SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo Chris Gould Chris sinks his teeth deeper into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger fans in part two of a three-part series. Azumazeki up close and personal Steven Pascal-Joiner / William Titus A wiz with a pen and a wiz with a lens get together with SFM to share their time with Azumazeki Oyakata - Takamiyama as was - with the wider sumo following world. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda takes a detailed look at the life and times of a former yokozuna forgotten by many - Maedayama. Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric calls the musubi-no-ichiban kimarite call on nakabi in Kyushu as perhaps only he could. Heya Peek Jeff Kennel First time heya visitor Jeff Kennel wrote about, photographed and even made a video of his time spent at Arashio Beya prior to the Kyushu Basho. All to be found within. SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews Russian up and comer Wakanoho of Magaki Beya. Photo Bonanzas See behind the scenes at the Kyushu Basho, morning training in Arashio Beya through the eyes of an artist and exactly what the Azumazeki lads had to eat halfway though the July Nagoya Basho. All originals, all seen here and nowhere else, and all for you. Kyushu Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Kyushu Basho in Fukuoka and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure. Lower Division Rikishi Mikko Mattila The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eyeing of life down below the salaried ranks. Hatsu Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come January and the Hatsu Basho. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest clarification of a handful of sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert Howard looks at makushita tsukedashi and what it means in real terms. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online. Fan Debate Facilitators - Lon Howard / Carolyn Todd Two SFMers talk over the yokozuna benefiting from weak opposition - or not as the case may be. SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Stephen's artistic offerings. Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Lets Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? Starting with issue #10, the SFM staff will reveal a little of their own routes into sumo fandom - starting with Benny Loh. Readers' Letters See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens. Sumo Quiz The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

Maedayama Eigoro (4 May 1914 – 17 August 1971) - the 39th Yokozuna: November 1947 – October 1949   by Joe Kuroda

January basho. The “Kiki” name was taken from his old home village, Kisuki-mura (also known as Kiki), but it was quickly changed to another more well-known Ehime landmark, Sadamisaki (Sada Peninsula) the following basho.  Sadamisaki showed his rough character in his training sessions very early on. He did not suffer a defeat lightly or quietly, even in training bouts, and his training often became an all-out ruckus.  Most heyamates quickly learned to avoid him on and off the dohyo. He also started drinking excessively and his reputation for getting into violent fights became legendary in the sumo world, as did his extreme temper and violent nature. He was repeatedly reprimanded by his shisho, Takasago Oyakata, but he kept progressing in the banzuke ranking so he was tolerated more than most, although he struggled with drinking problems throughout his active career. Sadamisaki was promoted to makushita in 1932, and in the spring of 1933 he was assured of juryo promotion. Normally this brought good wishes from the heya supporters and a celebration party would have been held in honor of his promotion; however, his past behavior had been so atrocious that there was not even one offer to present him with a kesho mawashi to wear for his sekitori dohyo-iri ceremony.  They were all afraid of their own reputation being tarnished by Sadamisaki’s violent behavior and no supporter wanted to be associated with him or his career.    Just as he was preparing for his juryo debut, during another of Next

Of the 68 yokozuna in ozumo history, only one rikishi (the 54th yokozuna, Wajima Hiroshi) used his family name for his shikona. All the others had a traditional sumo shikona given to them by their oyakata or others connected with them, except one.  The exception was the 39th yokozuna, Maedayama, who adapted his shikona from his doctor’s name, Dr. Maeda Wasaburo who operated on what was initially believed to be a career-ending, life-threatening injury.    Maedayama was a typical “Soppu” -type rikishi – tall and lanky.  He was 180 cm tall but weighed only 117 kg. He had such delicate features that you would almost be forgiven for mistaking him for a sensitive gentle soul; but Maedayama was far from it. He ate, drank and lived hard all of his early life. He started his active sumo career as a rebel and ended his sumo life as a rebel. He re-built the Takasago dynasty that continues to this day. He was intense and had as much, if not more, raw fighting spirit as another present day Takasago beya yokozuna, Asashoryu.   Even after becoming oyakata, he marched to a different drummer, as he often ignored Kyokai directives and proceeded to do things his own way. He actively tried to promote sumo abroad and even traveled to the United States to hold a jungyo tournament. During the

Hawaiian jungyo, he convinced a muscular youth to accompany him to Japan by guaranteeing he would house, clothe and feed him for a period of five years. The young man was planning to become a policeman but decided to take up the offer despite some misgivings.  It was such an unprecedented event that it caused a great sensation in Japan at the time. But Maedayama saw something in the young man and was proven correct as he overcame hardships and went on to become the first foreign-born sanyaku, sekiwake Takamiyama, the current Azumazeki Oyakata. No one realized at the time, but it was a turning point, heralding the new age of ozumo, opening up the floodgates of the national sport of Japan to the whole world.   Born Kanematsu Hagimori in what is now Yahatama-shi, Ehime Prefecture in western Japan on May 4, 1914, Maedayama was the youngest of 14 children. He grew up to become a village bully and terrorized everyone in his neighborhood. A chance encounter with the Ehime-born 3rd Takasago Oyakata, who was holding a heya jungyo tour in the area, changed his life forever. Maedayama subsequently went to Tokyo to see his older brother who worked there as a carpenter and then decided to join ozumo rather going back home. Taking the shikona of Kikiyama, he made his debut at the 1929