The shikona re-use.

[Lucius Flavonius 0]

So tell me when the shikona of a retired wrestler can be re-used again.

[Sasanishiki 57]

takanohana is ichidai-toshiyori so as far i know that name cannot be used again even as a shikona. it finishes when he retires

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While you are correct in terms of its use for an oyakata/toshiyori, I don't know if that actually excludes Takanohana from being used again as a shikona for a rikishi. Does anyone know?

In answer to the original question, as shikona are often bestowed by oyakata, someone important such as a shinto priest or respected elder, or someone in the ichimon, the use of a famous shikona really comes down to that person (most often the oyakata) deciding when it can be used. Previous threads have discussed some that may not be used again, such as Raiden, but then some are used quite often. There was speculation, for example, that Takanosato may be dusted off and bestowed upon the former Hagiwara. This would have come down largely to the decision made by Naruto-oyakata as Takanosato had been his shikona.

[Asashosakari 16,696]

takanohana is ichidai-toshiyori so as far i know that name cannot be used again even as a shikona. it finishes when he retires

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While you are correct in terms of its use for an oyakata/toshiyori, I don't know if that actually excludes Takanohana from being used again as a shikona for a rikishi. Does anyone know?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This was actually discussed almost exactly a month ago. Again, no, ichidai-toshiyori does not mean that the shikona can never be reused for an active rikishi. It's well possible that such an extremely prestigious shikona as Takanohana will never find another worthy carrier, but to the best of my knowledge there's no regulation that says there can't be one.

[Lucius Flavonius 0]

So there aren't any formal rules. It all depends on worthiness of a given wrestler.

Then how about the shikonas of lower division wrestlers?

There was one Kitaoji. A great shikona. I can't believe that this shikona will be discarded. When can we expect another Kitaoji?

[Asashosakari 16,696]

So there aren't any formal rules. It all depends on worthiness of a given wrestler.

Then how about the shikonas of lower division wrestlers?

There was one Kitaoji. A great shikona. I can't believe that this shikona will be discarded. When can we expect another Kitaoji?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My bet is on "never". The "o" kanji is a reminiscence to the Japanese word for Europe if I remember correctly (the only other current shikona that includes it is Kotooshu), and the "ji" was an alternative reading of -tsukasa, which is almost exclusively used in Irumagawa-beya. So unless Irumagawa-oyakata finds another deshi from Northern Europe, I guess that particular shikona won't make much sense (except with a different "o" kanji, perhaps). And if he does in fact find another such rikishi, I doubt the Oyakata will give him the Kitaoji shikona since it's likely now considered fraught with bad luck due to Kitaoji's quick intai.

Edited December 13, 2004 by Asashosakari

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

Even without the geographic implications as explained above, the bad luck due to quick intai is reason enough to never use a shikona again.