Sumo Article #1 (fwd)

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Subject: Re: Sumo - tachiai & other questions #1 - soc.culture.japan #26463

In article <C7Lqn5.Cqz@ulis.ac.jp>, hiraga@ulis.ac.jp (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:
An attempt to answer SUMO related questions (some information incomplete)....

(1) TACHIAI
   
In article <1993May19.205438.25442@til.til.com> tanaka@til.til.com (Yokichi Tanaka) writes:
>Does anyone know the rules regarding "tachiai" (the start of a bout)?
>This is what I see.
>1.  One of the wrestler puts both hands on the dohyo (the "mat"),
>    but he can not initiate the bout.
>2.  The other wrestler touches the dohyo with at least one hand,
>    and the bout starts.
>
>This is normally what I see.  But on other occasions, I've seen
>both wrestlers down on the dohyo staring at each other without
>the bout starting.  And what is "jikan-ippai" (no more time)
>anyway?  Is it measured in seconds, or is it determined by the
>number of times tachiai fails?

John Crossley and John Swain (as well as others) already gave some
detailed accounts, but let me reformulate and elaborate.

# BTW, will Mr. Swain please correct his name "Jhon" in his
# .mh_profile (or equivalent) entry (the one that appears in From:).

The meaning of TACHIAI is to surge the fighting spirits facing and
staring each other, seeking a synchronized timing to start the bout.
The wrestlers may start any time if they are in mutual (implicit)
agreement to do so.

In the old days, there was no time limit on how long a TACHIAI may take.
As would be expected, there were culprits who won't go, out of tactics to
tantalize the opponent, and long TACHIAI's would take 10mins. or even longer.
Thus, the last bout may go well into night.
Now, there are time limits on each TACHIAI, which was introduced with
the advent of sumo broadcasting (in the radio days).  I believe the
limit is around 3 mins. (maybe incorrect, but not far off).  I also
think it's variable so that the 6:00pm limit for the TV broadcast can
be met (no kidding).

When the time comes, as John Swain (JS) writes in
<1993May21.041400.12515@rusun.cs.reitaku-u.ac.jp>:
JS>The real signal is not the feet, but the judge's "gumbai" or battle fan.
JS>When it comes up with its face toward the TV camera it is "show time".

and John Crossley (JC) in <CROSSLEY.93May21134546@ueno.trc.mew.mei.co.jp>:
JC>As Todd Allaria mentions in a separate post, the
JC>referee (gyouji) will stand differently, hold his fan forward and say
JC>"jikan desu" when it is time for tachiai to begin, ...

yes, the GYOUJI show the other side of the GUMBAI, called "GUMBAI WO KAESU"
(flip the GUMBAI=fan).
The time, though, is kept by one of the SHIMPAN's (referees sitting by
the DOHYOU).  The first and more visible sign that time has come is that
the YOBIDASHI stands up and informs the wrestlers.
YOBIDASHI's are the fellows that call out the wrestlers' names, hit the
sticks (HYOUSHI-GI), broom the DOHYOU, and do other all sorts of misc. jobs.
They're the ones that build the DOHYOU before a tourney.

Even when the time comes:
JC>...it's still up to the wrestlers as to exactly when they go.

Yes, provided that they can no longer leave the DOHYOU, e.g. to take the salt.
If one carelessly steps out, he automatically loses the bout.
There actually are a couple of these incidents in the past.

JC>This is communicated partly through the hands touching the dohyou:
JC>I believe that both wrestlers are *supposed* to touch both hands
JC>before starting.

Yes.
There was a time when this was seriously violated (e.g. by WAJIMA),
and the KYOUKAI (Sumo Organization) took to a strong enforcement.

JC>Gordon's post also mentioned false starts ('mata'), where one rikishi
JC>starts before the other.  There is a fine for these (10,000 yen, I think)
JC>and one or both wrestlers may be fined, depending on later judgement.

Correct (except for the fine amount: 100,000yen?), provided that MATTA
only applies to the TACHIAI after the time limit.
Usually, the one who makes a premature start gets fined (by not synchronizing
with the other = KOKYUU WO AWASERU), though in cases both are charged.
The fining rule is a recent introduction (last year, or the one before).


(2) KENSHOUKIN (reward money)

The cumulative information provided by many netters seems to cover
the subject (including the panning camera by the non-commercial NHK :-),
so just adding a few points:
* The sponsors often present rewards to the wrestlers of a particular
  HEYA (stable(!?): can't we at least say something like "gym" or "club"?
  they're not horses, you know).  Of course, if the opponent wins,
  the investment will be in vain.  The sponsors promoting a particular
  HEYA are called TANIMACHI.
* The ritual for the winning wrestler to receive the envelope is to
  imitate a knife shape with his hand (TEGATANA) and make three cutting
  motions, in the order of right, left, and center (I thought) as a sign
  of appreciation.  Some (most?) wrestlers actually don't make a clear
  motion.


Since it's already getting long, the rest will follow in a separate post.
But before that, some comment on GYOUJI's (ring referees).

GYOUJI's, just like the wrestlers, are associated with a particular HEYA.
They are strictly rank-ordered, and the uniforms, as well as their
"ring names", are in accordance with the rank (e.g. a low-ranked GYOUJI
must go barefoot).  There are two family names for the "ring" names:
KIMURA and SHIKIMORI.
The highest ranked ones are called TATE-GYOUJI (finalist referees),
and the names (fixed) are KIMURA SHOUNOSUKE and SHIKIMORI INOSUKE
(of the two, former has still higher rank).
The TATE-GYOUJI, just like the YOKOZUNA, bears a strong responsibility.
If he makes a mis-ruling (SASHITIGAE) as in the Akebono-Wakashouyou
bout this tourney, he (must?) send in a resignation.
Normally, these are nominal and not accepted, but, for example, if one
makes two mis-rulings in one tourney, he actually does (must?) resign.
As I hear, in the old days, they had to (as one might expect :-)
commit SEPPUKU, a.k.a. HARAKIRI.


-Yuzuru Hiraga (hiraga@ulis.ac.jp)