with their sandal clad feet” says Jo-
Anne. She thought perhaps this was an
old Japanese custom and decided to
ask about it, but soon found out that
in fact it was not a custom, they just
couldn't get the crab claws open.
Jo-Anne is a very friendly and happy
person/server and feels comfortable
enough that she can place a hand on a
customer's shoulder, if she is reaching
over the person to put a drink on the
table. Or she might quickly place her
hand on someone's back if she needs
to ask them something. So without
treating the wrestlers any differently
than. the rest of her customers,
she happened to touch some |

a

JIM CHLIBOYKO

or a bunch of guys
still bruised and -
hurting from the last
basho—which had finished
just two weeks before their
Canadian adventure—the 38
tikishi seemed to be in decent a

Of course, the

restling was of a pretty
onservative nature. There
erent any desperate flail-
ings, or too many savage
ounter-attacks. That

ould be a little much for an exhibi-
ion bout, or “koen.” As well, there
ere still echoes resounding from the
ast basho when wrestlers were knock-

of the Japanese wrestlers a couple of
times. It turned out that touching a
Japanese man is good luck. So you may
be thinking that Jo-Anne was doing a
good job. Then you must think again.
It.is bad luck if a female does the
touching. It is only good luck if a male
touches the wrestlers, or so she was
politely told.

After the appetizers, full entrée and
dessert, one of the Japanese wrestlers
was still hungry. He motioned for her
to come over and he attempted to tell
her something in English, but his

accent was so heavy that even after four

~ Gian Biase

 

noble seconv

ing themselves out of contention left
and right with bad injuries.

One of the more notable things
about this basho was that it was recent-
ly-promoted yokozuna Wakanohana’s

attempts Jo-Anne could only make out
that whatever he wanted started with
an “H.” She took a guess, and hoped
that what he was requesting was hot
dogs. A further problem was that the
menu only offered a miniature, kids
version of a real hot dog. Jo-Anne
made the executive decision to give him
two hot dogs to make up the full size
of a real hot dog. She handed the little
hot dogs to the wrestler and hoped
that was what he was hungry for. She
couldn't tell by his expression if she
was right, but he was polite enough to
eat it.

Yokozuna dental exam. Akebono
thoughtfully checks
Wakanohana’a gums. Takanohana
(lower right) looks on.

first at the highest rank. He got
to perform the solemn ring
entrance of the grand champion,
or “dohyo iri,” for the first time
prior to a tournament, exhibition
or otherwise.
And then there was the fight-
ing.
The koen consisted of
two full days of fighting.

Taka takes weekend CUp veces
Akebono comes in a

would fight the champion
of the second day (assum-
ing they were different
fighters) and then the
koen’s champion would be
crowned Sunday afterggon.
With 32 jet-lagged

was anybody’s prize.

   
  
 
 
   
 

The rikishi impressed the crowd
immediately. After the lead-up to the

fighting, which inclitd

SUMO July 1998