Keiko Partners

[Guest Megumishiki]

Just another inquiry... (Blush...)

I was just wondering, with all the things being said about one rikishi doing keiko with this other rikishi from another heya (like Asashoryu and Aminishiki), how do these players get together in the first place? Do they get to select another rikishi by themselves? Or do even juryo and lower ranked guys get to do this?

Thanks in advance for any reply!

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

I've understood there are several ways for these kinds of forms of mutual practice to develop.

First, there is the ichimon connection. Rikishi from two or more heyas all belonging to the same ichimon tend to practice together. This way is probably more common if the heyas in question are situated relatively far away from other possible heyas. I might be completely wrong about this but I seem to recall that both Naruto and Sadogatake beya are situated quite far away from Kokugikan relatively close to each other. As they are both member heyas of the Nishonoseki ichimon, they are natural sparring partners for each other.

Isn't there (Often? Sometimes?) a kind of practice gathering of heyas affiliated by their common ichimon before the basho called ichimon-geiko?

Another form would be, say, a friendship between oyakata, which would lead them to send their protegees practice against each other even if they belonged to different ichimons.

These heya-wide conventions are most likely directly under oyakata's supervision.

However, once a rikishi secures his place as a sekitori, I've understood he is trusted more to take initiatives regarding his own training. Therefore, say, a yotsu favouring sekitori whose heya is traditionally more inclined to promote yotsu style (yes, I'm thinking about "my" Sadogatake here) might want to go to visit another heya with more oshi style sekitori to get more practice against the oshi specialists.

Of course, there are bound to be friendships between men from different heyas and friends tend to like practice among themselves. Also the similarities in physical size might be a factor (I'm thinking of your example of Asashoryu and Aminishiki now).

I bet someone will come up with even more possibilities. ;-)