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Kintamayama

Kokkai interview - part three

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Again, many thanks to Amanogawa, with the help of Hananotaka and Takatamale:

The history of Georgia is the history of invasion from other countries.

Even after the declaration of independence from the USSR, the country has been politically unstable due to interference from neighboring

countries. You can track it back to the 13th century, when the country was occupied by the Mongolian Empire led by Genghis Khan.

Japan won over Mongolia then with the help of the miracle of Kamikaze (favorable wind), but Georgia was defeated decisively and miserably. So Kokkai must win. He must win against the pinnacle of power, Mongolian Asashoryu.

Maybe, maybe it's because Japan beat Mongolia once upon a time

that we're okay with having Mongolian powers ruling Japanese sumo?

- I start to wonder.

DREAMS, DECENTLY TALKED ABOUT

Oyakata said, "Everyone would say, 'It must be really difficult

having a gaijin rikishi. The food and lifestyle are so different for them', but that's not true. That doesn't bother me at all. First of all, sumo is a peculiar world for Japanese too." He even added

that Kokkai is only a gaikokujin to him while Japanese young rikishi

are more of aliens. So perhaps Kokkai is a lot closer to a human being -

he's only a gaikokujin among the extra-terrestrial.

Let's see how they're gaikokujin and ET's. Take meals.

It took only a few months before Kokkai was used to Japanese food,

contrary to the Japanese rikishi who already had their stubborn

tastes and likings.

Rikishi say: "I don't like 'solid cheese'. 'Melting cheese' is okay

though." Or "I don't like grilled liver - I like it raw. I guess I don't

like food that smells strongly" (Daishokaku, Jonidan)

"I don't like fresh vegetables... I hate that crisp touch. Well

just once in a while I'm in a mood for vegetables but

I just miss the chance because they wouldn't serve one

when I feel like trying one." ( Seifu, Jonidan )

--But you won't grow big and healthy unless you eat that food?

"Absolutely", Daishokaku says. Despite his unbalanced likings,

he does eat a lot.. Beside the chanko-meals, he would eat

2 bento-boxes, a cup of instant noodles and fried chicken that he

bought in a convenience store, all of which helped build the physique that he has today. But he says, "At some point I would eat like a cow - really, a whole lot", and I thought to myself, 'This is not good'..."

--Why?

"I was scared I might have bulimia"

... but if you say so, sumo is sometimes like a duel between the hefty.

But how did they decide to join sumo in the first place?

According to a recent research ( from "Ketteiban! Ozumo Kansen

Dojo" published by Baseball Magazine- sha, '00 ), when asked

"What brought you to become a rikishi?", 61% of active rikishi

answered that it was not their will but they were only recommended

and encouraged. And one third of the 61% answered,

"I would have been seen dead". You see strange answers like

"I was in the heya before I knew it" or "I planned to quit after

3 months but I just couldn't escape, for I was not allowed to go out".

On March 15th 2004, NHK commentary would carry such

conversations -

Announcer: "Isn't it exciting to see how shin-deshi would improve"

Takasaki Oyakata: "Well, boys with good reflexes and potential

just appeal, naturally"

A: "Are they usually distinguishable? Shining?

T: "....well, I'd say so"

A: "Would you see something different in their eyes too?"

T: "....er... well, er, yes"

Why does NHK elaborate such things as "shining light" "something

different in his eyes" "brightness of gift" or "ambitious success story"

while the reality is quite dry and fanciless, and simple -boys with good potential or sumo experiences obviously have advantage over the most other newbies. They would win more easily ( but deservingly,

at least at first ) and skip the ranking. And overall, shindeshis' eyes

usually look glazy -without a solid determination for success.

"I, too, disliked sumo" one of the young boys said.

"Me too", "Me too" some others echoed.

-- Then, why are you here now?

"My father forced me"

"I had nothing really to do, other than sumo"

Those boys were usually taller than 175cm, and weighed no less than 100kg, by the time they turned 13 years old. So naturally their stature cught people's attention, which got the scout's attention, which eventually led them to the non-refusable solicitation.

"But neighbors would start talking bad about my Dad if I quit now.

So I can't" ( Daishoriki, Sandanme )

I figure they're all striving to prove themselves, no matter what their

motivations are.

Young rikishi always say, "My dream is to become a Yokozuna." But these

Oitekaze young boys laugh nervously and say, "I don't think I could

become one." "It does seem impossible."

"Yeah, 'Aim for yokozuna!' That's easy for *you* to say..." It seems as

if they've already given up.

"My dream is to make Juryo," says Daishokaku. Some may say it's too

small a dream, but for me it's a very big dream."

"Actually," says Seifu, not missing a beat, "that dream's much too

big for you."

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Wow, the young hopefuls don't seem that hopeful, do they? Quite a pessimistic view of life, and seemingly with no security for them.

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This perhaps adds another couple of reasons why foreign rikishi do relatively well in sumo compared with their Japanese counterparts.

- Some of the Japanese rikishi drift into sumo almost by accident whereas the foreign rikishi really wanted to be there.

- It seems from this article that Japanese are possibly culturally lower in their ambition level than some of the other nationalities, notably the Mongolians. Perhaps I am reading too much in to this?

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Jap's today are followers more than ever.

I work with Japanese every day,except weekends,right! Most of my work friends know I am into sumo and only the relatively old except it.Most of my Japanese friends can not get their heads around the fact that I enjoy Sumo.

They ask "don't you like Baseball and/or Soccer?"

The young Jap's can not appreciate Sumo because they have been forced away from it all their lives.They do not think as individuals at all.

If a school group goes to the Sumo on an excursion then they scream and yell but if you ask them after then most would say that they do not like it.

They act and react as they are expected to; a bunch of robots, for the most.

Young Japanese do not like Sumo at all.They are conditioned to think like this.

To the young Japanese, Sumo is like synchronized swimming.

So why would there be a strong Japanese wave about to crash upon Sumo's shore?

For the most, only poor gaijin care enough to feed the lower ranks.

ps This post is only for the impartial and if it isn't to late according to the twits who

know.

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