[sumo] Funeral at Ekoin this morning

[Angie Brisse]

Thanks for this, Doreen.  Like lots of the folks on this list, I'm not only interested in sumo but interested in Japanese culture as well, and it's interesting to read about the quiet dignity in which these procedings were held.  That was interesting and moving.
 
Angie in Texas, US> From: JZ8D-SMMN at asahi-net.or.jp> To: sumo at webtrek.com> Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:32:43 +0900> Subject: [sumo] Funeral at Ekoin this morning> > Unfortunately everything happened back to front.> > This morning I was taking my usual short cut to the station > via Ekoin, the temple in whose grounds Ryogoku sumo used to take place > (and where the original Kokugikan was built. As I rounded the corner> the black-and-white awnings indicated a funeral, so I prepared to pick> up my rather noisy little trolley and carry it. Then I saw the men in black > standing on the temple steps -- and recognised them as gyoji and yobidashi.> > Still no indication of the occasion -- instead of the usual reception desk> where people accept monetary offerings, there were tables for people to sign> condolence books -- more like royalty. I greeted a former tate-gyoji and one or two others,> then up the main path came a couple I know very well -- the previous Dewanoumi > (50th yokozuna Sadanoyama), with his still-beautiful wife. During his active days, he had > married the daughter of his stablemaster. (This guaranteed that he would succeed to the stable, > so Yokozuna Chiyonoyama departed and set up his own Kokonoe-beya.)> > Since I was the only person not wearing black, and stuck out like a sore thumb,> I bowed deeply and quietly moved on; not till I got to the gate did I finally find out> that the deceased was Sadanoyama's 80-something mother-in-law. No wonder his wife looked strained.> > When I started going to Dewanoumi-beya I was treated very kindly by the Wakai Okami-san (the Young Lady), > wife of then Dewanoumi (who was also Chairman of the Kyokai), and by her mother, the Ookii Okamisan > (the Great Lady) -- at that time her husband was still alive, and under the elder name Musashigawa was head of> the Sumo Museum.After his death the old lady made her home with her daughter and son-in-law.> > And that was the old lady whose funeral was held this morning.Most unfortunately I didn't pass the main entrance of Ekoin> last night, when the wake was being held, so I missed the news. I feel bad because I should have been there this morning, properly dressed,> to pay my respects to Ichikawa Tomiko, wife of one Rijicho and mother-in-law of another; also the owner of the Yotsuman chaya,> one of the 20 'tea houses' that handle a lot of the downstairs seats at the Kokugikan. It is one of the oldest, dating from the Edo period, and Tomiko > was the grand-daughter of the sushi-shop owner who founded it.> > (apologies for typos and odd line endings)> Doreen Simmons> jz8d-smmn at asahi-net.or.jp> > _______________________________________________> Sumo mailing list> Sumo at webtrek.com> http://www.webtrek.com/mailman/listinfo/sumo
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