Rikishi Talk - Day 9 2009 Nagoya Basho

[Jonosuke]

Dejima (2-7) losing to Tochinonada by kotenage, 2.7 sec

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(Former ozeki ranked at West 13, losing his seventh and likelihood of demotion looming.)

"Obviously I think about it. But rather than counting the number of wins and losses, I want first to think what I can do with my sumo. I still get such sense of regret whenever I lose so I still have a strong will to go on."

Musashigawa oyakata, Dejima's shisho

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(On Dejima, not wanting to discuss his retirement possibility.)

"He is doing all he can. You can't do anything about losses."

Aminishiki (7-2) over Iwakiyama by yorikiri, 2.6 sec

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(On getting his 500th win.)

"Really? I guess it's a long way to go for 1,000th. Perhaps if I keep going for another 10 years or so."

Kisenosato (7-2) over Aran by uwatenage, 4.7 sec

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(Winning the bout after his yokozuna encounter for the first time in his career.)

"I experienced such abnormal sense of tension that I was even surprised at myself."

Toyohibiki (1-8) over Kotoshogiku, oshitaoshi, 8.9 sec

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(Finally getting his first win this basho.)

"I never gave up and I just kept pushing him. The thing about today was that I had a great tachiai and I think he never recovered from it."

"I am so happy. I was doing all I could so I don't remember anything about my sumo today. It felt like an eternity (before getting the first win)."

Kotomitsuki (8-1) over Harumafuji by hatakikomi, 1.7 sec

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(Stopping his personal losing streak at 5 against Harumafuji and staying close to the leaders.)

"It wasn't as good sumo but I won and that's the main thing, isn't it?"

"I have been really dreaming to go for the yusho with another mate from the same heya. I am really looking forward to it."

(Remembering eight years ago when he won the whole thing.)

"I don't really feel I am in the yusho race yet but I want to experience once again that sheer thrill of excitement. Recently I tend to lose in the first half so when I get the chance like this, I really want to make it happen."

(Getting his kachikoshi and as promised himself, he had a dinner with his wife and son for the first time in a week.)

"I know I have to do well now. After all I have to support my family. I want to fulfill all the expectations from the local fans here and win the yusho this basho. I want to keep going for long time so that my kid can see me holding the yusho cup."

Harumafuji (6-3) losing to Kotomitsuki

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(Though now even a mathematical chance of his yokozuna promotion evaporated into the thin air, not appearing as depressed, even singing a song.)

"Na na na na, hey hey-ey, goodbye..."

(Actually what he was singing was one of the biggest songs by a Japanese folk group, Of Course. called Sayonara )

"Actually I fell down so quickly, I don't know exactly what happened. Anyway a loss is a loss. Let's enjoy sumo one day at a time and do our best the rest of this bashof."

Musashigawa oyakata, Kyokai chairman

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(On Harumafuji)

"He looked pretty fragile out there. But you know he will get more chances. He just should keep training hard and he should seize the next opportunity.""

Kotooshu (9-0) over Kaio by yorikiri, 1 min 34.8 sec

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(Over a minute of sumo and his arms so pumped up he could not move them).

"Nagoya is hot. I feel hot. I always have a burning intensity."

"I stayed so careful, taking it ever more slowly, believing in myself."

Kaio (5-4) losing to Kotooshu

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(Couldn't celebrate his 1283rd Makuuchi appearance, the third most in sumo history, with a win.)

"I am only thinking about how I should compete this basho. As far as all these records are concerned, I'd enjoy remembering them after I retire from active career."

Chiyotaikai (5-4) over Asashoryu by hikiotoshi, 3.3 sec

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(Pulling down Asashoryu)

"Whoa, this is incredibly huge. I had a great tachiai. You know a yokozuna can help bring out the best in me."

"When I realized I was going to face against two yokozuna in as many days, I figured I'd be 4 win and 6 losses in no time. But you know I just have to go against them just like another challenger, not worrying about the result so in that sense I can go out relaxed with everything I have.."

Asashoryu (7-2) losing to Chiyotaikai

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(Putting a bandage over his right shoulder as if to say he has been injured. Was asked if he could not raise his right arm. )

"(Sigh)..You know I fell pretty badly yesterday. But I should be OK. It's just that I am not even putting in good decent sumo anymore..."

Musashigawa oyakata, Kyokai chairman

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(On Asashoryu)

"A rather pitiful display. He can't stay in...I suppose he is dragging yesterday's loss around."

Takasago oyakata, Asashoryu's shisho

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(On Asashoryu's kyujo possibility.)

"I have no intention of raising the subject myself. All I can tell him is to do his best."

Kakuryu (3-6) losing to Hakuho by yorikiri, 2.4 sec

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"I failed at the tachiai. I am not jumping out with my timing."

Hakuho (9-0) over Kakuryu

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(Analyzing Asashoryu's loss)

"He slipped. It's hot and the lighting is strong so the dohyo gets dried out pretty quickly."

Yusho Race Board

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Makuuchi:

0 loss - Hakuho, Kotooshu

1 loss - Kotomitsuki

Juryo:

1 loss - Hokutoriki, Wakanosato

Records:

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Kaio - 1283rd Makuuchi appearance (tied Akinoshima, third most in sumo history)

Aminishiki - 500th career win

Sotairyu Ryozo, Makushita West 1, Tokitsukaze Beya over Hoshikaze

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Almost assuring his Juryo promotion by winning his fourth bout. Had his dohyo debut at the 2005 Natsu Basho after graduating from Tokyo Nogyo University and winning the Jonokuchi Yusho at the 2005 Nagoya Basho.

"I couldn't concentrate on sumo after the heya's incident (death of Heya's recruit) and I was really considering leaving Ozumo," Sotairyu admitted now. But his junior heya mate told him to do all he could for him as well.

The junior mate who went to the same high school, Aizu Norin High in Fukushima Prefecture and same university sumo club was arrested and now imprisoned. "I realized I had to go on, not only for them but for myself as well, doing all my best each and every one of my bouts."

His shikona is similar to the active shikona of the former shisho at the heya, Juniichi Yamamoto who was also charged and arrested for the death of recruit, and the current oyakata is considering changing it to mark his promotion to Juryo though Sotairyu himself wants to keep it. "You know it has the kanji of the great yokozuna from the heya, Futabayama so I would like to have it for a while," Sotairyu said. "In both good times and bad times I had the shikona. I want to make something of myself with the shikona."

"Right now I still haven't got anything yet so I have to keep winning. One thing is that I am able to really extend my arms now and that's really helping my oshi-zumo."

Real name: Ryozo Takahashi. Born on July 26, 1982 in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. 26 years old. From Aizu Norin High School to Tokyo Nogyo Unviersity, enter Tokitsukaze Beya in 2005 and made his dohyo debut at the Natsu Basho. Promoted to Makushita at the 2006 Hatsu Basho. 179 cm, 106 kg. Favorite moves: Ottsuke, Oshi.

Attendance: 8000

[stunny]

I know, I know, its offtopic, but please translate for me that pretty song Sayonara from Off Course, which Ama liked. I found just the english letters of the japanese words, so its impossible for me to translate whatever.

Mou owari da ne kimi ga chiisaku mieru

Boku wa omowazu kimi wo dakishimetakunaru

"watashi wa nakanai kara konomama hitori ni shite"

Kimi no hoho wo namida ga nagarete wa ochiru

"bokura wa jiyuu da ne" itsuka sou hanashita ne

Marude kyou no koto nante omoi mo shinaide

* sayonara sayonara sayonara

Mou sugu soto wa shiroi fuyu

Aishita no wa tashika ni kimi dake

Sonomama no kimi dake

Ai wa kanashii ne boku no kawari ni kimi ga

Kyou wa dareka no mune ni nemuru kamoshirenai

Boku ga tereru kara daremo miteinai michi wo

Yorisoi arukeru samui hi ga kimi wa suki datta

* repeat

Soto wa kyou mo ame yagate yuki ni natte

Bokura no kokoro no naka ni furitsumoru darou

Furitsumoru darou

Thank you in advance, Jonosuke.

[Jonosuke]

Since you mentioned by my name, I suppose I don't have any choice.

Now you must excuse a bit of non lyrical passages below as it's close to 11:30 PM in my time and I am no condition to do a poetic justice to Kazumasa Oda and company (you realized that this song was a big hit in 1979 before even Harumafuji was born and I always considered any guys who liked Off Course to be sissy-men and weaklings but as you gain the wisdom of age wrinkles, your perspective changes).

So without further any ado or any adieu or sayonara of such things:

It's over now you know.

You look small.

No reason at all I just want to hold you

"Let me alone please

Because I won't cry"

Tears flow down from your cheek

"We are free," we were once talking

As if we weren't thinking it is about today

Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara

Soon it will be a white winter outside

It was only you

I loved for sure

Just you as you are

Love is lonely

It may be someone else's chest you will be sleeping today

replacing me

Because I was shy, you loved paths no one saw

so we could walk together close on a cold day

Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara

Soon it will be a white winter outside

It was only you

I loved for sure

Just you as you are

Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara

Soon it will be a white winter outside

It was only you

I loved for sure

Just you as you are

Sayonara Sayonara Sayonara

Soon it will be a white winter outside

It was only you

I loved for sure

Just you as you are

Outside it's raining again today

In a while it will become snow

It will be likely falling down into our heart

Likely falling down

[stunny]

as i know, in japanese 'arigato' is 'thank you' and 'domo arigato' is 'thank you very much', so, let me tell you

'domo arigato, Jonosuke san!'

it's the music i liked, it seems too close to the band named TOTO i used to like, and no, i dont think Ama or myself are 'sissy men', but as you said, the wisdom comes with the age. An year ago, or maybe two, i read that Hakuho wanted to invite a famous japanese singing star on his wedding, and Asashoryu has favorite singing star too. Its good to see, that the sumo wrestlers are not just brutal fat men without any sense of human beings, and that they like music too. Music is good, isnt it?

Thank you again for the time you shared translating love poetry at midnight, something that is indeed rare for a sumo forum (Sign of approval...)

I'm in your debt not only for the translation above, but also for the very interesting rikishi comments you do translate daily. If you tell me the favorite bulgarian song of Kotooshu, i will translate it for you :-)

one last question: what does 'Jonosuke' mean?

[Jonosuke]

one last question: what does 'Jonosuke' mean?

It means nothing, it's just a name.

Actually the current Tate gyoji, Shonosuke Kimura used to be a Jonosuke too.

Incidentally these days at karaoke I sing anything from B'zs to Zard with a good mix of even Hideaki Tokunaga. If you like Off Course, you would like his Vocalist CDs as he does covers for Japanese female singers top hits.