Hakkaku interview part 2

[Moti Dichne]

More interview:

- Was the conversation generally harmonious, with moments of smiles and laughter? -

-At first, everyone was nervous, as expected. I was nervous too, so it seemed like my face was all stiff and I was smiling. The Yokozuna and Ozeki were also nervous, but His Majesty skillfully guided them, asking questions like, "How long have you been doing this?" In Kotozakura's case, he'd been wrestling since he was two years old, since he was grew up in a heya. It just so happened that Kotozakura and Ouhou were facing off against each other. When I explained the situation, I told him that both of their grandpas were Yokozuna. Of course, he already knew that..

-Looking back, did you feel that Their Majesties and Princess Aiko's interest in sumo and their knowledge of it are indeed quite deep?

-Yes, they knew a lot. Even the names of the rikishi.

-You gave Princess Aiko a tour six years ago, but you said that there was a difference in the impression that they asked a lot of questions this time.

-That's right. It's like she has grown up, how should I put it? Last time, it felt like I was talking to His Majesty and then he asked me questions. Last time, it was towards the end that he was finally able to ask me questions himself, but this time he was asking questions from the beginning. The Empress also asked quite a few questions, and His Majesty spoke quite a bit.

-All the top wrestlers lost, but the final match with Oonosato was a one-sided one.

-The tachiai was bad. He got hit right away. Especially when Ozeki and Yokozuna feel they are losing, the feeling that they have to win in the end becomes even stronger, and they end up becoming stressed..

-Was there any part where you felt that kind of pressure?

-Oonosato wasn't moving at all during the tachiai. We were talking about pressure before that, with His Majesty. I think it was Princess Aiko. She said the dohyo felt small. It felt small from here. She said it was really small. So we were talking about how important the tachiai is. That's what happened.

-It's being  said that Oonosato's tachiai was bad because he was stressed..

-It was a failure. Didn't Hakunofuji show his best sumo at the end?

-Oonosato seemed to have hurt his shoulder, and it looked like he was grimacing. Did you notice anything about that?

-I don't know.

-I think you were together earlier during the meeting..

-He said he was totally fine. He wouldn't say it hurts. Even if it hurts, a Yokozuna shouldn't say it hurts.