs, with plans to release two or more new items every basho. In the meantime, don’t forget to take a look at our current designs featuring the colorful Pop Yokozuna and the popular Mono-ii, Please Stand By.
Oh and we have mawashi now!
