Yutakayama

Aki 2018 Jungyo – Day 14 (Oct 17)

Herouth Aki Basho 2018, Jungyo (巡業) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

geiko

🌐 Location: Kyoto, Kyoto
🚫 Scandal level: 0

Sumo tournaments and events draw members of other traditional Japanese professions, such as rakugo story tellers, and in this case, geiko.

Geiko are the Kyoto version of what is called a “geisha” in Tokyo, or a “geigi” in Fukuoka. They are traditional entertainers, skilled in singing, dancing, playing instruments, conversation, and drinking games.

There are many similarities between the world of geiko and the world of sumo. Aspiring geiko join an okiya, which is the equivalent of a heya. There is strict hierarchy between them, and you can tell the ranks by the outfits and accessories. There is a sharp difference between an apprentice geiko – a maiko – the equivalent of a makushita-and-below rikishi, and a full-fledged geiko, the equivalent of a sekitori. Maiko and geiko wear kimono or yukata even when off-duty (though less fancy then their work kimono), and you can recognize an off-duty maiko by the combination of the kimono and the special hairdo.

They also spend most of their days training. Even when they have graduated into geiko.

So in the photo above we have five maiko – one of them a minarai, the equivalent of a Jonokuchi wrestler – and one senior geiko, from the Tsurui okiya, coming to see and be seen at the Kyoto Jungyo event.

So let’s join them and see what the rikishi are up to.

Today’s fashion statement comes from Kagayaki, who shows how to do a head tie:

kagayaki-fashion-statement

The fans claim that this is actually a form of stretching.

Yesterday we had a discussion in the comments about seiza and hefty guys like Takayasu. So what would you say about this guy sitting seiza?

ichinojo-seiza

My legs ache in sympathy. The fans, by the way, claim that this, too, is a form of stretching.

Now here is a mystery rikishi for you. Since the connoisseurs here are able to tell Kisenosato from Kotoshogiku by the mere outline of their moobs, I’m sure identifying this butt will be no challenge:

guess-the-butt

The answer is below, following the daily Tobizaru.

Goeido does shiko stomps at the bottom of the dohyo. But something seems to distract him:

There are no sekitori hailing from Kyoto. The NSK had to dig really hard for home boys – the reason why Enho is accompanied by Kyoto-born Jonidan rikishi Umizaru this Jungyo rather than his regular tsukebito. Another Kyoto man is Sandanme rikishi Kawamoto, from Kasugano beya, who gets the unexpected honor of a butsukari from an Ozeki.

kawamoto-butsukari-tochinoshin

This is easy enough for the Ozeki to leave his gigantic brace off his knee.

Takayasu went for a more serious butsukari opponent – Wakatakakage. And Takayasu doesn’t do butsukari by halves.

takayasu-butsukari-wakatakakage

Tamawashi’s moshi-ai bout with Yutakayama:

Tochinoshin didn’t settle just for Kawamoto, and also landed his chest to Tochiozan:

Still no brace.

Moshi-ai, Kagayaki vs. Onosho:

Still no joy for Kagayaki.

Onosho also had a butsukari session with Kisenosato:

And Kisenosato continues to practice san-ban with Mitakeumi:

Yutakayama vs. Goeido:

Now here are a couple of lessons in Japanese consideration for others. First, Takanosho practices his tachiai. But waits patiently until the arriving spectators move along, so as not to hit them by accident:

Abi starts doing some push ups, but hurriedly stops and instructs his tsukebito to pick up the bars to make way for a wheelchair.

After training is over, there is some Jinku.

I find it strange to see jinku without the famous Mutsukaze and his mutton chops.

Gokushindo seems to enjoy his continuing oicho-mage privileges:

gokushindo-enjoys-his-oicho

What is Nishikigi laughing so hard about?

nishikigi-enjoys-whipping-ryuden

As it turns out, he has been using that towel of his as a whip, lashing at Ryuden as he came down from his bout down the hana-michi. I guess Nishikigi is yet another one in the “pain is fun, especially in others” faction of bored rikishi. But Ryuden seems not to mind too much.

Remember Goeido’s new gag, heckling Tamawashi by proxy? Well, I have footage of it. Tamawashi is about to start his bout with Kaisei:

“Kaisei, gambare”

“Tamawashi!”

And the ozeki is guffawing into his elbow. He then has that tsukebito get eye contact with Tamawashi after he wins and raise his fist in feigned encouragement.

goeido-heckles-tamawashi

Eventually Tamawashi comes down the hana-michi after giving Takakeisho his chikara-mizu, and Goeido sends his proxy to greet his hero.

Tamawashi, for a change, is totally classy about all this:

Let’s see some bouts. Here is Akiseyama vs. Meisei, though I have to warn you – the end has been cut off, because apparently this fan, sitting in this excellent seat, is a huge fan of Yago:

As soon as the last bout of the day (well, the last Juryo bout in this case) is over, the kachi-nokori and make-nokori, the rikishi from the previous bouts who fill the seats next to the shimpan (and also have a duty to raise a mono-ii if they see something amiss) rise and hurry off to the dressing room. Yago was one of them.

By the way, here is something that only happens in Jungyo. Takayasu and Tochinoshin were waiting their turn by the sides of the shimpan – who happened to be the gregarious Tomozuna oyakata. The oyakata took the fan’s smartphone and took their pictures for her:

Let’s see you try to get a picture from that angle in honbasho. And those smiles right before a bout.

Here is Goeido vs. Takayasu:

Finally, here is your Tobizaru:

even-monkeys-fall-off-trees

OK, OK, what’s that supposed to be? Yet another prank during the wait for the dohyo-iri?

No, worse. It’s a prank during the dohyo-iri itself:

Tobizaru demonstrates the Japanese saying “Even monkeys fall from trees” – or dohyos, in this case.

So here is your real Tobizaru of the day:

tobizaru

And the mystery butt is, of course, Enho, the thinnest sekitori.

Aki 2018 Jungyo – Day 13 (Oct 16)

Herouth Jungyo (巡業) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
abi-and-tsurugisho-are-in-osaka
We’re in Osaka! Dotonbori! Food!

🌐 Location: Izumisano, Osaka
🚫 Scandal level: 0

The Jungyo reaches Osaka, where a one day hiatus allows the rikishi to roam the big city and try to imitate the Glico Man, which Abi does much better than Tsurugisho. They then head to the town of Izumisano.

But the theme of attempting to imitate local landmarks continues:

mitakeumi-tobizaru-hokutofuji-statue-1

Guys, that statue has his right arm stretched straight forward. Mitakeumi, are you trying to demonstrate self-defense techniques? That’s a tried-and-true way to defend against a taller guy attacking you from behind, though I can hardly think of anybody who would dare to do that. Well, maybe Hakuho. But I wouldn’t recommend trying to elbow him in the face if you want your innards to stay out of the sun.

mitakeumi-tobizaru-hokutofuji-statue-2

Yeah… well… Hokutofuji, good marks for being the closest. Mitakeumi, you are imitating that statue, not Muhammad Ali, and your left arm… oh, I give up. Where is Abi when we need someone who can (a) lift his leg properly, and (b) imitate a land mark closely enough?

Still outside the venue, a lucky spectator caught a sekitori playing catch with his tsukebito. Only… from that distance, it’s not clear who the rikishi is:

mystery-game-of-catch

I’d swear we’re seeing a Yokozuna here, and Kisenosato is known for having rather strange forms of exercise. But opinions on Twitter say that this may actually be Kotoshogiku. What do you think?

OK, let’s move inside the venue. What do we see there?

Ryuden is trying to make a fashion statement.

ryuden-fashion-statement

I think this is inspired by Greco-Roman art.

Takayasu, on the other hand, demonstrates a perfect seiza (did I mention “ouch”?):

bear-demonstrating-perfect-seiza

God, look at his paws. I mean, feet.

Now, I know I make fun of poor Akiseyama all the time. The man really has an unfortunate shape. But he is apparently a nice guy. Here he is fixing Chiyonoumi’s mawashi knot:

akiseyama-fixes-chiyonoumi-mawashi

Here Tsurugisho tells a young fan that Akiseyama is hot and needs to be fanned. The little lady complies:

Akiseyama: “Thank you”.

I personally started liking him when I saw him in the previous Jungyo, interrupting Takayoshitoshi, who was trying to strike a conversation with his tsukebito, with remarks about violence prevention. I call that Akisekarma.

So go Akiseyama! (Just try to go dressed if you can).

Practice bout between Meisei and Chiyonoumi:

Intense!

Myogiryu vs. Ichinojo:

Sigh.

Onosho vs. Shohozan:

Onosho still not as dominant as he would like to be.

Takayasu vs. Daieisho:

Takayasu needs to get that ass of his down.

Yutakayama vs. Mitakeumi:

Tons of upsets this day.

Kakuryu (who has began doing serious keiko rather than just butsukari) vs. Shodai:

No upsets here.

Practice time over, and the rikishi begin their bouts. And the torikumi schedule of the day is repurposed as a rack for spectacles:

torikumi-hyo-multiple-uses

There is even a pair in one of the portholes. Japan, and East Asia in general, has a very high percentage of myopia, and rikishi are no exception.

Just before Juryo is up, Enho turns up the Cute generator to near maximum level:

enho-overdoing-it-on-the-cute

I’m guessing it’s at this point that Tomokaze and Chiyonoumi start asking him if he has a sister. No, seriously, that guy is a walking cognitive dissonance. What’s a pretty pixie oozing with Cute like that doing in a combat sport, and practically at its top decile at that?

That doesn’t prevent people from pulling pranks on him, though. Here he is receiving his power water and power paper… form somebody who makes a point of handing them from high above:

enho-power-water
“Here is your water, short stuff”
enho-power-paper
“And your paper, half pint”.

I think that’s Tomokaze doing the deed.

And before the Makuuchi bouts, who else but Tamawashi is pestering Kaisei:

tamawashi-kaisei-cheektamawashi-kaisei-ouch-hehehe

Can’t you find a way to amuse yourself that doesn’t involve pain?

Here is the Abi-Onosho bout, courtesy of Teraoumi (who serves as Abi’s tsukebito):

Onosho looks a lot better here than in the keiko session earlier on.

And here is a Kisenosato digest for you, which includes the bout between him and Kakuryu:

Both Yokozuna have their hips up in the stratosphere. I don’t get this.

Here is a lonely Kasugaryu with his bow:

kasugaryu-with-bow

Kasugaryu is Hakuho’s tsukebito. But now Hakuho is not in the Jungyo, and basically, he’s a servant with no master. His only duty is the bow twirling – he doesn’t even participate in the torikumi!

That’s it. No additional Tobizaru other than the group photos has been located today. So instead, here is another Enho. With the inseparable Terutsuyoshi, of course:

terutsuyoshi-enho
Hey, there’s a spec of dust on your right wing. Let me get that for you.

Did you notice something strange? A whole day spent in Osaka, and there was absolutely nothing about Goeido. And it wasn’t as if I wasn’t looking. There were only some photos with fans.

 

Aki 2018 Jungyo – Day 6 (Oct 8)

Herouth Jungyo (巡業) , , , , , , , , , , , ,

🌐 Location: Minamiashigara, Kanagawa
🚫 Scandal level: 1

The day dawns on Kanagawa. People gather in for some sumo.

Abi and Tsurugisho are still off the torikumi, but Tsurugisho participates in the fansa part of the event.

I suppose it’s a rarity for both sides: there aren’t many black kids in Japan, and I’m sure the kid hasn’t seen many people Tsurugisho’s size, either.

Kagayaki lifted some weights. I mean, lifted the weight of Shonannoumi.

Shonannoumi is a local boy, but I don’t think this activity was exactly front and center.

Hakuho, as usual, was at the foot of the dohyo, exercising:

And Kisenosato… was doing his “dance”:

I still don’t know what this is, really. An attempt to stretch the scar tissue in his chest?

Tochinoshin, being Tochinoshin, was on the dohyo, giving some love to Shodai:

I’m not sure the kawaigari was Shodai’s biggest torture this day, though. Here is a very suspicious game some of the rikishi invented. Do rock-paper-scissors. The loser gets one of his nipples busted. Serious ouch. The first victim is Yutakayama.

First, I would think this is the last game Kagayaki would want to get involved in. Second, from the way they arrange a barrier of rikishi when they do the deed, I think they know they are over the line.

Next victim is Shodai:

Now Yutakayama is doing the barrier thing – but that doesn’t stop him from signing an autograph while Shodai learns the meaning of pain.

In the next exchange, Yutakayama has a very worried face and very defensive stance. I wonder how many of those he lost. But this time, the head criminal, Tamawashi, is the one who loses. And he doesn’t take that very well.

Eventually, though, he straightens up and growls at Shodai: “Do it. Do it already!”, and Yutakayama turns around and guards the scene.

Mmm… I wouldn’t recommend showing any of this to your kindergarten kids. They may get ideas.

Rikishi abuse didn’t end at the dohyo-iri, though. Here is Ryuden pinning Arikawa to the wall. The other day I thought that Arikawa was Shohozan’s tsukebito, but as it turns out, he is Kisenosato’s. Hence the white gloves.

This must be right after or right before Kisenosato’s dohyo-iri. Ryuden is already in his fighting mawashi as his torikumi was the second. Kagayaki seems to be still in his kesho-mawashi (he is Kisenosato’s tachimochi).

The only bout I have is this rather low-quality video of Onosho vs. Shohozan.

The first time I watched it I thought I was watching a bit of shokkiri. Only after the announcer calls the kimarite and says it’s Onosho’s win that I became somewhat convinced that this was an actual match.

Here is your Tobizaru.

Tobizaru in a bona-fide sumo moment on the dohyo.

Aki 2018 Jungyo – Day 1 (Oct 3)

Herouth Aki Basho 2018, Jungyo (巡業) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

🌐 Location: Ota Ward, Tokyo
🚫 Scandal Level: 0

abi-being-abi
It’s the Jungyo! Let the Goofiness commence!

The sekitori and their tsukebito eased into the Jungyo, starting the rounds in Tokyo. This time, at the Ota ward, close to Kawasaki.

That is, the sekitori eased into it. The tsukebito are a different story:

kyokusoten-carries-tamawashi-akeni
Kyokusoten shouldering Tamawashi’s Akeni

They have to do all the fetching and carrying – here showing the akeni, packed into protective tarp.

Wait, whose Akeni is this?

yutakayama-akeni

The name on this package is “Oyanagi”. Actually, it’s Yutakayama’s Akeni. They simply didn’t replace the name on the canvas bag when they gave him his shikona – which happened when he was already a sekitori. Generally, it’s best to avoid changing shikona when the rikishi is already sekitori – it means that his kesho mawashi and akeni become obsolete.

Here is someone who has been sekitori for a long time. Very long time.

aminishiki-birthday
Happy 40th birthday, Uncle

Poor Aminishiki always gets to celebrate his birthday in Jungyo. He did get an early surprise party from his loved ones, but the day itself is always spent away from home. Aminishiki noted that with post-basho events, Jungyo, and Kyushu basho, it won’t be until after Fuyu Jungyo is over – ending December 22 – that he will get his much yearned-for “Family time”.

So let’s turn to the Jungyo event itself. Here we see the sekitori coming to greet Kisenosato, one by one. This Jungyo started with all Yokozuna present and in working order, so they had a lot of greeting to do.

But unusually, the focus of attention wasn’t Kisenosato. The focus of attention in this event was Takakeisho, although he is not a local boy. The reason for this is the Takanohana beya dissolution. Of the three sekitori coming from that heya, Takakeisho is the only one participating in the Jungyo. Many people cheered him on. But not just spectators, it seems! Here is a piece of the TV coverage of the event.

First, the commentators focus on the fact that Takakeisho is still wearing a Takanohana yukata. That’s actually something I didn’t think was too surprising. Naya wears a Taiho yukata frequently. Hoshoryu goes around in an Asashoryu yukata. And they are still in the strict part of the banzuke. Why shouldn’t Takakeisho, a san-yaku sekitori, wear whatever yukata he pleases?

Further forward, moving through showing his participation in keiko and the fans showing him a lot of attention and asking for autographs, and talking about keiko and stuff, they show him greeting Hakuho in the morning. Hakuho usually all but ignores the sekitori who come to greet him – except his particular friends like Tamawashi etc. – but this time he stopped, turned around, and held on to Takakeisho’s arm in an encouraging fashion.

The news piece ends showing the first item that sold out in the memorabilia stands: “Gambare, Takakeisho” towels.

The event schedule went on as usual regardless of the Taka-no-drama, though. Here we have the Shokkiri routine for this Jungyo.

The Shokkiri team from the previous Jungyo contines into this basho – Ebisumaru and Shobushi. In the previous basho they alternated with another pair, so I’ll check tomorrow if they alternate this time as well.

Due to the many absences from Juryo, no less than three Makushita wrestlers were thrown into the Juryo torikumi to thicken it up. Jokoryu faced Ms8E Nakazono. Azumaryu faced the newly promoted Gokushindo, and Gagamaru, who is going to say goodbye to his sekitori status in the next basho, faced the man replacing him – Tomokaze.

I ran into only one photo from the Juryo bouts – Terutsuyoshi vs. Tsurugisho – and boy, I’m dying to know who won and by what kimarite, exactly.

terutsuyoshi-tsurugisho

Here is Hakuho’s dohyo-iri. Due to Ishiura’s absence, his dew-gatherer is Daieisho. This state of affairs is likely to remain so until at least Hatsu basho, as Ishiura will not be in Makuuchi in Kyushu.

Here are Chiyotairyu and Daieisho awaiting their Torikumi. This is a boring time for rikishi, so they are playing a game – one rikishi has to guess how many thumbs the other rikishi will put up. This game is actually more interesting when played with more than two rikishi, because then the answer is not just zero, one, or two.

daieisho-playing-with-chiyotairyu
Chiyotairyu guesses 1, but it was actually 0.

Of the bouts themselves, I have Takakeisho vs. Ikioi. Notice the announcement for Takakeisho: “Hyogo-ken, Ashiya-shi shusshin, Chiganoura beya”.

Poor Ikioi, getting no love.

And we have Kisenosato vs. Goeido.

What a struggle. I wish I had this from another angle to see what the Yokozuna was trying to do with his left.

Finally, by popular request, here is your daily Tobizaru!

tobizaru
“Of course I’m smiling! I’m the new Tachiai pin-up boy!”