New Juryo Masatsukasa-the secret is revealed..

[Kintamayama 45,487]

New Juryo promotee Masatsukasa (21), has revealed today that he is actually married and has a 2 year old boy. He was registered in May 2003 to marry his high school sweetheart. But being under-sekitori and all, this is a no-no. Only his Oyakata and a handful of people knew. He saw her only once during the last year, though he spoke to her daily on the phone. But now, becoming a sekitori has relieved him of this secrecy burden, and he held a party (400 guests) yesterday, revealing wife and son to the world.

He is the fourth active sekitori out of Fukauramachi( am I getting this right??), after Kaihou, and the brothers Aminishiki/Asoofuji.

Family and Irumagawa Oyakata:

Edited August 25, 2005 by Kintamayama

[Zenjimoto 40]

being under-sekitori and all, this is a no-no. .... He saw her only once during the last year

This is certainly one of the MOST idiotic aspects of sumo culture, right alongside with the women-on-the-dohyo issue. To not be able to see your beloved sweetheart and very own son is simply (Censored)-ing unacceptable! No wonder hardly any likes to become a rikishi these days... it's hard enough without unnecessary crap like this! (Applauding...)

Well, I am happy for them. May he remain a sekitori for a long time, and I hope they can finally enjoy a great life together! (Showing respect...)

Cheers

Zenjimoto

[ilovesumo 12]

I can understand this rule, a young guy has to be concentrated on keiko, but in this

situation a kid was already born....an exception should have been made. (Showing respect...)

[Jonosuke 28]

He made his dohyo debut at the 2003 Hatsu and then got married in May of the same year (perhaps got married because they got the kid). Whatever you think of the rule, he knew it going in. Generally non-sekitori rikishis are simply too busy with heya and tsukebito chores as well as their own training to support a family, time wise and financially. It's rather amazing that he did stay this long without giving up his dream.

There were always a few non-sekitori rikishis who were married but their wife was financially independent enough to keep a living accomodation nearby so they could visit them. In case of Masatsukasa, his parents took his wife and kid into their home so I imagine it was not a short distance from the heya.

[Lucius Flavonius 0]

being under-sekitori and all, this is a no-no. .... He saw her only once during the last year

This is certainly one of the MOST idiotic aspects of sumo culture, right alongside with the women-on-the-dohyo issue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I beg to differ. I for one would loathe to see these limitations lifted, for they contravene the austere and strict maintenance of sumo.

[Iwagakki 0]

being under-sekitori and all, this is a no-no. .... He saw her only once during the last year

This is certainly one of the MOST idiotic aspects of sumo culture, right alongside with the women-on-the-dohyo issue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I beg to differ. I for one would loathe to see these limitations lifted, for they contravene the austere and strict maintenance of sumo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Strangely enough, "loathe" seems to pop up coincidentally near "Lucius Flavonious" an awful lot....

[Ryukaze 0]

While they may "contravene the austere severity of sumo" it is these limitations which seem to be doing just that "limiting" the sports popularity and growth. Without change or flexibility I think the future looks grim for the sport, change is an essential an inevitable part of life and unfortunately the sport of sumo seems to be paying the price for this more than ever now days. With a decline in interest from even its more dedicated fans to a decline in youth interested in giving the sport a try. Why put up with a feudalistic type lifestyle where you have no time for friends, a grilfriend, or have a paying job (the list could go on) etc. when you can play a more popular sport like baseball, soccer etc, and have all the comforts of actually having your own life. As times change I think the sport needs to adapt as well, as others have, both in order to appeal to more youth now and to increase its popularity with its patrons. Wishfull thinking perhaps but the day may not be too far off when the "black ships" come, so until then.....

Edited August 27, 2005 by Ryukaze

[Asashosakari 19,607]

Why put up with a feudalistic type lifestyle where you have no time for friends, a grilfriend, or have a paying job (the list could go on) etc. when you can play a more popular sport like baseball, soccer etc, and have all the comforts of actually having your own life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, for a reason that will probably sound rather cynical: Most rikishi are really just in Ozumo to make up the numbers. They simply have no realistic shot at making it to the bigtime. The ones who do have that chance are usually the ones who are more dedicated to the sport in the first place, so allowing rikishi to have girlfriends or even marry wouldn't have that much of an impact on these talented rikishi. But it would have a marginal impact on the less talented ones, because it enhances the appeal of going into sumo (or rather, it would put sumo on level ground with other sports).

So this strikes me as one of those potential changes with little downside, but also relatively little upside. However, what little upside there is, happens to be in an area that the Kyokai is hurting in (recruitment numbers), so it would still be a worthwhile change, IMHO.

[Ryukaze 0]

No offense bro but couldn't the rikishi this thread is titled after ("masatsukasa") be considered "dedicated" or talented. After all he had/has a girlfriend (wife) and still seems to have been dedicated enough to make it to Juryo..... (Eh?)

[Asashosakari 19,607]

No offense bro but couldn't the rikishi this thread is titled after ("masatsukasa") be considered "dedicated" or talented.  After all he had/has a girlfriend (wife) and still seems to have been dedicated enough to make it to Juryo..... (Eh?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I said it wouldn't have that much of an impact on the talented/dedicated rikishi type. I think it's safe to say that Masatsukasa qualifies as an exception, as far as talented rikishi and relationships go.

[Babaryutaikai 1]

SNIP

There were always a few non-sekitori rikishis who were married but their wife was financially independent enough to keep a living accomodation nearby so they could visit them.  SNIP

Actually, I remember a couple/three years ago walking around Ryogoku and I bumped into a non-sekitori - never was one, never would have been one - , now retired who was walking around, right out in the open with his little child - about 2 or 3 years old at the time. I was told that he was married, but even though it was an "open" secret, it was forbidden. He is still with the kyokai. Forgot his name , but looked a lot like a shorter Hoshitango.

Ah, Hoshitango, who has a really good bar/restaurant in Ningyocho........ (Annoyed...)

[madorosumaru 7]

More details on the Masatsukasa family. Irumagawa Beya made the announcement in late August. Masatsukasa was married in August 2003, not long after he joined sumo. His wife, Mayumi, and his 2-year-old son, Koshin, lived with his parents back home in Aomori. His shisho said, "When you're in makushita and below, you are not considered a full-fledged rikishi. That's why we couldn't announce it earlier."

By the time of his high school graduation, his future wife was already pregnant. He had considered a job in the construction business but thought he could achieve some fame and fortune in sumo. "I told my family I would be in upper [single digit] makushita in three years or I would quit. That's how I got their permission to join," Masatsukasa revealed. "In my own mind, I knew I would never be able to go home if I quit."

He worked on his tsuki and oshi and made it to makushita 7 by Haru Basho this year, one year ahead of schedule. Last basho, he went 6-1 at makushita 3 and burst into sekitorihood. Irumagawa Oyakata had this to say: "The burden on his shoulders must have been very heavy. His success was much more rapid than anticipated."

A makushita rikishi lives in the "Big Room," communal sleeping quarters with all low ranking sumotori. He gets 70,000 yen a month from the Kyokai. From that, he paid his cellular phone bill and sent money home. In juryo, he will receive over 1,000,000 yen a month in base pay. Masatsukasa said, "It's like a dream. I want to be promoted to makuuchi as soon as possible so that I can make up for the wedding reception we didn't have."