John Gunning

Sumo. Trust me you really want to take the blue pill.

I dunno where you got that story but it’s a total fabrication. He was absent because he was suspended by the oyakata and almost purged with all the others who retired (were fired) at that time. Somehow he managed to avoid the chop. Maybe because his role in all that went on wasn’t fully known or maybe because the boss was afraid if he got rid of every single rikishi the heya would be closed. Regardless far from ‘developing doubts’ he begged not to be thrown out and had others interceding on his behalf.

Disgusting is such a subjective word. Why not think of it as sharing the warmth of human kindness?

Sigh

How so?

Mawashi are so tightly woven that sweat barely penetrates and a short while in the sun is enough to dry them out fully. If you think a six meter long silk can stand up to a spin cycle by all means bung one into the machine and let me know how it turns out. I'd be curious to see the results. I once put a silk necktie into the wash by mistake. The results weren't pretty.

You can lead an audience to information but you can't make it understand.

Dryer.

Yeah this 'Sumo 101' daily series runs during tournaments and as the name implies it's bite-sized reads intended to give a quick into to the sport. I'll do my best to wedge in at least one less well known fact (or personal observation) daily for the people here who aready know all the standard stuff. Still have a few to write so if there are topics of interest by all means suggest them.

Ooh-La-La?

Egomanic and all that I am, being called 'our dear John Gunning' is just a tad too Kim Jong-il for me.

Not reported. Tamawashi came up behind me (and Hiro Morita) sitting in the back row and spent 20 minutes talking to us about various desserts, puddings, ice creams etc. Japanese, Mongolian, Estonian. He knows them all and how to make them all. Sumo school was like a sauna and his description of watermelon drinks had me dying.

Impressions from the soken

Yobidashi