Chonmage after intai?

[Bombur 50]

I was wondering, would an ex-rikishi be allowed to keep/regrow a chonmage after his intai if he wishes to stay in the JSA? Or even simply longer hair? Because on one hand the hair-cutting ceremony seems like a reasonably important one, but on the other, chonmage didn't use to be a sumo-specific haircut and was just the traditional Japanese haircut for men (and especially samurai, although they often shaved their forehead), meaning that back in the days, most ex-wrestlers would probably have kept their haircut like everyone else.

And if authorized, how do you think such a decision would be received? Would the Japanese (and especially the JSA officials) perceive it as vain and/or arrogant, or would it be more positively seen as someone going the extra mile to uphold sumo and Japanese traditions?

PS: I limited my question to the rikishis wishing to stay in the JSA as I suppose the association doesn't hold any actual power on those that leave altogether.

PPS: I know that most rikishi are happy to ditch the haircut (or at least, it seems to be the case from what I've read on the subject) as its maintenance is very demanding and time -consuming, but that doesn't prevent us from wondering about it, right :) ? Plus I suppose it puts the emphasis on the "extra-mile".

Edited July 15, 2021 by Bombur
Orthography

[Kintamayama 45,408]

Never heard of anyone ever keeping his chonmage after retirement. It's part of the deal. No longer a warrior? Get a haircut, sir. 

[ryafuji 815]

They may not always been sumo-specific haircuts but they certainly are now. Only active rikishi are permitted to wear them.

[Asashosakari 19,542]

FWIW, the ja.wiki article on the danpatsu-shiki mentions a few rikishi who kept their mage after retirement (not as Kyokai members though). Among them former maegashira Daio, who apparently got caught up in some quarrel between the first Wakanohana (his shisho) and the second (his stablemate), and left sumo without a danpatsu-shiki. He went into restauranting and his mage became a calling card of sorts for the restaurant he ran, so he ended up keeping it until shortly before he turned 65.

And I got to learn about Kaigo and his curious one-day stint as oyakata, supposedly the result of his shisho (again the first Wakanohana...) unilaterally submitting a toshiyori succession notification even though Kaigo wanted to leave sumo altogether, which he did by handing in his retirement notice personally the next day; he also kept his mage for a while afterwards running a snack bar in Nagoya, but details of the why and how long aren't available.

Weirdly, the ja.wiki article on the chonmage doesn't mention sumo at all, and other articles which do concern themselves with the role of the mage in sumo don't mention anything about the whole "rikishi were specifically exempted from the hair cutting regulations of the Meiji Restoration" angle. Is it possible that that's been overblown a bit in English-language sources?

Edited May 28, 2021 by Asashosakari

[Kenneth Minami 68]

Since 1871 only rikishi can have chonmage, but of course there are some retired rikishi with long hair and other hairstyles - like Yamamotoyama and Wakakirin.

[Benihana 1,929]

I think the only country which tells you, what hair style you can have, is North Korea. Maybe you have to search a bit to find a haidresser, who will and actually is able to give you a proper oicho-mage, but i doubt the police would stop you.

[Yamanashi 3,876]

1 hour ago, Benihana said:

I think the only country which tells you, what hair style you can have, is North Korea. Maybe you have to search a bit to find a haidresser, who will and actually is able to give you a proper oicho-mage, but i doubt the police would stop you.

(Of course) I haven't been to Japan, but have seen Japanese tweens wearing what looks like a chonmage in documentaries and news stories -- just bystanders, etc.  I guess Emperor Meiji also banned swords, but a lot of non-Yokozuna seem to have those, too.

[Benihana 1,929]

3 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

(Of course) I haven't been to Japan, but have seen Japanese tweens wearing what looks like a chonmage in documentaries and news stories -- just bystanders, etc.  I guess Emperor Meiji also banned swords, but a lot of non-Yokozuna seem to have those, too.

The Meiji-restoration changed many things, but WWII changed much more ;)

[Benevolance 2,501]

It's a little known fact that moto-Takatoriki is the NSK's current shadow enforcer of the chonmage rule. Together with his hand-picked squad of Barberians, they scour the country-side seeking out violators of the Imperial edict. The last thing you'll hear is a 'snip' before he hands you a mirror and asks "How does it look?" 

[Yamanashi 3,876]

Kabuki and other actors (especially in Taiga dramas) get a pass, too, and they don't have to eat chanko and rice continually, so that's a good deal.  I imagine you can spot the Japanese Method actors because they would actually shave their heads for the role.