Johnofuji

Hoshihikari told me that Kakuryu and Hakuho were keen to keep up their size until their danpatsu shiki as they didn't want to look all flabby like the Kanreki Dohyo iri yoks.

Kiyonofuji was my coach for the 2006 Sumo World Championships. He was dating a colourful Sumo personality at the time so she arranged for him to coach our team. I did exactly what he said and won a bout or two. Really nice guy. He was young enough not to get the melted candle look when he lost weight.

I'm trying to put pressure on Hoshihikari who is still on good terms with Hakkaku and can talk to him directly but I don't think he understands the significance. I don't really know how it all works but a few of the Facebook pages with YouTube channels are constantly under fire. Inside Sports Japan keeps trying to shut down anyone using even a single Gunning photo even after the photo has been removed. Katrina Watts was very upset as she inadvertently shared a photo of herself to be used for an interview and immediately they tried to shut down the channel using it. People seem to have been successful when they appeal and call their bluff on the threatened legal action. The complainant then has a certain amount of time to show evidence that they have commenced legal action. If they don't then it turns into a strike against the complainant. (I could be wrong with some of this but that is my understanding from people who have tried to keep their channels alive) Apparently YouTube has a fair use policy that allows certain images to be nicked but that doctrine doesn't apply to Japan where copyright laws have just been tightened.

Thanks for that Information. Do you happen to know anything about their kesho mawashi and the Wanpaku tsuna that the Wankpaku Yokozuna wears? I've always wondered if it's just a gimmick by the sponsors or is there an official ranking system? I have seen photos of kids posing in kesho mawashi at least 100 years ago (the photos not when I saw them). Are there a series of tournaments and a banzuke perhaps or is it all based on the annual event. The kesho mawashi seem generic so maybe they are just for show to imitate a the Ozumo rituals.

I rang Hoshihikari and he agreed that the gyoji buggered it up. In amasumo the rules are very clear. "The gyoji shall not order the temporary halt of a bout during offensive moves of competitors." I'm pretty sure that they are the same in Ozumo as they are based on the Japanese rules and the main differences I've found are based on slapping to avoid ruptured ear drums and a few other safety precautions. Article 27 : When a mawashi becomes loose during a bout, the gyoji shall call out "Matta!" (Wait!) to halt the bout temporarily. Both competitors must freeze in their positions (kumite) until the bout is restarted. The gyoji shall not order the temporary halt of a bout during offensive moves of competitors. After tightening the mawashi and confirming with the judges that neither competitor has shifted from his/her kumite, the gyoji shall place his hands on the backs of both competitors, call out "Hikimasuyo! Hikimasuyo!" (Get ready. Get ready) and restart the bout by lightly tapping their backs and calling "Hakkeyoi!"

If it helps to take away some of the wank factor, I checked with one of his mates and apparently the watch was a gift from a rich sponsor. Sekitori don't need cash or pockets when their sponsors take them out. Hoshihikari said "That's a good thing .The worst thing is when sponsors give us the leftover food that we never left"

Thanks Shinobi san. I got a reply form the Russian Sumo Federation and they have never heard of him. He may have done it with Moldova or even the Ukrainians but I've never seen the Moldovans compete as a separate team.

Thanks. I thought so. I'm just curious as I don't think I've seen him at any world championships .His name normally would show up in an email search if he was listed in any of the draws that the International Sumo Federation send me. He is closer to a middleweight anyway so he wouldn't stand out as a King Kong . I'll ask me friend who works for the Russian Sumo Federation. Whether it's true or not I suppose if he keeps winning it's a good plug for sumo.

This guy Alexander " King Kong" Romanov, claims to have experience in sumo and commentators say that it helps him in MMA (which it might) However , judging by the lack of evidence I would say that it is a load of the cow's husband's excrement. I've never heard of him competing in amasumo and an interview of him in Russian says he doesn't mention sumo . It's a good selling point but he doesn't need one so why tell porkies?

Thanks for that interesting tidbit Akinomaki san. We can always rely on you to give us the most interesting pearls of information that can't be found anywhere else. It's sad when you think about how much Japanese history has been lost from wars, earthquakes , fires or simply from spring cleaning which as to be done because the houses are too small . More sumo statues.

As uncomfortable as I was about doing it , I sold one to an American for $100 and I don't think they did sumo. It was all done impersonally via our Sumo Federation email so I'm not sure if they would get excited or not to know that it had been worn by a large sweaty Samoan , Tongan or Maori for a TV commercial. I have heard of some prolific undie thieves in Japan but I thought they were just isolated incidents. I made the mistake of looking it up and it's way too common. Just recently an upskirt photographer got arrested with 2700 pairs. Ewww. Do you think we could cheer up Terasawa by getting him a new rabbit? A mawashi is a very personal item for a rikishi. New ones are very uncomfortable and take a very long time to soften up . The first few times really take the skin off but at least the black ones are a little softer due to the dyeing process.

Yes I remember now. He was a bit of a pisshead so he got told to choose the booze or sumo. He got up fairly high in makuuchi and was on the verge of greatness before he had to go troppo. He was a big solid unit. I had to help one of my Samoan deshi on the set of a new Marvel movie last week and he was almost twice the size of Nankairyu .

Yes I was wondering that too when I saw that Raishu's post about the Phantom Rikishi. Maybe he is right and the oyakata have zombie rikishi on the books to collect their slavery fees.

He ran away 7 times but all I know is that his father persuaded him to go back each time. He was probably after some of his mum's Filipino cooking .

Ossu, I'm curious as to how often rikishi have run away from their stables. I recall that 6 Tongans ran away from their Heya in 1976 after a dispute with the stablemaster who took over after the death of the oyakata that recruited them. I'll have to ask our resident ex-rikishi Minaminoshima for details as I think his dad was involved too. In about 1991 Kyokutenhō, Kyokushuzan and three others ran away and sought refuge in the Mongolian embassy however Kyokutenzan persuaded them to return. In January 1932 there was the Shunjuen Incident where dozens of rikishi walked out and only 11 remained in the top division. I know a lot of individuals have run away so it's not a rare occurrence. Saito from Tokitsukaze eventually ended up having his life brutally taken away from him after he was persuaded to come back several times. One of the kids in a documentary about a decade ago did a runner and there are countless tales of rikishi wanting to chuck in the towel. A rikishi once told me that a former university sekitori was forced to quietly resign for getting frisky with his tsukibito in the hot tub. It was alleged that the victims ran away after they were made to bob for plums (if you catch my drift) I know that it used to be very common for rikishi to sneak out for some fun at night until the stablemasters got better CCTV. The Musashigawa beya boys found a blind spot next to the dohyo so they would dive out of the window. Are there any other notable incidents that our sumo history buffs recall?