Mihogaseki Oyakata to release CD single

[Kintamayama]

Yes, no joke. It gets better. Mihogaseki Oyakata is releasing a CD, ending a ban that was imposed on all rikishi and oyakata in 1985. Music- Funamura Touru. Lyrics? Makiko Uchidate. Indeed. Both members of the YDC. "I'm really happy to be able to release a CD after such a long time..", said Mihogaseki Oyakata. They are billing this as "the return of the most beautiful voice in the Kakkai".The song is called "The Polka-dotted Scarf". Today, it was performed live at a show run by its composer Funamura-san at a local hotel. The recording will be at the end of this month and the release date is set for October. It's a love song, and Uchidatesan said she hopes it will make the New Year Eve's prestigious "Kouhaku Utagassen" show. There are also plans of Mihogaseki Oyakata singing a duet with ex-Yokozuna Kitanofuji. Mihogaseki has released more than 20 singles in the past, including when he was active. "I was given a beautiful song by the two sensei, and I will do my best to sing it well!", he said.

Wawaweewa.. To me, this is totally out of left field.. Does anyone have any details on his past songs and their success?

At the show last night, Mihogaseki and Funamura:

[ilovesumo]

(In a state of confusion...) Knowing nothing about any CD of him but wanna have it :-D

[James H]

Wawaweewa.. To me, this is totally out of left field.. Does anyone have any details on his past songs and their success?

At the show last night, Mihogaseki and Funamura:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/search/artist/000000000027926/.... is that him? It looks like him, but the photo is a bit blurred.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A2%97%E4%...%BF%97%E9%83%8E has a list of all his singles...

Edited June 12, 2007 by James H

[Jonosuke]

I knew he had a million seller song as well as a Sumo Jinku CD recorded with his father/shisho who was a gifted artist, known for portraits.

Anyway I just checked his Wikipedia and lo and behold he has over a dozen songs recorded so I imagine he is a due paying musicians union member.

[Chisaiyama]

Having seen many of the current crop of rikishi singing on the annual NHK sumo show I can imaging that there are many that could be dues paying artists union members. My question is does anybody know why the Kyokai banned rikishi and oyakata from releasing commercial music in the first place? I believe it was in 1985. I mean I can understand (at least in principle) the ban on driving as any kind of bad press from something like the Toki situation is bad for all sumo not just the individual, but what harm could have come frome their singing? About all I can conceive of here is that they were afraid if someone was as successful as Mihogaseki-oyakata appears to have been, might tend to pay more attention to the commercially rewarding singing and less to the running of the beyas and/or kyokai duties. Anyone have the definitive answer or even other speculation?

[Kintamayama]

Anyone have the definitive answer or even other speculation?

Speculation: Money matters.

[kaiguma]

[Hiralious images]

Yep, looks like it could have been released just prior to 1985 . . . (Whistling...)

[ilovesumo]

[Hiralious images]

Yep, looks like it could have been released just prior to 1985 . . . (Whistling...)

That was before my time ;-)

[Kaioshoryu]

How can you go wrong with songtitles like Tropical Fish Love Song... Fantastic!

[Asashosakari]

He's done it again. :-) On Thursday a release party and live performance was held in Tokyo for "秘そやかに華やかに" (somebody else please translate...), ex-Masuiyama's first song duet since 1988; his performing partner is Naomi Matsui.

[kuroimori]

:-O Knowing nothing about any CD of him but wanna have it :-O

Knowing nothing about any CD of him and definitely don't wanna have it...

that "hakkeyoi" song is annoying enough, IMHO

[Asashosakari]

that "hakkeyoi" song is annoying enough, IMHO

Well it's not quite the same thing. ;-)

FWIW, a sample is available from Amazon Japan for those interested, scroll down to the section titled "試聴用サンプル".

Edited August 25, 2012 by Asashosakari

[Orion]

:-O Knowing nothing about any CD of him but wanna have it :-O

Knowing nothing about any CD of him and definitely don't wanna have it...

that "hakkeyoi" song is annoying enough, IMHO

Nevertheless, the 'Hakkeyoi' song may have been the foot wedged in the doorway. The original prohibition was, IIRC (and I usually do) intended to force all the rikishi and oyakata to depend on the Kyokai and their own koenkai for all their income, and not have very profitable sources of income and fame from outside work. In the case of Mihogaseki, father and son, both were respected artists, though the son (the present oyakata) was better-known than his father as a singer.

One of my most valued possessions (for the pleasure I get out of it every day as I see it on the wall, not for any monetary value it may have) is an early Lynn Matsuoka crayon sketch of Masuiyama II having his hair done. (The artist wasn't even Mrs Matsuoka in those days). I once showed it to a big Japanese fan and asked if he thought I might ask the Ozeki to sign it in the blank top corner -- and he immediately replied that the Ozeki was an artist in his own right so I couldn't possibly ask him to put his signature on the work of another artist -- however good it was. So I never asked. All the same, whenever I meet him as an oyakata, even today, I still get a warm nod and a smile -- and somewhere at the back of my mind there is still that vacant space on the drawing where I dreamed of getting an autograph...

While I am in a reminiscent mood, let me recall a much earlier day when his father was Mihogaseki oyakata and I was in the fairly early years of my side-career as a sumo guide. The paperwork had been meticulously done, on my instructions, by one of the junior staff in my office, and permission had been obtained for me (foreigner but guaranteed to know the ropes) to escort a small group of Southeast Asian journalists to watch keiko. Everything went perfectly. My group of promising young journalists on an invitation visit were seated on the front row, me right behind them, sitting in my best formal 'tea ceremony' posture. Their behaviour was perfect (in advance I may have given them a few simple instructions, such as "If you move an inch, or make the slightest noise, I'll use your guts for garters") when, dreadfully late, the door opened and Andy Adams, an American journalist of an earlier generation, famous largely for creating the only English-language magazine "Sumo World", barged in and helped himself to a seat, uninvited, down the side. The oyakata turned a dreadful look on me -- but I played genuinely innocent and

shrugged and mimed "Nothing to do with me" -- and returned my attention to my entirely docile flock.

That is all I recall of the previous master; in later years I was a regular visitor, but my entry was largely thanks to the two yobidashi -- then totally unimportant, now #2 and #3, but still friends.

Orion down memory lane

[Bugman]

that "hakkeyoi" song is annoying enough, IMHO

BLASPHEMY!!! :-D

[Yubinhaad]

Good luck to him - the man has talent! Here's two that he made way earlier.

[Akinomaki]

The sumo kyokai fully supports the entry of Mihogaseki-oyakata in the year-end singing Kohaku Uta-gassen. Apparently the song was popular. Decided in Nov.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Akinomaki

[Swami]

Mihogaseki was quite a singer in his heyday as a rikishi.

Swami