RE: Query: Utaawase

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

> Hello,
>
> Among  numeruous requests about how to be fat, who is the fattest, how
> to  find  a sumo wrestler in Florida for a Florida advertising agency,
> etc,  finally  I got an interesting question this week. I don't really
> have  the  idea  what to reply, I have already made some search on the
> net, but didn't find any related material. Probably you can help me.
>
> Somebody  is  interested  in  connection  of  sumo and poetry contests
> (utaawase)  in  Heian  era. Was there any connection? Does somebody of
> you anything about this theme?
>
> Any help is appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
>
> --
> Best regards,
> Bandey
> http://www.math-inst.hu/~sali/bandey/SZUMOE.HTM

I only possibly relevant thing I can find is from Ozumo no Jiten (Dictionary
of Ozumo).  Under the entry "Sumo and Haiku", it mentions that long ago the
word "sumo" was used as a seasonal word referencing to "autumn" because
Sumai-no-Sechie, the Heian precursor to Ozumo, took place then.  Entering
the Showa period, though, sumo lost it's seasonal reference.

Josh Reyer