Higashimori 0 Posted May 9, 2004 Hi there, my name is Kurt and thought after 10 posts or so I should make a self-intro. I live in Japan, have been here a little over 2 years, am married with one young son. My in-laws laugh nervously when I tell my son (he's only 14 months old) "yokozuna ni naru." I grew up in Hawaii, and so I was aware of Sumo because of the "Hawaii Connection," although I actually left Hawaii by the time that Konishiki became prominent and then the others. I was clueless about Takamiyama, who was wrestling when I grew up. (As fate would have it, Azumazeki Oyakata took my ticket my first time to go to a basho -- immortalized here). I actually have a Konishiki story but I'll save that for the end. I'm a Sumo newbie, for sure, my first basho being Natsu of last year. I followed vaguely the honbashos after I got here (and before that, even more vaguely via ESPN), probably because Musashimaru was Yokozuna. I was quite unaware of Takanohana, I'm embarrassed to say. After his retirement though, I started to realize the long history of the sport, and via a couple of TV programs about Takanohana started to understand more about sumo, rikishi and heya life, the rituals of sumo, etc. I was also captivated by Asashoryu's sumo and youth and his promotion to Yokozuna. After my first basho torikumi in person, I was hooked. I also, more for tourist reasons than anything else, took along my camera and newly acquired zoom lens and took a lot of photos. A lot of folks liked these, and I myself felt even more drawn into sumo by working on them. (a link to my sumo photos is in my sig in case you haven't seen them -- a short 13-photo exhibit of some of these is here) Have been to each Tokyo basho since Natsu of last year, and will go to Natsu this basho (in a few hours in fact!). I've been lucky to have been at two basho days where Asashoryu clinched the Yusho. Have been a SML member since the day of Takanohana's retirement announcement, but only recently discovered the forum. Wish I had sooner, as one of my frustrations is having very few people in my circle here (despite being in Japan) to talk to about the bashos, and probably because of the Spoiler considerations, the SML seems to get very quiet during the basho other than for Games stuff. So now the Forum link is on my custom-made homepage for easy access. Okay, I think that's enough, or perhaps too much :-D I'll end with my Konishiki story (copied and pasted from my sent email folder, I apologize for weird line breaks and such): Konishiki went to a high school in Honolulu right next to mine (my brother went to the same school, was two grades behind him). One day I and a couple of other guys were returning from baseball practice (we were a tiny school, so we used a public park for practice). Down the road comes Sale (Konishiki's given name) holding a baseball bat and slapping his other hand with it like he's a character out of Walter Hill's The Warriors and he's looking to break some heads. Now, Konishki wasn't anything near as big then as he now is, but all of us were thinking the same thing: we're dead, he's going to beat out puny white asses back to the Mainland with that baseball bat. But instead, he just said "Howzit, like scrimmage," which is pidgin' Hawaiian English for "How's it going, would you guys like to scrimmage?" We were scared shitless so just nervously mumbled that we had to get home, ending the story. Ah, hindsight. If only I'd known he was to become famous in both Japan and Hawaii, I could have written a "How I scrimmaged Konishiki at baseball and won!" story, instead of this lame "How I ran with my tail between my legs when Konishiki uttered the word 'scrimmage' one. So that's my Konishiki story, and mine as well. Happy to be here, I've had a very warm welcome already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted May 9, 2004 (Blinking...) Welcome to the forum, first of all . Good Konishiki story -- too bad you didn't get to actually play baseball together. And your pictures are awesome! :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aderechelsea 107 Posted May 9, 2004 welcome again ........... i am a bit amazed that you didn't know Taka but if you stay around in this forum you will learn more than you could care..... i know i am piling up information in my brain that all my friends and family believe to be useless....... if you go to a basho or a keiko again please feed us with more of these great photos.... :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coo-cook 0 Posted May 9, 2004 Welcome and welcome. Are you a profesional photographer? Your photos are great and show fine small details you don't see often. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenjimoto 39 Posted May 10, 2004 Wonderful introduction, welcome. And your photos are beautiful, especially the "passive" shots - very well composed! So, enjoy the forum, and good luck in the games, I already noticed you pop up in many of them! ;-) Cheers Zenjimoto Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Otokonoyama 2,735 Posted May 10, 2004 Welcome Higashimori! I too enjoyed your pics (Sign of approval) . You grow up in Town? I lived in Hawaii for 6 all-to-short months about 3 years back. Aiea and Pearl City. It was right when Akebono made his comeback and won his final two basho, then retired. Anyhow, hope you enjoy SF as much as I do ;-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoshidango 0 Posted May 10, 2004 Welcome Higashimori, and cool Konishiki story and Takamiyama photo... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manekineko 200 Posted May 10, 2004 Welcome! This Forum is getting richer and richer with every new member... ;-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zuikakuyama 1 Posted May 10, 2004 Welcome!!! Another member located in the land of the rising sun. Those are very good photos. I wish I could visit a real basho soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesinofuji 11 Posted May 10, 2004 Welcome to the forums. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Higashimori 0 Posted May 11, 2004 Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. To address a few things: i am a bit amazed that you didn't know Taka but if you stay around in this forum you will learn more than you could care..... Well, what I meant was that I knew who he was but was really unaware of his greatness, the legacy of his family, etc. When I got here two-plus years ago he was injured and so he wasn't really a part of the bashos I was watching. I am more than making up for this lack these days however, due in part to forums like this one. if you go to a basho or a keiko again please feed us with more of these great photos.... well, went on Day 2 this basho and shot 12 rolls, so I will certainly oblige with some photos, though mind you I'm old school and so it'll be a while before they are processed and scanned into the computer. Are you a profesional photographer? No but I play one on TV (Laughing...) Actually, at the basho the other day seeing these guys sitting at the corners with their cameras I was trying to think of a way to finagle one of those "press" armbands. good luck in the games, I already noticed you pop up in many of them! Yes, after avoiding them like the plague, I decided to finally try one this basho. But then I went crazy and I'm like in 8 or so! Sometimes with contradictory picks! Oh well, it's making the basho even more fun, and is causing me to pay more attention to Juryo which is a good thing. You grow up in Town? I lived in Hawaii for 6 all-to-short months about 3 years back. Aiea and Pearl City. Yes, in town mostly, though our first place in Hawaii ('67) was in Pearl City. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taka 33 Posted May 17, 2004 Great introduction! Welcome (Showing respect...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
