Mongolian jungyo under way

[Naganoyama 6,042]

Some new contents on the sumo-webpaper.

My special sports reporter (Neener, neener...) Enkhbat Batmunkh (former Kykutenzan) made some pics from the jungyo backstage and on the dohyo.

See them here: Mongolian jungyo

All the results of the second day for the unlucky who couldn't watch it :

...

Sansho

Shukun-sho : Tokitenku

Kanto-sho : Kakuryu

Gino-sho : Ama

Thank you to the lucky one who was there and shared the results with us!

Thank you also to Fay for sharing the pictures of Kyokutenzan which are really, really worth seeing if you haven't yet paid a visit. It really makes you feel not only that you are there, but also that you are a specially privileged one that can hang out with the boys.

;-)

[Asashosakari 20,276]

At the risk of making a fool of myself: Who is Chiyotenro and what does he have to do in Juryo?

Shotenro (as Fay already wrote) and yesterday Daiyubu were moved up to fill in because there are five Mongolians in juryo and 19 in makushita and below.

[Peeter 15]

Tokitenkuu ............. was seen driving

Two basho suspension. Only counts for tournaments in Mongolia.

I don't think any ban banns. Kinta had banana oil in his banal glass and bandages on his arms, bandit standing behind him, when he wrote this...

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Tokitenkuu ............. was seen driving

Two basho suspension. Only counts for tournaments in Mongolia.

It should have been "riding in a car that was going against traffic".

[Kintamayama 47,316]

I don't think any ban banns. Kinta had banana oil in his banal glass and bandages on his arms, bandit standing behind him, when he wrote this...

This banter is more suited for a Taliban bank robber who is in a band.

[Asashosakari 20,276]

I don't think any ban banns. Kinta had banana oil in his banal glass and bandages on his arms, bandit standing behind him, when he wrote this...

This banter is more suited for a Taliban bank robber who is in a band.

Abandon this baneful hijacking before Ban Ki-moon gets involved to call for its banishment.

[Randomitsuki 2,907]

(In a state of confusion...) I hope this was the musubi-no-ichi-ban of silly jokes. (Gyoji...)

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Asa beats Hakuhou:

Rain and Tears:

Edited August 28, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,316]

[madorosumaru 7]

The following is a summary of an article from mainichi.jp:

"Bayarlalaa!" shouted the emotion-choked Asashoryu as he thanked the crowd at the conclusion of the Mongolian Jungyo. The scene reinforced the impression that the yokozuna was effectively the force behind this jungyo.

Ozumo was well-received in Ulaanbaatar. The first day's events were televised live and videos were replayed by other stations late into that night. The newspapers treated the tournament as front page news the following morning. Throngs of fans gathered at the venue and presence of scalpers was observed. The circus building used for the basho is owned and operated by Asashoryu's relatives. In between bouts, the yokozuna was seen circulating around the various booths, giving encouragement to the sales clerks. His role appeared to be more of an entrepreneur than that of a rikishi.

Tickets were going for up to 200,000 tugrik (20,000 yen). Since the average monthly salary of a government worker is 300,000 tugrik, that is quite expensive. One spectator said he sold four sheep to pay for his ticket(s). A local authority said that only a small number of the rich and powerful made it inside the venue. Most of the others watched the tournament on street-corner televisions.

The ozumo troupe was treated as special guests. Policecars cleared their routes and all the traffic signals turned green as they approached. The banquet hosted by the president in their honor was a grand affair held alfresco in the open plains on the outskirts of the city.

At the basho venue, Asashoryu's friends from Japan sat in the VIP section next to the Mongolian president. All over the building were advertisements and pennants of enterprises owned by the yokozuna's kinfolks. It was clearly his show.

Oshima Oyakata, head of the jungyo department, said, "Everything went smoothly because of the strong cooperation of the [Mongolian] government." However, as for whether there would be a next time, he was pessimistic, "It's going to be difficult. On top of the language barrier, there are many other problematic areas."

[Jonosuke 28]

The tournament turned out to be a real "serious" one as expected by everyone and by his uncle as we all suspected that Asashoryu would challenge himself to the occasion by first letting his bud, Hakuho have his way on Day 1 before he would get his by showing his true color.

Another amazin' finish, the stuff that the legends are made.

And a successful jungyo end like every other jungyo and just as everyone all wanted to be. We all must tip our something or other to the great warrior Asashoryu as without him being there and being himself, it's been said that the Mongolian Jungyo would have been a total failure of colossal scale.

I know I know, you can accuse me again of being jaded but still it's all medetashi, medetashi and time to eat a bowl of Nagatani-en ochazuke.

It's great knowing the universe is unfolding as it should.

Edited August 28, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Pics from day 2:

Osh in the background: "Oh man, he's doing those tricks again..Let's get outta here."

Asa: "Now for my next trick-as you can see, nothing in my hands, no sleeves!!"

Asa with runny mascara after the tears:

Hakuhou with his older sister's son and a baby:

[Asafan 0]

Ryuo tsuridashi Chiyotenro

At the risk of making a fool of myself: Who is Chiyotenro and what does he have to do in Juryo?

Think it should be Shotenru.

Yes, Shotenro, of course. I should have known it, as I read Kintamayama's foreigners website every day during the bashos. Sorry. I was very busy taking pics, writing down all the results, staring at Asa (Gyoji...) , etc. It was a bad interpretation of the cyrillic transcription of his name

I humbly apologize (In a state of confusion...)

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Yes, Shotenro, of course. I should have known it, as I read Kintamayama's foreigners website every day during the bashos.

Oh, so it's you!!

[Kintamayama 47,316]

The surprise "by far most popular Japanese rikishi" was KaioU, as I reported earlier. All the main newspapers were trying to outdo each other in praise of the veteran."Most of the crowd was chanting KaioU's name even more loudly than the Mongolian rikishi's.." said one. "He exudes an image of grandeur!!", said another. "I keep thinking what brought this about, having no prior experience of this sort, and it makes me want to gambarize and continue for as long as I can!" said KaioU himself.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Peeter 15]

... and for now, there are two KaioU's in sanyaku - Toyonoshima ( small Kaio ) & Kaio himself!

And why, Kinta, Baruto is sooooooo red coloured in Your foriners site?

[Kintamayama 47,316]

With the Mongolian Jungyo barely over, there already is talk of the next one, perhaps in three years. The Kyokai wants to maintain a "one foreign jungyo a year" ratio from next year. 2009-London, 2010-Bangkok. So, maybe, 2011-Mongolian tour again, as the promoters, rikishi and many others are putting on the pressure.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,316]

A popularity poll was held among the fans-50 people were asked who they favor,Asashouryuu or Hakuhou. 32-18 in favor of Asashouryuu. Reasons given "He was the first Mongolian Yokozuna ", "He has many yusho under his belt", "He is strong". Those that picked Hakuhou said 'he had good character',and that "he has great future promise as a sumotori and as a human". In the meantime, Asa gave Hakuhou a piece of the sheep:

"Even though I lost in the end, I'm feeling great. The jungyo had great quality with no one getting hurt , so that is good!", said Hakuhou.

Dancing with the Stars: Kisenosato, Hakuhou, Ryuuou:

Edited August 29, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,316]

"I am so overwhelmed I can't stop the tears!", said Asashouryuu after winning the final finals.

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Kotooushuu went horseback riding in the wide grassy plains. "I used to ride when i was a child (and went wild, becoming beguiled, divorce was filed, my coffee is mild tatatatata etc..) but I haven't done this for ten years!", he enthused. He rode well. "I feel great!", he said. He received a colt as a present from the horse's owner. "I can't very well take it back to Japan, so what shall I do??", he asked but named it Kotochan. "Good name, no?", he queried.

Osh with horse:

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Asashouryuu and Hakuhou have buried the hatchet, it seems. Pictures and stories coming from the jungyo suggest that. Ms.Hosoki had urged them both to "be friends", which probably was a step in the right direction. They shook hands at the senshuraku party. After the handshake came a strong hug (both had migi-yotsu) between them.

After some drinking, Asa explained. "On the dohyo things can heat up, but we are good friends!". "That's right!", agreed a smiling Hakuhou.

Friends with Ms.Hosoki, who knew their future of course, being a fortune teller etc..:

What a Wonderful World:

Edited August 29, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,316]

Group A (Asashouryuu, Kotooushuu, KaioU and others) has landed safely back at home. Asa wanted to return on Sunday, but did not receive permission from the Kyokai. "I felt like staying for a few more days, but Aki basho is around the corner so I returned with everyone", he said. The other group will be leaving tomorrow by way of Seoul. According to sources in Mongolia, they may be delayed because of bad weather.

[Kintamayama 47,316]

... and for now, there are two KaioU's in sanyaku - Toyonoshima ( small Kaio ) & Kaio himself!

And why, Kinta, Baruto is sooooooo red coloured in Your foriners site?

Every country has a color code. Estonia is red, no particular reason-it was one of the few left.

[Kintamayama 47,316]

And now, the "negative side". Some local newspapers were not happy with what they saw. At first, the papers wrote of the Mongolian rikishi and KaioU the Popular etc.., and eveything was nice and rosy, but starting yesterday morning, the tone had changed in some papers. "This wasn't the sumo the Mongolian people have become so enchanted with. We wanted to see real, honbasho type of Sumo. Instead, we got a watered-down 'show'. A lot of people turned up (2500 each day, full house every day, but not exactly a lot..) but saw bouts with no intensity", said the articles. Even in the stands, some voices were heard shouting "Go at it more seriously!!". Mongolia carries Sumo broadcasts on a large scale and "Mongolians know their sumo very well (as opposed to other international venues)", as Ooshima Oyakata said. The Mongolians have no notion of "Exhibition sumo", and they saw right through the charade, say the papers.

That being said, the final playoff between the Yokozunae drew extreme enthusiasm from the fans and when Asashouryuu burst into tears and thanked the fans, the roof came down.

The sumo world today would be different without the Mongolians. There is no denying that some dissatisfaction notwithstanding, a new page in history was written with this jungyo.

Asashouryuu thanks the fans in the name of Sumou:

Edited August 29, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Fay 1,677]

Some more pics for the sumo-webpaper from f. Kyokutenzan. (and 2 special for me ;-) )

Mongolian jungyo part 2