Re: RE:Rankings - and a Question

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

Jack:

Ozeki Kirinji I was a unique rikishi. His joints were very flexible, or
looked that way. He keep moving his body all the time during shikiri-naoshi
before the actual match. Ozeki Kirinji belonged to Nishonoseki-beya the
same heya Yokozuna Taiho belonged to. I thought he was active later than
Haku-Ho jidai, maybe the latter half of just Taiho jidai, and Kita-Tama
(Kitanofuji-Tamanoumi) jidai.

Anyways, he was unusual rikishi in and out of dohyo. Sumo rikishi are not
known as an intellectual people in Japan for a long time. When an oyakata
sees young rikishi reading a book without pictures, he used to warn him "If
you have a time to read such a book, go out on dohyo and do shiko or teppo
for your future." Most of rikishi's favorite past time activities are
listening music, reading comic books, play majuong or pachinko, but
Kirinji's favorite past time was serious readings. This alone puts him
label of "strange" rikishi.

Kirinji means prodigy. Kirin is the same as kirin of Kirin Beer, a Chinese
mythological animal which is similar to Western Pegasus, with dragon-like
head, horse-like body with wings etc. This name "kirin" was addopted for
calling a strange-shaped animal giraff. Ji of kirinji means a child. I
don't remember what his nickname was, either in English or Japanese. Giraff
could have been a logical choice for his name in English.

If my memory is correct, he changed his name (shikona) from Kirinji to
Dai-Kirin, a big grown-up Kirin, when he became an ozeki. If this was the
case, there were no "Ozeki Kirinji" but only "Ozeki Dai-Kirin". He is now
Oshiogawa oyakata of Oshiogawa-baya.

Oshiogawa       Hitachiryu (J)
                Daishi (J)
                Enazakura (J)

There was another Kirinji late 70's early 80's, who is actually
Moto-Sekiwake Kirinji II, now Kitajin Oyakata who is one of the best active
sumo commentaters. He was a good commentater even while he was active
rikishi. He used to give a clear comment about his sumo right after his
match. 

-Masumi

>Question:  Abe-san, or anyone else who remembers, there was an Ozeki, Kirinji
>during the Haku-Ho jidai (Taiho/Kashiwado), he had a nickname, maybe
>the giraff?  He had no neck and was an excellent sekitori but never madeš
>it beyond Ozeki.  What *was* his nickname?
>
>Jack Gartin
>usemb@servis.net.tr
>CIS 100330,705
>US Embassy, Turkey

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Masumi Abe                                      Tel: (415) 966-0824
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