Wakanonada, aka Las Vegas, age 19 in Japan. He is the sumo walking.
Photos by Ted Trimmer: Chinese junk, ready to depart Honolulu.
Sunset tonight.
David and I will be joining Las Vegas, the blogger, for food, drinks, and karaoke at Club Genji in February. It will be our first meeting. You all know who he is, right? He’s the one who leaves irreverent comments on gigi-hawaii’s blog. But, more than that, he also was a famous sumo wrestler, who competed in Japan for many years. Born and raised in Hawaii, he now resides with his wife in Las Vegas.
I’ve been told that LV is an accomplished singer. When he sings karaoke, the waitresses stand still and take note. Since neither David nor I sings well, it will be a treat to hear LV perform.
So, despite the fact that I no longer post on the Warrior Beat, I am glad that SteveM invited me to this momentous occasion. Mahalo, Steve!
LizKauai, will you be there, too?
gigi-hawaii 
January 21, 2009 at 4:48 pm |
Question of the day:
What’s LasVegas sumatori’s name?
January 21, 2009 at 5:47 pm |
GG . . .
You will love LV. You have to be on your toes, though, and pay attention to what he says. His one-liners come fast and furious when he gets on a roll. Glad you will once again visit with the Tsai-kos.
Enjoy your time with LV!
January 21, 2009 at 6:22 pm |
Hey, Wafan, Re your comment about not having laulau in Washington, all I can say is,
ALL THE MORE REASON FOR YOU TO MOVE BACK TO HAWAII!!!!
January 21, 2009 at 6:22 pm |
Pocho,
I’ll let LV answer your question.
January 21, 2009 at 6:49 pm |
I’ll be there!
January 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
WONDERFUL!!!
January 21, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
GG . .
What are you trying to say/do?
January 21, 2009 at 7:16 pm |
Huh? I am saying if you want to eat laulau, move back to the state that serves it.
January 21, 2009 at 9:58 pm |
Irreverent? Me? Nope, not I.
In my little world everything is clear and concise.
Let me make one thing clear, I am not a crook…….wait, that was Nixon.
Let me make one thing clear, I was not famous, I was a middle of the pack grunt and groaner, nothing more and maybe less.
January 21, 2009 at 10:00 pm |
Wafan, was I that bad?
Your sis was there so I was on my best behavior.
January 21, 2009 at 10:35 pm |
LV, mahalo for the pic!
January 21, 2009 at 11:46 pm |
WOW! Awesome pic of las vegas!!!
January 22, 2009 at 4:35 am |
LV . . .
Nah. You were fine at dinner. I thought you were funny albeit not as “biting” as I have read here or on the WB. The funny part is my sister took a bunch of years of Japanese and can barely do anything with it. She was amazed at your linguistic skills — as she said, “He even sounds like a Japanese National.”
GG . . .
Sounding a bit defensive. HA! Just kidding. Moving back is something I am contemplating. But, the system in Hawai’i is simply not appealing to me right now. Funny thing is if I return and want to teach I have to take the test they give to beginning teachers to demonstrate I can teach. My experiences, skills and certifications count for nothing. That means, from my communications with the DOE, I start at the bottom of the pay scale as a non-tenured hire.
I would rather just eat my fill during the time I am home.
Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
January 22, 2009 at 5:09 am |
Wafan,
re:linguistic skills, not really into Italian food
January 22, 2009 at 6:03 am |
Wafan,
You still have not told us what grade you teach. I have the impression you teach middle school. You could always teach at Punahou, Iolani, Maryknoll, or even DAMIEN (your alma mater) if the DOE is not the ideal route.
January 22, 2009 at 10:01 am |
Regarding Wafan and the DOE–Yes, I have heard that the DOE puts obstacles in front of prospective teachers, sort of a Medieval guild mentality I guess. P. S. It has never been explained why Gigi left the Tsaikos.
January 22, 2009 at 10:36 am |
Hank,
I just have no time for the Warrior Beat, but thru my own blog, I do keep in touch with some of the Tsaikos — for example, you, LizK, Wafan, and Las Vegas. That’s more than enough for me!
Anyway, it will be nice to see everybody again next month. There should be something similar when Wafan comes to town later this year.
January 22, 2009 at 11:43 am |
wafan- you might want to check into PRIVATE schools who may better appreciate your specialties. I’m hoping that the President will take a hard look at the One Style Fits Every Child federal education mandate and make some changes.
January 22, 2009 at 11:54 am |
Wow, las vegas… when you were (Sd16w Wakanonada) and my fave was (M8e Chiyonofuji).. and Yokozuna were Mienoumi, Wakanohana, Kitanoumi, Wajima and Takanohana was still Ozeki.
Man, I used to watch Sumo Digest all the time. Little did I know… 😉 !!!
January 22, 2009 at 12:39 pm |
Liz,
Not that it matters but my highest rank was Ms16, so close but so very, very far. Also wrestled under “Muryu”.
Fun Fact: The pic is of me after I gave Hanada (later Kotohanada) a quick shot to the jaw with the palm of my hand.
Hanada was a 23 yo college champ and promoted directly to the AAA Makushita class based on his amatuer/college record.
I had been in sumo for 2 1/2 years and took the long way to AAA.
This pissed me off to no end and I took it out on Hanada (who missed his next two matches with a concussion) only after quitting did I realize that Hanada was 4 years older and reigning college champ and the number two man in the amatuer ranks as well.
Just maybe he deserved to be fighting in Makushita, I think I may have ruined his career, I fought him three more times over the next two years but he kept on flinching and was a easy win.
January 22, 2009 at 1:33 pm |
lv- sure, it matters! Ms16 is awesome!!!
I have lost track of sumo and was totally pleased to see the scene in “Memoirs of a Geisha” with Mainoumi, one of the last rikishi I can remember.
January 22, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
Back when I lived in Hawai’i I used to follow sumo a bit. I could never remember all the names but I would recognize my favorite and not so favorite wrestlers. I do not remember Wakanonada. But then, since I did not follow all that closely . . .
GG . . .
I work with high school kids grades 9 – 12. Keeps me busy and feeling young. I have thought about going back to the post-secondary level but I enjoy the younger kids more — I can have more of an impact on their futures. Besides, they are just plain funny!
January 22, 2009 at 3:36 pm |
Mahalos for the pic lasvegas! You looked solid back then, ho
when you say you worked up the ranks, did you do all that so to say slave type of work(cooking, cleaning, go-fer, etc. …) for your senior sumotori’s? Thats a whole lot of hard work and respect given to your upper stablemates and I could understand why you gave him the uppercut palm to the jaw.
January 22, 2009 at 8:22 pm |
POCHO,
Yes, I did start at the bottom, last to eat, last to bathe, last to sleep, first to practice at 4 a.m., clean toilets, cook the food, clean the stable’s sleeping areas, wash clothing by hand.
In our stable you do all that until you reach Makushita, so that ranking is the cut off line between labor and management.
Once in Makushita, you supervise the lower rankers and do not need to do the actual labor yourself, i.e. you have more time to concentrate on practice and building up your body.