Re: Question about Tozai

[abe@zoom.com (Masumi Abe)]

Andrew:

Since Japanese capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, Sumo changed the
favor of the side from West to East in early Meiji Era.

Now, the very top rikishi of the banzuke is always East or Higashi.
If that is Yokozuna, then yokozuna start with East. 
Ideally, it would be nice to have at least two rikishi at the same rank,
two yokozuna, two ozeki, two sekiwake, two komusubi. Then, they won't
have any problem in putting them into higashi and nishi.

If there are odd number of rikishi in the same ranks, then the third rikishi
in the highest rank will get higashi, the third rikishi in the second highest
rank will get nishi.

This time, there are three ozeki and three komusubi, so the third ozeki
(Musashimaru) is in higashi side and the third komusubi (Kotonishiki) is
in nishi side to balance the number of yakurikishi in each side.

I hope this will clarify your question.

-Masumiriki

ANDREW さんが  9:17 PM 8/26/96 -0800ごろに
「Question about Tozai」の件で：
>Abe-san,
>
>How does this system work? How they divide rikishi to Higashi and 
>Nishi sides?
>
>Thank you in advance.
>
>
>**********************************************************************
>                           Andras LEDECZI                    
>                          Debrecen, Hungary   
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