Kanji used in middle column of banzuke

[Tamanaogijima 765]

I am wondering about this for a little while now...

The greeting words, the big kanji in the middle column at the top of every banzuke, read according to the glossary "Mo gomen". While the Gomen part is pretty clear (御免) the Mo part (the very first kanji) is quite cryptic for me. On some banzuke this one is written so strangely unpropotional that I even think these are two kanji.

The "best looking" solution I've found so far is the following: 崇. But it this the correct one?

Thanks a lot for solving this puzzle of a sleepless *) soul.

*) currently not only psychically but also physically (Being thrown tomatoes at...)

Edited May 29, 2010 by Tamanaogijima

[Sasanishiki 57]

The Kanji in use on the banzuke is an older or stylised version of this kanji, I think 蒙

It is read as koumuru こうむる　in its verb form and もう in its on-yomi. It means something like ignorance of to suffer or sustain. So the Mou Gomen is apologising for causing a nuisance, from the days when sumo was held at shrines and this would disrupt the normal activities of the shrine.

[Tamanaogijima 765]

Wow, thanks a lot!

Taking a closer look the radical is really that for flower (albeit in the "Kotonowaka version") and not the one for mountain. But I never would have guessed your solution.

Funnily the J-E Dictionary lists as meaning for this kanji also "Mongolia". Maybe the fathers of the banzuke saw today's ages coming...

[Jonosuke 28]

Have you ever noticed two lines of kanji at the bottom left corner seemingly out of place?

The very last line at the bottom left in thick kanji has the following:

千穐万歳大々叶

(Senshu banzai daidai kanau)

This means that wishing for Maiin-onrai (sell out) on each day and ozumo basho to go on successfully forever more.

And the next to this line has thin line of kanji with the following:

此外中前相撲東西ニ御座候

(konohoka chumaezumo tozai ni gozasoro)

This means that in addition to the rikishi listed, there are Maezumo and Honchu rikishis in both East and West side as Mae-zumo rikishi are not listed to the banzuke. There used to be another rank below Jonokuchi in which Mae-zumo rikishi got eleveated and the rank was known as "Honchu" We no longer have "Honchu" rank but they kept just "Chu" （中) character in but dropped "Hon" (本).

[ilovesumo 12]

Ok, ingteresting conversation. So, can I ask something too?

In Osaka, there had been people in higashi and nishi, front rows with a brown west on big fluffy zabuton and the old sign for "kai" . So I thought that could have to do with the Osaka Sumo Kyokai (how was it called?) or had the Nihon Sumo Kyokai also the old "kai" and changed later?

[Gacktoh 0]

In Osaka, there had been people in higashi and nishi, front rows with a brown west on big fluffy zabuton and the old sign for "kai" . So I thought that could have to do with the Osaka Sumo Kyokai (how was it called?) or had the Nihon Sumo Kyokai also the old "kai" and changed later?

They are Touzai-kai（東西会）members.

名古屋では、「名古屋溜り会」がいます。九州は知りません。

国技館にもいますが、大阪の東西会だけ、茶色のちゃんちゃんこを着ています。

溜り席を保持している維持員です。

全力士を応援する前提なので、贔屓の力士が勝っても拍手してはいけない、弓取り式が終わるまで席を立たない、などの決まりがあります。他にも協会への寄付、力士のための激励会などなど、色々な事をしている会です。

漢字についてはわかりません。

Edited April 7, 2007 by Gacktoh

[Jonosuke 28]

As Gacktoh san mentioned those brown sweater people are members of Tozai-kai (East-West Association) and equivalent to the members of Tamari-kai in Tokyo, Nagoya and Fukuoka.

And as they are "supporters" of the Kyokai rather than any rikishi or heya, a public display of favoritism is strictly agains their membership rule so as Gacktoh san stated they are not supposed to applaude or cheer for any particular rikishi.

In Osaka they sit in either East or West side but elsewhere they could be anywhere in the Tamari section as the name implies. They also present a flag and money to lower ranking yusho rikishi as well to Sansho rikishi.

They contribute in many Kyokai sponsor and related functions especially for development of lower ranking rikishi (not any specific rikishi but any rikishi).

I am not certain of their yearly "membership" fee but it is considerable and you need to be wealthy to join. Actually their membership number is very limited and there is a waiting list (you can only join with a recommendation by the member). But then none of us likely can afford their initiation fee anyway. The membership tends to be inherited to one family member to another and is not easily acquired.

[Gacktoh 0]

Thank you very much, Jonosuke-san!! :-)

I am not certain of their yearly "membership" fee but it is considerable and you need to be wealthy to join.

The membership fees are not opened for officially, but in 財団法人　日本相撲協会寄附行為施行細則, it says above 1,000,000 Yen per basho.

維持費は、一時金とし、財団法人日本相撲協会に対する寄附金とする。

一時金の額は、次の通りとする。

東京地区　三、〇〇〇、〇〇〇円以上

その他の地区（大阪・名古屋・福岡）一、〇〇〇、〇〇〇円以上

Actually their membership number is very limited and there is a waiting list (you can only join with a recommendation by the member).

300 seats

:-)

[ilovesumo 12]

Thank you both! orz

That is great, supporting Sumo as whole one thing and not only the local ones- so everybody is supported. Very good thing :-) One of those guys came during sandanme and he seemed to be interested in each and every rikishi. I was impressed.

[Tamanaogijima 765]

Joe, thank you very much for offering yourself as "strange kanji interpreter". Very much appreciated!

I've got one more: In older banzuke (1979, 84 and 92) I've seen an oyakata rank between Shunin and Iin. The kanji for it are the following: 参与

At first I thought it was the equivalent of today's Iin Taigu Toshiyori; but there also appear "minor" names like the one of Dekiyama (former Dewanohana).

I'm sure you can :-P us...

PS: I knew the kanji lines at the bottom but have been thinking they both wished good luck and health to the mentioned participating rikishi. But wishing for sellout...? Now that's pretty outright! And a bit sell-fish, if you ask me...

[Jonosuke 28]

I've got one more: In older banzuke (1979, 84 and 92) I've seen an oyakata rank between Shunin and Iin. The kanji for it are the following: 参与

It means an advisor or counselor and used to be a rank above a plain Toshiyori and below 主任, manager rank.

A plain Toshiyori can be anyone like a security guard standing at the entrance of Hanamichi like new Sadogatake oyakata has been doing so being a 参与 gave him a bit more prestige until one gets the 主任 title.

The Kyokai abolished it sometime ago and they no longer have anyone with the title.

[Tamanaogijima 765]

Sorry to dig out such an old thread (Shaking head...) But the question fits in here so well... (Shaking head...)

We're in the middle column of the banzuke again, this time in the inscriptions where date and place are show (right below the "mogomen" part). I'm not quite sure how the last (i.e. leftmost) column reads like:

- 大相撲祭行仕 (an ozumo festival will take place)

- 大相撲奉行仕 (an ozumo (religuous) service will take place)

or maybe even

- 大相撲拳行仕 (an ozumo fist(fight) will take place)

Monde de Sumo 6, "Comment lire un banzuke?", image in question and full article) unfortunately translates it as "celebration of professional sumo", which would fit to either of my three interpretations.

So, which one is correct and how would it be pronounced in Japanese?

Thanks as always

[Jonosuke 28]

Sorry to dig out such an old thread (Sign of approval...) But the question fits in here so well... :-)

We're in the middle column of the banzuke again, this time in the inscriptions where date and place are show (right below the "mogomen" part). I'm not quite sure how the last (i.e. leftmost) column reads like:

- 大相撲祭行仕 (an ozumo festival will take place)

- 大相撲奉行仕 (an ozumo (religuous) service will take place)

or maybe even

- 大相撲拳行仕 (an ozumo fist(fight) will take place)

Monde de Sumo 6, "Comment lire un banzuke?", image in question and full article) unfortunately translates it as "celebration of professional sumo", which would fit to either of my three interpretations.

So, which one is correct and how would it be pronounced in Japanese?

Thanks as always

It is written : 大相撲挙行仕候 and read Ozumo Kyoko Tsukamatsuri Soro.

仕候 is read "Tsukamaturi Soro" meaning more or less is to be presented but the last two kanji are more or less written in such a way that the two are collapsed.

So it is saying that Ozumo promotion/peformance is to be presented in such and such place at such and such time.

Historically in 1927, it was written, 大角力興行, and in the 1945 Natsu, they had 奉納大相撲挙行, 奉納 meaning (religious) ceremonial.

[Hananotaka 8]

The Kanji in use on the banzuke is an older or stylised version of this kanji, I think 蒙

It is read as koumuru こうむる　in its verb form and もう in its on-yomi. It means something like ignorance of to suffer or sustain. So the Mou Gomen is apologising for causing a nuisance, from the days when sumo was held at shrines and this would disrupt the normal activities of the shrine.

I know this post is three years old, but just a correction. "Gomen" in this case does not mean an apology, but rather permission or forebearance. "Koumuru" does not hear mean to "suffer or sustain", but rather to receive. Thus "Gomen Koumuru" (the correct reading for the words; it is kanbun-kundoku, Japanese reading of Chinese) is not an apology for causing a nuisance at shrines/temples, but rather that the sumo organizers have received permission from the shrines/temples to hold their sumo exhibition.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Hananotaka

[Orion 431]

I know this post is three years old, but just a correction. "Gomen" in this case does not mean an apology, but rather permission or forebearance. "Koumuru" does not hear mean to "suffer or sustain", but rather to receive. Thus "Gomen Koumuru" (the correct reading for the words; it is kanbun-kundoku, Japanese reading of Chinese) is not an apology for causing a nuisance at shrines/temples, but rather that the sumo organizers have received permission from the shrines/temples to hold their sumo exhibition.

Close but no cigar: they have received permission from the city authorities, the only ones who can authorise such an event. Originally it was the tie-up with a shrine or temple that gave the sumo organizers enough respectability to obtain permission from the Machi Bugyou's office.

Orion