April 2001

Kaio Rides ‘Osaka Rocket’ to Haru Triumph

    
Kaio Rides ‘Osaka Rocket’ to Haru Triumph
Wins First 12 Enroute to Victory; Both Yokozuna Finish 12-3
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

For the second time in two years, the story of the Haru Basho centered around a single rikishi’s blazing rensho.

But while last year’s hot hand was rolled from the bottom of the maegashira list, this year’s heat was thrown by one of the top stars in the joi-jin ranks.

Of the five ozeki on the Osaka banzuke the only one who had been consistently putting up numbers worthy of the rank was KAIO.  This was reflected in his #1-East ranking.  On shonichi he came burning out of the blocks, putting the torch to the entire lower sanyaku and any high maegashira unfortunate enough to draw a matchup with him.  He also turned the heat on his fellow ozeki, and none of them could withstand it.  After 12 days it fell to yokozuna #1-East TAKANOHANA and #1-West MUSASHIMARU to cool off KAIO’s run – and they did so, in the same manner that MUSASHIMARU and then-yokozuna AKEBONO snapped then-maegashira #14 TAKATORIKI’s hot streak last year.  But the Tomozuna strongman pushed his score to 13-2 by piledriving ozeki #1-West MUSOYAMA into the dohyo, then waited for a possible playoff with TAKANOHANA.  When MUSASHIMARU pushed his fellow grand champion off the dohyo KAIO had taken his second yusho – along with another giant step on the path toward possible yokozuna promotion.

At the start of last year’s Osaka festivities four men had mounted the dohyo wearing the tsuna and gohei symbolic of the sport’s highest rank.  The 2001 Haru Basho marked the beginning of the post-AKEBONO jidai.  Both TAKANOHANA and MUSASHIMARU fell behind KAIO’s pace on day 3:  the younger Hanada brother was forced off by sekiwake-West TOCHINONADA while the only remaining Hawaiian in professional sumo was given the ‘bum’s rush’ by maegashira #4-East CHIYOTENZAN.   TAKANOHANA won his next 9 to stay in the hunt:  a day 13 loss to resurgent MUSOYAMA kept him from taking the outright lead.  His win over KAIO the following day pulled him into a tie for the yusho, but his senshuraku defeat left him one win short at 12-3.  MUSASHIMARU gave up another kinboshi to maegashira #3-West KOTOMITSUKI on day 7, then lost to komusubi-East TOCHIAZUMA on day 12.  His win over Futagoyama’s heyagashira pulled him to a 12-3 record and a share of the jun-yusho.  TAKANOHANA now has won 672 top-division torikumi, leaving him 11 short of Takamiyama (Azumazeki Oyakata) for fourth place in career Makunouchi bouts won (see table in this issue).  Meanwhile MUSASHIMARU’s delightful dozen gave him exactly 600 top-division wins, moving him into ninth place on that elite list.

Aside from KAIO, there was one other noteworthy performance from the ozeki ranks.  MUSOYAMA started with three wins before falling to maegashira #1-West KYOKUTENHO.  He then won 9 of his next 10:  on senshuraku he was in position to get into a playoff, if not win the yusho outright.  But KAIO just had too much momentum for him to handle.  The resulting defeat left him with a piece of the runnerup honors at 12-3 and returned him to the list of future yokozuna candidates.  But while MUSOYAMA was having fun, his ozeki stablemates were having serious troubles.  #2-West DEJIMA was under the dangling sword of a kadoban demotion as he mounted the dohyo on shonichi.  He won his first 3, but then lost his next 3.  He put together a mixed performance that left him 7-7 going into the final day:  it took a win over the new Mongolian sensation, maegashira #6-East ASASHORYU, to dispel the spectre of a smaller paycheck and a loss of Kokugikan parking privileges.  That ominous prospect now hangs over the head of #2-East MIYABIYAMA.  “The Musashigawa Monster” lost on opening day, went 5 for 10 against hiramaku talent and only managed to get to 7-8 by besting sekiwake-East WAKANOSATO on senshuraku.  In the meantime #3-East CHIYOTAIKAI was absent due to his Hatsu Basho injuries.  Kokonoe’s top deshi faces demotion if he does not answer the bell in May.

The powerful showings by KAIO, MUSOYAMA and both yokozuna put tremendous pressure on the lower sanyaku.  After several strong outings to climb to sekiwake WAKANOSATO buckled under the strain:  his 6-9 will send him rolling back into the maegashira ranks.  TOCHINONADA had to scrap hard to manage an 8-7:  his day 3 win over TAKANOHANA gained him a share of the Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize).  The other Shukun-Sho winner was TOCHIAZUMA, who earned it for toppling MUSASHIMARU.  The Tamanoi heyagashira lost his first 4 matches, but then won 7 of his next 8 on his way to a 9-6 record and certain promotion to sekiwake.  Komusubi-West WAKANOYAMA made his sumo debut at the 1988 Haru Basho along with TAKANOHANA, KAIO and the just-retired AKEBONO.  The 2001 Haru Basho marked his first stint in the sanyaku, and it would turn out to be a short one.  Despite not having to fight one yokozuna and three ozeki, there was enough firepower to pin him with 7 losses to start.  He was makekoshi after day 10:  4 wins in the last 4 days pulled him up by his tabi straps to a 6-9.  His sanyaku appearance (brief as it was) automatically qualifies him to purchase a toshiyori in the future.

In the maegashira ranks, makekoshi doom usually awaits the winner of a kinboshi.  That dictum held for CHIYOTENZAN, who lost 8 straight and finished 7-8 after besting MUSASHIMARU.  But it did not hold for KOTOMITSUKI:  after starting with 2 losses he won 10 of his last 13 with a variety of techniques to post a 10-5 and garner the Gino-Sho (Technique Prize).  #10-East TAMANOSHIMA had previously been known as TAMANONADA:  he celebrated the assumption of the historical Kataonami Beya shikona by winning 9 of his first 10 on his way to an 11-4 record to lead all maegashira and take the Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize).  KOTOMITSUKI was joined at the 10-5 plateau by #8-East TOSANOUMI, who broke a four-basho string of losing outings.  9-6 records were posted by ASASHORYU, #7-East TAMAKASUGA and #13‑West JUMONJI.  Last year’s Haru winner, #9-West TAKATORIKI ran himself out of a repeat performance with 5 losses at the outset:  he finished at 5-10 to push his record of contests without injury timeout to 960.  The ageless ironman TERAO, back in the Makunouchi at #12-West, went kachikoshi to give himself one more stay in the ‘bright lights’.  His 8 Osaka wins give him 624 for his career, moving him past legendary yokozuna Wajima into seventh place on the list.

In Juryo action:  #3-East WAKATSUTOMU took the second division championship in a playoff with #4-East TOKI, who had been reinstated following his suspension for being the driver in a fatal traffic accident (see article in previous SUMO SHIMPO).  Both men posted 10-5 records.  There were eight 9-6 performances:  #2-East HAMANISHIKI, #3-West DAIZEN, #4-West KITAZAKURA, #6-East WAKATORYU, #8-East HARUNOYAMA, #9-West SENTORYU, #12-West KOTOKANYU and #13-West TAKANOTSURU.

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The 600-Win Club
Info from SUMO WORLD magazine and 1998 VAN VAN ‘face book’

* Active

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Disinformation on sumo web site
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

Since most of our readers read us on the web, we assume that most of you know that anyone can set up a web site and they can say pretty much anything they want.  There is no "Truth check" so to speak, on the Web.  One can find web sites promoting such claims as "the Holocaust never happened" and "the moon landings were faked".  Unfortunately, this phenomena has raised its ugly head in the world of amateur sumo.

The Southern California Sumo Kyokai has an offshoot called the California Sumo Association which has a web site at www.usasumo.com.  It would appear that this site doesn't so much exist to promote amateur sumo as it does to promote former World lightweight champion Svetoslav Binev, from Bulgaria, who they have supposedly "hired to coach their team".

Mr. Binev is a superb athlete and it would hardly seem necessary to exaggerate his accomplishments.  Yet, the person who put up this set up this web site felt free to do so.  On this site, the statement is made that, "He (Mr. Binev) is the first non-Asian to win a World Championship."  This is patently false.  Not only is Mr. Binev not the first non-Asian to win a World championship, he isn't even the second.  For the record, the first non-Asian to win a World championship in sumo was Mr. Emanuel Yarbrough of the USA.  Mr. Yarbrough, who is African-American, won the open division at the fourth Sumo World Championships in 1995.  The second non-Asian to win a World Championship was Mark Robinson of South Africa, who won the open division at the fifth Sumo World Championship in 1996.  Mr. Binev won the first of his two championships at the seventh Sumo World Championships in 1998, making him the third non-Asian and the first European to win a World Championship.

Mr. Binev says that he is a good friend of Mr. Yarbrough.  We wouldn't think that he would want to have such false claims made on his behalf.  This writer previously sent an e-mail to the webmaster at the site pointing all this out, but the claim was still there the last time we checked.

On the same site, under the heading "Olympic Sport" the also apparently false statement that "Sumo will be a demonstration sport at the 2004 Olympics in Athens"is made.  According to United States Sumo Federation president Yoshisada Yonezuka, "Sumo will be a demonstration sport in 2008, if Osaka gets the games, nothing is certain yet".

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Reader Profile:  Monika Siddig
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

At the present time, the paid circulation of "SUMO SHIMPO" stands at twenty.  However, webmistress "Shirabara" tells us that we are getting slightly under 12,000 hits a month on the "SUMO SHIMPO" web site.  One of those readers is Monika Siddig, who e-mailed us when the last issue was a little late getting up on the site.

Monika lives in Frankfurt on Main (not to be confused with Frankfurt on Oder) in Germany.  She tells us, "I'm a sumo fan since 1996 and I watch it on the Sportschannel EUROSPORT.  That means four weeks after the basho and only 45 minutes for 3 days.  I tape every basho.  There are quite a lot of sumo fans in Germany."  She goes on to say, “I'm a big fan of Musashimaru and I like all rikishi from Musashigawa and Chiyotaikai, Tochiazuma, Wakanasato, Kaio and many more; but I don't like Takanohana.  And I was no fan of Akebono either."

Frankfurt is the banking capital of Germany and Monika works in that business.  She tells us, "My husband doesn't like sumo, but I make him watch".  She was off to Thailand when last we spoke.  We hope you had a good trip, Monika, and we will try to get the next issue up in a timely fashion.

If you read "SUMO SHIMPO" on the World Wide Web, let us hear from you.  If you’d like to write sumo-related articles for publication in “SUMO SHIMPO”, we’d like to see what you write!

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Junior Division Yusho Winners

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Sumo Bruno:  A Movie Review
by Marcus "Hokkyokuguma" Barber for SUMO SHIMPO

Director:                               Lenard Fritz Krawinkel
Producer:                              Dirk Beinhold
Cast:                                      Oliver Korittke, Hakan Orbeyi, Julia Richter, Martin Seifert
Running Time:                    99 minutes

For the first time, the Sumo Wrestling Amateur Championships are being held outside Japan, in Riesa, a small town in Germany.  Kalle, a sleazy "get-rich-quick" sort of character, talks his overly shy friend Bruno into taking up sumo to win the prize money.  Needing a trainer, the pair convince the local sushi restaurant owner Akashi (who is German, but "thinks Japanese") to take him under his wing.  The 400-pound Bruno is in trouble from the start.  In fact, he would never have made it if it weren't for his friend, the eleven year old Timo.  Timo is overweight as well, and looks up to Bruno.  In addition, Timo's mother, Anna, is a beautiful dancer and Bruno falls hopelessly in love with her.

Bruno gives himself over to the training of Akashi, and truly begins to feel the warrior spirit within him come alive.  All is going well until Kalle, in trouble with loan sharks, convinces Bruno to stage a match in which he is destined to lose.  Bruno becomes discouraged, and starts to falter, until he realizes that Timo and Anna also share his dream.  Determined to succeed for his friends as much as for himself, he reaches the Championship finals, only to face Manny Yarborough (who looks very intimidating).  Even though he loses to Manny, he wins the respect and admiration of his neighbors, his trainer, his friend, his girlfriend, and most importantly, himself.

SUMO BRUNO is a delightful film.  It is light-hearted at times, and melancholic at others.  This film establishes Bruno as the shy, quiet, "big guy with the big heart" almost from the start.  His self-deprecating soft scowl bears an uncanny resemblance to the heavy lidded Yokozuna Musashimaru.  And while he mumbles through a few of his lines, it is due to character and not to acting skill.  We enjoy his victories, and feel true sorrow for his losses.

The writers of the film did their homework for the sumo training.  The first mawashi wrapping is priceless.  They use an old oak tree for a teppo pole (by the end, Bruno is knocking acorns out of the tree in droves).  They get the best sand and clay possible for the dohyo, which Bruno builds himself, under the watchful eye of Akashi.  The techniques are good, the sumo wrestlers are better, and the championship tournament has a few faces I can't place, but I know I've seen them before.

SUMO BRUNO is the feature film directorial debut of Herr Krawinkel, and if this is any judge of his future, he is sure to be a fine director.  Now, if only we can get it released in the United States…

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Still No Sumo Digest
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

The Haru Basho passed with no SUMO DIGEST and again we heard the wails and cries of the sumo-deprived.  There wasn't much we could tell them.  We still don't know if it will be back in the future.  As of now, the only way to get a current basho is if you can get TV Japan either on your local cable or from Dish Network.  To our knowledge, the only cable companies in Southern California that offer TV Japan are Cox Communications in the San Pedro, Palos Verdes areas and Time-Warner in Torrance.

Time-Warner quoted us $21.95 a month and we assume that Cox has a similar price.  The only other way we know of is Dish Network.

The cost to get TV Japan on Dish Network is $149 for the dish, $199 for installation, $25 dollars a month to subscribe plus a $5 access fee.  This would be great if you are interested in other Japanese programming, but would be pretty expensive just to get fifteen days of sumo six times a year.  TV Japan is available on Dish Network in Denver, Seattle and Southern California.

If your cable company doesn't offer TV Japan, you can try bombarding them with requests.  Even so, you will still have to pay every month whether sumo is on or not.  Perhaps the cable companies should consider offering sumo on a pay-per-view basis.

The good news for this writer has been that we have a member who lives in Rancho Palos Verdes who gets TV Japan and he has been recording it for us.  The TV Japan Broadcast is two hours a day, with optional English commentary.  You get to see a lot more of the pre-match ritual.  The best part from a coaching standpoint is that every match is replayed, usually two or three times and from several different camera angles.

With another view on this subject, we received this E-mail from reader Tabo Shomura:

“Hi.  Saw your website after reading the article about you guys in today's (April 2, 2001) LA Times.

I share your disappointment about not being able to catch Sumo Digest during the basho.  I just wanted to make sure that you knew that you could watch the makuuchi bouts live via webcast at the Nihon Sumo Kyokai website.  It's on from about 11:00pm to 1:00am--which I believe translates to 4:00pm to 6:00pm tomorrow, Japan time.

I'm on 56k modem so the connection's not that great and the live feeds are jerky but at least I get to kind of watch each bout.

I thought it was great that Kaio won in March.  Keep up the good work.”

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Akebono Day
From the Long Beach Press Telegram (March 30, 2001)

The United States honored retired champion sumo wrestler Akebono on Thursday for helping better relations between Japan and America.

Ambassador Thomas Foley named March 29,2001, in honor of Akebono, a Hawaiian who became the first foreigner promoted to yokozuna (grand champion)-- the pinnacle of Japan's ancient sport.

It was the first time the U.S. Embassy in Japan had bestowed such an honor and among the last official duties of Foley, who leaves his post Friday.  Foley joked that he never felt so small as standing next to the 6-foot-9-inch, 510-pound Akebono.

After seven years at sumo's top rank, the 31-year-old Akebono, now a Japanese citizen whose real name is Chad Rowan, retired in January because of chronic knee injuries.

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Major Tournaments Set For August
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

The first two weeks of August will be busy ones for California's amateur sumotori.

On Sunday, August 5th, in conjunction with California Nisei Week, the Long Beach Police Athletic League (LBPAL) and Southern California Sumo Kyokai will co-host the 2001 California Amateur Sumo Championship.  This will be held at the LBPAL Gymnasium at 1401 West 9th Street (at Caspian) in Long Beach.  David “Akumu” Knight, Trent Sabo and Jim “Yukikaze” Lowerre are all expected back to defend the titles they won at the first statewide sumo championship to be held in California since 1952.

On the following weekend, August 12th, the 2001 North American Amateur Sumo Championships will take place at the Odeum Sports & Expo Center in Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.  The scheduling of the event came about because the promoter, who wanted to stage a sumo event at the Odeum, found the SCSK on the SUMO SHIMPO web page.

The Odeum is a 104,000 square-foot facility with a sports arena that can seat up to 5,500 people.  There are plans to have a Japanese festival in the adjoining exhibit hall.  Continue to read SUMO SHIMPO for more information on both events.

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Sumo Question On “Millionaire”
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

Shortly after "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire " started, we were contacted by a writer from the show with the following question:  "What do sumo wrestlers throw into the ring before a match?"  Later, we were asked the name of the trophy that they wrestle for.

On Sunday, April 1st, the first question came up as the $250,000 question.  The choices were:
A.      Salt
B.       Rice
C.       Seawater
D.      Flower petals

Easy enough for all us sumo fans, but not so easy if you're not.  The contestant fairly quickly eliminated seawater and flower petals before coming up with the correct answer, salt.  He went on to win $500,000 before quitting while he was ahead.

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SEKITORI BIRTHDAYS for April and May

Data from SUMO WORLD magazine.

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Haiku, Anyone?
By "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

In our previous article on sumo limericks we spoke briefly about the Japanese poetic form known as haiku. We indicated that someday we would give haiku a try.

Well, dear readers, that day has come.  (Don't worry sumo fans, we aren't changing the focus of SUMO SHIMPO.  We are just going to use haiku to fill in blank spaces and we thought a little introduction would be in order.)  We recently purchased a little volume called "Haiki in English" by Harold G. Henderson.  We followed that with a trip to "Acres of Books" here in Long Beach, where we purchased two books of Japanese haiku and one of English haiku.

So, what is a haiku?  Henderson says, "As a general rule, a classical Japanese haiku:

      1.        consists of 17 Japanese syllables (5-7-5)
2.        contains at least some reference to nature (other than human nature)
3.        refers to a particular event (i.e., it is not a generalization)
4.        presents the event as happening now -- not in the past."

None of these rules is cast in iron and the one most frequently broken is number one.  Also:  because Japanese syllables are not the same as English ones, a Japanese haiku translated into English may have less than 17 English syllables.  For example, this haiku by Basho (1644-94), who is known as "The first pillar of Haiku":

Kare eda ni karasu no tomariki aki no kure

Henderson’s translation:

On a withered branch
a crow has settled . . .
autumn nightfall. 

Since we feed our sparrows every day, we can really relate to this little haiku by Issa (1763-1827).

If you are tender to them,
The young sparrows
Will poop on you.

Finally here are our first haiku:

The red tailed hawk
Sits and patiently watches
From the light pole arm.

And this writer has one with a sumo theme:

At Hatsu basho
Akebono retires
The kami weep.

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Gaijin Rikishi Data and Results as of Haru 2001
Data from Moti Dichne’s Sumo Homepage (www.dichne.com)