Re: Sumo on TV

["Peter J. Parbrook" <P.Parbrook@sheffield.ac.uk>]

> I noticed that after Akebono lost in the final days, the crowd threw the white 
> cushions in the air. I presume this implies that they were dissatisfied with 
> the performance or the result. I was a little surprised in that it seemed out 
> of character for Japanese to behave like that. I have to agree that it didn't 
> look as if he tried very hard.

The cushion throwing is a sign of excitment that a lower ranked
rikishi has defeated a yokozuna.  It only (usually) occurs after the
final bout of the day.  It is more of a complement to the winning
rikishi than any expression of dissatisfaction.  In fact a greater
insult for a Yokozuna may well be loosing on the last bout of the
day to a much lower ranked wrestler and no cushions being
thrown...implying that the his loss is as expected!  Such cushion
throwing is not really related to the Yokozuna's popularity -- it
happens to both Akebono and Takanohana. The number thrown depends on
the situation -- if a rikishi stops a long run of wins by a
Yokozuna, uses a particularly clever/spectacular technique, or is
particularly popular / small then it can seem that half the cushions
in the arena are in the air. The sumo association discourages
cushion throwing in general but it is part of the fun in my view.  

I have heard that in olden times people threw all sorts of things
into the ring -- including money and food delicacies for the winning
rikishi.  

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Dr. Peter J. Parbrook
Lecturer
University of Sheffield
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
U.K. 

Tel : +44-114-22-25366  *** New Number ****
Fax : +44-114-272-6391

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