Araiwa

[Asojima 2,873]

1 hour ago, sumojoann said:

He thinks it was out-of-town.  At first, I thought it was the Kkan but those Fanta signs wouldn't be there.

The Kkan wouldn't have been there either.  They were still using the old Kuramae Kyokugikan in Tokyo.  I don't remember the Fanta and CocaCola signs being there, so it may well have been out of town, but there are a lot of things that I no longer remember.

[Benihana 1,912]

@sumojoann Create an account at flickr or some other pic-hoster. They give you plenty of space for uploading. From there you can link the pics to this forum.

[sumojoann 1,262]

HI everyone,

Cal (Araiwa) wants to continue sending me a few photos at a time, but neither one of us wants to set up a Flickr account.  Is there someone who I could e-mail the photos to (jpgs as attachments to an e-mail) who could post them on Sumo Forum?  For each photo, I could give a brief description so that could be posted, too.  I don't know how many photos there would be, just a steady stream, but just a few at a time.  Thanks!

Edited to add:  If someone tries to post photos just like I did, aren't they going to run out of space, too?  Or is there a better way to do it?   Can they use their own established Flickr account and just have a link set up so members of Sumo Forum can look at just Cal's pictures?

Edited October 29, 2020 by sumojoann

[Godango 973]

5 hours ago, sumojoann said:

HI everyone,

Cal (Araiwa) wants to continue sending me a few photos at a time, but neither one of us wants to set up a Flickr account.  Is there someone who I could e-mail the photos to (jpgs as attachments to an e-mail) who could post them on Sumo Forum?  For each photo, I could give a brief description so that could be posted, too.  I don't know how many photos there would be, just a steady stream, but just a few at a time.  Thanks!

Edited to add:  If someone tries to post photos just like I did, aren't they going to run out of space, too?  Or is there a better way to do it?   Can they use their own established Flickr account and just have a link set up so members of Sumo Forum can look at just Cal's pictures?

I'll send you a direct message Joann, I'm happy to be the go-between.

[Godango 973]

Hi all, I'm helping @Cal Martin(Araiwa) and @sumojoann out with picture uploads; so I'll be posting as they arrive -- apologies if there's some repetition with what has already been posted. 

Pictures are all from Cal's personal collection, with sumojoann providing a summary of Cal's story behind each picture. I'm happy for either of them to jump in and set me straight if I've gotten details wrong, best directing any questions you may have their way :).

1. Araiwa on the day he got his draft notice.  He had to go to Camp Zama for his physical.

2. Hanakago Oyakata's daughter's car.  She would steer the car while he pushed it around the streets of Tokyo.  She would invite her friends to pile into the car with her to make it more challenging.  He did this after regular sumo practice and it would sometimes last for almost 2 hours.  Look how tired and sweaty he looks!  Araiwa and the daughter became close friends, like brother and sister.  She was a high school student and he helped her with her English lessons.

3. Araiwa and Wajima getting ready to go to Expo 70.  They did a whole day of live TV shows there.

4. Hanahikari let him borrow his Kesho-mawashi when he graduated from the lowest class.

5. He doesn't remember who he was fighting.  Look at those thighs!  He thought it was out-of-town but not sure. (It sort of looks like the Kokugikan but the Kkan wouldn't have those advertising signs).

6. Hanakago Oyakata, age 50, got in the dohyo at the heya to show Araiwa some tips and tricks.

7. New York Times newspaper article that his mother saw while in New York.  The article is about Araiwa winning the Jonidan yusho, which involved a nine-man playoff!!  At that time, he was 5 ft 10 (178cm) in tall & weighed 297 lbs (135kg).

[RabidJohn 1,719]

@Houmanumi I'm certain there are members who rarely if ever scroll down to the Welcome section. How about starting a new thread in the Featured Rikishi section?

[Godango 973]

2 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

@Houmanumi I'm certain there are members who rarely if ever scroll down to the Welcome section. How about starting a new thread in the Featured Rikishi section?

Yeah it's a fair point. Could this thread be moved there rather than starting over again? @Jakusotsu, @Otokonoyama, @Randomitsuki, your thoughts?

Edited October 31, 2020 by Houmanumi

[sumojoann 1,262]

8 hours ago, Houmanumi said:

Yeah it's a fair point. Could this thread be moved there rather than starting over again? @Jakusotsu, @Otokonoyama, @Randomitsuki, your thoughts?

A request to move this thread to a different category was started last Sun (see screen 3), but it didn't seem to go anywhere.  I'm hoping this time it will.  I agree with Houmanumi, I definitely don't think we should start over again.  The Member Introduction category is often overlooked.  Araiwa has a place in sumo history and shouldn't be overlooked.  Let's move this thread to a more visible category.

[sumojoann 1,262]

This thread  has been moved to the Featured Rikishi category!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH, MODS!!!!

[hakutorizakura 608]

This thread is pure gold! My warm thanks to Araiwa-zeki and everyone!

[Cal Martin 121]

Glad to help in anyway I can, it's been 51 years, but I remember it well. You probably have no Idea what a secret world Sumo is, I personally think it will never be a sport in the Olympics, or for that matter, any Armature type status, it's a total way of life, anything I can help you with, please feel free to ask, it might answer somebody else's question.

Happy Trails.

Cal

 

[sumojoann 1,262]

7 hours ago, Cal Martin said:

Glad to help in anyway I can, it's been 51 years, but I remember it well. You probably have no Idea what a secret world Sumo is, I personally think it will never be a sport in the Olympics, or for that matter, any Armature type status, it's a total way of life, anything I can help you with, please feel free to ask, it might answer somebody else's question.

Happy Trails.

Cal

 

Everyone, please feel free to ask Cal any questions about his sumo career.  I do not think you should have to go through me to ask him questions.  HOWEVER, I have a couple of requests that will prevent duplication of questions and the resulting confusion.

1)  PLEASE post all questions and answers publicly rather than sending Private Messages.  This way, there won't be a problem with duplicate questions being asked.

2) PLEASE don't ask Cal to send you any pictures.  Those should all be sent to me so I can coordinate with Houmanumi who will see that they are properly posted with comments.

I will discuss this with Cal so hopefully everything will go as smoothly as possible.

If anyone has any suggestions or better ideas, please feel free to comment.  Thanks!

[Godango 973]

More Araiwa photos, via @sumojoann and the man himself @Cal Martin.

In line with what Sumojoann mentioned above, please post on this thread if you have any questions to ask Cal/Araiwa.
_____

1.
Left: This was press day at Hanakago Heya,  (Per Cal, on only one day a year, reporters were allowed in to witness practice).  Araiwa is seen talking to 2 reporters.  He said it looks like practice was over because he was still wearing his mawashi, so no shower yet.

Middle: Araiwa inside the ring.  It looks like he was about to fight.

Right: Araiwa looking worn out.  He just has his hands on his head, catching his breath.

 

2. Jesse Kuhaulua (Takamiyama) and Araiwa doing a charity show together.  This was a publicity shot, showing how small Araiwa was compared to Jesse.  Jesse (from Hawaii), was the first foreign-born rikishi to win a Makuuchi Yusho (1972).  His highest rank was Sekiwake.

3. Former Sekiwake Wakachichibu and Hanakago Oyakata (wearing a yukata), working on keeping Araiwa's arms in close.  He had developed a habit from playing (American) football throughout high school of keeping his arms out.  Wakachichibu, who had been a rikishi at Hanakago Heya and had recently retired, became a trainer there.  Araiwa said that Wakachichibu was quite a character, especially when drunk on his favorite whiskey.  It was Wakachichibu who came up with the idea for a custom pair of getas (traditional wooden sandals worn by low-ranking sumo wrestlers) for Araiwa.  EACH weighed 10 pounds and had lead in the base of the wooden sandal.  Araiwa wore them everywhere, even when he showed up at Camp Zama with his draft notice.  Unfortunately, no pictures of these getas exist.  Wakachichibu had his own method of strengthening himself during his fighting days.  He would put on a 50-lb backpack and carry it with him.  While wearing it, he (Wakachichibu) liked to walk on railroad tracks, stepping on only the ties for balance.  When Wakachichibu did leg lifts, he would stretch Araiwa's leg as high as possible, so he had to balance all of his weight on one leg.  It was freezing that day so Araiwa wrapped his yukata around himself for warmth.  Notice he's wearing Tabi on his feet.  His nickname was "Tenderfoot" because he always had some part of his feet bandaged due to injury.

6. "KP Duty".  Araiwa cooking for the higher-ranked rikishi, one of the duties of the lower-rankers.  (KP Duty is an American military term referring to low-ranked soldiers assigned to kitchen duty.  (KP Duty stands for "Kitchen Police" or "Kitchen Patrol").

____

As a comment from me, thanks again to Cal for sharing these images and stories of his life with us. I can appreciate how bizarre it must be to suddenly have some reverence in weird little pocket of the internet, the fact that you haven't given us on up is appreciated! Also, as a man who had his first taste of sumo training only yesterday; I can appreciate the resolve you had in sticking out years of it at the highest level, along with the huge lifestyle and culture change. You're an impressive fellow.

Also thank you to Sumojoann for acting as the go-between, and sending all these images through with her take on Cal's thoughts. All I'm doing is copying and pasting, they are the heroes here.

[sumojoann 1,262]

A BIG SUMO SIZE THANKS TO @HOUMANUMI FOR HELPING CAL (ARAIWA) SET UP HIS PROFILE PIC.  IT IS ONE OF CAL'S ALL-TIME FAVORITE PHOTOS!

[Godango 973]

More from Araiwa (@Cal Martin) via @sumojoann :

Cal doesn't remember who his opponent was, but it was during the 9-man playoff which he won.  His signature move was 'nodowa' ('喉輪' - thrusting at an opponents throat).  His Oyakata said if you kill the head, the body will follow.

 

 

[Godango 973]

More from the archives of Araiwa (@Cal Martin) via @sumojoann:

1. Wakatenryu's Danpatsu-shiki

Maegashira Wakatenryu was another one of Araiwa's coaches, and he was still active in Juryo when Araiwa became a rikishi.  Cal remembers Wakatenryu as a great guy with a great sense of humor, and one of the few willing to practice will the young Araiwa frequently. 

Houmanumi Adds: The limited information I could find on the former Wakatenryu suggests that he's now 80 years old, and after post-sumo stints as a restaurateur and corporate sumo coach, ended up a successful businessman himself launching his own company. If anyone has more information on the man, please share below, I'm sure Cal would be interested.

2. Kaiketsu, Wakatenryu, and Araiwa

Cal's Words: This is Nishimouri (Ozeki Kaiketsu), Wakatenryu, and me, I am thinking we were solving all the problems in the world. I think we were in Nagoya Tournament; we don't look that worn out, so it must have been a light workout. I remember very well my first two weeks off after a tournament, I didn't even think about Sumo for two weeks and I sure paid for it when we returned. I was so sore after the first day, I could not move for the second day, however Hanakago-oyakata's bamboo sword worked me even harder! Hanakago said, did you learn anything? from then on, I did some kind of workout everyday, especially if I didn't have to.

[Godango 973]

Once again, @Cal Martin and @sumojoann have come through with the goods!

1. 1971 PRESS PHOTO HUNTINGTON BEACH CAL MARTIN CAUCASIAN SUMO NUDE JAPAN SPORT

Sumojoann found this image, which had apparently been featured on the forum before -- it can be purchased at this link: https://outlet.historicimages.com/products/rsb73943.

Cal Says: That is me.  I was at my sister's house, one of the few times that I came home for my two weeks off.  She lived in Huntington Beach, Calif.  I graduated high school just a few miles from there at Westminster High School.  The local newspaper wanted to do a story on me.  Obviously, I had no one to do up my Chonmage, so I just look like a fat hippie!  It's funny --- all the high schools I attended --- in Lubbock, Texas, in Las Vegas, Nevada and Foothills High School in Tustin, Calif, all claimed me as being from their school.  But I was a Marine brat and just moved around a lot.  The football scouts couldn't keep up with me.
 

2. Araiwa Receiving Jonidan Yusho Award + Newspaper Article Discussing his Win

Araiwa claimed the January 1970 Jonidan Yusho after taking part in (and obviously winning) a then-record 9 man play-off.

Cal's Words: I remember the newspapers saying "he didn't even break a sweat" I guess I made it look easy, but it wasn't by any means. After the last fight I was leaving the ring and one of the judges had to grab me and explain to me to get back up there, all this took place between Juryo and Makunouchi division, so it was all on live TV.

3. Araiwa with Hanakago-Oyakata's Children

Here we see Araiwa (right) with one of Hanakago-oyakata's sons, Katsumi (left), and his daughter Satsuki (centre). Satsuki later married 54th Yokozuna Wajima.

Cal's Words: This was taken out in the streets of Asaguya, after pushing around their car. I would think (Katsumi) was probably a couple of years older than me in this picture.

------

Back to me (Houmanumi) talking now. I've been trying to help Cal out with finding more information on the the children of Hanakago. The family story is a sad one; for which we already know some of the tragic details (specifically around the marriage of Satsuki and Wajima and the collapse of Hanakago-beya). What we're not sure of specifically is whether any of his children are alive today, and what they may have gone on to do with their lives. If anyone has any information to share, I'm sure Cal would appreciate it.

Feel free to PM me first if you want to make sure it's not something with already know, or if you think it's a sensitive topic.

Cheers all, and as always, many thanks to Cal and Sumojoann.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Houmanumi

[pricklypomegranate 730]

1 hour ago, John Gunning said:

American rikishi recalls extremely wild times in sumo world | The Japan Times

Thanks for the article. I found it a very informative read about the history of foreign rikishi in sumo and it was extremely interesting and rewarding to see a topic on a forum become an actual published piece available online to all. Special thanks to Cal for providing such illuminating content and @sumojoann and @Houmanumi for facilitating this as well. 

P.S. John how is the podcast/Youtube series going? You must have many interesting takes and stories about sumo that have never been heard before. I'd be the first to watch  

Edited December 16, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[Jakusotsu 5,869]

Where exactly does that "subsequent 13-month career" fit in this timeline? Is it the period after his second maezumo, or doesn't it show up at all?

[Godango 973]

Even as someone who's been talking to Cal for a while now, that was a great read. Thanks @John Gunning

[hakutorizakura 608]

A nice read from John, as usual 

Reading this thread, my impression is that Wajima was not really seen in positive light (as a person), and why is that? Perhaps Cal-san is willing to share a bit more story about him.

[Shinobi Steve 146]

19 hours ago, pricklypomegranate said:

P.S. John how is the podcast/Youtube series going? You must have many interesting takes and stories about sumo that have never been heard before. I'd be the first to watch  

I'm eagerly waiting for news on this as well! 

[Cal Martin 121]

To Hakutorizakura,

Wajima was just totally opposite of me, he was a natural at Sumo, in fact I was totally jealous of how hard I had to work at it, and it just came so easy for him. As a person away from Sumo he thought he was just a cut above everyone else. I do resent what he did to the stable and Oyakata's daughter, she was a great friend and she actually helped me practice after practice, I would push the family car around Tokyo,to build up my legs, she would steer the car. She was still in Highschool and had to learn English, I had to learn Japanese, so we had a good time helping each other. Of course this is just my opinion, but many of the other wrestlers felt as I did. Anything else I can shed some light on I will be glad to.

Happy Trails,

Cal

[hakutorizakura 608]

On 17/12/2020 at 16:24, Cal Martin said:

To Hakutorizakura,

Wajima was just totally opposite of me, he was a natural at Sumo, in fact I was totally jealous of how hard I had to work at it, and it just came so easy for him. As a person away from Sumo he thought he was just a cut above everyone else. I do resent what he did to the stable and Oyakata's daughter, she was a great friend and she actually helped me practice after practice, I would push the family car around Tokyo,to build up my legs, she would steer the car. She was still in Highschool and had to learn English, I had to learn Japanese, so we had a good time helping each other. Of course this is just my opinion, but many of the other wrestlers felt as I did. Anything else I can shed some light on I will be glad to.

Happy Trails,

Cal

Thank you Cal-san! I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble he caused. I also have read his bit on wikipedia, and indeed it seems that he wasn't a character who was loved by everybody.

[Cal Martin 121]

I have to admit, I don't follow him on anything, it is funny though, John Gunning pointed out that he went to football after Sumo, and I started in football and went to Sumo. He was great at it, and every stable was after him, kind of like being selected first round in our NFL draft. Hanakago was as close as a second family I will ever know, and how he ruined his legacy is terrible, however this is just my opinion, probably because I was so close to him. Hanakago took a big chance on me, but he was a bit of a rebel himself, at that time all the good athletes were going to baseball, and soccer, you got money right up front, Sumo, you had to earn it. Takamiyama (who I admired greatly) was okay with the Sumo way and the Sumo life, I was just from a different cut of cloth. Great talking with you, have a very  Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Years.

Happy Trails,

Cal