[sumo] Chairman and Oyakata

[Nashinokawa]

Thanks for all the info on the Kokonoe - Jinmaku (I think) name swap.  What 
I remember from the time was I think the "official" reason given for the 
arrangement, and I do think that Kitanofuji did serve as riji at least for a 
short period suceeding this.  I was aware of the rumors mentioned when 
Hokotoumi set up shop separately when all the non attached oyakata moved to 
the new stable and did not stay with Chiyonfuji in Kokonoe beya. I also dor 
recall that after Kitanofuji did retire that Hokotoumi was elected onto the 
rijikai, not Chiyonofuji. (At this point Chiyonfuji was granted special 
advisor status). This is despite Chiyonfuji being both senior and having a 
more successful career.  It certainly occured to me then that there were 
issues within the ichimon, although I never troubled to look through the 
"dirt" and seeing some of it here has been very interesting for me at least.

There is one tidbit on the Chiyonoyama-Kitanofuji-Chiyonofuji story that may 
be relevant to the closeness of the relationship betweent the two Chiyos. 
That is I bwleive they are both from the same village in Hokkaido and indeed 
went to the same primary school, which I believe has full size yusho 
portaits of the two in its assembly hall/gymnasium.  It would not therefore 
surprise me if the oyakata (master) -- deshi (disciple) bond was 
particularly strong here.

Another point raised in this thread was the nature of the election and that 
it tends to leave to conservative relatively slow change the sumo 
association.  I think it very important to remember that there is a cultural 
(confucian) background to this.  It is extremely unusual in all walks of 
life in Japan for the leaders to be young "up and comers".  Most Japanese 
companies have presidents who are in their late fifties at the earliest, and 
more probably early sixties. Similarly their policitical process works in 
the same way.  Most leaders are in the older bracket, and prime 
ministers/presidents as young as kennedy, clinton, blair are by and large 
unheard of.  Regarding the election of Hokutoumi to the rijikai a number of 
years ago I was actually amazed that someone as young as him was on the 
board (I suspect at the time he was about the same age as Kaio (who is still 
active of course) is now!)  This maybe corroborates the discussions of 
others on the popularity of Chiyonofuji in his ichimon, as least at that 
time.

As far as sumo is concerned this is both a strength (in maintaining the 
traditions that make sumo unique in a world of rapid change) and a weakness 
(in failing to keep up with the  - positive in my view - changes in the 
nature of the broad society's expectations, and understanding of what is 
acceptable in Japan).  Whatever ones view I think that the sumo association 
has an especially challenging task to get the correct balance here -- I hope 
they manage it otherwise I can see times becoming tougher and tougher for 
them.


Nashinokawa
sumo