SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo   Chris Gould Wrapping up his look at increasing the popularity of sumo, Chris Gould caps a series the NSK would do well to refer to. Sumo Souvenirs   Mark Buckton Souvenirs are a part of every sport and sumo is no different - or is it? A look at collectibles and the downright trashy, the bona fide versus the unproven. Rikishi of Old   Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda's latest look at times past focuses on former makunouchi man Dewagatake. Eric Evaluates   Eric Blair Eric takes a no-nonsense look at the claims of fixed bouts in the Japanese media. Rikishi Diary   Mark Kent Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori - takes us through the first month or so of his training and preparation for the various European events lined up in in 2007. Heya Peek   Chris Gould SFM's Chris Gould was in Japan for the Hatsu Basho and popped along to the new Shikoroyama Beya to give SFM an online exclusive peek into sumo's newest heya. SFM Interview   Mark Buckton Mark interviews Mark - Buckton on Kent that is as Mark Kent, the UK's only active heavyweight amateur answers a few questions on his own recent entry into the sport. Photo Bonanzas   Sumo Forum stepped in to take the weight off the shoulders of SFM as far as Hatsu went so we could sit back, relax, enjoy the sumo and take a few more select pics you won't see anywhere else. Hatsu Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Hatsu Basho and chucks in a few bits on the rush of henka that threatens to sully the good name of at least one foreign ozeki. Sumo Menko   Ryan Laughton Sumo cards of old brought to life by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM here. Haru Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come March and the Haru Basho. Kimarite Focus   Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles   Howard Gilbert Howard looks at the 'sumo factory' of lore - Nichidai. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best the WWW has to offer. Fan Debate Facilitator - Carolyn Todd Moti Dichne comes back for more and takes on Bradley Sutton on the subject of 'Modernize the heya - yea or nay?' SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Benny's artistic offerings. Sumo Odds & Ends SFM's interactive elements - as always includes Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Let's Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? Ryan Laughton - sumo fan and menko expert reveals all. 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 a genuine banzuke.

prepared to queue from as early as 5.45am to secure one of the 500 passes sold daily, and especially for the miserly reward of a back-row seat. The next lowest-priced ticket costs ¥3,600 ($30), and delivers the purchaser just two rows closer to the action than someone with a day pass. The view from such seats is still satisfactory, but if a youngster only plans to spend two hours watching makunouchi, the ¥3,600 ticket begins to constitute an expensive day out. To feel confident that the sumotori will hear their shouts of encouragement, youngsters must somehow acquire a masu-seki, a box of four zabuton in the stadium’s first tier. Unfortunately, though, it is the masu-seki which foment shinjinrui perceptions of extortionate sumo ticket prices. The average price of a box is around ¥40000 ($333), which works out at $83 per person, a fee many under-30s have as much chance of paying as they have of finding three friends to take to sumo. On the two recent occasions that I was able to sit in the masu-seki, a cursory survey of the neighbours revealed that they attract people from a certain background. My colleague, a glamorous kimono-wearing woman in her mid-60s, was married to a senior company executive. The couple sharing with friends to my left had lived in England for two years as a result of the husband’s high-profile employment. The following day, a well-dressed middle-aged couple treating a sumo-loving grandfather occupied the box behind, while four dark-suited, white-shirted businessmen partied away in the box to my right (and seemingly felt that the final 90 minutes’ action alone was worth their $333). The masu-seki occupant is more likely to be 50 than under 30, and is almost guaranteed to hail from the sarariman class or above. In short, this description is poles apart from that of a 25-year-old furita with a ‘modest income.’

It is therefore vitally important for the NSK to remind shinjinrui that although masu-seki are expensive, they are definitely not out-of-reach. It must reiterate that the day’s action begins at 8.30am, long before the TV cameras are even safety-checked, and should advise youngsters to ‘make a day’ (presumably during a weekend) of any visit to a sumo arena. The NSK must publicize the fact that most spectators do not arrive until after 2pm, and that youngsters who have bought cheaper tickets are perfectly welcome to borrow the masu-seki until their rightful owners turn up. Although they will not be within touching distance of Asashoryu or Kotooshu, youthful cheap-ticket holders can still experience the thrill of being seated extremely near to a jonokuchi, jonidan and sandanme match, and may take some sensational photographs.

should have placed all third-day seats on sale at discount prices from the close of the action on day 2. The ticket office could have opened for 90 minutes from 6pm, in the hope of enticing fans who had only intended to come for Day 2, but might yet be tempted by bargain prices for the following day. The discount sales could then have continued from 9am-4pm on day 3 until all seats had been filled. There are, of course, two problems with this approach. Firstly, smart consumers might simply never buy their tickets in advance in the hope of forever obtaining discount rates. This could lead to loss of revenue for the NSK and many logistical headaches caused by masses of last-minute ticket-buyers descending upon the Kokugikan. The NSK should overcome this problem by stipulating that discount tickets are only admissible for the makunouchi

Spectacular view from the masu-seki - Carolyn Todd

The NSK should also expand its ‘day pass’ scheme to facilitate the tackling of under-attendance on weekdays. It was saddening to note that Dejima’s magnificent victory over Asashoryu, one of the biggest upsets of the past five years, was witnessed by barely 4,000 people on day 3 of Hatsu. Possessing prior knowledge of miserable ticket sales, the NSK

schedule after 3pm. With full-price tickets being valid for the entire day, the incentive remains for aficionados to buy them in advance. The second problem concerns the likelihood that the NSK would view discounted tickets as an embarrassing admission of sumo’s diminishing popularity. It Next