Sasanishiki

Why does everyone think it is throwing rice? Yes, there is a lot of rice in Japan, and it is white, but don't people think that rice would make the dohyo slippery?

Highly unlikely. The kesho mawashi are from the Kinki regional Miyagino koenkai.

Mark, that is a pretty even-handed treatment of the issue. I think there are a few more issues at play than you probably had space to explore, but you've hit to the heart of the current divide. Prior to the talk of the ISA, several European federations were unhappy with the original charges for the hotel and that this was tied to registration for the tournament. I think, also, that the IFS has demonised Stephen Gadd for very minor actions. In turn, I think Stephen has quite rightly been prickly toward them in response. I'd like to know if this gets picked up in Europe (or elsewhere) on the basis of your discussion with the media outlet.

Welcome! Have a look around, and enjoy.

Certainly a former commentater has told me that one new recruit asked her whether he would be expected to drink alcohol and eat pork. When told he would, apparently the shin-deshi said he would keep his religion in his heart.

Any update on this? Which publication and when?

Do you have links to the online content you mention?

So presumably he did not fly Delta Airlines on the way over. You would think that something was said when he booked 3 seats under his own name...

For the sake of full disclosure, as this is a commercial activity, may we know which forum member is associated and how?

Very interesting. He will be the first new entrant from Hawaii since November 1991 - more than 20 years!

The original post said third class, didn't it?

The rugby club member helping out harks back to the early years of university amateur sumo tournaments, around a century ago. Schools often had members of the baseball drafted in to make up numbers.

Maybe kakezori?

Nice colour choice by Baruto as well. Fits well with the flag.

For those who don't follow Japanese, you'll see Marvin Lee Jr (former Daishoyu) from about 10:30 into the video. The set up here is two people who want to become performers in the entertainment industry and this is a brief competition between the two to see who the panel favour as the more interesting. He is on for about 3 mins. FYI, this is one of the most popular early afternoon weekday TV programmes in Japan: Waratte ii tomo