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Mar 07 2006 44 Comments

Sumo give away #3

Due to a rather convoluted link to the sumo world, I have once again managed to bag a few spare banzuke, this time from the fairly recent New Year tournament. Keeping one for myself, it leaves me with two that I’m willing to post off to Tokyo Times readers — irrespective of where they happen to reside.

sumo banzuke

This particular banzuke (pictured above) has unique historic value as it records Bulgarian Kotooshu’s promotion to Ozeki — sumo’s second highest rank; an achievement that is set to feature prominently in the sport’s record books, with the tall and athletic wrestler becoming the first European to reach such dizzy heights.

Being good-looking (and foreign), the quiet and unassuming Kotooshu is often referred to as the ‘Beckham’ of sumo, although due to my seating position I couldn’t really capture this aspect of the man — a clear shot of his ‘attractive’ back and side being the best I could muster.

kotooshu

For those interested, leave a comment below, and the two that interest or amuse me the most will receive a banzuke. Given sumo’s traditional nature however, all comments should be made in the form of a haiku, which if nothing else will help give proceedings the air of a real competition — or at least a dodgy fairground tombola.

As a reminder
It’s five, followed by seven
Then five to finish

Good luck to you all
I hope you can do better
Than this poor effort

Categorized: Photography, Sports

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peter says

    3/7/2006 at 6:49 am

    sumo banzuke
    have not seen one before now
    but love to get one

    Reply
  2. Peter says

    3/7/2006 at 8:34 am

    すもばんずけ
    ギミギミプリズ
    かっこういいですよ

    Reply
  3. Olly says

    3/7/2006 at 8:34 am

    This is my haiku
    It has sev’nteen syllables
    Just like all haiku

    Not really bothered about the banzuke though! But LOVE stoopid haiku

    Reply
  4. Rotch says

    3/7/2006 at 8:44 am

    Today I am bored
    I read Tokyo Times Dot Org
    A free prize for me?

    Reply
  5. Andrew says

    3/7/2006 at 8:50 am

    Banzukes are Cool,
    But I’d prefer that swimsuit,
    Complete with some shit.

    Reply
  6. Foster says

    3/7/2006 at 9:05 am

    Sumo? Odd. But Then
    I remember, East Asia
    This Is. I adore.

    Reply
  7. Massimo says

    3/7/2006 at 9:12 am

    Are you giving away the banzuke or the Sumo? I’d much prefer the Sumo, but will settle for a banzuke!

    Reply
  8. Lance says

    3/7/2006 at 11:06 am

    Ozeki Kotoshuu
    Banzukes are two
    From Sumo Number 2

    Reply
  9. vicki says

    3/7/2006 at 11:17 am

    Ozeki he is
    but in a sky blue diaper
    he is no Beckham!

    Reply
  10. Foster says

    3/7/2006 at 2:31 pm

    Sun is now setting,
    Man with shit in Bathing Suit,
    Time to go home now.

    Reply
  11. Neil says

    3/7/2006 at 3:16 pm

    Forget the Oscars
    This site has the best picture
    Kotooshu’s butt

    Reply
  12. Ted says

    3/7/2006 at 4:35 pm

    Pubic hair shaven,
    My dick scares the enemy.
    I am the white man.

    Reply
  13. Maktaaq says

    3/7/2006 at 4:35 pm

    I won’t submit a haiku, since I already won the last time. I just wanted to thank you for the great prize. Yay for banzuke! I love showing it off!

    Reply
  14. IvanG says

    3/7/2006 at 5:12 pm

    Damn, Neil totally just won. 🙁 Oh well, may as well try anyhow…

    Mighty Kotooshu
    Even you must bow your head
    Before Lee’s sharp wit

    Reply
  15. Foster says

    3/7/2006 at 5:32 pm

    lee equals British
    Benny Hill is too, i think
    they are beloved

    Reply
  16. Eric at Paris Daily Photo says

    3/7/2006 at 7:46 pm

    The Eiffel Tower
    Can not compare to Sumos
    At Tokyo Times

    Reply
  17. Harvey says

    3/7/2006 at 8:25 pm

    I so want that thing.
    Deadline, I don’t even know it.
    Spring flowers, Sumo fat.

    Reply
  18. Barbara says

    3/7/2006 at 8:47 pm

    The Bulgarian
    bashful, nimble, strong.
    Delightful figure.

    Reply
  19. Charlie says

    3/7/2006 at 10:17 pm

    Saw you in Vegas
    Promotional uchiwa
    Signing autographs

    Reply
  20. JP says

    3/7/2006 at 11:02 pm

    I so want that thing,
    Just because i love Japan,
    and its Japanese.

    – John.P age 6

    Reply
  21. Paul says

    3/7/2006 at 11:03 pm

    That one up there,
    In Kanji,
    Is proper clever.

    A right
    Showoff,
    IMHO.

    Reply
  22. Ken says

    3/7/2006 at 11:05 pm

    Not really hentai
    Where is the sailormoon uniform?
    Two large lobes of fat

    Reply
  23. paul says

    3/8/2006 at 12:25 am

    finally a chance
    yokozuna ni nare
    go azuma go

    Reply
  24. Michael says

    3/8/2006 at 12:59 am

    A long time reader
    Respectfully requests the honor
    Displaying prize with pride

    Reply
  25. DavidS. says

    3/8/2006 at 3:08 am

    Big Bulgarian –
    Grand to be a sumo though
    pants size hard to find.

    Reply
  26. Martin Ralya says

    3/8/2006 at 3:39 am

    Many empty walls
    In need of decoration
    This would be perfect

    After winning this
    I will imagine sweaty
    Sumo buns often

    Reply
  27. Akatabi says

    3/8/2006 at 4:23 am

    Morning Blue Dragon
    Descende from Western steppe
    Gathering white pearls

    Reply
  28. Bengoshi says

    3/8/2006 at 7:34 am

    I was at the January Sumo — same day as the Emperor. I saw Kotoosho go down, Asa go down, watched the Zabuton fly, then headed out for some totemo oishi yakitori at Gonpachi, washed down with a nice Shochu and Yuzu. That was a good day. One of the best this year. Sugoi desu ne.

    Reply
  29. Terarno from France says

    3/8/2006 at 11:27 am

    I can’t speak English
    So long for my banzuke
    See you in Natsu

    Reply
  30. t2 says

    3/8/2006 at 2:13 pm

    Beckham he might be
    But he’ll never compare to
    Chiyonofuji

    Reply
  31. Rob says

    3/8/2006 at 3:27 pm

    Is your banzuke
    available in exchange
    for this three-line phrase?

    Reply
  32. Rob says

    3/8/2006 at 3:31 pm

    Haiku: just three lines…
    Banzuke: so many lines…
    Seems a good exchange.

    Reply
  33. Rob says

    3/8/2006 at 3:34 pm

    I never thought that
    I could want something so much:
    a free banzuke.

    Reply
  34. Shay says

    3/8/2006 at 3:42 pm

    Yay for Katooshu!!!

    Reply
  35. Larm says

    3/8/2006 at 5:50 pm

    sumo banzuke…
    want to have one!
    hoping to win.

    Reply
  36. Paul says

    3/8/2006 at 10:00 pm

    Wowsers
    The number of comments recieved,
    When there’s something free on offer.

    Reply
  37. Jesse says

    3/9/2006 at 12:39 am

    I will post my most favorite Haiku ever, and as it has nothing to do with Sumo, I am going for the Humor side of things.

    Tasty Taco Mine,
    What Meat Art Thou Concealing?
    Who Cares? It’s Tasty!

    As I am minutes from the border of Mexico, it holds a particular affection in my heart.

    Reply
  38. Charlie says

    3/9/2006 at 3:39 am

    Foreign letterforms,
    fude strokes so tightly knit
    The grace strains my eyes.

    Reply
  39. Andrew Chen says

    3/9/2006 at 4:32 pm

    i once saw the ring
    i cried like a little girl
    i still do today

    Reply
  40. Jessica says

    3/9/2006 at 6:24 pm

    New reader I am
    Finished all Lee’s blog I have
    Banzuke reward??

    Reply
  41. MoonSoleil says

    3/10/2006 at 9:23 pm

    As strange as it sounds
    I am the perfect woman
    To own the poster

    All the sumo guys
    They are so nice to look at
    When you close your eyes

    I would scream out loud
    If you could give it to me
    You will hear it there

    A scream that would shake
    Tokyo, Kyoto and Tsu, too
    Hayaku – can’t wait!

    I can’t pick it up
    So I rely on you to
    Send the banzuke

    I want for my wall
    So I can dream of Japan
    And sexy sumo

    This was my haiku
    Which I hope you enjoyed much
    With love, MoonSoleil

    Reply
  42. Lee says

    3/14/2006 at 9:59 am

    Sorry for the delay, I’ll announce the winners on Friday.

    Any further haiku submitted before then will also be included.

    Reply
  43. MoonSoleil says

    3/15/2006 at 9:10 pm

    I do not want to
    Influence your decision
    On the banzuke

    There’s one small thing though
    Me – tanjôbi on Friday
    Would be a nice gift

    Another haiku
    From the hoping birthday girl
    That soooo likes your blog

    Reply
  44. Lee says

    3/18/2006 at 7:26 pm

    Ok then, here are the results – at last.

    For perfectly capturing the highbrow humour of Tokyo Times, Andrew gets the first banzuke for this effort:

    Banzukes are Cool,
    But I’d prefer that swimsuit,
    Complete with some shit.

    His faeces related offering cleverly incorporating the sumo give away and a bizarre swimsuit and excrement related news story.

    The second one goes to Charlie, whose effort is worthy of a banzuke for, erm, doing exactly the opposite.

    Foreign letterforms,
    fude strokes so tightly knit
    The grace strains my eyes.

    This haiku quite frankly puts the vast majority (if not all) of this site’s posts to shame, making it more than worthy of a prize.

    I shall be in contact with the winners soon, but for those who missed out, I should have some more banzuke in the future – I hope.

    Reply

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