Another anecdote
Moti Dichne
Life is full of unexpected troubles and mishaps. That's what makes it interesting, you might say. Wouldn't a life that passes uneventfully and monotonously be boring? The dohyo is also full of unexpected, or even impossible, events. The expressions and reactions of rikishi at such times are truly like those of great actors. It's hard to put into words, but we've taken the plunge and focused on the expressions of wrestlers when they face events that go against the script.
Snowy roads must be navigated carefully. On the second day of the 2013 Hatsu Basho, a massive cyclone developed, causing 8 centimeters of snow to fall even in central Tokyo. This celestial event led to the suspension of the JR Sobu Line, a vital link to Ryogoku, where the Kokugikan is located, creating snowy chaos. But the fans weren't the only ones affected. Rikishi were also desperately trying to find transportation to the venue. Ozeki Kisenosato (later Yokozuna, now Nishonoseki Oyakata), who usually commutes by car, suddenly had to switch to the train and then to walking due to the extremely crowded roads, catching his first train in a long time from the nearest JR station, Mabashi Station. Passengers were extremely surprised to see a large rikishi suddenly board the train, but Kisenosato recalled dryly, "There was no reaction at all." The problem, however, was walking on the snowy roads after getting off the train. Coming from Ibaraki prefecture where snowfall is rare, he said with a wry smile, "I had no idea how to walk in the snow, and it was scary. I guess the best thing to do is to lower your center of gravity a little and do suriashi.. That's how I finally made it to the Kokugikan." However, the effect of this "keiko", just like at the keiko-ba, was immediate. On this day, he defeated the west Maegashira 2 Kyokutenhou (now Ooshima Oyakata) with a swift attacking yorikiri, and when he returned to the dressing room, he said with a smile, "I had a good de-ashi.."