AUGUST 2000
Akebono Breaks Drought in Nagoya

Nineteen tournaments later, 31 years old and ranked at yokozuna #1-East, AKEBONO stood on the dohyo at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium for the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Nagoya Basho.  That seemed to be the last moment he stood still:  he crushed through his first 13 opponents with the impact of a steamroller for a final record of 13-2 and the 10th yusho of his career.  In fact the issue was mathematically settled at the end of day 13:  every other Makunouchi rikishi had at least three losses at that point.  The Azumazeki heyagashira’s 19-tournament drought was the longest between yusho for a yokozuna, surpassing KITANOUMI’s 13-basho dry spell between the Hatsu 1982 and Natsu 1984 contests.   Those critics who thought the huge Hawaiian was ‘washed up’ might have to revise their punditry.

Yokozuna-West TAKANOHANA fell behind early with a day 3 loss to highly-motivated sekiwake #1-West TOCHIAZUMA.  He won his next three contests but then was felled  for the second basho in a row by Natsu winner, sekiwake-East KAIO.  The loss was further damaging in that he aggravated an injury to his left elbow, forcing him to withdraw.  Yokozuna #2-East MUSASHIMARU answered the bell at a listed weight of 507 pounds, 13 pounds heftier than when he won his seventh Cup last November.  Whether the extra mass was a help or a hindrance will not be ventured here, but losses to komusubi-East TOSANOUMI on day 2, sekiwake #2-West TAKANONAMI on day 6 and TOCHIAZUMA on day 8 removed him from the yusho race.   MUSASHIMARU’s final score of 10-5 is acceptable for a yokozuna.  He is capable of following AKEBONO to the 10+ yusho list; but if he doesn’t work himself down to around 475 pounds he may find it very difficult.

Nagoya was a grand outing for two of the four ozeki.  #1-East CHIYOTAIKAI had a slow start with a 3-2 posting after five days.  The loss on day 5 was especially bad:  at the tachi-ai he stood up believing a matta had been called, and he offered no resistance to being run out by maegashira #2-West TAKANOWAKA.  To make matters even worse his oyakata, Kokonoe, was sitting right there as the tate-shimpan.  We can’t know exactly what might have been said between them that night - but CHIYOTAIKAI won his next six matches (including a fusensho over TAKANOHANA) to go kachi-koshi on day 10 and finish at a more-than-satisfactory 11-4.  #2-East DEJIMA won 6 of his first 7 but lost to KAIO and couldn’t derail the AKEBONO express the following day.  He finished strong and posted a 10-5.

The two newest ozeki members of Musashigawa’s “College of Sumo Knowledge” might have been victims of their own previous successes.  #2‑East MUSOYAMA missed his shin-ozeki debut due to an injury, so he was in a kadoban situation even before fighting a single bout at the second-highest rank.  It was hard to believe this was the same rikishi who won the Hatsu Basho earlier this year:  he was only 3-3 after 6 days, and the 3 wins were over maegashira-level talent.  When the diet shifted to prime sanyaku he lost and kept losing, even falling to komusubi-west TAMAKASUGA on his way to a truly-disgraceful 4-11 and demotion to sekiwake.  Meanwhile #1-West MIYABIYAMA was getting pushed around and not just by the other joi-jin:  4 of his losses were at hiramaku hands.   On day 10 he stepped inside the tawara with his right shoulder’s distinctive ‘teppo hump’ an island in a sea of strapping tape.  The “Musashigawa Monster” finished with a kadoban 6-9, which makes him no exception to the recent pattern of new ozeki running into trouble early in their tenure in the rank.  (Can MUSOYAMA muster the 10 wins necessary to regain the rank at the upcoming Aki Basho?  Yes, if he is genki.)

The lower sanyaku provided some of the best action of the meet.  Losses to TAKANONAMI and AKEBONO put KAIO at 3-2 after five days.  His next three contests were wins (TAKANOHANA and DEJIMA were in that bag) but CHIYOTAIKAI and maegashira #1-West TOCHINOHANA killed any chance Tomozuna’s heyagashira may have had to keep the Tenno-Hai.  But instead of collapsing to a bare kachi-koshi (as he has done too often in the past) the “Human Juicer” shifted gears and toppled TOCHIAZUMA, MIYABIYAMA and MUSASHIMARU on his way to an 11‑4.  The promotion committee looked at this, coupled it with his 14-1 yusho performance in May – and announced that KAIO would hold the rank of ozeki in September.  Meanwhile TOCHIAZUMA came out strong by besting MIYABIYAMA and TAKANOHANA in the first three days before losing to AKEBONO, whom he had defeated in May.  Tamanoi Oyakata’s son went 2 for 3 against yokozuna, 3 for 4 against ozeki and did not lose to any hiramaku.  His 12-3 jun-yusho performance shows him worthy of eventual ozeki promotion - and he might be more worthy than at least one of the men already there.

The loud noise heard from this area of the banzuke was the sound of a huge door slamming shut forever.  TAKANONAMI was trying to do what no other rikishi had ever done:  regain ozeki status after a second kadoban demotion.  After the first six days it looked as if he might be able to pull it off with wins over CHIYOTAIKAI, KAIO, MUSOYAMA and MUSASHIMARU.  But it was at this point last basho that collapse set in to cause his demotion.  And it happened here:  he lost his next three bouts against maegashira competition even when he was able (twice) to set his once-fearsome elbow clamp attack.  Mounting the dohyo on day 10 he knew that if he lost one more time he would never again get to park under the Kokugikan, but would have to walk in from the street.  The opponent he drew for this critical moment was the surging TOCHIAZUMA.  The number-two man on the Futagoyama depth chart not only lost the match - but suffered the indignity of getting an okuridashi ‘bum’s rush’ off the dohyo.  With the door of his ozeki career now (realistically) closed permanently because of his poor 7-8 showing, TAKANONAMI now stands on a path walked in recent memory by KONISHIKI and KIRISHIMA:  that of yusho-winning ozeki who were unable to hold the rank and who slowly but inevitably slid down the Makunouchi ranks.  Will he tread that path - or will he retire?

Komusubi is not lightly referred to as the ‘killer rank’.  TOSANOUMI (who really did not deserve to be in this slot) was subjected to a lethal sequence of sanyaku firepower in the first seven days.  And when they finally did toss him a maegashira, it was tough veteran #1-East AKINOSHIMA who is still powerful enough to make the joi-jin tremble.   TOSANOUMI was 3-7 after 10 days, recovered to win his next 4, but lost on senshuraku to maegashira #5-East HAYATEUMI to finish at 7-8.  TAMAKASUGA was shown to be completely out of his depth by losing his first nine bouts.  After finishing at 2-13 the Kataonami heyagashira can at least enjoy his sanyaku money before hopping the elevator down to friendlier territory in the maegashira ranks.

The upper maegashira (#1 to #5) fared better this time than in other recent basho.  AKINOSHIMA and HAYATEUMI finished with kachi-koshi records.  #9-East CHIYOTENZAN, #11-East TAKAMISAKARI and #13-West AMINISHIKI led the hiramaku with 10-5 records.  #6-West KOTORYU, #7-West KYOKUTENHO, Haru champion #8-West TAKATORIKI and #11-West TOKITSUUMI all went 9-6.  (TAKATORIKI’s senshuraku win over TAKAMISAKARI was his 900th Makunouchi bout without a Kosho Seido absence.)  In his shin-nyumaku debut SENTORYU went 8-7 at #13-East (see accompanying article).

In Juryo action, #1-East WAKANOSATO won the second division title and a return to the ‘bright lights’ with a strong 13-2 posting.  #6-East TOCHISAKAE won his last 8 bouts to take the jun-yusho with a 12-3.  #3-East DAISHI won his first 9 contests but lost 5 of his last 6 to finish at 10‑5, as did #13-East HAMANISHIKI.  #4-West TAMARIKIDO, #6-West KOTOMITSUKI and #12-East GOJORO went 9-6.

AKEBONO’s victory places him in the elite fraternity of yokozuna who (since 1927) have won the Emperor’s Cup 10 or more times.  These ‘legendary champions’ are:

* = still active

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Kaio Promoted to Ozeki
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

The Nihon Sumo Kyokai has announced that sekiwake KAIO will be ranked at ozeki for the Aki Basho.  He is the first deshi from Tomozuna Beya to earn promotion to sumo’s second-highest rank.

The man called the ‘Human Juicer’ for his astonishing grip strength (civilian name:  Hiroyuki Koga) entered professional sumo at the 1988 Haru Basho.  KAIO made his Juryo debut at the 1992 Hatsu Basho, but it took him until the 1993 Natsu Basho to enter the Makunouchi.   Although it wasn’t long before he was in the sanyaku, a persistent inconsistency in his sumo kept him from moving higher.  Torn knee ligaments suffered in a loss to TAKANONAMI at the 1997 Natsu Basho sidelined him for three months and sent him down to the middle maegashira ranks, but he gradually worked his way back up after healing.

KAIO fell to komusubi with a 7-8 record in January and held his position with an 8-7 in March.  He then surprised many (including his oyakata, no doubt) by going 14-1 to win the Natsu Basho for his first yusho.  His 11 4 record at the just-completed Nagoya Basho gave him a three basho record of 33-12.  With TAKANONAMI losing his ozeki slot for keeps, and MUSOYAMA needing 10 wins in September to regain his, the door was opened and he was ushered in.

KAIO’s record in 42 Makunouchi tournaments is 355 wins, 253 losses and 22 no-contests.  In addition to his yusho he has won the Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize) 10 times and the Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) 5 times.  He has 6 kinboshi to his credit.

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Sentoryu Makes Makunouchi
Becomes First Continental American in Sumo’s Top Division
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

SENTORYU has been promoted to maegashira #13-East for the 2000 Nagoya Basho.

By this action, the number-two man on Tomozuna Beya’s depth chart becomes the first rikishi from the American continent to make his way ‘inside the curtain’ onto the top row of the banzuke.

A native of St. Louis, SENTORYU (civilian name:  Henry Armstrong Miller) entered the sumo world in 1988.  He succeeded in reaching the Juryo in 1995 but remained there for only two contests before sliding back into the Makushita ranks.  A broken arm and the subsequent recuperation layoff dropped him into Sandanme before he fought his way back under the shikona KAISHINZAN.  He won the Makushita yusho at the 1999 Natsu Basho, earning a return to sekitori status.

His performance as a Juryo rikishi was mediocre:  at the 1999 Kyushu Basho he was poised on the ‘bubble’ at #13-West.  But he caught fire at the 2000 Haru Basho, rolling out an impressive 13-2 record and a tie for the Juryo yusho (which was eventually won by TOCHINOHANA in a three-way playoff).  This performance moved him to the #2-East position for the Natsu tournament, where he started slowly but managed to pull out kachi-koshi on senshuraku.  Combined with make-koshi performances and non-starts by those ranked above him, the door was opened for his promotion to the ‘bright lights’.

In his shin-nyumaku debut, he fought unevenly but got his eighth win on day 14 and finished with 8-7.

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Jamaican Team Member Dies
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

Mike Munford, who represented Jamaica at the World Championships in 1998, died July 14th.  He was 29 years old.  Mike, who weighed over 600lbs, passed away during liposuction surgery.

As of the 8th World Sumo Championships Mike was ranked number 71 among the world’s heavyweight amateur wrestlers.  People who were at last year’s North American Amateur Championships may remember Mike’s match with James Perry, in which he hurt his knee and was unable to get up.  That night, he was mistakenly identified as Manny Yarbrough on one of the local TV stations.

The condolences of the SUMO SHIMPO staff and the Southern California Sumo Kyokai are hereby extended to Mike's family.

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More ESPN Shikona Mangling
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

"Yukikaze" and I had occasion to watch an ESPN tape from this year’s Haru (Osaka) basho.  I'm sorry to report that the pronunciation hasn't gotten any better since we reported on the subject last year.  If anything, it has gotten worse.

We had Wakanohana repeatedly referred to as "Wakahana".  The second o in  Tosanoumi was repeatedly emphasized, giving us "Tosan-O-umi".  Of course the favorite target remains Musashimaru.  Last time he was "Musashi-moro".  Now he is "Musa-shimaru".  It sounds as if his last name was "Shimaru".

Those of us who live in the Los Angeles area are so lucky that we have Sumo Digest, with its real Japanese voices doing the announcing and commentary.  In the rest of the country, the sumo on ESPN is all they get.  It makes me shrivel up like a spider on a hot skillet just thinking about it.

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A Follow-up Note on Shikona
By "Yukikaze" for SUMO SHIMPO

In last month’s newsletter, it was mentioned in the article “To Shikona – or Not to Shikona” that some groups practicing amateur sumo consider the use of shikona, or fighting names, by amateur sumotori to be unlucky.  But in doing some research for the (accompanying) article on the California Open Sumo Championship, this writer found that many of the top amateur rikishi in California from 1900 to 1941 did take shikona.

It might just be a California thing, you know.

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California Open Sumo Championship To Return After 48-Year Hiatus
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

In the early part of the 20th century, first-generation Japanese immigrants (‘Issei’) brought sumo to California as part of their rural heritage.  In the farming communities of the Central Valley it became a major event, culminating with a state championship every year in Sacramento.  Over the years it grew to such strength that the Japan Sumo Association presented a banner for the state championship, recruited several men for professional sumo in Japan, and even licensed a Sacramento man to use the gyoji name “Kimura”.

But then came Pearl Harbor, the infamous Executive Order #9066 and relocation to places like Manzanar and Tule Lake, which scar our history as a free people.  Sumo continued in many of the camps:  there was one major competition between the Poston and Gila River camp teams in 1945.  The war ended:  the Japanese returned and rebuilt their lives in the face of severe prejudice – but postwar redevelopment brought about the end of the Los Angeles facility:  the Sacramento dohyo was demolished after the last tournament in 1952.  For almost fifty years amateur sumo at the state level has lain dormant and been presumed dead.

Until now.

On Sunday, September 10, amateur sumotori of all ages and sizes, children and adults, male and female, are invited to the Long Beach Police Athletic League Gymnasium for the 2000 California Open Sumo Championship.  Sumo fans from anywhere and everywhere are invited to come on down and watch the action.  The doors will open for admission (FREE!) and participant registration at 9:00AM.  A local taiko drum group will play at 10:00AM to begin the competition.  Adult (18 years or older) rikishi will then compete in individual and team events, with children’s competitions to follow.

In keeping with previously-stated Southern California Sumo Kyokai policy, there will be no restrictions on who may compete (although team events will be restricted to California residents).  All you have to do is:

1.        Get yourself to the venue at the appropriate time;

2.        Sign the legal waiver acknowledging that you know what you’re doing, and relieving the LBPAL and SCSK of legal liability if you get hurt (minors must have a parent or guardian sign this waiver);

3.        Pony up the $5.00 entry fee (to defray cost of awards).

And YOU’RE IN!

The Long Beach Police Athletic League Gymnasium is located west of downtown, at 1401 W. 9th Street where it intersects with Caspian Avenue.

(Background for this item drawn from “Japanese-American Sumo in the Continental United States, 1900-1941” by Eiichiro Azuma, published in the Fall 1997 (V12, #2) issue of Japanese American National Museum Quarterly.)

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New “Dohyo of Dreams” Modifications Underway
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

The “Dohyo of Dreams” in Garden Grove is already the #1 sumo training venue in Southern California.  (Okay…so maybe it’s the only one – Ed.)  But now work is underway to make it even better.

To this end, permanent tawara are being made by filling sandbags with wet sand.  The filled bags are then rolled into cylinders and emplaced into a trench dug in the DoD surface.  Dohyo dirt is then packed around the tawara and tamped with a sledgehammer.   When this project is complete it will no longer be necessary to use the rubber tawara from our indoor dohyo for outdoor practices.

As part of this modification project, clay retrieved from a dohyo in Japan will be emplaced in the DoD.

Any persons interested in becoming temporary yobidashi should call SCSK oyakata Harry “Tonkatsu” Dudrow at (562) 428-3831, or Jim “Yukikaze” Lowerre at (714) 539-7272.  Any serious assistance would be most appreciated.

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US-Japan Expo Apparently Folds Its Tent
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

Many of us in the Southern California Sumo Kyokai first did sumo at the annual trade fair known as the US-Japan Expo.  In this writer’s case, it was 1993 in the local people’s competition.  Then in 1997 it was our first event as an organization.  Mr. Masuda of U.S. Japan Network sold us our first mawashis.  1997 was the last time there was sumo at Japan Expo.  The next year Mr. Masuda said, "Sumo costs too much."

We have been told by a knowledgeable source than Japan Expo had lost money for a number of years.  Apparently they have come to the end of the line, because when we recently tried to contact them because we had a potential sponsor, we found both the e-mail and phone disconnected.

On a related note:  we have been told that for the first time in some years there was no sumo at the Black Ships Festival in Newport, Rhode Island.  The reason was that they lost a major sponsor.  Clearly, it is getting harder to get people to pay for sumo.

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SCSK’s Oyakata Celebrates Kanreki Iwai
By "Yukikaze" for SUMO SHIMPO

On the front of the current issue of SUMO WORLD, instead of the usual picture of the winner of the last basho (KAIO was on the back cover) there was a photo of the three greatest yokozuna of modern sumo standing on the Kokugikan dohyo.  Taiho (Taiho Oyakata) was flanked by Kitanoumi (Kitanoumi Oyakata) as tachimochi and Chiyonofuji (Kokonoe Oyakata) as tsuyuharai.  Taiho was in keshomawashi and wearing a red tsuna (to symbolize happiness) with white gohei, while Kitanoumi and Kokonoe wore keshomawashi with white tsuna and gohei.

The occasion was Taiho’s kanreki iwai, celebrating his completion of five cycles of the Oriental zodiac as symbolized by his 60th birthday.  This is considered a very auspicious occasion in most of Asia:  it is treated as a kind of ‘rebirth’.  It is even more so for sumotori who, because of health problems associated with the weight they carry to participate in their sport, often have not lived to this age until recently.  Despite the aftereffects of a stroke suffered years back Taiho performed the kanreki dohyo-iri ceremony satisfactorily, then posed for photographs with his family and distinguished peers.

Locally, the Southern California Sumo Kyokai celebrated the kanreki iwai of its founder, Tonkatsu Oyakata.  We didn’t have any keshomawashi or tsuna available, so the celebration was held at a local restaurant.  Unlike Taiho Oyakata, Tonkatsu Oyakata is still an active amateur rikishi:  he will be on the dohyo, ready to battle, at the California Open Sumo Championship on September 10 (see accompanying article).

OMEDETO GOZAIMASU to both of these men of sumo on this special occasion!

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From the Readers…

Hi Tonkatsu:
Thank you for the back issues {2} of Sumo Shimpo.  Sumo Shimpo is a work of excellent journalism,  Of course, I am surprised and pleased with the scope of the coverage. I began reading the April issue today and on page 7 it says today marks your 60th birthday.  So, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY'!  I watched Mr. Vierra showboating after his "Night of the Giants" wins. Are we going to have WCW or WWF sumo? What an abomination! Well, I must say that anyone who loves Sumo will love to receive Sumo Shimpo.

Thank you,
Taishi
Brookline, MA

Taishi-san,
Thank you for your kind words about SUMO SHIMPO, and for the birthday greetings.  Like yourself I was somewhat taken aback by Wayne's posturing because I know him and his background in sumo.  I chose not to address the issue in my editorial comments, but to leave it for others to say.  I suspect that there is more to this story than meets the eye.

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SEKITORI BIRTHDAYS
for August and September

Data from SUMO WORLD magazine.

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Junior Division Yusho Winners

Division Pos. Rikishi Beya Rec. 
Makushita 2-W ASASHORYU Wakamatsu 7-0 
Sandanme 83-E SHOTENYU Hatachiyama 7-0 
Jonidan 109-E HAKUNORYU Izutsu 7-0 
Jonokuchi 12-W HIROHATA Naruto 7-0 

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CALENDAR OF SUMO EVENTS
(compiled by SUMO SHIMPO staff)

California Open Sumo Championships
Sept. 10, 2000:  doors open at 9:00AM
Police Athletic League Gymnasium, Long Beach
(contact “Yukikaze” for directions)

Aki Basho:  Kokugikan, Tokyo
Banzuke:  August 21, 2000
Shonichi:  September 3, 2000 (Sunday)
SUMO DIGEST coverage begins September 4 (Monday) on KRCA (Channel 62) at 11:30 PM
Senshuraku:  September 17, 2000 (Sunday)

Aki Post-Basho Bash (PBB) September 30, 2000:  6:30PM Sakura of Tokyo, Glendora at Vincent (south of I-10) West Covina (see accompanying map)   Kyushu Basho:  Kokusai Center, Fukuoka Banzuke:  October 23, 2000 Shonichi:  November 5, 2000 (Sunday) SUMO DIGEST coverage begins November 6 (Monday) on KRCA (Channel 62) at 11:30 PM Senshuraku:  November 19, 2000 (Sunday)   Hatsu Basho:  Kokugikan, Tokyo Banzuke:  December 20, 2000 Shonichi:  January 7, 2001 (Sunday) SUMO DIGEST coverage begins January 8 (Monday) on KRCA (Channel 62) at 11:30 PM Senshuraku:  January 21, 2001 (Sunday)

Haru Basho:  Municipal Gymnasium, Osaka
Banzuke:  February 26, 2001
Shonichi:  March 11, 2001 (Sunday)
SUMO DIGEST coverage begins March 12 (Monday) on KRCA (Channel 62) at 11:30 PM
Senshuraku:  March 25, 2001 (Sunday)

Natsu Basho:  Kokugikan, Tokyo
Banzuke:  April 25, 2001
Shonichi:  May 13, 2001 (Sunday)
SUMO DIGEST coverage begins May 14 (Monday) on KRCA (Channel 62) at 11:30 PM
Senshuraku:  May 27, 2001 (Sunday)

NOTE:  all times, dates and channels for SUMO DIGEST are assumptions based on the present schedule.

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SUMO SHIMPO is published six times a year by The Southern California Sumo Kyokai. If you think it's worth reading, we need you to join the Southern California Sumo Kyokai for $5 a year per individual, or $10 per family. Comments and contributions are not only welcome, they are encouraged.

Editor: Tonkatsu (Harry Dudrow)
Associate Editor: Yukikaze (Jim Lowerre)