Re: Conditions for promotion

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

At  7:01 PM 8/2/94 +0000, Shoujirou Mizutori wrote:
>If I remember correctly, Konishiki had only one chance when he might have
>been promoted to Yokozuna, when Rijikai required on more Basho and didn't
>even asked to Yokozuna Shingikai. ( I don't remember when it was.)
>And his "discrimination" comment to some American journal (which I don't 
>remember) was after that incident. After that comment, Konishiki didn't 
>really have any chance. 
>Was there any "discrimination" comment before he had chance?
>Or am I wrong?

Mizutori-san was right. Konishiki's discrimination comment was after his
third and last makuuchi yusho.

On the other hand, if my memory is correct (and I need to find out the
record, but), Konishiki did not win any yusho consecutively but his three
yusho sandwiched two jun yusho. If that was the case, campares to many
previous cases and based on strictly winning record, his case was strong
enough to be promoted to yokozuna even before his last yusho.

And if he was promoted before his third yusho, we wouldn't have heard his
discrimination claim.

I've heard that even one yukozuna committee member commented that
Konishiki's physical appearance is not even close to the beauty we expect
from yokozuna. And at least some sumo fans agreed with his comment.
Honestly speaking, I have a mixed feeling about his case.

He was discriminated by most of sumo community. He should have promoted to
yokozuna, before his last yusho. On the other hand, he could not have been
a stereotypical yokozuna that sumo fans expect. Historically, there have
been many different types of yokozuna, including the type representing
explosive and distructive evil(?) power, such as Tamanishiki and Maedayama.
Some sumo expert believe that these yokozuna are the ones have been
modernizing "traditional" and conservative Sumo Kyokai, including
internationalization.

Yokozuna became the official rank only arround the middle of Meiji Era, and
Even now it is not a required rank for Sumo Kyokai to have. Only the
Sanyaku (Ozeki, Sekiwake and Komusubi) are the ranks they need to have for
any basho. For example, when they have only a yokozuna in Nishi side and no
Ozeki, the yokozuna must be called "Yokozuna-Ozeki". 

Historically, yokozuna is not necessary promoted from ozeki and some did
not even perform sumo match at all. These yokozuna were for ceremonies,
mainly as an exocist to destroy evil power. Sumo rikishi represent power
and health. They are supposed to be powerful enough to beat sick and
illefects. Even now, people ask sumo rikishi to hold babies and kids to
ensure there health and lucky future. Of course, their ultimete choice is
yokozuna to hold their kids.

For general people, Konishi's physical appearence does represent power but
not necessarily health. He did not seem to represent the tradition of Sumo
style. He represented "winning is everything" sports part of Sumo. Some
liked it and some did not. Generally speaking, younger generation see sumo
as a sport, and older generation see it as a part of traditional Japanese
culture. Unfortunately to Konishiki, all the members of Yokozuna Committee
are representing the older generation. Konishiki simply did not fit to the
yokozuna pattern or template they had.

In the case of Tamanishiki, Maedayama and Futahaguro and some other, they
did not quite fit to their pre-existing yokozuna pattern or template, but
they were close enough to squeeze in with force. Their pattern changes from
time to time, but Konishi was simply too far away from their pattern to fit
in.

It's nothing to do with their nationality. It's an image of yokozuna. They
don't accept anyone except with dark hair. They don't accept anyone who
could not wear mage in reasonable time frame. Yokozuna Tochigiyama,
Kazugano Oyakata when Yokozuna Tochinishiki was active, retired while he
was strong enough to win yusho, because of the lack of hair to wear mage.

Sumo is not just another sports.

P.S. The reason why Konishiki became a naturalized Japanese citizen is that
he is willing to be an oyakata after his retirement. Only Japanese citizen
with the experience of playing as a Makuuchi rikishi for a full basho or
longer, 20 consecutive basho as a Juryo and Makuuchi rikishi, or 25 total
basho as a Juryo and Makuuchi rikishi, has rights to aquire one of 105
limited oyakata names. 

Azumazeki Oyakata, Akebono's oyakata and former Sekiwake Takamiyama, is the
first and only oyakata who was a former foreigner. Both Takamiyama Daigoro
and Konishiki Yasokichi are traditional big rikishi names of Takasago-beya.
Yokozuna Maedayama, mentioned above, was the very Takasago Oyakata who
recruited Takamiyama to be a rikishi from Hawaii. Yokozuna Maedayama
retired for attending a baseball game between San Francisco Seals and Tokyo
Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo while he was absent from a sumo basho for his
health reason.

-Masumi

At  7:01 PM 8/2/94 +0000, Shoujirou Mizutori wrote:
>Thank you very much for quite informative article. I really appreciate to
>Abe-san's effort, not only to this article but also other numerous posts.
>
>But I'm a little bit confused at one point, on the reason why Konishiki
>couldn't become a Yokozuna.
>Abe-san stated 
>>The reason why Konishiki was not promoted to yokozuna is that his "respect
>>organization" was hurt when he commented that Sumo-Kyokai discriminate him,
>                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>and his "sumo attitude" when he commented that "sumo is a fight" and
>>staring opponents so long time that shows luck of "respect". As of winning
>>record, he was strong enough to be promoted to yokozuna at his peak.
>
>If I remember correctly, Konishiki had only one chance when he might have
>been promoted to Yokozuna, when Rijikai required on more Basho and didn't
>even asked to Yokozuna Shingikai. ( I don't remember when it was.)
>And his "discrimination" comment to some American journal (which I don't 
>remember) was after that incident. After that comment, Konishiki didn't 
>really have any chance. 
>Was there any "discrimination" comment before he had chance?
>Or am I wrong?
>
>Well, of course it would have been one of issues. if he could have chance 
>after that comment. But I think the most important factors by which 
>Konishiki might have been discriminated whan he had a chance are  
>"sumo is a fight" comment and "staring opponents". And former wimpy Yokozunas 
>might have been also important factor. Many peaple (including myself) were 
>afraid he wouldn't be a good Yokozuna, considereing his week knee and 
>increasing weight.
>
>And I believe, when Rijikai told Konishiki to do well one more Basho, they 
>made up their mind to accept foreigner as a Yokozuna, if he really did well.
>I also believe now being foreign born is not problem anymore. I don't think
>there was any objection when Akebono was promoted, or at least I didn't 
>notice any report. And contrary to Konishiki who was willing to get Japanese 
>citizenship and has already got, it is not clear (at least for me) 
>Akebono is willing to get Japanese citizenship. I think it is unlikely 
>because of his great love to his family.
>
>So, Aki-basho will be quite interesting. I think 12-3 is enough for
>Musashimaru. 
>
>                                              Shoujirou Mizutori
>                                              Dept. of Math. Phys.
>                                              Lund Inst. of Tech., Sweden. 
>
>PS. Is anyone compiling articles by Abe-san? They are too precious to
>bury in sumo.archive. Now it is easy to dig out, but....
sxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxs
Masumi Abe                               阿部　加史（あべ　ますみ）
Kaleida Labs, Inc.                              Tel: (415) 966-0824
1945 Charleston Road                            Fax: (415) 966-0774
Mountain View, CA 94043                  Internet:  abe@kaleida.com
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