Danpatsu-shiki Protocol

[Fukurou]

I know a rikishi has to have had 30 sekitori tournaments to be eligible for his danpatsu-shiki to take place at the kokugikan. So, some questions about the ceremonies -

How much of what goes on is dictated by the preferences of the rikishi and/or his oyakata?

Aside from setting, are their any real differences in the ceremony between ones held at the Kkan and ones held elsewhere?

Are women allowed to participate? Does the snipping take place on a dohyo at the Kkan? If women are allowed, yet a dohyo is involved, how does that work? Does the retiring rikishi step down?

[yorikiried by fate]

Are women allowed to participate? Does the snipping take place on a dohyo at the Kkan? If women are allowed, yet a dohyo is involved, how does that work? Does the retiring rikishi step down?

Yes, yes (but not when a woman is snipping), the rikishi steps off the dohyo, yes.

[Fay]

In the heya women are allowed, I snipped a bit of Kaisenryu's hair last year. I remember that one sekitori stepped off the dohyo for letting his mother have a cut, but I can't remember who it was. (I know it read it in this forum, maybe someone knows more).

[Raishu]

I remember that one sekitori stepped off the dohyo for letting his mother have a cut, but I can't remember who it was. (I know it read it in this forum, maybe someone knows more).

I recently watched some footage of Miyabiyama's danpatsu and he stepped off the dohyo to have an elderly lady snip his mage. AFAIK, his parents are not alive anymore, so I assume it must have been the former okamisan of the old Musashigawa beya or his mother in law (or maybe someone else??).

[Akinomaki]

Former Juryo 5 (and for 5 basho) Kotoyutaka (intai after the Natsu basho: 5th month) had his danpatsu-shiki in the kokugikan,

Miyabiyama stepped off the dohyo to allow his former okamisan (wife of the previous Musashigawa-oyakata) to make a cut.

Baruto as well, others had a special ramp to allow the woman to have a snip at dohyo level.

[Raishu]

Thanks for the quick confirmation Akinomaki! :-)

[Akinomaki]

I was that quick because I already was in the process of searching when your post came.

Here is the stage version:

Former sekiwake Tamanoshima, Nishiiwa-oyakata from Kataonami-beya, who retired last year's Kyushu basho, had his danpatsu-shiki today.
Among 360 people who made a cut was Miyabiyama, his rival since before he became a professional.

Because women aren't allowed to ascend to the dohyo, a special stage had been erected on the side to have e.g. the mother of Nishiiwa-oyakata make a snip.

His mother making a cut

Edited May 4, 2014 by Akinomaki

[Orion]

For most of the time I've been following sumo, women were simply excluded from the KK dohyo ceremonies -- but of course, once somebody had the idea of getting around this, others would follow with their own refinements: the retiree stepping down, or an extension put against the dohyo. What I don't recall is who started it. Can anybody refresh my memory?

I have many memories of private haircuts, in a hotel or, more commonly, in the large hall underneath the front of the Kokugikan. In these surroundings I myself have wielded the scissors four times, on men of four different nationalities!

Orion

[Asashosakari]

For most of the time I've been following sumo, women were simply excluded from the KK dohyo ceremonies -- but of course, once somebody had the idea of getting around this, others would follow with their own refinements: the retiree stepping down, or an extension put against the dohyo. What I don't recall is who started it. Can anybody refresh my memory?

Was it Harunoyama?

[Fukurou]

Thanks for all the great information! I'm still curious, though, about how much of what goes on at a clipping ceremony is dictated by the preferences of the rikishi and/or his oyakata. (aside from making allowances for women to take a snip if there's a dohyo)

[Orion]

Thanks for all the great information! I'm still curious, though, about how much of what goes on at a clipping ceremony is dictated by the preferences of the rikishi and/or his oyakata. (aside from making allowances for women to take a snip if there's a dohyo)

AFAIK, the ceremony (or near-lack of one) depends almost entirely on the oyakata and the stable tradition. In Dewanoumi, for example, any hair-cutting of a private nature is kept strictly within the heya and women do not take part except as observers. It'll be interesting to see if this will change, but there are no premature retirements in sight so let's hope we have to wait a good time before we find out.

My previous experiences were very varied. In some cases the heya was having what was basically a fund-raising ceremony for a good retiree; in others, the man himself was organizing things with the willing assistance of his friends, both inside and outside the heya and ichimon. A popular return gift is a miniature akeni (the fancy old-style box that a sekitori has his duds transported in) and the box of paper tissues in my living room has the name of Sentoryu, and the one in my next-door office has the name of Hoshitango. I still meet Tango from time to time in the greengrocer's, and it's hard to recognize the well-trimmed middle-ager! He still recognizes me, so this leaves me with mixed feelings,,,,

Orion