sumojoann

Yes, Ishiura speaks English. His Facebook page indicates he studied at SACE, which is an English language college in Australia. https://www.facebook.com/masakatsu.ishiura A mutual friend also told me he speaks English, although the day I ran into him while visiting Miyagino Beya in Sept of 2014 while attending the Aki Basho (he was only in Makushita then), he was struck mute when I greeted him by name! He stared at me in shock, probably because he was stunned that I knew his name. My taxi arrived just then so I wasn't able to try to engage him in conversation. A couple of years later, I worked up the nerve to send him a Facebook message but I never received a response.

Unfortunately, if Ichinojo lands on you, no amount of "right sumo" is going to make a difference! You're toast!

I think speculating who will be the next Yokozuna is a fun exercise, but actually predicting who will be next to wear the rope is an exercise in futility. I learned my lesson. I truly thought that Terunofuji would be the next Yokozuna. I just KNEW he was the one! And I KNEW it would happen in the next 18 months! But then tragedy struck. And no amount of wishful thinking can ever undo the reality of what happened to him, and my dream of him being the next Yokozuna. The last paragraph of the above quote really hit home with me. Three very powerful sentences. Any one of the rikishi mentioned as possible Yokozuna contenders could be seriously, even irreparably , injured, at any time . And not just on the Dohyo. In training, during a Jungyo, even while out celebrating. Not one of these contenders is invincible. Not a single one . And I suppose that is part of what makes sumo so compelling. The odds are so stacked against any one of them being able to avoid or overcome injury and make it to the very top that when a rikishi actually succeeds in becoming a Yokozuna, he is indeed god-like. I remember the day I met Hakuho during the Aki Basho in Sept 2014. At his Heya, the moment he walked in to begin his training session, his friend, who later introduced us, whispered to me, "He's like a god!!". And indeed he was. Oh, I just received a notification that Kintamayama commented on the thread, "Terunofuji's Health Problems". One more reminder that a top contender to become a Yokozuna will never realize his dream. But dreams give us hope for the future. Not everyone's dream of becoming a Yokozuna will be dashed. Someone or several someones will realize their dream. Some may not even have a Shikona yet!

Here is a link to an Ebay listing for a Sumo Wrestling Scrapbook & Photo Album from 1948. It's for sale for $5,000 USD. (I don't know how to post the photos from the listing. Someone else may know how to do that). https://www.ebay.com/itm/Photo-Album-Sumo-Wrestling-Scrapbook-and-Photograph-Album-1948/163699065246?hash=item261d39819e:g:0d4AAOSwxelc40yK

Harumafuji, definitely! When I first started watching sumo in 2013 (has it really been 6 years?), I first noticed 1) Hakuho and 2) Harumafuji. Those 2 stood out. Hakuho is and was the GOAT, but Harumafuji was also exciting to watch. His tachi-ai's were so explosive! In an interview, he said that when he faced anyone on the dohyo, that rikishi became his enemy for those few moments. I also miss Homasho. I miss his sincere devotion to sumo, his respect for it's traditions, and most important, his beautiful deep bows. I miss seeing Terunofuji when he was his healthy self in Makuuchi. He was a pleasure to watch. I thought he would be our next Yokozuna. I could kick myself because I had the opportunity to see Asashoryu live in Japan around 2008 while we were on vacation. At that time, I had no interest in sumo, so I turned down the invitation. I'm sure my attitude would have changed overnight had I accepted that invitation and witnessed Asashoryu on the dohyo. I'll always wonder what I missed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wBIotskibE To see this dramatic and very entertaining bout between Azumaryu and Tobizaru, see 50:05 on video.

I'm very surprised that no one has singled out Makuuchi Yobidashi Shigeo for his incredibly beautiful singing. He's brings tears to my eyes. He sings like a male angel! I could listen to him all day!! Does anyone know of a video with him singing in it? I think he's in Kokonoe Beya.

I've run out of "Thanks" for the day so I'll just say, "Thank you!", Otokonoyama.

Yes, Tamawashi does like to bake! Check him out in the Youtube video with the title "Rikishi With Hobbies". (Other rikishi in the video are Yoshikaze, Takekaze & Wakanosato). (Sorry, I don't know how to do links).

He never continued with sumo in any capacity Sorry, I don't know how to multi-quote, but to respond to the previous post about whether Brodi ever took up sumo again after he left Japan, the answer is "no". (See my previous post above). Nothing on his Facebook page indicates any involvement in sumo. He has moved on.

This same video was originally uploaded to Youtube on July 21, 2014, with the title "The 10,000 Calorie Sumo Wrestler Diet" by Munchies. It was Season 1, Episode 1 of a new series, Fuel, dedicated to the high-performance diets of athletes. Yes, that was Brodi way back then.

I think there should have been a torinaoshi. It was just too close, but I'm not a shimpan so what do I know?

I just saw on the news that Kisenosato announced his retirement although apparently it was known several hours ago.

It was a strange move, wasn't it? It didn't seem to serve any purpose.

Did anyone else besides me notice Aoiyama kneeing Yoshikaze in the cojones at the end of their (Day 1) bout? The bout was actually over by the time this happened, with Aoiyama being the winner. Yoshikaze didn't react so I guess no damage was done.

My favorite Terunofuji Youtube videos --- (Sorry, I don't know how to provide links so here are the titles of the videos) --- 1) Sumo Wrestling - Terunofuji Carries Shohozan Out of the Ring 2) Fukuoka 2014 Day 15 - Terunofuji v. Ichinojo 3) Osaka 2015 - Day 13 - Hakuho v Terunofuji 4) Final Day Sumo Natsu Basho May 2015 5) May 2015 Terunofuji's Championship Interview (English) ? now Sandanme 88W? How far he has fallen! He was always one of my favorites --- still is --- but he should retire now and focus on the rest of his life outside of sumo.

Regarding Kisenosato hanging around until at least Day 6 or 7 so you will be able to see him fight, my friend bought a ticket for Day 1 specifically to increase his chances of seeing him before the inevitable happens.

As Kishinoyama stated above, Brodi, (who goes by the name Brodik Henderson on Facebook), posted a memory in March of last year from March of 2015. Under a photo of him with the other rikishi of his heya taken in Osaka is a caption. It reads in full, "Night out with the Nishikido Boys! Great time with good friends". However, above the photo is his quote from March 5, 2018 --- "Good times with some of the worst most racist hateful stupid cowardly humans I've ever met in my life". One of the commenters asked for the story behind the comments and another commenter said if he (Brodik) would write a book about his time in Japan, he would buy it. Brodik did not reply to the comments. This is the closest I have heard about what happened and it's from the horse's mouth.

Hi Tim, welcome to the Forum! Living in Utah, I imagine that you and your wife must feel very isolated when it comes to sumo. Living in Texas, I have encountered a tremendous amount of ignorance, stereotypes and resistance when trying to explain my passion for sumo to others. I was really hoping to "recruit" some friends and neighbors and turn them into fans but I have had to face reality that it's not going to happen. So finding this forum has been a godsend. I've only been a fan since 2013 when I was first introduced to sumo (TV Japan by satellite). Even though I am new, I have felt accepted here. I think as long as one doesn't act like a know-it-all, shows respect for all of the other members, and is not otherwise obnoxious, then you will be accepted, too. You mentioned that you lived in Japan during the Akebono era. Are you fluent in Japanese? If so, you will be able to contribute even more by helping to translate news articles, press conferences and even the Yusho winner's interview!! But even if your Japanese language ability is limited like mine is (mine is severely limited as I have started studying it only 3 weeks ago!), you will still be warmly welcomed. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

Fujisan, I'm so sorry to hear of your accident. Is there another type of work you could be trained to perform? A job that doesn't require that you climb a ladder? I can feel your strength of spirit in your words.

This thread should be under Ozumo Discussions because it's not about an ongoing or imminent honbasho.

He's wearing a wig. And yes, I think the mawashi doesn't look right, either. I think he's fake.

Please put me next in line for the second one if no one ahead of me takes it. (I live in Houston, Texas).