Re: Sumo - in your face! - soc.culture.japan #27179

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

In article <44000@twics.co.jp>, rjs@twics.co.jp writes:
|> I think there are some differences between harite and tsuppari. Harite is 
|> usually a slap on the cheek as one jumps out at the tachi-ai, intended to 
|> throw off the timing of the opponent. But it can degenerate into any sideways 
|> swipe at the other guy's face, and indeed it does backfire. But some rikishi 
|> are known to be sensitive to getting hit in the face, like Onokuni was, and it 
|> can be effective. Also, if it catches the other guy in the nose, it's a KO. 
|> I've seen Kirishima go down that way. I think it was Kirinishiki whom 
|> Kyokudozan put down with the heel his taped hand in the Haru basho. Itai 
|> always taped his hands and was violent with the heel of his hands, and I never 
|> liked him for that.
|> 
|> Tsuppari I would say is more slapping to the chest and is often done in rapid 
|> succession, with the opponent fending off in rapid succession as well. Terao 
|> uses tsuppari. Takatoriki, OTOH is a harite user.  
|> 
|> Nodowa (open hand to the throat) is legit. It's Takamisugi's favorite. Was 
|> Hokutoumi's. 
|> 
|> aok> PS:  Speaking of sumo faces, did anyone else notice Wakanohana's
|> aok> face?  It looks like he was really hurt by the fall he took in
|> aok> his bout with Konishiki on the last day.
|> 
|> A photo in the paper the next day showed clearly that Konishiki had put his 
|> hand down first and should have lost the bout, but there was no mono-i called, 
|> even. All that blood for nothing...too bad. Waka really wanted to be promoted 
|> to ozeki, but not this time.
|> 
|> Rich Sadowsky
|> rjs@twics.co.jp