Preparations of the masses-Nagoya 2013

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Sokokurai will get two new kesho-mawashi and a new mawashi for the basho. He will enter Nagoya on the 20th.

[Yubinhaad 11,979]

Nagoya basho director Chiganoura-oyakata and his team with the gomenfuda, now in place outside the venue.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Oosunaarashi in Egypt lived on the 3rd floor of an apartment building and ran the stairs up and down to train. In his room he loved to use two 25kg-dumbbells.
A lively kid since early childhood, he started at the age of 7 with karate. At 12, at a prefecture tournament after an insult he hit his opponent and caused a bone fracture. After that he had to leave the dojo.
The devastated kid was told by his father: "Martial arts are not for injuring people". He encountered sumo at 15 (185cm, 120kg), in a nearby gym he was scouted by the coach of a sumo club in Kairo: "From his build I knew that he had the qualities to become a champion. And he also was enthusiastic at keiko."
During high school he went to the club 2 times a week, a 4 hours trip (one way). After about 2.5 years in 2008 he became 3rd in the open class of the sumo junior world championships. A dutch sumo coach he met there suggested to him to go to Japan and for Aki 2011 he entered Otake-beya.
Children usually are exempt from Ramadan rules, but he followed them since he was 7. Otake-oyakata: "I'm not thinking of giving him special treatment. Just because he can't drink and can't eat, to be not able to do anything is not tolerated. After all, he's doing that on his own."
In Egypt he is not yet widely recognized, soccer is the most popular sport. There are many karate dojos, but doing sumo are about 3000 people. The reason is the mawashi. Even though they wear leggings, they are ashamed to show that much of their lower half.
There are things from Egypt he misses, especially his mother's mumbar/mombar, flavored rice-sausages. She is cheering for her son from afar: "Being prepared to not return home till he becomes yokozuna is what I'm hearing."
(Mainichi)

Edited June 21, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Another one on Oosunaarashi, this time Bunshun.
Started weightlifting at 11, now 189cm, 145kg. He also has experience as a gym trainer. Admiring Takanohana, whom he saw on the internet, he began sumo at 15. After the open class in 2008, he also was 3rd in the heavy weight class of the world junior championships in 2010. 2 years ago, attracted to the world of ozumo, he was sending letters to several sumo-beya with the desire to enter, but no replies. Only Otake-beya send a reply, refusing. After that direct talks during two times he visited Japan. "Wanting to become yokozuna, this dream of his we are only supporting", Otake-oyakata valued his enthusiasm. For a while his manner of living in the heya was observed and at last his dream was fulfilled and he had his first dohyo appearance at last year's Haru basho.
"His body is stiff and with his hips high by no means one can call that good sumo, but last basho I think that he did a good sumo befitting that body. I want to continue to have him refine a sumo with thrusts, taking the initiative and attacking.", but Otake-oyakata is also worried about that speedy rise: "The unique rules of the sumo world, the self-awareness of being a sekitori and other things - how should I teach him that. Even now, there must have been many things he perhaps himself hasn't understood. But I'm convinced that by repeating it day by day he will see the point."
The oyakata is also concerned about the Ramadan, Oosunaarashi answering with sparkling big eyes: "It's OK. Oyakata, in sumo the heart/mind (kokoro) is the most important thing (you have said). Endurance, important. The same for the Ramadan. Immensely astonished about the rigid rules of the sumo world. But loving sumo. I'm very fond of you, oyakata. I'll endure the rigid rules."
(I don't like translating the typical foreigners touch)
Oosunaarashi, whom all around him appraise as "earnest and frank", fastening the pyramid design keshou-mawashi and making his sekitori debut in the Ramadan month !

[Akinomaki 41,857]

PR for a concert on June 22th, where he sings sumo jinku

Ikioi (and 2 other rikishi) sang sumo jinku together with an orchestra at the concert on the 22nd at the Tokyo arts college. About 1000 spectators.

[Benevolance 2,534]

Hooray, the singing is done. NOW DO YOUR KEIKO. I want a better showing from Ikioi in Nagoya.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Ikioi (and 2 other rikishi) sang sumo jinku together with an orchestra at the concert on the 22nd at the Tokyo arts college. About 1000 spectators.

Akinokawa, Ikioi, Tsurunoumi, appearing after Beethoven's 5th. After 30 minutes of jinku, the spectators rose in unison and applauded.

Jinku usually are sung without music, after the singers' own timing - Ikioi: "It's difficult to get in unison (with the orchestra)" (rikishi are used to get in unison with the opponent in each bout for the tachi-ai, should have been no big problem for him).

The kyokai's most beautiful voice: "It's an addiction. I want to do it again. It's an opportunity to have people who don't know sumo come and see it."

PR-chief Hakkaku-oyakata at the talk-show: "Wonderful, A huge success, isn't it." - seeing it as PR to have people become familiar with sumo atmosphere who have never been to the kokugikan.

College president is YDC member Ryouhei Miyata, the connection to have this event take place.

Miyata about Kise's yokozuna run: "At least 13 wins, as a runner-up 14 and more. If he loses he should do it looking good."

Edited June 23, 2013 by Akinomaki

[krindel 688]

Hooray, the singing is done. NOW DO YOUR KEIKO. I want a better showing from Ikioi in Nagoya.

Don't diregard Ikioi's value to the Kyokai as it is... He's Japanese, good looking, charismatic and a really good singer to boot. Sumo needs people like that to boost its popularity. Of course, I agree he needs to give a better performance on the dohyo too, if he ever could pick up his game to reach the higher levels of the Banzuke he would be like a dream come true for the NSK...

[Benevolance 2,534]

I agree with all your points! I don't know if he's yokozuna material, but I think he's certainly a talented and savvy enough rikishi that he could find a place in the sanyaku. But he's got to focus on his sumo and polish that finishing instinct.

[ronnie 221]

Hooray, the singing is done. NOW DO YOUR KEIKO. I want a better showing from Ikioi in Nagoya.

Every time I see his shikona the voices in my head sing the refrain from Ghost Riders In The Sky!

Except that it comes out as ee-kee-oh-eee (Band playing...)

[Blue_Wolf 24]

Any news on Baruto?

[Yubinhaad 11,979]

The Kyokai posted some pictures from a Takadagawa-beya keiko session.

On the right is the shisho, former Sekiwake Akinoshima, who still puts on the mawashi and gets involved in keiko.

No shortage of teppo poles at Takadagawa-beya.

Former Juryo Ryuden, who has dropped down due to injury, using a punching bag.

Shiratakayama (left) and former Juryo Dairaido prepare for another bout, while Akatsuki waits for his turn.

This time, Akinoyama (left) and Tatsu prepare while Akinoyama's twin brother Akinokawa waits for his turn.

Shiratakayama having a ball.

Tatsu watches a bout between the twins.

After keiko concludes, the rikishi are covered in dirt.

Takadagawa-beya chanko.

Head chanko chef Sakura with yobidashi Kazuya.

Tokotetsu fixes Tatsu's chonmage.

Kazuya and Daikamikaze relax with the heya's impressive library of sumo magazines.

Meanwhile Tsurunoumi, Akinokawa and Dangan relax by playing music.

The Kyokai also posted pictures from Isenoumi-beya showing what happens to the dohyo in the keikoba after each day's keiko is over. After the rikishi have swept the dohyo, some of the loose sand is formed into a pile at the centre of the dohyo. Fujiarashi is shown using a board to form the pile into a five-sided shape, representing the five elements of yin-yang.

A shinto symbol called a gohei - a rod with the same paper strips also seen attached to the Yokozuna's tsuna - are then placed in the pile of sand, denoting the dohyo as a sacred place.

As a gesture of gratitude for victory, three small piles of salt are placed at the centre of the dohyo, and again at the edge. They are placed in the order left, right, centre - the same order used for tegatana o kiru, the hand gestures a rikishi makes before taking kensho envelopes from the gyoji's gunbai. Finally, three handfuls of salt are thrown into the dohyo, in the same order.

Ikioi demonstrates 'seishin toitsu', or mental focus/concentration.

And one shot of the keikoba at Tamanoi-beya, showing the thrown salt more clearly.

[aderechelsea 125]

any news on Kyokushuho's injury (and possible recovery)?

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Sokokurai starting genuine keiko in Nagoya at the heya, with the new brilliant blue shimekomi (basho mawashi) instead of the white sekitori training mawashi. So it's still only with makushita opponents.
"The next time is important. I want to do it avoiding injury."
On the 26th degeiko at Tokitsukaze-beya (same ichimon) is planned. After reinstatement he once borrowed the chest of Tokitenku at butsukari geiko and got a "You have become light" comment from him. SK: "I try to get a 'you have become heavier' this time".
"I'm excited and also feel a fresh joy. 'Sokokurai is such a rikishi', I want to do a sumo that leaves this impression. I want to compete soon." "Not for winning or losing, I'll put my energy into the bouts."



Oosunaarashi at the rikishi-kai.



Masunoyama at a taste comparison event - bringing comments worthy of a gourmet TV personality (no more talk of diet, so it seems).

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Sokokurai at degeiko in Tokitsukaze-beya, 5-9 in 14 bouts with komusubi (after 35 basho again) Tokitenku (3-2), m5 Toyonoshima (0-4) and j6 Sotairyu (2-3), losing straight several bouts, in some he kept on it for a while: "Still some way to go, isn't it. Well, today is for the first time, from tomorrow on it will get better. I want to increase the amount of keiko."
with Toyonoshima: "I didn't get the impression that he lost power."



who forgot his 30th birthday, the reporters reminded him.

Tokitenku today 11-5



relaxing Aran started keiko today for the last provincial tournament of Mihogaseki-oyakata (65 after the Aki basho): "First of all I want to win 10, then I aim for more." He was 2 weeks home in Russia, starting afresh.



Oosunaarashi has to appear at the morning and evening chanko also during Ramadan, even without eating, that is the rule of the heya.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Akinomaki

[p2501 15]

Oosunaarashi has to appear at the morning chanko also during Ramadan, even without eating, that is the rule of the heya.

That must be very hard for him. Not eating and but smelling the dishes, seeing people eat tons of it.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Oosunaarashi has to appear at the morning and evening chanko also during Ramadan, even without eating, that is the rule of the heya.

That must be very hard for him. Not eating and but smelling the dishes, seeing people eat tons of it.

He eats before dawn, he shouldn't be hungry when the others eat in the morning after keiko, but may have problems at the morning training with his stomach full. In the evening it must be hard, though.

[Manekineko 200]

He eats before dawn, he shouldn't be hungry when the others eat in the morning after keiko, but may have problems at the morning training with his stomach full. In the evening it must be hard, though.

In a way, that's mental training... he'll certainly need a strong will if he wants to become a yokozuna. (Whistling...)

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Sokokurai plans to continue degeiko at Tokitsukaze-beya. He lost 2kg since the measurement before the Natsu basho and is at 135kg now.
Yesterday:

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Masunoyama went for degeiko to Matsugane-beya. Training with Shohozan plus Chiyotairyu and Ikioi, who both also came for degeiko. Masunoyama showed that he is in good shape, pushing out Shohozan and Ikioi right away.
After doing 3 in a row, falling off the dohyo and gasping for air, Matsugane-oyakata told him: “Isn't it time to terminate this?”.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Benevolance 2,534]

Sokokurai is smiling in basically every picture I see of him. This is a guy who is genuinely happy to be back in sumo.

[Masumasumasu 902]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTO3XOXEK9I

[ronnie 221]

Oosunaarashi has to appear at the morning and evening chanko also during Ramadan, even without eating, that is the rule of the heya.

That must be very hard for him. Not eating and but smelling the dishes, seeing people eat tons of it.

He eats before dawn, he shouldn't be hungry when the others eat in the morning after keiko, but may have problems at the morning training with his stomach full. In the evening it must be hard, though.

During Ramadan, Islam requires adherents to fast between sunrise and sunset which is a bit different from dawn and dusk. In Scotland at this time of year, the sun sets about 9.00pm and rises again after 3.00am, but it's still light 'til almost 11.00 and on clear days (laughs) the false dawn is round about 2.00ish.

There are places in the world where devout muslims would die of thirst if the fast was based only on the hours of daylight rather than when the sun is actually in the sky.

[Yubinhaad 11,979]

If I were a rikishi, I think I'd prefer this kind of open-air keikoba rather than being cooped up inside a heya building (at least when the weather is nice). I wonder what the rikishi themselves prefer.

A few pictures of Isegahama-beya's asageiko session yesterday. The heya's four sekitori were all present.

And three from Takasago-beya's asageiko session today. Their keikoba is at Ryushoin temple in Kanie, Aichi.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

Kyokushuho announced that he will compete in the Nagoya basho. Today appearing for keiko at Tomozuna-beya, light training only, no moushi-ai bouts. “For recovery 3 weeks were necessary. There are only 10 days till shonichi, I can't afford a kyujo. I'll endure it and participate, and want to somehow reach kachi-koshi.


Juryo top Takanoiwa plans to charge ahead with full power to quickly reach kachi-koshi and thus the ticket to makuuchi. He has 148Kg now, the most for him so far.

Edited June 28, 2013 by Akinomaki