r/Sumo • u/Cultural_Marzipan_45 • 1d ago
Behind The Scenes Starting a Life in Osumo
I think this is great. The digital world allows us to get deeper insight on the things that interest us. More interesting topics can be explored and learned about than ever before. It broadens the aperture.
For a short but deep and memorable period of my life I lived in Japan. I had some bouts of homesickness but one of the things that gave me focus and interest was Osumo. Especially because my friend Percy was a rikishi in Azumazeki Oyokata's (Jesse Kuhaulua) stable. This was the time when Akebono (Chad Rowan, whose mother I knew; she was a health aide at my high school) and Musashimaru (Fiamalu Penitani) were dominating along with the brother Takanohana and Wakanohana. Percy's shikona (wrestling name) was Daiki.
I would call Azumazeki stable from my land line to the one hallway landline in the building. Usually one of the lower ranked wrestlers would answer with a grunt. He would call Percy to that one phone they all shared. Percy would ask Oyokatta if i could come over. I would hear a grunt and then I would catch the train for an hour or so to get there. Today this sounds like such an inconvenience but for me it was not. I was pumped. I was having a once in a lifetime experience.
I got to sit in the stable with the rikishi when I had the time during training and off hours. I got to sit next to Azumazeki Oyokatta and watch them train in the morning, cook and eat brunch together. Play video games and celebrate birthdays. I even had breakfast with Akebono and the Oyokatta-s wife as his topknot was made up with bintsuke.
Sitting with Akebono amd Daiki, Akebono would tell us to eat. His chauffeur would eat with us as his hair was treated. On the floor between us was a low and large table with more than 30mor platters of all.londs of.pickled vegetables and meats. I remember Alebono telling me he had to rent the building behind the stable to hold all his winnings. Not only dod he get paid he got cars.and many delicacies given to him and the stable.
Other then Percy, key people, and good friends to Percy, I spent some time with were George Kalima (Yamato) and Tyler Hopkin (Sunahama). I remember one night the 4 of us sitting in a childrens park, sitting on swings if you can believe that. I played music from home some eyes teared up. But the next day thet all got up and beat the crap out of each other.
Tyler's son Masahiro Sunahama Hopkins is featured in this unique series of videos put out by Musahigawa Oyokatta's (Yokozuna Musashimaru) stable.
At that time I was in Japan I was consuming all I could on Osumo culture but I had limited time and resources. Percy, George and Tyler would teach me what they could. I would have loved to just walk along and vicariously see Masahiro get immersed in his new life of Osumo like this video shows.
I always wondered where do giant people shop in a country where most people are small. This video shows some of that world once hidden to most.
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u/existentialcrisis59 23h ago
Thank you for posting this. I watched the first two episodes and they were very enjoyable. I'll watch more from the heya from now on. The comraderie of the young wrestlers of Musashigawa Beya is very obvious. It was interesting to watch the new recruit Sunamusashi be guided through everything from getting his clothes to chosing his shikona.
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u/illgoblino Fujinokawa 1d ago
Hoping the best for Masa!!