Favored Ozeki (second)-ranking Matsunobori and Sekiwake (third)-ranking Tokitsuyama hit the dirt in startling upsets to mark the opening day's program of the New Year's Grand Sumo Tournament, lasting 15 days, that got under way Sunday before a capacity 15,000 crowd at Tokyo's Kuramae Kokugikan Arena.
    Matsunobori, 317 pounds, showing obvious signs of insufficient training, fell before the skillful tactics of underdog 223-pounder Tochihikari, giving away more than 100 pounds to his opponent.
Naruyama, 250 pounds, got the jump on Tokitsuyama to overwhelm the 313-pound superior-classed grappler.
    All four Grand Champions (Yokozuna) - Kagamisato, 355; Chiyonoyama, 268; Yoshibayama, 326; and Tochinishiki, 256 - came through unscathed, disposing their challengers in championship style.
    A postwar high of 319 matches, fought by 638 wrestlers, surpassing the 308 of last year's fall tourney, were run off during the lengthy program lasting over 12 hours until 5.47 p.m. In the 1955 New Year's tourney, 262, matches were held among 524 men. In the prewar golden days of sumo, more than 350 matches per day were recorded.

Results of other main events:
Annenyama beat Orochigata
Dewanishiki beat Wakabayama
Hajimayama beat Kitanoumi
Asashio beat Futatsuryu
Wakanohana beat Mitsuneyama
Ouchiyama beat Shinobuyama
Tochinishiki beat Wakasegawa
Yoshibayama beat Tamanoumi
Chiyonoyama beat Kotogahama
Kagamisato beat Odachi