RE: Yet more answers...

["Joshua A. Reyer" <jreyer@grn.mmtr.or.jp>]

> Send them a lot of money!  On the Wakamatsu Web-Page, they give a
> detailed price
> break-down of what you get for your cash.  Josh, if you're
> reading this, please
> can you translate and print for the list, what the web-page says on this
> respect... ;-)

I have been called.

To join the Tokyo Wakamatsu Beya Koenkai there are three options.

To be an supporting member it costs 50,000 yen (about $500US) for one year.
You get a copy of the new banzukes, a calendar, the Wakamatsu Beya
Newspaper, and you get to go to the party on Senshuraku.

To be a special member, you have to pay 100,000 yen ($1,000US) for one year.
You get the banzuke, the calendar, the newspaper, memorial merchandise, a
guide to various heya events, you get to the Senshuraku party and the golf
tournament.

If you are the full blast balls to the wall member, you have to pay 200,000
yen ($2,000US) for one year.  You get all of the above, plus: a yukata, and
invitations to things like chanko meals and rice cake pounding festivities.

If you join the Hirazuka Wakamatsu Beya Love Club (which doesn't sound quite
so weird in Japanese as it does in English), it breaks down like this:

Supporting Members pay 40,000 yen ($400) a year.
General Members pay 30,000 yen ($300) a year.
Female Members pay 20,000 yen ($200) a year.

(On a side note, this seems pretty reasonable for a yearly fee.  Not too
much more than what I pay yearly for internet access.)

All members get a calendar and copy of every banzuke for the year and 3
issues of the Wakamatsu beya newspaper.  Supporting members get to
participate in asageiko(!), the Wakamatsu Beya Christmas party, and the
Dai-chan Cup (the golf tournament against Wakamatsu Oyakata), all for free.
General Members and Female Members must pay to attend these events.

Josh Reyer
No, 40,000 yen a year doesn't sound bad at all...