Independent researcher, institutional Japan. Smarter than your average bear (but still occasionally outsmarted by a pic-a-nic basket).
The Island
Joined July 2012
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Freedom Ahn retweeted
Ryu Murakami, the acclaimed Japanese author of Coin Locker Babies and In the Miso Soup, has died at the age of 74.
作家の村上龍さん死去 74歳
『カンブリア宮殿』司会を約20年担当
oricon.co.jp/news/2488333/fu…
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1952年生まれ、長崎県佐世保市出身。76年、「限りなく透明に近いブルー」で芥川賞などを受賞、ほか代表作に「コインロッカー・ベイビーズ」「13歳のハローワーク」「五分後の世界」などがある。 2006年からはテレビ東京の長寿番組『カンブリア宮殿』でMCをつとめ、今年3月に小池栄子とともにMCを卒業した。
Should #sumo become an #Olympic sport? Is Hakuhō's Olympic goal a good thing for sumo? My latest piece examines the institutional&cultural questions behind sumo’s Olympic problem, #hakuho #japan #sumoscholar
sumoscholar.substack.com/p/s…
With Halloween just around the corner and a new Godzilla film on the horizon, I’ve been thinking about what our fascination with monsters says about us.
#godzilla #monsters #halloween #kaiju #godzillaminuszero
freedomahn.com/2026/10/14/wh…
Kirishima’s yokozuna bid is over, for now. But what actually determines whether an ōzeki gets the rope? A closer look at the results, the rules, the judgment behind sumo’s highest rank.
#sumo #japan
sumoscholar.substack.com/p/w…
The new banzuke for the Aki Basho was announced on August 31, with plenty of movement &a few notable changes. This is the first opportunity I've had to dig in. New Substack post. Get caught up before Sunday's first bout #japan #sumo #banzuke #tokyo
sumoscholar.substack.com/p/a…
Moved my sumo research to #Substack
In #sumo, a yokozuna can't be demoted the way other ranks can. Once you’re at the top of the sumo rankings, the only way down is retirement #sumo #japan #basho #sumoscholar
sumoscholar.substack.com/p/t…
In the final Day 13 bout, at the Natsu #Basho, the 39th Kimura Shōnosuke gave the win to Kirishima on an utchari. It was his first gunbai-sashichigae (reversed call) as tate-gyōji, + the first such miscall by a chief referee in over a decade. #sumo
freedomahn.com/2026/05/31/th…
Freedom Ahn retweeted
World-renowned 🇯🇵 garden designer, Mr Kazuyuki Ishihara, is also a master artist in flower arrangement.
He learned Ikebana (🇯🇵 flower arrangement) by Ikenobo School.
Mr Ishihara created this large stunning floral arrangement in just 10 minutes!! Amazing 👏👏👏
Japan almost never sends #sumo abroad. London in Oct 2025. Paris next month at the @Accor_Arena. Both timed to bilateral security negotiations with those countries. My latest post talks about dohyō diplomacy.
#sumo #france #sumowrestler #sumofrance
freedomahn.com/2026/05/25/wh…
Freedom Ahn retweeted
Somenuki season is upon us. I haven't seen many posts but definitely wanted to show off this one from Atamifuji. As a reminder, somenuki are these special yukata worn by Makuuchi wrestlers only during the May, July and September tournaments.
Freedom Ahn retweeted
The Franciscan order is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the early 13th century by St. Francis of Assisi.
St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of ANIMALS.
Friar Bigotón knew exactly what he was doing.
Freedom Ahn retweeted
Japanese auteurs are in the lineup:
The Cannes Film Festival is about to begin. Here are the key films making their debut apnews.com/article/cannes-fi…
Came to the Day 1 footage already knowing #Hoshoryu was injured. But didn't know what I was about to see. New piece on what this basho's injury crisis reveals about the rank that has no exit.
#sumo #natsubasho #maybasho #tokyo #japan
freedomahn.com/2026/05/11/na…