Pre-Hatsu basho 2016 event pics

[Akinomaki]

The doyho got prepared in 3 days, till 3 days before shonichi. In Tokyo one third of the soil of the old doyho is used, which disappears underground after the basho ends. Now brought up again it gets demolished at first. About six 2ton-truck-loads of new soil is brought from Kawagoe-city, Saitama. The weight of finished and watered dohyo is about 40tons. http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20160109/sum16010908000001-n1.html
the tools



the top of the workers - tate yobidashi Takuro, actually in charge of the works was sanyaku yobidashi Shiro

getting the soil in form and firm

preparing the tawara: filling the straw bales and bringing them in form with beer bottles

drawing a circle

digging the groove for the tawara

putting the tawara in place

hardening the soil and building the steps with bales

the hole for the shizumemono, the sacred items to bury there at the doyho matsuri

final polish for the dohyo



Asashoryu's last portrait was removed before the dohyo matsuri











other pics in the yusho portrait thread http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=34618#entry295217

waiting for the start of the dohyo matsuri: yokozuna and ozeki, all other sanyaku are there as well Kotoshogiku, Kisenosato, Hakuho, Isegahama in front

and the first get sleepy - Izutsu in front

the riji-cho arrives, Fujishima, who sleeps behind?

these 2 have fun - that waits outside afterwards

he has none this time

the start

the dohyo matsuri rituals



more get sleepy or bored

getting purged of bad spirits (especially the drowsiness demon)



afterwards outside, the new yusho portraits from Mainichi shimbun

and the small version for at home

[Kintaro]

Great pictures. Interesting to see. Thank you.

[littlebutts]

These pre-basho event pics are some of my favourites. I don't know why, but I love seeing the process of making the dohyo. Thanks!

Edited January 9, 2016 by littlebutts

[theshinoda]

I wonder why they have to take down Asashoryu picture?

[Swami]

Excellent pictures!

Swami

[rhyen]

I wonder why they have to take down Asashoryu picture?

The kyokygikan can only hold 32 Yusho portraits.

When they are putting up the two newest one, they take down the two oldest one to make space.