Re: Sumo - tachiai & other questions #2 - soc.culture.japan #26468

[Richard Webb <webb@phys1.physics.wsu.edu>]

In article <C7LvCq.D7F@ulis.ac.jp>, hiraga@ulis.ac.jp (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:
|> As before: where
|> 	YT: Yokichi Tanaka
|> 	JS: John Swain
|> 	JC: John Crossley
|> 	MM: Michiaki Masuda
|> 
|> 
|> (3) AIBEYA ((non-existence of) stable-mate matches)
|> 
|> In <1993May20.235916.28730@til.til.com>:
|> YT> Why doesn't Takanohana and Wakanohana wrestle each other more often?
|> 
|> In <1993May21.044653.12973@rusun.cs.reitaku-u.ac.jp>:
|> JS> It is only because they are stable mates.  That is the rule.  Stable mates 
|> JS> don't wrestle each other unless it is a playoff for the championship.
|> 
|> YT>Alas, this just made this sport quite wimpy in my mind.
|> 
|> In <C7F65t.Dqq@ncifcrf.gov>:
|> MM> To the contrary, this rule is supposed to make it more dfficult to "fix" 
|> MM> the bout.
|> 
|> I believe this is the sole reason for no stable-mate matches.
|> Even in the current system, there are lasting rumors of cheating,
|> of wins being lent/borrowed... note the high percentage of 7-7 wrestlers
|> converting to a winning majority (KACHIKOSHI) in the final day.
|> 
|> YT>Strategically, one can increase his chances of success by joining
|> YT>a strong stable.  How lame.
|> 
|> Perhaps not.  By the time you reach higher ranks, your seniors(ANI-DESHI)
|> may have already retired.
|> And it may not be a good idea to enter a HEYA with so many seniors,
|> as you have to serve their needs (practically, a slave).
|> 
|> YT>Say, for the sake of argument, Musashimaru
|> YT>and Konishiki were also in the Futagoyama stable.  Akebono would have 
|> YT>to wrestle Takanohana, Wakanohana, Musashimaru, Konishiki, Takatouriki,
|> YT>Takanonami.  Whereas the Futagoyama folks would only have to contend
|> YT>with 1 (Akebono) top notch wrestler.  Their yuushos are diluted.
|> 
|> True.
|> But there is also the other side.
|> Suppose you are one win behind a fellow mate; there is no chance for you
|> to catch up with him on your own i.e. by JIRIKI. :-)
|> Examples abound: e.g. Hokutoumi against Chiyonofuji.
|> 
|> Anyway, considering the current Futagoyama situation,
|> I, too, vote for retracting this restriction, even considering all odds.
|> 
|> Some 30 or 40 years ago, this restriction applied not only to individual
|> HEYA's, but also to a whole ICHIMON.  The HEYA's themselves have a
|> family-tree connection, and an ICHIMON is the set of HEYA's belonging
|> to the same family (considering HEYA=stable, should they be called ranches?).
|> This restriction was lifted to the current situation,
|> so we can expect further change.
|> 
|> 
|> (4) KIMARITE (winning techniques)
|> 
|> JC>While on the sumo thread, does anyone have a list of the recognised
|> JC>different techniques (the 'kimarite': kotenage, uetenage, oshidashi, etc)
|> JC>with explanations?  I'd really like to hear more about these, and also the
|> JC>historical background of how they were chosen.  For example, I know that
|> JC>there is an official list of these techniques, and that a bunch of 'new'
|> JC>techniques were added during the reform of how sumo was run following WWII.
|> JC>But on what basis is it decided whether something is a 'kimarite'?  Is it
|> JC>possible that new things will be added to or removed from the official
|> JC>list?
|> 
|> The saying is that there are 48 (SUMO SHIJUU-HATTE), but actually,
|> there are 70+ such approved KIMARITE's.  Since the list has been expanding,
|> yes, there is a possibility of further increase (removal: I don't think so).
|> Sorry, I don't have the list now (I'll try looking up).
|> Meanwhile, here are some common ones.
|> 
|> First of all, there are two basic ways to win: drive the opponent out of
|> the DOHYOU, or topple him down.
|> Another dimension of classification is whether the two are grappled
|> (in scrummage) or standing apart.  In the former case, the arms cross,
|> and whether the winner's arm is on the outside/inside of the opponent's,
|> whether has grip of the MAWASHI (belt? girdle?),
|> or whether legs were effectively used, gives further subdivision.
|> 
|> 1. drive opponent out
|>   1.1 standing apart
|> 	OSHI-DASHI	push opponent out, arms folded/bent
|> 	TSUKI-DASHI	shove opponent out, arms stretched/churning
|>   1.2 in scrummage
|> 	YORI-KIRI	hold the opponent and drive out: most common KIMARITE
|> 	TSURI-DASHI	hold the opponent by the MAWASHI and lift out
|> 	OKURI-DASHI	have at least one hold of MAWASHI, push opponent out
|> 			from behind
|> 	UCCHARI		while cornered to the DOKYOU border, topple over
|> 			opponent outside.  This commonly results as an
|> 			upheaval from what would have been a YORIKIRI.
|> 	KIME-DASHI	drive opponent out in the posture of both arms
|> 			on the outside and clenched together
|> 2. topple opponent down
|>   2.1 standing apart
|> 	OSHI-TAOSHI	push down opponent on his back
|> 	TSUKI-TAOSHI	shove down opponent on his back
|> 	ABISE-TAOSHI	topple opponent on back, landing on top
|> 	HATAKI-KOMI	fall opponent on his front by slapping on back
|> 			or pulling forwards
|> 	TSUKI-OTOSHI	gee, I forgot this one
|>   2.2 in scrummage
|> 	UWATE-NAGE	throw opponent with one arm, arm on outside of
|> 			opponent's and with MAWASHI grip
|> 	SHITATE-NAGE	throw opponent, arm inside with grip
|> 	KOTE-NAGE	throw opponent, arm outside without grip
|> 	SUKUI-NAGE	throw opponent, arm inside without grip
|> 	UWATE-DASHI-NAGE	same as UWATE-NAGE except that the two
|> 			are in side-by-side instead of facing posture
|> 	SHITATE-DASHI-NAGE	SHITATE version of DASHI-NAGE
|> 	UWATE-HINERI	hold a UWATE, pull forward and fall opponent
|> 			while half rotating his body
|> 	SHITATE-HINERI	SHITATE version of HINERI
|> 	TOTTARI		hold opponent's one arm with both arms and throw over
|> 	KUBI-NAGE	wrap arm around opponent's neck and throw.
|>   2.3 legs crossed
|> 	SOTO-GAKE	cross leg from outside opponent's and topple
|> 	UCHI-GAKE	cross leg from inside opponent's and topple
|> 	ASHI-TORI	hold opponent's leg with arm(s) and topple
|> 			One of Mainoumi's favorite
|> 	
|> There are others I can think of (KETAGURI, UCHI/SOTO-MUSOU, KAWAZUGAKE, ...),
|> but I'll leave it to the complete list.
|> The above list, I believe, will account for over 90% of the actual KIMARITE's.
|> 	
|> 
|> (5) etc.
|> 
|> From: swain@reitaku.cs.reitaku-u.ac.jp (Jhon D.Swain)
|> >Message-ID: <1993May24.233031.18436@rusun.cs.reitaku-u.ac.jp>
|> >In article <1tq97hINNg2k@nsat.ipp-garching.mpg.de> bds@uts.ipp-garching.mpg.de (Bruce d. Scott) writes:
|> >>Victor Lin writes:
|> >>
|> >>> Futabayama holds the record for the most consecutive wins at 69.
|> >>> It is said that this record may never be broken.
|> >>
|> >>I thought it was Taiho at 70.
|> >
|> >It is Taiho at 69.
|> 
|> That's a slip.  Victor Lin is correct.
|> And at the time of Futaba (before WWII), there were only 4 tourneys/year,
|> and 10 days/tourney (or was it already 15?).
|> That is, Futaba did not lose for well over a whole year.
|> 
|> Further back in the Edo era, there were only 2 tourneys/year
|> and 10 days/tourney.
|> Hence the saying: "ICHINEN WO HATSUKA DE KURASU II OTOKO"
|> This is rather difficult to translate because "II OTOKO" has the connotation
|> of both "fortunate", "to be envied" and "well deserved"; the disparity
|> being the rhetoric.  Anyway, it describes a Sumo wrestler as one who can
|> make a living working only 20 days an year.
|> 
|> -Yuzuru Hiraga (hiraga@ulis.ac.jp)