[sumo] Dewanoumi keiko Saturday May 3rd

[Doreen Simmons]

Dropped into Dewa yesterday and watched a close-knit session of very 
hard training. Nothing showy -- just a small group of pros working out 
intensively.
Of the oyakata, besides Dewanoumi himself, plus Dekiyama ( former 
Dewanohana) and Sekinoto (Kinkaiyama), there were Tagonoura 
(Kushimaumi), a frequent visitor with his star pupil Aozora, and a less 
frequent visitor, Irumagawa (Tochitsukasa) with his sekitori 
Masutsukasa and Sagatsukasa, plus the eternal makushita Surugatsukasa 
and a couple of others. When I went in there was an active makushita 
session in progress; as it ended Tagonoura left, the two fat cushions 
were plumped up, and his place was soon taken by Kasugano oyakata 
(Tochinowaka). Aozora stayed on to the end, to help wait on the 
seniors, and to learn by watching.

Sekitori: Futeno (of course!), plus Tochinonada, shin-nyumaku 
Tochinoshin, Kimurayama, the Irumagawa men mentioned above,  and -- a 
visitor from outside the Dewa group, Homasho, come to get a good 
session of degeiko. Also taking part at first were former sekitori 
Towanoyama and Dewaotori. Standing outside the circle, looking rather 
forlorn, was the retired Tochinohana, now Hatachiyama oyakata, still in 
mawashi and topknot.

I didn't keep score (because that's not what these sessions are about); 
if one man beat another, he could either beckon him back for another go 
(sometimes one of the oyakata would order it) or  he could invite a new 
opponent.  The object was to learn and teach, not to rack up a score. 
Everybody got in quite a good piece of keiko, though noticeably 
Tochinoshin was working out to the point of exhaustion. Homasho's 
physical problems seem to be sorted out and he was looking good.  
Irumagawa's young turks were also doing well.

Among the onlookers was sekiwake Fukunohana, who became Sekinoto 
oyakata; and since retirement at 65 he has gone back, as many of them 
do, to his shikona. I was his fan in my early days, and when he had his 
haircut I transferred my allegiance to his heya. It was nice to see him 
again. Beside him on the front row was a very old, frail man, assisted 
by two rather showy-looking woman behind him. They left after an hour 
and I was beckoned into the space. This was nice because I had 
originally been given an honored seat right behind the master's left 
side -- but of course he was obstructing half my view!

An unexpected visitor was Kitanofuji, now NHK's main commentator on the 
Japanese side, Handsome as ever in a grey kimono, he watched carefully 
for the final hour. He had started as a Dewanoumi rikishi but followed 
yokozuna Chiyonoyama when he  went independent and set up Kokonoe-beya. 
  I have met him a number of times, mainly helping foreign journalists, 
and asked him afterwards if I could take his picture (which wasn't a 
good one) but Dekiyama came to the rescue and took a nice one of the 
two of us, a nice update to the one I got about 20 years ago. He's worn 
better than I have :-(

Forgive this ramble -- I'm still very tired and in this four-day 
holiday there7s so much to enjoy! If you're within striking distance of 
Ryogoku today (Sunday 4) is the second day of the Ryogoku Nigiwai 
festivale, which dfatires a lot of sumo as well as non-sumo thing. Take 
in a 500 yen bowl of chanko (assorted), hear yobidashi drumming, meet 
Kitazakua showing off his beadwork (or come back later if you have a 
baby and he will pose for you holding it.

Now I really must be off!

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