Well, this is quite a year for sumo overseas. In addition to the LA tour below, it looks like there will also be a tour to Mongolia on August 27 and 28.
This time, instead of just the top ranks of rikishi boarding the plane across the sea, all of the Mongolian boys, of whichever rank, will be able to attend. That's nice. A few of the Mongolian rikishi have languished in the non-salaried ranks or lower than the makunouchi (top ranking level) division, so I know they will all be happy to visit their homeland again! Usually, non-Japanese rikishi are not permitted to return to their homelands until they reach juryo, or, in some cases, high makushita. There have, however, been some stablemasters who have rewarded a good performance or who have tried to boost morale with a trip "home", such as Nishikido Oyakata for Kazafuzan and Tatsunami Oyakata for Daionami, (not necessarily for each of those reasons, respectively). In fact, I just heard from one of the sandanme boys who is just ecstatic, and justifiably so, about returning home after over three years..
This is also exciting, of course, for the two yokozuna, who I am sure are anxious to perform together in their home country for their sumo fans there who may not be able to go to Japan! I know that Asashoryu has been lobbying for this tour for quite some time now.
Stay tuned.........
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PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
For anyone interested in attending the Los Angeles Grand Sumo tour in Los Angeles, to be held in the LA Memorial Arena on June 6 and 7, here is the place to go for information on tickets: www.sumotour.com, Beware - the site is quite slow in loading and information is not quite complete as of this time - but, it is a site to return to for the sure-to-come updates.
The tickets for the tournament will be offered to the general public beginning mid-March.
If you feel that you have any drawing skills, the sponsor, Sakura of America, is having a sumo manga competition with two tickets to the tourney awarded to the winner. There is also a sumo quiz. The press release is here, or you can go to the sponsor's website at http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/sumo
There is also a Sumo Guide, which is basically still a work in process and has a few inaccuracies, which I hope will be ironed out before the tournament, so no flaming yet, please :-)
OH, NO, Akebono!
Amidst the rumble and roar of purported undignified conduct on behalf of the great yokozuna Asashoryu, Russians Roho and Wakanoho, and most recently, Estonian Baruto, comes this:
Former yokozuna Akebono sucks on a pacifier for one his WWE-type performances bout with a new shikona - if you can call a joke-as-a-sport fighting name a "shikona" : Monster Bono. Give me break!
The "world's oldest active rikishi" is how one of my fellow sumo enthusiasts refers to Ichinoya, the wrestler from
Takasago-beya who will celebrate his 47th birthday this December and his 24th year in sumo with the Kyushu basho this November. Now Jonidan E83, he achieved his highest rank at Sandanme 6.
I know I have been promising photos and video from morning practice, or asageiko, for some time, but yesterday, a wonderful article about Ichinoya on the Asahi.com website, http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200709150071.html, inspired me to finally, at least put up one video - a rare, albeit somewhat shaky-hand video of Ichinoya going through one of his morning routines this past May. I say "rare", because just over a year ago, Takasago generally closed its doors to spectators- with some exceptions, of course - and because Ichinoya is usually the first man to arrive on the dohyo - at a pretty early time, and way before the usual visitor would appear at the heya door.
Just a little explanatory text: The ambient light in most heya is somewhat short of being even remotely satisfactory for a decent amateur attempt at video or photography. Viewers are mostly facing a dohyo backed by a large window with the light streaming in.Tripods are not permitted, unless one
has a press pass, so the action is hard (for me) to catch with my unsteady camera grip.
The first clip has Ichinoya starting his practice sessions in the foreground. His training partner is Asakubo, a 24-year-old Jonidan W54 man. After his combat session, Ichinoya did do quite a bit of "shiko", i.e., leg-raising and stomping, but the light in that corner was just way too poor to capture this exercise, although you can, at times, hear his grunts in the background.. After Ichinoya finishes his own training, and his stablemates begin practice, Ichinoya leaves the dohyo and the "public" practice area to either go to the Kokugikan for his bout, if he is on the schedule that particular day, or attend to his duties of overseeing the meal preparations and performing other general managerial duties for the heya.
Since I was already working with the videos for Takasago, I extracted another clip that
will show some of the other wrestlers, including Asadoryu (formerly Asahanada)
Hananostao, Minanosato (now yumitori, or, bow-twirler), Asanotosa and Asahimaru (the really big guy who is as gentle as can be). In the white mawashi, in the split postion on the floor is Mongolian
Asasekiryu, west Sekiwake, who is another favorite of mine (aren't they all?) - always with the ready smile and always inquisitive.
If I have more time later this week, I will finish documenting the Takasago practice, but in the meantime, please enjoy these two videos.
© Barbara Ann Klein 2007 Please do not reproduce text or images from this blog, without permission in writing from me, which I usually give. Links to this blog are permitted as a matter of course. All rights reserved.
First, I need to apologize to my readers who have waited for me to post some comments about and video of morning practice at the sumo heya - "stables". I was first attacked by general laziness, then the whole Asashoryu-Bad Boy-Impeach-, errr, -Punish-Him thing started a few weeks ago.
I could comment on this until doomsday, but whatever I say will not change anyone's mind or perception of one of the greatest yokozuna to walk this planet. And I say that not because of my relationship with the families, but because it is a simple fact. I had defended him, on occasion, because of the the former, but all of the lies spewing from the mostly Japanese media, the proliferation of same in worldwide press repeating and embellishing these reports, and the undiluted vitriol exhibited on the sumo mailing list - not to mention the latter pointed directly at yours truly over the years by some purported experts and self-proclaimed international Degas wannabes - culminated in my abrupt withdrawal from the said mailing list.
One of his penances was the equivalent of "house arrest". House arrest? I think not! Try prison, try the Japan Sumo Association overstepping its bounds by imposing this sentence without a jury of peers. Oh, I forgot - the jury system is just now being effected by the Japanese government - albeit veeerrrryyyy sloooowly. Another facet of the processes run by little old men who dye their hair black at the first sign of graying and continue to do so until they look like 90-year-old and still aging yakuza with lined faces and misogynistic, xenophobic tendencies. Not being able to partake of a MEAL outside the home for FOUR freaking months. for God's sake? What a bunch of dictatorial idiots. Now, after the damage has been done and turmoil caused in the yokozuna's life, both private and public, the JSA needs to save face and, so, are "letting" him go back to Mongolia to get over an alleged nervous breakdown? What were they thinking in the first place? Nervous breakdown, my a**. He is more mentally strong than most people. The paparazzi frenziers and the JSA (with the exception of the Rijicho) are the more mentally unstable goons.
And what about privacy issues? Since when do doctors speak publicly about a patient's condition without consent? And they did NOT get consent! Malpractice and malfeasance at their nadirs. Who is starting these rumors of domestic violence and his throwing things around the house? Do any of those people KNOW him? I do, and I know these vicious attacks are unwarranted and untrue.
Do I sense some jealousy regarding the yokozuna's being a free spirit. as it were? It is well-known that Japanese are loathe to express any emotion at all --except violence. Look at the manga comic books the men read everyday. All violence and sex - not necessarily in that order. Even a mailing list member attested that her Japanese non-sumo wrestler husband struck her. (Which brings me to a thought - who knew she was married to another Japanese man other than her former sumo wrestling husband?) Wife-beating is routine in Japan, but covered up. In that case, what reason would they have in trying to out the yokozuna for behavior that is contrary to all of his familial values and the way he was brought up? His parents and he are devout Buddhists - and I mean devout. Violence is against the fundamental Buddhist precepts. I believe that Asashoryu may have done more praying than exhibiting erratic behavior! There can be great comfort and peace in silence.
Have any of these reporters, doctors, and civilian detractors ever witnessed any of this? Do they not know how close Mongolian families are and how violence is SO not a part of their culture? Mongolians are very demonstrative with their affection, are quick to hug one another and plant kisses on family and friends alike. I know. Been there, done that, too. Some one on the mailing list wrote: "Having said that Asashoryu is fantastic at sumo, but I don't think I'd want to hang out with him." If you've never done it, don't be so presumptuous to think he is like his sumo persona in person, because he is NOT. As I said, been there, still doing that. "He sent his family back to Mongolia". Read my words, ignorant press. Get your facts straight. They've been there since May and always go during the humid and scorching Tokyo summers. He wants his kids in clean air. Should they be with him now? Of course, but how about the paparazzi scaring the young children to death? Do you think he would EVER want them to come back to Tokyo? Not a chance.
Confining him to home, keeping him away from friends and family - and getting indignant when Asashoryu does have a friend or two visit, then the press doing a Nuremberg inquisition on everyone he knows, is criminal. Salary cut? No big deal. He has used his earnings wisely and couldn't care less.
Now we have two editorials-which-are- purported -reportage articles on the Japan Times, which I had always regarded as a publication of great integrity. With these two writings, the Times has slipped to a gossip rag, in my opinion.
It's really late now, and I've been writing this off and on since morning, so I will close with this for now: Someone with an obvious nom-de-plume of Schreiber (German for "writer" - thank you Bettina for that) has "reported" that the yokozuna has a propensity for violence, which has sent his wife fleeing to Mongolia...........and that she is now living alone in New York. What a crock! I responded with a letter to the editor, which I will repeat here since I'm sure the paper will not have the guts to publish it in whole or in part. And I DO promise to get those videos up next weekend!
To the Japan Times Editors:
Your newspaper used to be regarded as a fair and balanced reporting medium throughout the world. Now, with this story and its gossip-like tone, along with Mark Buckton's recent editorial that was misrepresented as reportage and had no business being on the sports pages (by the way - are the two Marks one and the same? One of them uses an alias in another publication), your publication has sunk to the depths of Shukan Gendai. These are not journalists. Regurgitating "allegations" about Asashoryu's personal life, which I can assure you are totally false, makes you no better than the gossip rags. Indeed, if the dai-yokozuna's wife were in New York, she would not be "living alone"...she would be with me as she was when she came to visit her cousin in the US for a scant five days this year, before returning to Mongolia. Furthermore, Mongolian men are not like Japanese men, who purportedly routinely beat up on their wives. If any of you over at the Times know any Mongolians, you will know how close they are, how loving and caring of family and friends and how FREE they are to express their loving emotions - unlike the Japanese, who would not DARE express anything - except displeasure and gossip on this topic! Get over your resentment of having a 100% foreigner as a dai-yokozuna. INVESTIGATE TOKITAIZAN'S DEATH, which would be a worthwhile pursuit!!! That is all I will say about this. Personal life is personal life and I just wrote to say how ridiculous those allegations are.
And because of my last sentence, I will not reveal any conversations, email or other communication I have exchanged with the yokozuna and/or his wife. Those who are looking for some of that know that friends don't talk until the subject parties do themselves, so get over it and realize that the organized media is probably the least truthful medium there is.
'Night all.
The Hawaii Koen was held on June 9 and 10 at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii.
When it was first announced, there seemed to be much enthusiasm for the tour, which had not been to since 1993. Musashimaru and Azumazeki Oyakata, formerly Sekiwake Takamiyama/Jesse Kuhaulua,
journeyed to a few times to generate publicity and excitement for the event. After all, the stadium could accommodate a crowd of 8,800 with the in-the-round set-up that a dohyo offers, and everyone was optimistic. The actual initial sponsor was a man named Shigemitsu Inohana, who had journeyed to about eight years ago and who missed his sumo, which he had attended avidly as a resident of his native . His vision was to see an arena full of both first-timers and dedicated fans occupying seats ranging from $35 to $350. Alas, despite “sold out” reports of many of the tiers of seats, this was not to be as the arena proved to be less than half-full on both days of the exhibition, despite several public autograph signings by Musashimaru and Azumazeki Oyakata, some local TV talk show appearances by both, and daily articles in the local press beginning a week before “opening night”.
The problem was lack of promotion. Hawaii is my third home (after New York and Tokyo) and when the koen dates were set late last year, and reported in the papers and TV in Honolulu – never heard anything on the radio – almost everyone I knew, despite expressing keen interest in attending, despaired that the prices might be too high and difficult to get, what with all the Japanese tourists and the potential for scalping. That was in January.
Returning to at the beginning of June for some sun and fun as bookends to the tour, I again had the opportunity to speak to a number of people about the sumo. The responses ranged from “sumo? when? where?” to “I didn’t see anything about it” to “too expensive” to “are there any Hawaiians in the tournament?”.. Now, mind you, the first two responses included every taxi driver I spoke to, for heaven’s sake! The website for the koen showed various press releases and appearances, and even a poster on one of the hundreds of trolleys that roam . But I never saw one poster, except for the one that was sent to me by a very generous eBayer who purchased something from me and, discovering my interest in sumo, just happened to have a couple. During the week I was in before the tournament, I saw maybe one TV commercial – and again, nothing on my favorite Hawaiian music station. But that’s all past now and I hope the promoters for will take their cues from the experience and start their publicity blitz NOW.
Nevertheless, a very good time was had by all who attended, as was evident by the many ooohs and aaahs from the crowd.
Now, I’m going to share some of my experiences, impressions and thoughts with you. No results - you can find them
all over the net - and not a whole lot of good photos (some good video, though). I was too busy watching everything!
The sumotori arrived on June 7 and ensconced themselves in the Prince Hotel and Golf Club. Some of the Mongolians, i.e., Asashoryu, Asasekiryu, Hakuho and Ama, notably, brought their mothers and/or fathers (and in some cases, siblings) with them. It was nice to see Ama’s beautiful Mom again (who speaks quite good English) after the untimely death of her husband last December. The boys pretty much spent the first day at leisure enabling them to cope with relieving jet lag. The second day saw them off to a lunch buffet at a Chinese restaurant – in full kimono regalia. Arriving back at the hotel, most of them quickly changed into shorts and tee-shirts, ready to take a shopping shuttle to a nearby shopping mall – or, to find some more substantial food before the welcoming dinner that night. Asasekiryu was very keen on having some “meat” and I directed him to one or two steakhouses in the area. Some rikishi just chose to lounge around in the hotel lobby with family and/or friends. Oyakata and other rikishi were off to the links for a couple of rounds of golf. Asashoryu and Matsugane Oyakata, among others, had their own golf clubs with them, Asa, having taken up the sport before the koen in 2005. The tsukebito, scurrying around the lobby, just seemed happy to be there!
On Friday night, a welcoming party was given at the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort complex, where the three trophies were on display – the Mayor’s Cup for Friday’s winner, the Governor’s Cup – a beautiful trophy made of the native koa wood – for Saturday’s winner, and the giant 4-foot Sakura Cup for the champion of the overall tournament, presented by Sakura USA, a maker of the “SumoGrip” pens and pencils as well as electronic and other household goods.
I should note here that another sponsor was the ever-entertaining Nagatanien,
which provides kensho for Takamisakari during the regular basho in all five of its rice-topping flavors, and which always gets quite a few chuckles from the sudience as all five flavors are announced. Kensho were also provided during this Koen, but not in the numbers as are in honbasho.
Back to the welcoming reception: The party was “sold out” for a full house of 350 people including the complimentary seats. At each table were at least one sekitori and an oyakata, gyoji or other sumo official. Several tsukebito sat at a couple of tables reserved for the media.An “omiyage” bag, containing a tournament program, some sumo stickers and pens, and a souvenir pin
was given to everyone attending. Needless to say, the rikishi were busy signing their photos in the programs and taking pictures with fans for a good part of the sit-down reception. Entertainment was provided by a Tsugaru Shamisen performance featuring Fumiyoshi Kobayashi and three players from 's Niigata Takahashi Chikuzan Ensemble, and by several hula dances by a local hula learning center.
Our table was directly behind the two Yokozunas’ tables and we were able to get some decent photos of them
and the performances. Hakuho was resplendent in a white kimono, wearing this gorgeous open-ended lei made of red and white carnations and other exotic flowers. Asashoryu was the last to arrive, but he preferred to wear an
elegant black kimono that I had never seen before. The meal was good with soup, salad, bread rolls, and dessert, and a steak filet and fish mousse-type dish for the main course. Tokitenku was seated at our table, and seeing his look of dismay at the tiny portion of meat, I offered him my piece, which he accepted and dispatched very swiftlyJ. Minezaki Oyakata, the coordinator for the NSK, was also at our table – a very nice man, I
might add.
The first day of the tournament arrived and each of the ticket holders, irrespective of price paid for the seat, was pleasantly surprised with omiyage
bags, which held a bottle of sauce for okonomiyaki (a kind of Japanese omelet-pancake), a packet of miso soup, some rice topping, a fan, packages of tissues and pens from JapanTV, bottled water and other goodies. Free programs were available to all, but a more detailed program with rikishi vital statistics and general sumo information was available for $20 (!). Outside the arena itself were taiko-drumming performances by yobidashi Hiroyuki (Minezaki-beya) and Kunio (Takasago-beya). Inside, hula entertainment was provided before the matches, with the shamisen company performing during “half-time” – a feature not experienced during hon-basho.
The first three rows of the floor seats – the most expensive – also held omiyage bags, basically with the same items as given to everyone, plus a mug with the Koen logo. There were several left over, most of which were promptly claimed by tour and koen operators. On the second day, the remaining three or four rows of the floor seats also had a souvenir pin placed on each seat – the ones remaining were claimed by whomever got there first. A collectible item, indeed.
Before the actual bouts, there were the usual introductions of government officials, sponsors, etc. But Jesse,
Azumazeki Oyakata, formerly
Takamiyama, received the largest and loudest ovation as everyone in the stadium
stood to greet him. He certainly is a legend in his own time in and obviously
loved by all. Then there were demonstrations of various sumo exercises done
during regular practice, with the popular matawari (splits) drawing gasps from
the spectators; comic sumo; and, of course, “keiki”, or children’s sumo, with
Chiyotaikai,
Wakanosato, and Kasugao, among others sparring with the kids, including a six-year-old girl, who soundly beat her “opponent”. The comic sumo fell a little flat on the first day, since, although there were a lot of funny moves, some of the prohibited moves were not announced in English as such, but rather in Japanese. This was taken care of the second day, when the comic performance was then punctuated with shouts from the sumotori of “not-allowed”, “no good”, “bad”, not to mention certain audience members yelling “no hair-pulling”, for instance. There are two videos of this, one on this page and the continuation in the Hawaiian Koen folder.
We had good seats right up front on the hanamichi – East, the first day, and West, the second, but the seats could have been arranged a little better. Not only that, the carpet runner from the hanamichi to the dohyo kept going slightly awry, and there was even a piece sticking out from the seats. Since we feared that the rikishi might trip on the excess carpeting, I called a gentleman with a “Staff” badge over to move it. Imagine my embarrassment when the Nagatanien prize was given that day and Katrina pointed out that the man I asked to move the carpet earlier was none other than the CEO of Nagatanien!
As for the sumo itself? It began with the participants – oyakata, gyoji, yobidashi, and of course, the rikishi themselves,
parading in together to welcome and thank the audience. Dohyo-iri from East and West rikishi and the East and West yokozuna. Hakuho seemed a bit shaky during his first (after Meiji Shrine) public dohyo-iri, (see "Entrance" video for a "different" perpsective) but appeared more confident on the second day, although still a little unsure-footed. During the second day East side sekitori dohyo-iri, there was some good natured joking between Asasekiryu and Kyokutenho. This is also a good capture of the Yojiya kesho mawashi which were used during Asashoryu's dohyoiri and wion in this video by Asashekoryu and Takamisakari.
Being an exhibition, rather than a true tournament, many results were to be expected, as an array of kimarite were executed. Rarely seen at the hon-basho these days, there were quite a few stare-downs, both at the tachi-ai and the returns to corners. A mono-ii, of course, as two men hit the dohyo at the same time. Ama received cheers as he executed a move previously favored by Kotonishiki and Kyokushuzan – he literally jumped over
his opponent, Kasugao, to win the match.
Takamisakari did his usual antics, but even more punctuated now as he added an additional horse-like foot stomp to his self-face-slapping and chest-pounding. But the crowd really went wild when he was up against Yokozuna Asashoryu, who, glancing at Takamisakari from his East corner of the dohyo, replicated each of Takamisakari moves, down to the facial expressions and the salt-throwing. Quite a performance! In fact, Asashoryu seemed to be having the most fun of all the participants as he mugged and waved to audience members, and even threw his salt out to the spectators a number of times. A sign of reduced stress and responsibility at no longer being the sole yokozuna? I think and hope so.
Also unlike honbasho, the rikishi were basically relaxed walking to and away from the dohyo for their bouts – shaking hands, posing for photos and signing autographs in the hanamichi. Even Roho and Kotooshu were in good spirits and jovial with the autograph hounds after losing their respective bouts, as was Takamisakari, who usually ignores his fans in ! My friends and I did our chants for Wakanosato and Chiyotaikai, both of whom were really pleased, and at this time, able to show it. Chiyotaikai “tipped” his mage to us as he left the dohyo after a win. Wakanosato encouraged us to keep doing our “song” for him, and Roho very good-naturedly chastised Katrina for rooting for Wakanosato, who was his opponent at that bout.
Ross Mihara was his usual superb self doing the stadium announcing. Musashimaru was there beside him on the
second day, but spoke not a word. Ross had a script, I guess, from which he was probably not permitted to deviate very much – I know it would have been fun if he were able to express some of his own thoughts about the bouts, but there were still some light comments – calling Kasugao “Seoul Man” from Seoul, South Korea, and explaining to the crowd that Kokkai was from Georgia – but not the American southern state.
Notable was the fact that on the second day, the quarter-finals had only two Japanese rikishi in the field of eight, and the semi-finals and – of course- finals, were all non-Japanese rikishi. As would be expected, the Yokozuna
won both days, with Asashoryu the first, and Hakuho, the next. The play-off between the two saw Hakuho winning after a substantially credible fight. The two men left the dohyo in good spirits as the new yumitori, Mizakura, from Hakuho’s heya, performed the yumitori-shiki both days. Watching this demonstration, I could not help but
remember my comment in my blog about the new yumitori from Asashoryu’s side, Minanosato, who is lots faster than Oga was and would have pleased one of the former (and best) tate-gyojis. Well, Shonosuke would REALLY be cramped from squatting during Mizakura’s bow-twirling, which is incredibly slow!
After it was over, we made our way back to the Prince Hotel, to get the boys’ impressions. Sadly, many sekitori said that they did not have a very enjoyable time, and they were unhappy to have to leave the next day. One of the tokoyama (hairdressers) said that some had to be in the lobby at 5AM the next morning. Asashoryu, magnanimous as always, paid for his tsukenbito to stay an additional five days with him.
Please also check out my photo album and other videos from this event in the collection folder on the right side of this screen.
Next stop? Honbasho in Tokyo in September, January and May, then on to Los Angeles next June, followed by London in 2009.
By the way, the Honolulu Advertiser has some really good
photos and videos, which you can link to at
http://news.hawaii.com/article/2007/Jun/10/sp/sumo.html,
http://news.hawaii.com/article/2007/Jun/11/sp/sumo.html
and http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070610/VIDEO02/70609006
©
Barbara Ann Klein 2007 Please do not reproduce text or images from this
blog, without permission in writing from me, which I usually give.
Links to this blog are permitted as a matter of course. All rights
reserved.
Sumo has a new yumitori with the retirement of Oga. His name is Minanosato. At the moment, he is in sandanme - and judging from his sumo performance in May (3-4), he will remain within that rank, but at a lower level than at the May basho.
Initially, when I heard of Oga's retirement, I conjectured that Hananosato would be the likely successor due to
As I mentioned in my post about the 20th Yusho party, Minanosato told me he was extremely nervous about performing the yumitori-shiki, or bow twirling ceremony, for the first time in public on the first day of the May tournament. He was particularly fearful of any upset (perceived or real) in the last bout where the spectators tend to throw zabuton onto the dohyo. While the twirling requires a somewhat loose grip on the yumi, or bow, a carelessly thrown
Just one anectidote: although everyone commented on what a fine figure Oga cut as bow-twirler - me, included - Kimura Shonosuke, the tate-gyoji when Oga was made yumitori always said that while Oga looked really good doing
As for Hananosato, he will have his chance in Hawaii to do the yumitori-shiki and I can't wait to see him at it!
For anyone who hasn't seen Minanosato do his thing, here's one of the videos of his performance that I took: Yoisho, Minanosato!
© Barbara Ann Klein 2007 Please do not reproduce text or images from this blog, without permission in writing from me, which I usually give. Links to this blog are permitted as a matter of course. All rights reserved.
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Well! It took me a while, and I doubted some information that was given to me, but I finally did find out that the tsuna-making ceremony (“tsunauchi”) was to be held last Thursday. You know what the tsuna is: that huge white “braided” rope that the yokozuna wears when he does his dohyo-iri. Usually it’s the Monday or Tuesday before the start of the basho, so when I first heard “Tuesday or Wednesday” in response to my initial query, I assumed it would be Tuesday. But wait, the information came from a pretty good source, so I continued to try and pin down the exact date.
At the soken last Saturday, one of the Takasago-beya coaches was playing “guard” in the hanamichi, so I asked him when the tsunauchi would be. He put up ten fingers – May 10. Hmmmm, that seemed very late for this event, so I assumed he meant it would be at 10AM one day the following week, and I was STILL ignorant. Finally, I asked someone to ask the yokozuna’s trainer, and he confirmed the 10th. Good! Now, at least I had a goal.
Takasago is closed to any kind of “watching” except for the heya’s supporters. (Last year, they even had a sign on the door stating that if one wanted to watch sumo, one should by a ticket at the Kokugikan!) Having attended previously, though, I entered the heya anyway. I looked around, and found no one. There were murmurs coming from the living area upstairs, so I took a peek into the keikoba and saw the blue tarp on the floor and the white fabric around the teppu pole, and, at least I knew I had the right date. I also saw a number of professional video cameras and bags of accessories.
Some background –I never really wondered how the tsuna was made until I
happened to meet the yokozuna sometime in 2005 (or was it 2004?) right before
the September tournament, as he was stopped at a corner in his big, black
Hummer. “Doko?” he asked me. “Where
are you going?” I said for a walk. “Come to my heya. Tsunauchi.” I said “huh?”. “Heya,
heya. Itte.” “Go, go to the heya!” Okaaay……so
I went around the corner to Takasago-beya fully thinking I was going to watch
asageiko (morning practice). But what greeted me was an empty keikoba,
partially covered with a blue tarp. Several reporters and photographers were
readying their equipment. I asked one of the English-speaking reporters what
they were there for, and he explained that the Takasago boys and others from
the Takasago Ichimon (group) were going to construct the yokozuna’s ceremonial
rope belt – the tsuna, the process known as “tsunauchi”. Needless to say, I was
thrilled and have since been to four such ceremonies two with and two, including this one, without the yokozuna
being present.
Back to today’s effort - the dohyo area was totally empty except for the blue tarp covering the corner and the back of the dohyo where the fabric-covered teppo pole is located. Since I was obviously very early, I took out my crossword puzzle book and sat on the step in the heya entrance until I could detect some activity. Soon, there were shouts, then total silence, as the rikishi – about eight of them - came downstairs holding a very long length (actually three lengths) of fabric. As I greeted each one, there was a noticeable lack of response and a great deal of solemnity on the part of these young men. One, Daigonishiki, even gave me the hand-chop sign that I should not come in (or maybe not take pictures, which I hadn’t begun to do yet anyway). Well, I ignored his gesture, since I have a standing invitation to this ceremony – no matter how many times this rikishi sees me, and that’s a LOT, he never has a clue that I’ve been there before.
Very slowly taking my own camera out from behind my back, I followed the procession, which was, itself, followed by familiar cameramen from NHK, into the main area. Looked like this was going to be one of the features during the basho telecasts. Shortly, one of the yokozuna’s tsukebito, Shinzan,
approached me, gave me a zabuton, and motioned for me to have a seat. Whew! I really felt better now! Settling in, I noticed another welcome sight, Kazafuzan, from Nishikido-beya (you remember - I saw him at the 20th yusho victory party, too), who obviously has become quite comfortable in his role as “borrowed” assistant to Asashoryu.
Most of the wrestlers were wearing white fabric over their practice mawashi (belts); a few also wore towels over the mawashi. There were Kimenryu, Asadoryu, Minanosato, Asahimaru, Daigonishiki, Hananosato, Shinzan, Asanotosa, Asakubo, Asashogo and two other youngsters who are (comparatively) new with the heya and whose names escape me right now – in other words, every Takasago rikishi plus Kazafuzan. Only Oga was missing, but then, he is formally retiring during this basho. After donning white gloves, eight or nine of them took the ends of what turned out to be three lengths of cotton and tied them to the cloth-covered teppo pole. What followed was an exercise in precision, discipline, and exceptionally hard work as the group proceeded to twist and braid the cloth into what you see the yokozuna wearing during his dohyo-iri.
After a portion of the cloth was wrapped around the teppo, the lowest ranked rikishi had the chore of keeping one end of the material taut while the other rikishi were aided and spurred on by oyakata from Takasago (the former Asanosho and Asanowaka) and Hakkaku, Jinmaku from the latter. Jinmaku Oyakata, slim - but very well-built - has been there each time I’ve watched. I suspect that he is the driving force behind this effort with his strength and rich voice, which you will see and hear in the video.
The thickest part was braided first and was “padded” with additional cotton fabric. As usual, it was difficult to see, close up, exactly what that process was, particularly with the pro cameramen around, but, before I knew it, the
center section of the tsuna was done, and was the part now closest to the teppo pole. Three long thinner strips of cloth, reinforced with copper wire, were then individually rolled very tightly, with a lot of help from Jinmaku Oyakata, while one rikishi held each strand. When the rolling was done almost to the end of the cloth strips, sandanme rikishi Hananosato lay on a tatami mat placed on the tarp to guide the “braiding” of the tsuna from beneath as the rest of the party stood in two parallel lines handing the rolled strips over each other to form the rope-like product.
Around this point in time sekitori Asasekiryu came out to the dohyo to watch. Although he put on the white gloves, he really did not participate in the process.
Jinmaku again led the action with a booming: “hi, hu, mei” while the rikishi responded with “soo, ichi, ni, san!” each chant meaning one, two, three. In the old days, a taiko drummer would accompany the chant, but, although a drum still resides in a corner of the heya, it is not used anymore.
As the tsuna twisting approached the ends of the cloth, and the strips were rolled tighter and tighter, the “hi, hu, mei” chants became faster and faster, and louder and louder, until the braiding was done. The completed length was given to another rikishi close to the teppo pole, and the twisting and chanting began anew for the other end of the tsuna.
Occasionally, during the process, Shinzan
would snip superfluous pieces of cotton and copper from the tsuna where the
rope was required to be a bit thinner. The cotton remnants would later be given to friends and supporters
Another rikishi whom I hadn’t noticed before – looked a bit like Shinyu, a Sandanme rikishi from Azumazeki-beya, I didn’t recognize him from Takasago – took his place lying on the tatami to be the stabilizer for the braiding. Then, there were shouts for “Miyoshi”, that’s makushita rikishi Asashimaru’s real name, and he was the last to writhe on the floor until the braiding was done.
The yokozuna had already indicated that he would likely not attend the
tsunauchi, and, he did not, but the size is well-known by now and there appears to be no need to have a “fitting” as there used to be when he was a new yokozuna.
When the strenuous activity was finished, Asasekiryu sat at the edge of the dohyo, while I was still taking my video, and motioned for me to come over. The rikishi are always intrigued by the cameras. He inspected my camera, I showed him what I had just filmed and he seemed tickled by all the rikishi’s - excuse me – “butts” in the video and the stills. In turn, he would call a junior man over to show him his butt. Of course, this prohibited