Bow Twirler

[Fukurou]

Since Oga retired (according to the intai page on the NSK website it was official as of April 25), who's doing the bow twirling? (probably discussed here ages ago - I looked but did not find)

As a Juryo 6, will Oga have a retirement ceremony as the Makuuchi guys do?

[madorosumaru]

Minanosato is the new yumitori rikishi. He has been doing the bow twirling at jungyo for several months now.

According to the Takasago web site, Oga's dampatsushiki is scheduled for Sunday, June 3. The festivities will take place on the Kokugikan dohyo starting at around noon. There will be shokkiri performance, yokozuna dohyo-iri and other activities preceding the hair clipping. Oga, of course, would perform his final yumitori shiki. After the ceremony, there will be a party at the Dai-Ichi Hotel in Ryogoku beginning at around 3 p.m.

Although only insiders will be allowed to clip Oga's hair, the general public can observe the ceremony by purchasing party tickets for 15,000 yen per person.

[aderechelsea]

his style looked a bit "hurried" yesterday. Maybe a bit "aggresive". At least that's what it looked like through the stream.

(btw .... i have to post a pic sometime of a yumitori rikishi that had dropped the bow and had to pick it up from the ground with his foot)

[Zuikakuyama]

It seems to be that he is a bit too short and a bit too fat to be too graceful of a bow-twirler.

You need good body lines in order to complement the long narrow shape of the bow.

[Tikozan]

I've seen it in this moment on livestream, he does ist "very hard" and quick. But I think he will be better when he do it more frequently.

[Hananotaka]

Hard, quick, and aggressive are all good, IMO. I remember watching an NHK special on Sumo in the 20th Century back in 1999. They had an old clip of a pre-war yumitorishiki, and at first I didn't even recognize it! The rikishi was like dervish, twirling the bow to and fro at high speed, his stance low, stable, and aggressive. I'd like to see more yumitori like that!

[Bishonohana]

I guess we'll get used to the new "guy," but Oga had style and the body to look good at what he did... I'm sad that he intai'd!

[aderechelsea]

check out this guy who dropped his bow and had to pick it up from the dohyo with the foot