Another affair

[Kintamayama]

sad if true - and the only reason I say 'if' is not that it hasn't made the media yet, but also the part about the clothesline of the driver's side headrest and kicking / punching the driver. etc..

Houchi has it on page 1, citing Fuji TV news. All details to a T-as were reported above. Driver could be exaggerating for sure, but this is what is being reported. Toushinyama is of course denying he hit anybody, but Tochiazuma said the taxi was "in shambles" and that he is "in touch with the driver", hinting compensation.

Regarding the police station- "The police station opposite the heya", is what it says, as you suggested.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Mark Buckton]

a rather 'damp' turn of events given the original claims. Hope Kara-kun doesn't read SF.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Mark Buckton

[Jonosuke]

Actually I am rather surprised that this story got as much mileage as it did.

All sumo beya use taxi quite often. There usually have a car mostly used by the shisho. Nearby chores are handled by young rikishi riding bicycle or train if it is some distance away. But if there is a sekitori then he will use it coming and going from Kokugikan during Tokyo Basho. Many guests who visit the heya often leave on taxi as most do not have their own parking space.

So all in all, every heya has a phone number or two of local taxi companies they call regularly (some even have chits so the guests won't have to pay).

In this case the okamisan knows the taxi driver (meaning the driver was from a taxi company they use regularly). If the driver decides to lay a charge with the police, then he might as well start looking for another job as the taxi company he works for surely loses one of their best customers. He will be in trouble with the company management and other drivers with the company as they will lose their regular fares from the heya too. As well the sumo world is rather a small world and there are other heya in the area and they may be using the same company.

I can hardly believe the driver will risk all this so he can take them to the court to get some money. It's silly. He will just lose his job with his employer and he may not be easily hired by another taxi company which certainly does not want a "troublemaker".

The best course of action here is to stop going to media and not file any charge and then settle with the heya to fix the car and possibly get some choice seats at Aki Basho plus a few other goodies from them.

[Kintamayama]

Actually I am rather surprised that this story got as much mileage as it did.

All sumo beya use taxi quite often. There usually have a car mostly used by the shisho. Nearby chores are handled by young rikishi riding bicycle or train if it is some distance away. But if there is a sekitori then he will use it coming and going from Kokugikan during Tokyo Basho. Many guests who visit the heya often leave on taxi as most do not have their own parking space.

Toushinyama took the taxi from his friend's place back to the heya, so he could have hired the taxi anywhere, including Shinjuku,no?

[Kintamayama]

Tamanoi Oyakata has punished all his rikishi, confining them to the stable for now. He was thinking of making Toushinyama sit out Aki, but Isenoumi and Tomozuna told him it wasn't necessary. The heya will pay damages to the taxi company as well.

[Kaikitsune Makoto]

Tamanoi Oyakata has punished all his rikishi, confining them to the stable for now. He was thinking of making Toushinyama sit out Aki, but Isenoumi and Tomozuna told him it wasn't necessary. The heya will pay damages to the taxi company as well.

Oh..nice old-fashioned "one will do bad thing in a group => ALL will suffer!" method. Maybe he wakes up in the middle of the night when others beat him with soaps wrapped in towels....

[Asashosakari]

Luckily, it's always seemed like Tamanoi-beya's rikishi are especially well-equipped with Playstations and the like to pass the time. (On cloud nine...)

[sekihiryu]

that pic has got to be very old - haven't seen them for years.

come to down to Kansai, its much safer and taxi's still have only the very basic shield.

[Kintamayama]

Toushinyama kyujo.