Toki vs Asashoryu

[Tokimori 0]

Asashoryu and Toki is both Takasago.

How come they've fought? Asashoryu has a 2-0 record against Toki. Has someone traded? Is seems very un-sumoish to switch beya's...

I don't understand...

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Asashoryu used to belong to Wakamatsu-beya as evidenced by the asa kanji in his shikona (his stablemates there (and later of course also in Takasago) used to be Asanowaka, Asasekiryu, Asamiyoshi etc.).

However, the former Takasago Oyakata was close of becoming 65 years old which is the obligatory retirement age for the oyakata (and other kyokai officials). Shortly before that Takasago Oyakata and Wakamatsu Oyakata (then Asashoryu's shisho) swapped their kabu and consequently their myoseki (coach names) as it became clear former Mitoizumi of Takasago-beya would create a heya of his own from the ground up. (He just did it and established Nishikido-beya.)

Wakamatsu then sold his kabu and it ended finally to former Kotonishiki in Sadogatake-beya in a different ichimon. Takasago's and Wakamatsu's rikishi now belong all to "new" Takasago-beya led by former Wakamatsu Oyakata, ozeki Asashio V from the Eighties.

Asashoryu and Toki won't face each other any more except in a possible playoff if needed. But since they were members of different heya before the merger, they were twice scheduled to meet each other.

If some of the terms above were unclear to you, please visit this modest glossary of the forum.

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

Nothing really strange in that. When the old Takasago (ex-Fujinishiki) retired Wakamatsu-oyakata (ex-Ozeki Asashio) took over the heya and it now includes both the former Wakamatsu-beya's rikishi and those from Takasago-beya. The actual building used is Wakamatsu-beya's (while the old Takasago-beya building is used by Nishikido-oyakata Mitoizumi until a new Nishikido-beya building is ready). Since Asashoryu used to belong to Wakamatsu-beya and Toki always has belonged to Takasago-beya, they met before the merger.

EDIT: Ah, rijicho beat me to it... Ah well... :-/

[Tokimori 0]

Thank you both for the swift and clear answer. I am now a better person.

Are there any other prefixes like Asa and Koto?

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Are there any other prefixes like Asa and Koto?

Not only prefixes but also suffixes.

Consider Tochiazuma I, the current one's father. He used to belong to Kasugano-beya where most rikishi have the kanji tochi in their shikona. When Tochiazuma established his Tamanoi-beya, he couldn't pass the tochi tradition to his own proteges as it belonged to his former heya. Therefore his proteges often have another kanji, azuma, in their shikona. You can undoubtedly guess where that came from. :-/ Only his own son is an exception to this rule as he solely has both tochi and azuma parts for understandable reasons.

Tochiazuma's later stablemate was sekiwake Tochitsukasa who also later established a heya of his own, namely Irumagawa. He either couldn't take the tochi tradition with him. But by now you can guess to which heya belong rikishi whose shikona contain the kanji tsukasa. :-)

I've understood only Sadogatake with their Koto- and Irumagawa with their -tsukasa are exceptionless in their shikona practises. In many heya most but not all rikishi share some common practice in their shikona. Most often a common kanji. (BTW, in Oshima-beya there used to be more guys whose shikona began with asahi but nowadays they're mostly kyoku. However, the kanji is the same! It just has two different pronounciations (for lack of better term).)

You can browse Nekonishiki-zeki's excellent heya guide to find out shikona practises among the different heya.

[Fujisan 533]

Isnt Asashio the Rikishi with the massive sideburns from the Chiyonofuji era? Didit give Toki the idea?

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Isnt Asashio the Rikishi with the massive sideburns from the Chiyonofuji era? Didit give Toki the idea?

He did seem to have quite big sideburns. It might have been also Toki's motive although by the time Toki started growing his, the current Takasago wasn't yet his shisho.

I seem to recall Toki started growing them around the time he and his girlfriend were separated. I don't know Takanotsuru's motivation. :-/

[Fujisan 533]

Thanks Koto(or do you prefer something else?),I thought so,now another question on Asashio in the book I have it says he retired in

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Thanks Koto(or do you prefer something else?)

(...)

why,was it due to injury or what?

Koto is fine as I seem to be curiously the only Sadogatake supporter who shows it in his shikona. :-0

I have no information about Asashio V's injuries. They might have been a factor in his decision to retire. In March 1989 he was 33 which isn't an especially young age to retire. I believe he also felt he had already given to sumo what he had.

While he did win a yusho (Haru 1985), he was a typical kunroku ozeki ending up with results like 8-7, 9-6 or 10-5. He had a (mediocre) chance of yokozuna promotion only once and the last few years he was basically a journeyman compared to his relative banzuke position. That, by itself, is nothing to be sneered at, of course.

[Tony 16]

Before 1984-1985, Asashio V as Kotokaze, Wakashimazu and Hokutenyu was a very good ozeki.

Asashio V's yusho was "chant du cygne" of this generation.

Between 1981 and 1985, these rikishi were very good outsiders.

For example, between Natsu basho 1983 and Haru basho 1985, Asashio V defeated 5 times Chiyonofuji in 8 bouts.

[Onnagumo 4]

Koto is fine as I seem to be curiously the only Sadogatake supporter who shows it in his shikona. :-0

My shikona doesn't have a "Koto" in it, but it does have something to do with Sadogatake-beya.

Tachiyama-zeki helped me pick this one, since I don't speak Japanese. It means something like "female spider".

I guess most members of this forum are also members of the Sumo Mailing List, so most of you know Kintaro's musings. Some time ago (if I remember correctly it must have been around Aki basho 2001) Kintaro, who is obviously no Kotonowaka fan, made a joke about my favourite rikishi and a big scary spider in the showers of Sadogatake-beya. This gave me a great idea for a cyber-shikona. Well, I confess.... now you all know it was me (Blush...) and believe me, even Kintaro would be scared as hell if he found a spider of my size in the showers :-/