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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow
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Sumo wrestlers arrive in Nagano
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The wrestlers -- accompanied by a coterie of sumo referees, coiffure setters and personal attendants -- made their way from Tokyo to the Olympic host city by the Shinkansen bullet train in two groups.
The 150-strong sumo contingent plans to rehearse for two days their participation in Saturday's opening ceremony.
''I'm surprised by the huge number of media people here,'' said Yokozuna Akebono on arriving at the main Nagano station amid a throng of TV camera crews and spectators.
Akebono, the highest ranked among the roughly 60 sumo wrestlers from the sport's two top-ranked divisions arriving in Nagano on Thursday, will perform sumo's ''dohyo-iri'' ring purification ritual at the opening ceremony.
The dohyo-iri, the symbolic calling of the gods to drive out evil spirits from the ring, is traditionally performed by a yokozuna, sumo's highest rank, wearing only a sash and a ceremonial silk apron.
''I want to perform an impressive dohyo-iri without being overwhelmed by the cold,'' the Hawaiian-born Akebono said.
Apart from the dohyo-iri, sumo wrestlers have also been assigned to lead the 72 participating national teams into the Olympic stadium during the opening ceremony.
Mongolian wrestler Kyokushuzan, who will march with his home country, brought with him a set of skis which he intends to present to compatriot Ochirsukh Dagvadorj, the sole Mongolian competing the men's cross country skiing event.
The former komusubi-ranked wrestler bought the new skis after learning that Dagvadorj uses only secondhand skis.
''I hope to hand these to him directly either today or tomorrow,'' Kyokushuzan said, adding he was also thinking of giving the cross-country skier a reward if he performs well.''
(Kyodo News)
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Copyright 1998 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun