Futabayama and Woodcarved Rooster

[Jonosuke 28]

I was discussing with ShiroiKuma about Futabayama and Chikara-mizu but I can't remember which thread we did so I am starting with a new one with more new material.

A story about Futabayama only taking Chikara-mizu water once and never spitting the water on the dohyo has been told by many. I believe it is an expression of his Sumoudou that the dohyo is a holy place. You do wash your mouth with the water but it is to cleanse yourself and you should have focused enough to only do it once aand properly.

Futabayama was always ready to face his opponent however way they may come out and never attempted to do a matta despite having handicaps only a few knew.

Here's Futabayama stats:

Futabayama Sadaji - Yokozuna, Tatsunami Beya/Futabayama Dojo

Real Name: Sadaji Akiyoshi

Born: February 9, 1912

Died: December 16, 1968

From: Usa City, Oita Prefecture

Dohyo Debut: March 1927

Juryo Debut: May 1931

Makuuchi Debut: February 1932

Last Basho: November 1945

Height: 179 cm

Weight: 128 kg

Yusho: 12 (8 with no loss)

Favorite: Migi-yotsu, Uwate-nage

Win/Loss: 276 wins, 68 losses, 1 draw, 33 kyujo

Toshiyori: Tokitsukaze

Record: 69 Consecutive bouts winning streak from the 1936 Haru Basho Day 7 to the 1939 Haru Basho (January 12) Day 4.

Beaten by Maegashira East 4 Akinoumi by soto-gake.

Akinoumi did a keiko practicing soto-gake to beat Futabayama with it. His keiko partner that morning was Komanosato who was the 69th loser of Futabayama on the

previuos day.

Futabayama had a couple of serious handicaps only a few knew at the time:

- His right little finger was crushed before he joined Ozumo and he could not use it.

- He was totally blind in his right eye.

He hurt his finger while working in a machine shop. He was hit by an arrow on his right eye accidentally when he was a child. His father never told him who actually did

it saying he never wanted to his son living all his life hating another person.

--------------------------------

Here's a story of Futabayama and the origin of Woodcarving Fighting Rooster telegram I discssed in the previous post.

One day Futabayama was invited to have a few drinks with a foremost authority in Oriental philosophy, a man named Masahiro Yasuoka. He was a graduate of the University of Tokyo Law School and has been an advisor to Prime Ministers, company presidents and academics ( note: the current Japanese era, Heisei, this name is attributed to him).

Both relaxed after quite a few drinks when Yasuoka said to Futabayama, "You are still not an accomplished man". A modest man Yokozuna Futabayama was, he asked him why he wasn't yet. Then Yasuoka told him a story about the woodcarved fighting rooster by Chinese philosopher/writer Souji.

Futabayama was moved by Yasuoka's story so much that he hang Yasuoka's writing in his room and did a meditation twice a day to train his mind to become this woodcarved fighting rooster.

After his defeat to Akinoumi, he sent a telegram to Yasuoka who was en route to Europe on an ocean voyager.

"ware imada mokkei itarizu futabayama."

"I Yet to Become the Woodcarved fighting rooster. Futabayama"

Only Yasuoka knew its meaning on that ship. Futabayama's winning streak was stopped. Even during his streak, Futabayama was no longer concerned about his

winning and losing but achieving the ultimate goal to become the woodcarved fighting rooster.

----------------------------------------

The story of Wood carved fighting rooster by Souji(Chuang Tze) as told to Futabayama by Masahiro Yasuoka

Once upon a time, in China there was a king who loved cockfighting. One day he was able to acquire a formidable rooster and asked his master rooster trainer to make him the strongest rooster ever in the whole kingdom.

Ten days passed and the king inquired if the rooster was ready to fight..

The master answered, "No, no, he is still not ready. He is still arrogant and behaving, Me, Me."

Further ten days passed and the king inquired again.

The master replied, "Oh, no. Not yet. He gets excited when he sees his opponents or their sound."

And ten more days have gone and the king inquired.

The master said, "He is not ready yet. When he sees the opponents, he is scowling with a fierce look, trying to overwhelm his opponents."

Then after ten days, the king asked his master again if the rooster may be ready.

Finally the master quietly nodded and said, "I believe he is well prepared now. When other roosters cry, he does not change his expression and maintains his normal demeanor. He is like the rooster on woodcarving and does not even budge an inch. He has achieved ultimate virtue. If someone brings a rooster to fight him, once the rooster sees his composure, the other rooster will run away without fighting."

Souji's Mokkei (Woodcarved fighting rooster) was so invincible that whether there was an opponent or not, he was above it all and remained absolutely calm and aloof. The rooster won 100 fights out of 100. The other roosters were cowering even before the fight started.

Even after establshing such a superhuman record, Futabayama was humble enough to admit he has not yet achieved the virtue of "Mokkei".

After winning the bout, Akinoumi (who later became a yokozuna) also sent a telegram, to his mother, "Mother I won".

Akinoumi then went to see his shisho, Dewanoumi oyakata and reported his winning over Futabayama.

Known for his wisdom, Dewanoumi oyakata quietly told his dear recruit, Akinoumi, that night, an advice Akinoumi never forgot.

"Strive to become a rikishi who makes news when he loses than when he wins".

Edited October 25, 2004 by Jonosuke

[Mark Buckton 1]

- His right little finger was crushed before he joined Ozumo and he could not use it.

Brilliant post (Applauding...) From looking at his tegata (printed version inc stamp sadly - not original) he lost some of that little finger too - much reduced in length.

Does seem to 'work' in gripping in several old pics I have though - as much as a little finger can work I guess.

PS - for those into Futabayama - book titled something like 'Mamma's Boy' may be of interest - dated now, in Japanese but kind of biographical IIRC. Saw some in the Kyokai one day - female writer?

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

InWell, this is a great story in how it relates to Sumoudou. It describes the mental state of mushin which as I undestood Sumoudou it is your goal to achieve and then do your share. Totally unmoved by anything...

Yet, I had really deep thoughts about exactly this at the recent World Sumou Championships this month in Riesa, Germany.

Our team lost in the quarterfinal to Georgia. Well, basically I lost it for our team, since I lost the decisive match.

Then I watched Bulgaria fight in the semifinals from the side. Here you had three men, totally pumped up, full of adrenalin, anger, jumping up and down.

They were totally besides themselves with anger, excitement, when one of them won, he, still on the dohyou, turned around, and shouted at the other team members... It was a total flood of emotions, getting them hyper excited, operating as if in terms of some frenzy.

They finished second, lost to Japan in the final, which was also full of emotions.

And watching them, I kept thinking: "How come they are there and not us?" I don't think they're a better team than us, neither technically nor strengthwise. No disrespect, we're friends, but I think we're better.

So, if that was true, how come they were there? And we were all showered and just sitting around?...

...There's gonna be more losses and failures, as if it's a test. But I think you can't secure virtue by results, i.e. give up the real spirit to score better, thinking I'll switch when I'm on top, i.e. when the results are perfect.

I think Sumoudou can't be built that way.

In fact, it probably isn't built at all. I think maybe it's lived, every day, every match, every loss, every win. You must overcome yourself, to be like the Woodcarved Rooster.

Well that's an image that I'll strive to hold in my mind now too. Try to live it and approach it.

But it's gonna be a hard and painful, long road, I think...  (Dripping sweat...)

But that's what Sumoudou aims for I think, that Rooster ideal...

From my own interest in zen, martial arts, and Asian philosophy in general, I feel that in sports the object is winning; in life the object is "not losing". A subtle, but important distinction.

You (and your team) may not have won, but did you lose? From what I read (Sasanishiki's post regarding the tourney, as well as your own assessment), you gave it your all despite obstacles in your path. You didn't give in to jet-lag, the flu, or anything else. I don't call that losing. I call that (Heart)!

IMHO, that IS sumo-do...(Applauding...)

Edited October 26, 2004 by Otokonoyama

[Jonosuke 28]

I am not the one who walked the walk so what I say probably would not add up to a hill of beans in this crazy world in this regard. (Applauding...)

All I can say is Sumo always existed in the two plains - one physical and the other mental. Although now, all of us follow only the sport aspect of it, the other side always existed. With daily grinds of winning and losing, there was and is more idealistic and more noble art, the Sumoudou.

By itself it won't make anyone strong, but it is so entrenched and fundamental to the sumo, one cannot separate it and live in isolation if one is to be consumed by everything Sumo stands for.

And Sumoudou isn't expressed in a single manifestation.

The great part of Sumoudou deals with manners, in Japanese it is 礼儀作法　("reigi sahou"). Some have more strong views on it than others (remember Ms Uchidate of YDC).

Several months ago I read a story how Arashio oyakata (former Komusubi Ouyutaka) recruited Sandanme Soukokurai from Mongolia and instructing him to perfect Sumo techniques.

Here's this oyakata's view on his sumoudou:

"When you recruit young kids, occasionally you may come across a child hurting psychologically in some way. My role is to develop each child, who has been entrusted to me, to a responsible adult who can become a recognized member of the society as well as making him a strong rikishi. I believe fulfilling the task is Sumoudou. A sumo beya is where the manners, life and everything else are taught. The dohyo is packed with them all."

Incidentally the oyakata was hoping Soukokurai would make Makushita by the end of this year but he finished the last basho with 6 wins and one loss at Sandanme 29 so he should already be there next basho. A very promising rikishi from a very small heya.

Ok, that was an oyakata's view here's more "official" view from Kitanoumi oyakata. Prior to the China Jyungyo he was interviewed by "Beijing Walker" and in it he was asked the difference between Sumoudou and Bushidou.

"As both have 'dou', it is a way of man. It's not just enough to be strong. Of course Sumo is a competition so you need to be strong but at the same time, you need to devote all of yourself mentally. If I can put it another way, it is to seek for pure soul."

"On the dohyo you may see your opponent as an enemy but once you step off the dohyo, you bear no grudge and not ask for revenge. This is the sumoudou. A duty of rikishi is to train and refine their mind, techniques and body. Even if one's banzuke ranking goes up or becomes a Yokozuna, the training will go on and will never end."

Edited October 26, 2004 by Jonosuke

[Sasanishiki 57]

Then I watched Bulgaria fight in the semifinals from the side. Here you had three men, totally pumped up, full of adrenalin, anger, jumping up and down.

They were totally besides themselves with anger, excitement, when one of them won, he, still on the dohyou, turned around, and shouted at the other team members... It was a total flood of emotions, getting them hyper excited, operating as if in terms of some frenzy.

They finished second, lost to Japan in the final, which was also full of emotions.

And watching them, I kept thinking: "How come they are there and not us?" I don't think they're a better team than us, neither technically nor strengthwise. No disrespect, we're friends, but I think we're better.

So, if that was true, how come they were there? And we were all showered and just sitting around?

And I thought, maybe, or surely, if we fought like them, we'd have better results, in terms of wins too. If we got hyper-pumped about the opponent, willing to crush him, and hurt him, and humiliate him, we'd get better results.

I mean, here you had a team, full of emotions, anger, stuff, completely anti-Sumoudou, going exactly opposite to what I think is the principle of Sumou, yet achieving results.

So isn't maybe Sumou virtue indeed the mushin, yet so far removed from being accessible that it's not practically feasible.

To be fair to you (and your team), the rooster did not seek to win. Rather, it won by its presence and calm. The results cam as a consequence of the mindset, and the shaking of the opponent in the face of this mindset.

"Souji's Mokkei (Woodcarved fighting rooster) was so invincible that whether there was an opponent or not, he was above it all and remained absolutely calm and aloof. The rooster won 100 fights out of 100. The other roosters were cowering even before the fight started."

I see the Bulgarian team as being rather like the rooster after 30 days.

"And ten more days have gone and the king inquired.

The master said, "He is not ready yet. When he sees the opponents, he is scowling with a fierce look, trying to overwhelm his opponents."

They were competent, and had been trained, but only to a point.

The Japanese team (and I am not saying this just because they won) were perhaps a bit closer to the rooster, though not quite there. They, by which I mean the whole team (men and women, individuals and teams) did not get worked up about their opposition and their antics. They came to perform and execute sumo at a high level. Sometimes it worked, and other times it didn't, but all the while they were not concerned with the opposition. Rather, the opposition was concerned with them. All of the opponents that managed to beat a Japanese senshu were elated, while the Japanese senshu, except when they won a medal bout (and then only rarely) showed very little emotion.

Now, I said earlier that they were only approaching the state of the rooster. I think this for the fact that I believe they felt the pressure of being Japan, even if they did not show it outwardly. Regardless of results, I am sure there was a reasonably heavy burden on each of the wrestlers for representing Japan, particularly in the men's heavier divisions. For many in the audience, and for the team itself perhaps, the men's heavyweight and open weight divisions represent the image of sumo, and so Japan is expected to dominate. The lighter divisions can throw up surprises because you get very good pound-for-pound fighters from anywhere. However, the speed, strength and power that is associated with sumo for many (I perhaps subscribe to a slightly wider reading of it, however) comes in the heavier classes.

So, how to become the rooster? It may be unabtainable, as some of the best things are. I mean, if Futabayama can't waht chance do we have? It is the approximation or the relative closeness to the rooster that perhaps we need to strive for.

If we are to use the rooster story as an equivalent for the ideas of sumodou, then I think even Kitanoumi's comments need some modification. I would think that in the best state of mind for sumodou that your opponent would not be considered an 'enemy' as this is likely bound up with some feelings. The rooster was not about feelings towards opponents. Better, perhaps that we consider the opponent as an obstacle that needs to be encountered and overcome with composure. The greater the composure, the smaller the obstacle

"once the rooster sees his composure, the other rooster will run away without fighting."

Perhaps the secret to becoming the rooster is not to want to become the rooster. That is, by not seeking a position or a status, but by aspiring to qualities, results will come regardless. And when they come, you will find that they are not necessarily linked to wins and losses.

Gambare, Shiroikuma (and all others striving for success)