Gyoji, yobidashi and tokoyama news

[Kintamayama]

Juryo Gyojis Kimura Kounosuke (Kokonoe) and Kimura Hisayuki (Ooshima) will be promoted to Makuuchi for Hatsu 2008. Makushita referees Kimura Katsujiro (Takasago) and Kimura Takaou will be promoted to Juryo for Hatsu as well. Yobidashi Hideo (Kiriyama) will be promoted to head yobidashi, and Takurou from Mihogaseki will now be Junior Chief Yobidashi.

Additionally, special class tokoyama will be written on the Hatsu Banzuke, a first time this will ever happen.

[ilovesumo]

Ah...few more steps for Kimura Motoki....

Thanks, that'S a good idea to have an overview at the forum as well. Following it not being at the Masu seki, not so easy (Holiday feeling...)

[Kotonosato]

Additionally, special class tokoyama will be written on the Hatsu Banzuke, a first time this will ever happen.

What puts a tokoyama into a special class?

[Doitsuyama]

Additionally, special class tokoyama will be written on the Hatsu Banzuke, a first time this will ever happen.

What puts a tokoyama into a special class?

Tokoyama ranks are not graded by divisions like the other jobs, but by "classes", or "等" to write the original. A tokoyama-deshi starts at 5th class and gets promoted with skill/seniority to 4th, 3th, 2nd, 1st and finally "special class" or in the original "特等" (toku-tō).

(Disclaimer: Kanji from memory)

[Kotonosato]

Thanks for that, Doitsuyama.

I guess, then, there is no connection between tokoyama status and the rank of their heya's rikishi. That is, the tokoyama from Takasago and Miyagino don't have special status simply because they do the mage for yokozuna?

[ilovesumo]

Thanks for that, Doitsuyama.

I guess, then, there is no connection between tokoyama status and the rank of their heya's rikishi. That is, the tokoyama from Takasago and Miyagino don't have special status simply because they do the mage for yokozuna?

It is said that only a Tokoyama in the special class is allowed to dress a Yokozuna's hair, but for practical reason, in everyday's life the Heya's first Tokoyama will do it if he yet is in the rank (for one I asked, he started in 3. class doing the O icho) to do a Sekitori's hair. In public he won't.

They climb the ranks with seniority. If one was one step before the special class and then one Rikishi in his Heya becomes Yokozune, he climbs the last step, let's say... quicker.