[sumo] List of trophies and prizes

[Doreen Simmons]

Doreen Simmons List: Trophies and Prizes presented to the Yusho winner 
(not entirely up-to-date and there are some local variations; will 
probably need reformatting)

a. The Emperor's Cup: Tenno Shihai
It weighs 29 kg. (64 lbs.) and can hold 36 litres of liquid -- except 
that the lid is soldered on!
b. Yusho Banner (Yusho-ki  優勝期)
The Emperor's Cup and the banner are presented by one of the three 
chief judges at the beginning of the presentation ceremony on the final 
day of the basho.  The two symbols are returned to the Kyokai's keeping 
in a sort of reverse ceremony held after the Makunouchi and Yokozuna 
dohyo-iri on the first day of the next basho. Small replicas are given 
to the yusho winner to keep.
  c. The Prime Minister's Prize
Actually another trophy -- a large silver cup that is bigger and much 
heavier than the Emperor's Cup. It is also more unwieldy, since the 
Emperor's Cup has a slender stem that affords a firm grip and a good 
balance.
d. Other prominent trophies are regularly presented, and are here given 
in approximate order of presentation (which varies a little). Note that 
the trophies remain in the Kokugikan, but most of them also carry a 
personal prize which the yusho winner keeps.  The prefectural ones 
usually feature a large quantity of the local specialty, be it dried 
fungus or small shellfish. Many also include a sum of money. The 
following is the basic list.

Czech Republic: tall fluted bowl cut glass (replacing older one 
inscribed EXPO '70), plus a year's supply of Pilsner beer
United Arab Emirates: giant coffee pot some 40 cm. tall, made of 
handbeaten silver with gold inlay, plus a year's supply of gasoline
Hungary: huge red cloisonne jar, plus an individual tea-set
China-Japan Friendship Cup: lidded cup in blue cloisonne with a design 
of Mount Fuji, pine and cherry blossom on a blue background
[not now, Sarkozy’s hostile] French President's Cup (Chirac!): huge 
dark ceramic piece.
Mongolian Prime Minister's Trophy: large silver bowl held up by three 
Mongolian wrestlers, replacing small but massive silver bowl on a 
plinth
               of green stone
Mexico: large replica in silver of the Aztec calendar mounted on a 
wooden plaque, plus a year's supply of beer
Osaka Governor's Prize:??
Mainichi Newspapers: the real award is the giant photograph hung below 
the roof of the Kokugikan, but a smaller framed copy is presented now. 
NHK Gold Cup: oval with three lengthwise flutings, based on a small cup 
in the Shosoin Treasure House in Nara.
Local newspapers? Yomiuri?
Zennosho (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations 
Prize):
        bronze statue of a rikishi in kesho-mawashi carrying a large 
gilt rice-bale; plus a real straw bale that actually contains very 
little rice, so that the representative can handle it; the yusho winner 
actually receives 30 bales of rice, a valuable addition to his heya; 
plus some other delicacy such as eggs boiled in a hot spring
Oita prefecture Shiitake Growers Cooperative: dried shiitake (a kind of 
oriental mushroom) in a large glass container, plus money
Fukui prefecture: red lacquer bowl on two rice bales; plus money and a 
ton of umeboshi, sour pickled fruit
Hokkaido government: bronze trophy of a giant bird, the Blakiston's 
fish owl; plus a truckload of produce
Miyazaki prefecture: trophy in the form of a bull, on a stand supported 
by full-frontal male nudes (it weighs around 37 kilograms); carcass of 
prime beef
Ehime prefecture: silver globe trophy, plus 1,500 bottles of ponzu, 
citrus-flavored vinegar
Shizuoka prefecture: lamp-shaped trophy: Mount Fuji above, gold paling 
to silver; plus the winner's weight in tea, and a gift of seasonal 
fruit
Matsue City Mayor's Cup: large lidded cup plus a ton of small shellfish 
used in soup
Japan Airlines (JAL): jet plane on a silver world with gold continents
Millionaire's Cup (Ozeki sake): the giant silver sake cup later filled 
with sake and used in the photographs of the victor's celebrations; 
four barrels of sake go with it
Bulgarian trophy: realistic tall spray of gold roses and leaves.
Isuzu Bighorn [sometimes other car]: the actual four-wheel drive 
vehicle stands outside the Kokugikan for the whole basho; for the 
presentation, a giant plastic key is used
(Coca-cola bottle, plaque representing a Bulgari watch; and local ones 
in each venue)

Note: although the basic information in this section was found by 
personal research, many details were taken from the book "Naruhodo 
Ozumo" by Mr. Seigoro Kitade, a former NHK announcer.

Doreen Simmons
  jz8d-smmn at asahi-net.or.jp