Couple of newbie questions

[genseida 0]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

A couple of questions from an English sumo fan, watching the current basho on NHK's European satellite channel JSTV1.

1. During a bout, one of the referees persistently calls out what sounds to me, to be "halibut! halibut! halibut!". Could someone enlighten me what he is actually saying, please?

2. Can someone suggest a page where one can see inside the folded up papers presented to certain bout winners? I have detected that the better the contestant, the higher the stack.

Many thanks ;-)

ps I think the English language commentary is superb. Murray Johnson is very knowledgeable.

Edited September 18, 2009 by genseida

[Randomitsuki 2,843]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

A couple of questions from an English sumo fan, watching the current basho on NHK's European satellite channel JSTV1.

1. During a bout, one of the referees persistently calls out what sounds to me, to be "halibut! halibut! halibut!". Could someone enlighten me what he is actually saying, please?

2. Can someone suggest a page where one can see inside the folded up papers presented to certain bout winners? I have detected that the better the contestant, the higher the stack.

Many thanks ;-)

ps I think the English language commentary is superb. Murray Johnson is very knowledgeable.

Welcome to the Sumo Forum! (Clapping wildly...)

Ad 1. Actually the referee (gyoji) is calling "nokotta nokotta" when the bout is underway, and "hakke yoi" when it is stalled.

Ad 2. The stacks of paper are envelopes with so-called kensho money provided from sponsors for prestigious bouts. Actually I have no idea what exactly is inside of the envelopes.

[salle 11]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the forum!

1. During a bout, one of the referees persistently calls out what sounds to me, to be "halibut! halibut! halibut!". Could someone enlighten me what he is actually saying, please?

2. Can someone suggest a page where one can see inside the folded up papers presented to certain bout winners? I have detected that the better the contestant, the higher the stack.

Bookmark the link to the Summo Glossary on top of this page. It's a treasure for any beginner and not only beginner.

The answers on both your questions are there, but you have to know what to look for indeed.

Copy/paste from there:

1. -> nokotta and hakke-yoi

nokotta, gyoji's encouraging yell to rikishi indicating they are both still in and should keep on wrestling, also yell by which gyoji expresses he has proven the tachiai, see hakke-yoi

hakke-yoi, gyoji's encouragement yell at rikishi who don't show enough initiative to execute kimarite, see mizu-iri, nokotta

2. -> kensho

kensho-kin, encouragement money in a single torikumi by a single sponsor whose amount is specified by kyokai (currently 60 000 yen half of which is given to the winning rikishi); there can be upto thirty or even more kensho-kin bought in a very anticipated torikumi

[Asojima 2,874]

Ad 2. The stacks of paper are envelopes with so-called kensho money provided from sponsors for prestigious bouts. Actually I have no idea what exactly is inside of the envelopes.

In case you did not catch the connection, there is a separate envelope for each of the banners that get paraded around the ring before the match gets started. The winner of the match gets to keep all the money placed with the banners. See Zentotryu's kensho standings thread for more info.

[Randomitsuki 2,843]

Ad 2. The stacks of paper are envelopes with so-called kensho money provided from sponsors for prestigious bouts. Actually I have no idea what exactly is inside of the envelopes.

In case you did not catch the connection, there is a separate envelope for each of the banners that get paraded around the ring before the match gets started. The winner of the match gets to keep all the money placed with the banners. See Zentotryu's kensho standings thread for more info.

But what is in the envelopes? Cash? A cheque? A Paypal address?

[Treblemaker 254]

But what is in the envelopes? Cash? A cheque? A Paypal address?

Cash

Tickets to the next basho.

[Orion 431]

Ad 2. The stacks of paper are envelopes with so-called kensho money provided from sponsors for prestigious bouts. Actually I have no idea what exactly is inside of the envelopes.

In case you did not catch the connection, there is a separate envelope for each of the banners that get paraded around the ring before the match gets started. The winner of the match gets to keep all the money placed with the banners. See Zentotryu's kensho standings thread for more info.

The sponsor pays the Kyokai 60,000 yen. The Kyokai keeps 5,000 for 'expenses' and keeps 25,000 yen in the rikishi's name to pay his taxes. The winner gets 30,000 yen in cash in each envelope.

Orion

[Jonosuke 28]

I just add there is what they call the bout of the day by a snack maker Morinaga that has more than money attached to it. It's voted in by the people who come to the Kokugikan (I suppose at other venues as well).

The winner gets Morinaga caramel candies and other goodies. If I recall Futeno once showed the package on his blog.

[genseida 0]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. They all explain why some contestants get envelopes and others don't.

I went to the Matsuri celebration in London today, lots of good stuff but no sumobilia.

[madorosumaru 7]

I just add there is what they call the bout of the day by a snack maker Morinaga that has more than money attached to it. It's voted in by the people who come to the Kokugikan (I suppose at other venues as well).

The winner gets Morinaga caramel candies and other goodies. If I recall Futeno once showed the package on his blog.

From Tamanoi Blog

[Asashosakari 19,683]

I'll have to listen for that sometime...is it announced as Morinaga somethingsomething, or differently?

[ryafuji 815]

What is the gyoji saying as the bout is about to start (I believe it means something like "Time's up, take your mark")?

[Randomitsuki 2,843]

What is the gyoji saying as the bout is about to start (I believe it means something like "Time's up, take your mark")?

According to the Glossary: Jikan desu, te wo tsuite.

According to my ears: Gee kandis, tee or steh (the latter part pronounced in German).

Edited September 19, 2009 by Randomitsuki

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

The gyoji will sometimes add "matta nashi" at that time, meaning "no false starts".

[nomadwolf 8]

Slightly related, how does the gyoji know when he should turn his gunbai? Not every match has the same number of trips to the salt-bin, so I figured there's some way to determine it. It's also somehow obvious to NHK (since they put the rikishi names in the upper left corner of the screen) and, obviously, to the rikishi, so they can do their little stunt (a la Takamisakari or Asashoryu).

[Jonosuke 28]

Slightly related, how does the gyoji know when he should turn his gunbai? Not every match has the same number of trips to the salt-bin, so I figured there's some way to determine it. It's also somehow obvious to NHK (since they put the rikishi names in the upper left corner of the screen) and, obviously, to the rikishi, so they can do their little stunt (a la Takamisakari or Asashoryu).

One of the judges is timing the whole thing (from the gyoji's point of view, he sits behind him, right hand side. As rikishi get higher in rank, they are given more time. You will see the judge giving the sign (usually by their hand) to the gyoji and you will notice the gyoji acknowledging him. It will be much easier to notice this in lower rank bouts if you sit close to the dohyo as Jonokuchi guys only get two shikiri for instance before they have to jump out. If they ever do a matta, man, they will hear at least from one of the dohyo judges.

Edit: Here's a picture I took a while back showing a timing shimpan giving his hand signal to a gyoji and him, aknowledging back. Incidentally the rikishi know it's time as the gyoji says "Jikan desu (time is up)" to them for the last shikiri.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Jonosuke

[seb 0]

also related to what the referee is saying and was posted just today:

contains a bit of day's 7 juryo dohyo iri with saying-explanations plus the bout of Takanoyama (ms4w, 1.85m/93kg) and Takekabuto (ms5w, 1.81m/161kg), that could be a good match-up to show, when it comes to a certain diaper-clich

Edited September 20, 2009 by seb

[Asashosakari 19,683]

Also a good introduction to the pitfalls of trying to figure out proper names just from listening to them. (Sign of approval...) Seriously though, I'm just nitpicking; that's actually pretty helpful and well done.

BTW, what's displayed on the banner being carried around during the dohyo sweeping?

Edited September 20, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Jonosuke 28]

BTW, what's displayed on the banner being carried around during the dohyo sweeping?

Actually that explanation/description on the video is wrong. That is not a banner from an advertizing sponsor.

It's to let the spectators know about a contest being held by Tokyo Shimbun/Tokyo Chunichi Sports Shimbun newspapers to send in the names of rikishi who wins the Yusho (Makuuchi), and Sansho (Kanto, Shukun and Gino).

I think if they don't have a winner/winners who correctly answers them, they will pick the next best winner. Online deadline is at 4 PM Thursday and mail in deadline is Friday.

You can send in your answer (one entry per person) either by mail or online (it's open to those residing in Japan).

The top prize includes a pair of reserve chair seats for three days, guest invitation at Asa Geiko at a sumo beya and a doll. The second prize is one day reserve chair seat.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Jonosuke

[Kintamayama 45,543]

BTW, what's displayed on the banner being carried around during the dohyo sweeping?

"For Sale- Subaru Legacy 2005, 43,000 kilometers from doctor, please apply at Katsudono-beya".

[Orion 431]

One of the judges is timing the whole thing (from the gyoji's point of view, he sits behind him, right hand side. As rikishi get higher in rank, they are given more time. You will see the judge giving the sign (usually by their hand) to the gyoji and you will notice the gyoji acknowledging him. It will be much easier to notice this in lower rank bouts if you sit close to the dohyo as Jonokuchi guys only get two shikiri for instance before they have to jump out. If they ever do a matta, man, they will hear at least from one of the dohyo judges.

Edit: Here's a picture I took a while back showing a timing shimpan giving his hand signal to a gyoji and him, aknowledging back. Incidentally the rikishi know it's time as the gyoji says "Jikan desu (time is up)" to them for the last shikiri.

The timekeeper judge is usually referred to as 'under the red tassel'. After every shikiri, the gyoji (who has been standing sideways with his gumbai up to his right) looks back over his shoulder at the judge, but until the last time he gets no response. When the time is coming up, the akabusa-shita judge gestures to the yobidashi on the two corners, who prepare the towels. The gyoji also gets the nod, but the yobidashi have already stood up and said "Jikan desu" and offered the rikishi the correct towel. When the contestants return to their places, the gyoji assumes a forward-facing crouch, with the gumbai back against his right shoulder, and says, "Kamaete" (roughly, "On your marks"; also often "Matta nashi!" ("No false starts").

An unusual feature is that the contestants can start the bout at any time before the time is up, provided that they start at the same time (usually done by meeting each othe's eyes and giving a slight nod in the previous shikiri. Such a start is called 'jikan mae' (before time) but is not common these days. Takatoriki used to be famous for goading his opponents into it.

Orion, off to the races

[Yubinhaad 11,768]

But what is in the envelopes? Cash? A cheque? A Paypal address?

Book tokens. It's book tokens. Honest.

[Treblemaker 254]

But what is in the envelopes? Cash? A cheque? A Paypal address?

Book tokens. It's book tokens. Honest.

Don't be silly... It's condoms. Don't you remember the big speech and demonstration before the basho?

It's as old as the Clinton Administration: "Touch not thy staff with thy rod."