Musashimaru Retirement Ceremony 武蔵丸断髪式

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Musashimaru Retirement Ceremony 武蔵丸断髪式

Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena as seen from Ryogoku Station

Crowd outside the Kokugikan await their favorite wrestlers.

Crowd enters the Kokugikan for Musashimaru's retirement ceremony on Oct. 2, 2004.

Passing out programs

Musashimaru at the entrance

Musashimaru greets the crowd

Hawaii's last sumo wrestler shakes hands.

Musashimaru right after I shook his hand.

Signboard for retirement ceremony at entrance.

Musashigawa stablemaster (former Yokozuna Mienoumi) in the entrance hall

Entrance hall is clogged up by a side show of hula.

Musashigawa Stable wrestlers greet visitors

In the entrance hall, hula and Hawaiian music direct from Hawaii

The retirement ceremony had a lot of Hawaiian touches. This was only the beginning.

Konishiki also sings. (His company arranged the entertainment.)

Musashigawa Stable wrestler wearing Aloha-print yukata

Musashimaru souvenirs at the Kokugikan's souvenir shop

Musashimaru merchandise

Musashimaru doll

Giant painted pictures of Musashimaru decorating the arena inside. Each one commemorates a tournament victory.

The ceremony opens with taiko drum beating on the sumo ring.

Sumo exhibition matches with lower division Makushita wrestlers.

Makushita sumo match

Juryo Division dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony

Juryo sumo match

Hairdressing demonstration

Sumo match with kids

The kids gradually get bigger.

Ozeki Musoyama is defeated.

Yobidashi wearing Aloha-print garb

Comic sumo (shokkiri sumo)

Tidying up the ring

Musashimaru finally appears for a yokozuna belt demo

Musashimaru acknowledges a spectator as he proceeds to the ring.

Yokozuna "tsuna" belt demo

They wrap the rope around his waist from the front, or the thickest part of the rope.

Pulling it tight

Tying the rope at the back.

Rear view of the shiranui style of tying the rope.

Musashimaru goes back and then comes back...

He performs his last yokozuna dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. He is flanked by Musoyama on the left as the sword bearer, and Miyabiyama on the right as the dew sweeper.

Musashimaru's final dohyo-iri

Musashimaru's final dohyo-iri ends

He goes back to the dressing room

Sumo jinku

Laying the red carpet for the main event.

This must be a first, a kumu hula (hula teacher) from Hawaii performing on the sumo ring.

Kumu hula Sonny Ching beats the ipu gourd drum, a traditional Hawaiian instrument. This must be a first, a kumu hula performing on the sumo ring in Japan.