Tadanisakari

Just a thought... I also think Sho bowed a bit more deeply than usual after taking the kensho stack. He also lifted the money up as he bowed, as an extra show of respect and gratitude. Maybe we was doing this to show his thanks towards the tate-gyoji at the time of his retirement? Isn't it more respectful in Japanese culture to accept offerings with both hands?

Well... My friends and I were there on Days 12, 14, and 15... Perhaps you heard some .. spirited cheers for my boys Miyabiyama and Takamisakari... (I am not worthy...)

Hey everyone, On Monday, a few of my friends are making the pilgrimage from America to Japan for the first time. We will be spending about a week in Tokyo, then exploring Honshu a bit on our way to Nagoya for the final three days of the Nagoya Basho! We were wondering, what things must a sumo fan see during their first trip to Tokyo? Of course, we plan on going to Ryogoku, though it's a shame all the rikishi will be in Nagoya so we won't be able to catch asageiko. Does anyone recommend a particular chanko join in Ryogoku? What's there to do in the Kokugikan during the "off-season"? Thanks all. Enjoy the basho!

Hey all, In July, I am going to Japan for the first time with some friends to watch the Nagoya Basho. We know that the tickets for the basho just went on sale today, but we are unsure how it would be best to purchase tickets. We have taken one year's worth of Japanese, which is enough to get around, but we're a little nervous calling the "Japanese only" Kyokai ordering hotline. We'd like to get A-box seats for Senshuraku, so we'd like to order as soon as possible before it sells out. Does anyone know the best way to purchase tickets (preferably in English) and have them either sent to America or (even better) have them keep the tickets at a will-call window? Thanks for your help in advance! Enjoy Natsu '05 (Sign of approval) :-P

Yeah, you are correct. If you told the gyoji in charge of making the banzuke that he had to re-do the precise, beautiful Japanese calligraphy all the way down to Jonokuchi, you'd have one unhappy dude in pajamas and an eboshi. (Whistling...) Removing a single person near the top or middle of the banzuke actually has a ripple effect all the way down to the young upstarts in Jonokuchi, so it's pretty unfeasible to take Kotoryu and Asanowaka off this late. I'm gonna miss both those guys.. (Annoyed...)

I didn't interpret it as a rude gesture. Call me naive, but I thought it was a sign of appreciation of that tremendous first bout and a kind of request to the shimpan to grant a torinaoshi. And what a torinaoshi the fans at Osaka got. Great night of sumo! JUST when I was beginning to think Tochiazuma may not be truly worthy of the rank of Ozeki, he turns around and notches another win against the Blue Dragon. Does anyone else in the entire banzuke have a winning lifetime record against him?

Did anyone catch Robocop vs. Kyokushuzan last night? What an intense staredown those two had! Some of my friends contend that Takamisakari holds contempt for foreigners, based on the fact that he seems to have long staredowns only with non-Japanese. I'm not so sure. Any opinions? Also, what's the deal with Shuzan's tachi-ai from way back near the tawara? Did he think it put him at an advantage? Satisfyng to watch Robocop twist him at the tawara like he's done to so many before him.

Otokonoyama-zeki speaks the truth! After a convincing win, the Yokozuna acknowledged the gyoji with his right hand, then cut the cake with the very same hand. He still gave his signature look after accepting the kensho in the same direction. Maybe the gold mawashi has effected some change in Sho's attitude?

You mean "when oshi comes to tsuki"? (Applauding...)

I feel like Taikai has been more predictable this basho than usual. His explosive style of oshi-zumo is a joy to watch when he's in a groove. You might as well give it a name: Taikai-zumo. It disappoints me that he has been so predictable with his tsuppari/hikiotoshi combination in Aki, but I don't think he relied so heavily on this method even as recently as Nagoya. No one's denying that he's had a pathetic basho, but consider this: winning about ten bouts per basho is nothing to sneeze at. And since the statistic given above is over the course of the past two years, I really don't think you can attribute it to luck. No one gets lucky for two years running. Also, in Taikai's defense, many of his wins this basho have come not from moving backward, but from moving forward then using his aite's resisting forward momentum as leverage for a hikiotoshi/hatakikomi. I think that it's much more forgivable to see pull sumo when it is set up with strong de-ashi. Remember Kyokushuzan back in Hatsu or Haru of this year? He won with pulls without taking a step forward. That's pathetic sumo. Taikai still tries to push forward, but his leg strength just seems to be lacking in Aki. At this point, I hope he does go kadoban. I think it will electrify him in Kyushu and I hope to see twelve wins and a jun-yusho for him.

Could anyone translate for me what the gyoji says at various times? What does he say when the match begins? It sounds to me like "Hockey oy!" After the pre-bout rituals, just before the actual tachi-ai, some gyoji say something as he shows the gunbai towards the rikishi (sounds something like "Yosssss"), what is it he's saying there? What is the phrase he's constantly repeating during the match? I've heard it's some kind of encouragement, but I'm curious to know the wording of the encouragement. Finally, what does the tate-gyoji say to the audience before the musubi no ichiban (when the yobidashi behind him claps the woodblocks together)? Thanks in advance!

Could someone explain to this relatively new fan of sumo what the dead-body rule means? Are there any other conditions (other than hansoku-make) that could cause a rikishi to win even though he first touched outside the tawara or on the clay below him?

I really do like Chiyotaikai's graceful salting, but c'mon guys... Can any rikishi's salt shaking be more exciting that Takamisakari's super pumped up toss? He waits for his opponent to be watching him, then he just rockets that salt into the ring. He does get a lot of salt on the East side of the dohyo, but hey, more purification for his opponent's part of the clay.

I agree with you here. I think the mental game is a weapon that Asashoryu uses masterfully. From the moment he enters from the East and sits next to the dohyo, his menacing glare and his crossed arms are very intimidating. He has an arrogant glare and a confident stride. Maybe that's brash youth, but I think he's just acting the way any Yokozuna should... confident that he's at the peak of his sport. When I said that Sho controlled the timing of the tachi-ai, I definitely think he had his mind on intimidating Hoku. I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with that, either. Did he overthink the bout before it even began? Maybe. I felt that Sho didn't show the quickness and dohyo sense that he usually displays in order to get out of the way of strong tachi-ais, which might come from a lack of concentration. The thing is, as he showed tonight against (admittedly far weaker) Kotonowaka, you need a truck to stop Hokutoriki's deashi. His oshi is just too powerful. I think Hokutoriki's double matta was very much on purpose. Just to annoy the Yokozuna and to show him that he was ready and even anxious to come at him. On a similar note: Did anyone else root for Takamisakari at the edge of their seat tonight?? He stuck with Sho in oshi-zumo for far longer than I had expected him to. One day, my friends, Sakari is going to find his game again. Keep the faith.

Oh, good one! Yes, we need to clear the Ozeki ranks for all the promising newcomers currently in Juryo and mid-Maegashira. The next step will surely be a "keiko accident" for Musoyama, no? (Applauding...) Ha! Nothing that could "accidentally" happen to the Moose during keiko will compare to the immense pain that Sho is gonna dish out to Takamisakari tonight. Sakari is light enough, and Sho is pissed off enough. I'll be looking out for that tsuriotoshi special.