[sumo] Daishi

[Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]

"Daishi" - Turning to Singer from Makuuchi Rikishi
The Mainchi Shimbun  - October 7, 2003  
---------------------------------------------------

"Do the thing you love to do."  He made up his mind
when his wife Yuko told him so.  

He retired from active sumo last year. He kept
wondering whether to eventually take over the 
Oshiogawa Beya or follow the dream of he held since
his childhood of becoming a singer. "I simply could
not imagine myself doing anything else but singing,"
admitted Daishi.

Daishi was born into a sumo loving family. His great
grandfather did Yumitori for a regional sumo
organization. His mother sang sumo jinku. And he loved
singing ever since he was a little child. 
His grandmother wanted him to become a sumotori.

His style was head first oshizumo. He won a sumo
championship in Ibaraki as a grade four student. After
graduating from a middle school, he joined Oshiogawa
Beya. But the progress came painfuly slow once he got
to Makushita.  "I want to become stronger 
quickly."  He desparately tried to find any way he
could do to get stronger. 

At the Haru Jyungyo in 1992, Daishi convinced a
Wakamonogashira to let him join in the tour as a Jinku
singer.  It was a turning point. He could train
against rikishis he had never had an opportunity
otherwise.  And, of course, he could participate in
Jinku singing. 

His efforts soon paid off. The following year at Natsu
basho, Daishi was promoted to Juryo.  On his first day
bout, he beat Musoyama.

Through Sumo Jinku he got to meet peoples from all
walks of life. He was called upon to sing at sumo
retirement receptions, weddings and a variety of
parties - the most memorable moment came when he was
asked to sing at the ceremony commemorating the 50th 
anniversary of end of World War II in Iwo Jima. 

on September 30, Daishi had his first dinner show at a
Tokyo area hotel . He sang 10 songs from a variety of
genre including "Volare" and "Kawa no Nagare no youni"
("Like the River Flows", a song made famous by Hibari
Misora) and received enthusiastic cheers from 
the audience of about 500.

"I'd love to  be able to sing for Japanese emigrants
and their offsprings abroad.  My goal is to sing one
day at the Red and White Song Festival (NHK's New
Year's Eve tradition Program)."  

The dream just keeps getting bigger.

------------------------------------------------------

Born in Ibaraki. Retired from active sumo in 2002 and
became a Jyun Toshiyori.  Left the Kyokai in 2003.  
Real name: Nobuyuki Takano, 35 years old, married with
two children. 

=====
.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique     ?S   ?Z   ?Ì  >

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[EndPost by Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]