Just another introduction...

[Yaezakura 0]

Hi there. I just wanted to introduce myself and say hello. I've been lurking around here for the past day or two, reading everything I can because I'm fascinated by sumo. My brother started watching sumo a few years ago, and whenever I visited him or he visited me, he forced me to watch sumo until I liked it! Though I recall that didn't take very long... (Punk rocker...) My favorite rikishi is Kokkai, though I am happy to watch pretty much any sumo. I live near Detroit, Michigan, in the US. I wish we got sumo on television here!

I tend to observe a lot on forums like this, and just soak up all the information I can. I've already learned a great deal here, so thanks! (Sign of approval)

[Kashunowaka 300]

(Punk rocker...) 八重桜!

[Yaezakura 0]

(Punk rocker...) 八重桜!

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I don't know any Japanese apart from the odd sumo-relateed word, but luckily the language of smileys is universal! Thank you for the welcome. ;-)

[Takanorappa 86]

Howdy, Yaezakura! Welcome aboard. :-D

I know what you mean about no sumo on TV (I'm an East coastie). You can always try the NSK feed. It's small, grainy, unreliable and you've got to get up at 3am, but it IS sumo!

[Yaezakura 0]

Howdy, Yaezakura!  Welcome aboard.  :-D 

I know what you mean about no sumo on TV (I'm an East coastie).

Hi, thanks! Where are you on the east coast?

  You can always try the NSK feed. It's small, grainy, unreliable and you've got to get up at 3am, but it IS sumo!

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Heh. Unfortunately, I only have dialup. I can get a much faster connection from work; now all I have to do is move to the night shift! Does NSK archive the feed, or any parts of it? I've watched a lot of the individual matches on banzuke.com, but it isn't the same; they're over so fast (though I LOVE that it is available... SUMO WITH ENGLISH COLOR COMMENTARY, I might be in heaven!)

[Jejima 1,314]

:-D 八重桜!

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I don't know any Japanese apart from the odd sumo-relateed word, but luckily the language of smileys is universal! Thank you for the welcome. :-)

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Hi! I don't know much Japanese either, but I'm fairly sure that what Kashunowaka wrote was 'Yaezakura'. :-) Welcome aboard.

[Kashunowaka 300]

I don't know any Japanese apart from the odd sumo-relateed word, but luckily the language of smileys is universal!  Thank you for the welcome.  :-)

Hi! I don't know much Japanese either, but I'm fairly sure that what Kashunowaka wrote was 'Yaezakura'. :-) Welcome aboard.

I don't know any Japanese *either*. But I know how to use a dictionary. :-D

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

Hello Yaezakura!

But my kanji guessing (using ANOTHER dictionary :-) ) is 八戸桜

:-D

[Jejima 1,314]

....and I know how to use Babelfish :-D

八重桜 = Eightfold cherry tree

八 戸桜 (note space in order to get a better translation) = Eight door cherry trees

I think I would slighty err towards the eightfold cherry trees for my preferred kanji....

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

....and I know how to use Babelfish :-D

八重桜 = Eightfold cherry tree

八 戸桜 (note space in order to get a better translation) = Eight door cherry trees

I think I would slighty err towards the eightfold cherry trees for my preferred kanji....

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I'm sure most would, but the second is a shikona actually used between 1995 and 1999 by the current Michinoku-rikishi Kirinoumi :-)

[Jonosuke 28]

Yaezakura is the last type of cherry trees to blossom. The Japan Weather Bureau will annually announce the Sakura Blossom Front forecast and this year the first day of blossoming is late all over Japan (they look at a typical Someiyoshino tree and once they judge a certain percentage of blossoming, they announce the first day).

In Tokyo it was 13 days later than last year and they announced it on March 31. So I imagine it will take another two weeks or so to get see Yaezakura. However arguably the place to see Yaezakura is perhaps Nara as it is their prefectural flower. Here's the webiste

showing where you can see their Sakura (in Japanese).

Oh another thing, back to sumo on TV, it all depends on your financial situation, in US you can catch it live on TV Japan on Dish or some cable systems in US and Canada.

[Yaezakura 0]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the welcomes and for the information about the user id I picked here. I just used it here because I use it somewhere else online, and it is easy for me to remember.

Jonosuke, thank you for the information and the url. Some of the photos are absolutely beautiful!

[Naifuzan 1]

Welcome to the forum!

[_the_mind_ 0]

Hi there.

Edited April 4, 2005 by _the_mind_

[Yaezakura 0]

i heard its cold in michigan, not nearly as warm as it is in central florida where im currently working on my tan and am a lovely golden brown :D lol....

You are so cruel to pick on your poor (and very pale, by the way...sun, what's the sun?) sister like that!! :'-( :-D It's nice out today, now that spring is here, but I'm stuck inside working.

i am the alledged brother Yaezakura is refering to  ;-)

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Allegedly, yes, but I am fairly certain I am adopted! ;-)

Side note to everyone who is not my brother: most kids tease their siblings by saying the sibling is adopted, but we always did it differently. We teased each other by saying that the other was our parents' natural child and we were the adopted one, because our parents are so weird! :-)

[Sasanishiki 57]

I AM adopted so that never worked in our family!

[Kasugaran 0]

Welcome to the forum from me too. The people here are pretty good, although don't feed them after midnight.... ;-)

[Fujisan 530]

Welcome to the forum from me too. The people here are pretty good, although don't feed them after midnight....  (Being unsure...)

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Especially not if its a full moon.

A late welcome to the forum Yaezakura from your friendly neighbourhood Wolfman. :-P

Chuck your salt and join the verbal Tachiai.

[Yaezakura 0]

A late welcome to the forum Yaezakura from your friendly neighbourhood Wolfman. (Shaking head...)

Chuck your salt and join the verbal Tachiai.

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Thanks!

*tosses some salt*

Um, I have nothing else to say, so I guess I lose the verbal tachiai. Maybe I can just make scary noises: RAAAAR! ;-)

[aderechelsea 124]

you can always do a henka ... ;-)

we'll call you the Asanowaka of the forum (no pun intented)

(Shaking head...)

[Kishinoyama 582]

:-) Sorry it is such a late welcome..... I've been silently lurking for a while.... But I'm back until I get burnt out again..... (Neener, neener...)

[Jesinofuji 11]

Welcome to the forum. I am from Michigan too. I take it you're a Pistons fan. Great win in game 1 vs. the Heat. (In a state of confusion...)

[Yaezakura 0]

Welcome to the forum.  I am from Michigan too.  I take it you're a Pistons fan.  Great win in game 1 vs. the Heat.  (In a state of confusion...)

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Where are you from in Michigan?

And yes, I love the Pistons, and I'm so happy they won last night!!! It was a really great game. I really get into basketball during the playoffs (well, hockey too except there was no hockey this year, a tragedy for Detroit.)

[Jesinofuji 11]

From Kalamazoo. I really want to see the Pistons back in the finals. I think they have a good chance of winning back-to-back titles. It's a shame that the NHL season was cancled. I miss the Red Wings.