Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Does anyone know where the picture of the 3 yokozuna was taken? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted February 26, 2003 Does anyone know where the picture of the 3 yokozuna was taken? No idea but they're pounding rice to create mochi, some kind of rice pur Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Really? Cool. I like mochi ice cream, which is similar: Mochi Ice Cream Japanese resaurants in Boston (where I live) frequently offer mochi as a dessert. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted February 26, 2003 As promised elsewhere I'll show you images of kodomo-zumo where a rikishi "fights" against a bunch of boys. First we have a demonstration by Kaio who's close of disposing of his first opponent but there are five more. Judging by the blondness of the kids, this must be from either Australian or Canadian koen. Maru fares even worse. He's knocked over one lilliputian but there are five more determined to apply some good old okuridashi on the giant! If only they could decide which direction to push. Those two kids on his hips mainly intend to make him slimmer. Meanwhile Tenzan has that Check this out, the funny gaijin posts pictures of us look on his face. I'm not sure who the lady here is and what she and Dejima attempt to accomplish by stretching their tongues. :-D Finally, salt... First it's thrown around copiously a la Kitazakura... ... then Tosanoumi the Dohyo Diver dives for it in Hatsu Basho 2002. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony 16 Posted February 27, 2003 For Takanohana's fans! Takahanada and Wakahanada during keiko Takanohana II : medal's profile! Takanohana II during an hard training Takanohana II Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manekineko 200 Posted February 27, 2003 Here's a tribute to Akebono. My, who would believe that this boy will grow up to be the first gaijin yokozuna... Ake when he just joined sumo: And when he was ichiban shusse, wearing a borrowed kesho-mawashi: Here he is with a happy (or terrified?) fan: This picture fills me with nostalgia: three future yokozuna in their carefree maegashira youth... Look at the brilliant smile at Taka's face! Ake serving as Chiyonofuji's tachi-mochi, with Mitoizumi as tsuyu-harai. Ake with his oyakata and okamisan, accepting the promotion to yokozuna: Ake with his oyakata, showing his new shikona (can you spot the difference), while Azumazeki-oyakata shows the old. Ake as white swan in the "Swan lake" ballet. :O I wish this picture was bigger... Ake doing his dohyo-iri. Ake in pool, his content of fat is being measured, I think. And finally, his danpatsu-shiki... hair cut by a future yokozuna: and his greatest rival... Edit: Ha! Two yokozuna tributes posted almost simultaneously... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted February 27, 2003 Wow, what great pictures! Thanks to everyone who posted! Ake when he just joined sumo: Cool pictures. Already with a knee bandage -- telling of things to come?? Ake with his oyakata, showing his new shikona (can you spot the difference), while Azumazeki-oyakata shows the old The only difference is the little square in the middle right side of the shikona, right? Does it have a literal meaning? First we have a demonstration by Kaio who's close of disposing of his first opponent Looks like it's as easy for him hold that kid as it is for me to hold a tennis ball. Kind of scary (Hehe...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted February 27, 2003 This time I'll post only images of the yokozuna and stuff related to them. First some of Akebono that I haven't seen posted yet. This one must be from late Eighties when his sport of choice was still basketball. Here at the very end of his career lowering down his small son onto the dohyo in his last dohyo-iri. Finally his tenteki ready for the honour of snipping some of his hair. Then some of Musashimaru. Here Fia celebrates one of his numerous makuuchi saiko yusho with that festive fish called aka-tai. Here putting on the tsuna (tsunashime) is displayed, most likely from a jungyo tour. Take note of the white gloves his tsukebito wear in order to not ruin the tsuna with dirt. Then two images of Wakanohana II, variations of the same drawing. Below them two images of Wakanohana III; latter to be shown to those relatives who claim those sumo guys are made of only of fat. In the previous image you can see well the Shiranui type of tsuna with its characteristic two loops. Here's Takanosato's tsuna which is also of the rarer Shiranui style. To remind you about the difference, here are the two types side by side. On the left (or top) Shiranui, on the right (or bottom) Unryu style tsuna. That's it for tonight. :-9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubiquitoyama 4 Posted February 28, 2003 Then four images of Wakanohana III Masaru. Two variations of the same drawing, practise shot and an excellent image to show to those relatives who claim those sumo guys are made of only of fat. Are you sure that's really Wakanohana-III in the drawings? I could have sworn it was actually Wakanohana-II. Hard to say for sure though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted February 28, 2003 I could have sworn it was actually Wakanohana-II. You're right! How come the image names of these files have always been "WakaIII..." on my hard drive? Either I made a mistake or someone who originally posted these somewhere. Anyway, thanks to you it's now corrected. (Thumbs up...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted February 28, 2003 Nice tsuna pictures. I didn't know they had two styles. Is the yokozuna allowed to choose what style he wants? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubiquitoyama 4 Posted February 28, 2003 Nice tsuna pictures. I didn't know they had two styles. Is the yokozuna allowed to choose what style he wants? Yes. It's the Unryu-style (symbolizing defense) and the Shiranui-style (symbolizing offense). They have the names from two early yokozunas (number 10 and 11 I believe) who supposedly used styles similar to the two now existing ones (although in reality this is supposed to come from a misunderstanding of a sumo guru in the early 20th century, Kozo Hikoyama, and the reverse is rather true). Unfortunately several injury-prone and relatively old yokozunas have chosen the Shiranui-style so in the name of superstition, it has become increasingly uncommon. The last Yokozuna to use it was Wakanohana-3 and before that Asahifuji. The actual difference is the way they hold their hands when moving upwards, straigthening the legs, within the dohyo-iri (I don't remember the term, but I'm sure Kotoseiya will provide it). In Unryu, one arm is bent inwards (the left I think) and one is stretched out, while in Shiranui, both are stretched out. There is also the way the tsuna is tied in the back, where Unryu uses one loop and Shiranui two loops. I'm sure there are better explanations on sumo FAQs around the web, but this should suffice as a start I think. Note that Asashoryu chose Unryu as well as Akebono, Takanohana and Musashimaru. I hoped he would be brave enough to go for Shiranui, but I will have to wait a bit longer for somone to choose that again it seems... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenjimoto 40 Posted February 28, 2003 An off-the-sleeve prophecy: when Kaio becomes Yokozuna, he will choose the Shiranui style... but will get re-injured in his first basho as Yokozuna, and retire two basho later with recurring back and arm problems, thus reinforcing the superstition! :D Cheers Zenjimoto Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doitsuyama 1,173 Posted February 28, 2003 Hehe, I had exactly the same vision. If the effect of the superstition is THAT strong to Zenjimoto and me, how must it be for Sumotori who are notoriously superstitious? I believe we won't see for a long time, unless a brave rikishi actually wants to put the jinx on him... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubiquitoyama 4 Posted February 28, 2003 Hehe, I had exactly the same vision. If the effect of the superstition is THAT strong to Zenjimoto and me, how must it be for Sumotori who are notoriously superstitious? I believe we won't see for a long time, unless a brave rikishi actually wants to put the jinx on him... Well, it is quite difficult once the jinx has formed in rikishis heads. The only one who would dare use Shiranui now is someone who doesn't expect a long career anyway, so most who would dare use it only strengthens the jinx. It's hardly possible that Kaio would stay more than 2 or three years as yokozuna even if he is hardly hampered by injury problems, because of his age and already cronic ailments. On the other hand, if a young, hopeful-strong-yokozuna-to-be still takes on the Shiranui style, it's probable any problems of his, whenever they occur, would suddenly be accounted to the jinx. Personally I think more of the later days of Kitanoumi, with constant injuries and difficulties to make good results would be in memory of people, had he chosen Shiranui, and he would suddenly have been an example of the weak Shiranui-style yokozunas instead of an example of strong dai-yokozuna... The power of the jinx is mighty. As I understand it, it is not so uncommon Haguroyama, who really had a marvellous career, is seen as one of the "rather weak" Shiranui-style yokozunas, whereas he really had the longest yokozuna career of all, including a high number of yusho in a time with fewer basho than now, and probably only is robbed of being called a great yokozuna, because he happened to be contemporary with the great Futabayama, and never was allowed to match strength with him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted February 28, 2003 An off-the-sleeve prophecy: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubiquitoyama 4 Posted February 28, 2003 Back to the tsuna: thank you for the explanations and background on the two styles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 1, 2003 It's the Unryu-style (symbolizing defense) and the Shiranui-style (symbolizing offense).(...) They have the names from two early yokozunas (number 10 and 11 I believe) (...) a misunderstanding of a sumo guru in the early 20th century, Kozo Hikoyama, and the reverse is rather true (...) The actual difference is the way they hold their hands when moving upwards, straigthening the legs, within the dohyo-iri (I don't remember the term, but I'm sure Kotoseiya will provide it). (...) In Unryu, one arm is bent inwards (the left I think) I've understood that while Shiranui represents solely offense, Unryu represents a harmony of defense (arm bent towards torso) and offense (arm stretched outwards). Shiranui style is likened to a swan taking off. I personally much prefer it. ;-) Even "my" own shisho (Sadogatake Oyakata, moto-yokozuna Kotozakura) performed Shiranui. No wonder my profile page shows me wearing a Shiranui tsuna... Trivia: Kitanofuji performed once Shiranui style dohyo-iri (outside honbasho) acting as a substitute of his fellow yokozuna Tamanoumi who was also his good friend. Tamanoumi was at the time suffering from complications of an operation on his appendix (appendicitis + thrombosis; Dr. Kaikitsune might explain the terms...) to which he unfortunately deceased. :~-( Perhaps this incident spoiled Shiranui's reputation the most of all individual incidents. I think I had an image of this dohyo-iri on my hard drive in summer '01 when I messed up its partition table. Never read Oliver Sacks while doing such delicate operations. Unryu was indeed #10 but there were two Shiranuis, #8 and #11. Not knowing which one is the correct man bugged me and still does as I didn't find conclusive evidence to clear the confusion. Anyway both were yokozunas in mid-1800's (#8, 1844-1848 and #11, 1863-1869). Unryu was promoted to yokozuna in 1865, so more likely #11 (Shiranui II) is the correct man. Indeed. (Laughing...) Hikoyama mixed the styles. I will? I will. I'm so predictable. Seri-agari. Yes, the left hand. Here's Futabayama in a stamp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 1, 2003 As I understand it, it is not so uncommon Haguroyama, who really had a marvellous career, is seen as one of the "rather weak" Shiranui-style yokozunas Funny how a person's memory starts to fail. I could've sworn that Haguroyama (who quite rightly is said to have lost his chance of becoming even more legendary by having the adverse luck of being Futabayama's coeval and do-beya (stablemate)) was an Unryu yokozuna but you're correct (as you tend to be). And here's the proof. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 2, 2003 Still some to be shown. This time I'll upload pictures of some of less known rikishi. Tochisakae with and without glasses. I believe he squints slightly. Is that dirt in his hair? Wakakosho stretching. Then three pictures of Great Anchor of Isenoumi-beya, Oikari. Tamanoshima after his komusubi promotion. What is he gesturing? Tochinohana with chonmage, cauliflower ear and black eye. Asanosho suffering in tokoyama's hands. He retired some time ago because of a heart (?) condition. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 2, 2003 I got a request of Tosanoumi. Unfortunately I have only few proper images of him. (Laughing...) Here finishing ozeki Chiyotaikai in nakabi of Aki Basho 2001 with an oshidashi. Two days later maegashira hitto Asashoryu lost to him by tsukiotoshi. This is probably an aftermath of a matta (?). Take note of sanyaku-kaku's full red tassels. Sometimes they officiate also all-maegashira bouts. Finally two portraits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 3, 2003 Let's see some of Gojoro as found by Kintamayama-zeki. (Thumbs up...) First as a tachimochi of Wakanohana III. Tsuyuharai seems to be Wakanosato, right? Then posing in front of Magaki-heya with a dobeya of his. Wakatenro, isn't it? Somewhat unusual motif in a kesho, don't you think? Here's the explanation! He's a fisherman! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted March 3, 2003 And a good fisherman, too, it seems (Laughing...) I'm hungry now. Time to eat! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony 16 Posted March 3, 2003 For old fans! Yokozuna Kitanoumi Ozeki Masuiyama II Futabayama yokozuna dohy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted March 3, 2003 What an excellent view of the shihon-bashira! shihon-bashira, pillars supporting tsuriyane until September 1952; since 1858 those were decorated using same colors as busa are coloured nowadays, see aka-busa, ao-busa, kuro-busa, shiro-busa, mizuhikimaku, agemaki Share this post Link to post Share on other sites