[SUMO lite] Yobidashi and Towel

[achimp@t-online.de (Achim Pawelczyk)]

The Yobidashi at the water and salt reservoir has to be ready to give water
to the Rikishi on the Dohyo and to offer him his towel (wet). He also
sweeps his corner of the Dohyo (other Yobidashi sweep all around the Dohyo,
to keep the "snakes-eye"-sand around the inner circle clear for
footprints).

After the Torikumi he hands the Chikara-mizu and Chikara-kami (water and
paper) to the Rikishi presenting it to the Rikishi on the Dohyo.
For the winning Rikishi, he meanwhile holds the Sagari (the stripes hanging
in front of the Rikishi Mawashi) and Kensho (the 30000 Yen envelopes for
every banner carried around the Dohyo before the Torikumi), binds them
together, wraps the towel around it and returns them to the Rikishi.
To the looser on his way out he just hands the towel.

A Tsukebito waiting outside gets the towel afterwards, but even a Yokozuna
has to carry his towel down the Hanamichi by himself. He also keeps it
while waiting for the Musubi no Ichiban after his bout.

The Yobidashi seem to have individual ways of putting the towels of the
present and the next Rikishi on the water bucket at the same time.

The west (always?) Yobidashi also hands the Gyoji the Kensho-envelopes, who
presents them to the winner.

Questions: Who hands the Yobidashi the towel and where does it come from in
the first place ? Why is it, that some Rikishi have no towel ?

The Rikishi can show his sense of colour not only with his Mawashi and his
Zabuton, but also with his towel.


-- Achim Pawelczyk
-- achimp@t-online.de
-- http://home.t-online.de/home/achimp/
-- a chimp at home