Sumo Souvenirs   Mark Buckton Second of a two parter on sumo souvenirs - some hints on avoiding the fluff. Konishiki Chris Gould Takamiyama's 60s / 70s successes notwithstanding Konishiki was sumo's first full-on mover and shaker from lands afar leaving Chris G to take an in-depth look at the ripples the big guy left behind when exiting the sumo pool. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda's looks back at the life and times of former yokozuna Shiranui. Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric IDs the true winners of the henkafest that was the Haru Basho senshuraku. Rikishi Diary Mark Kent Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori - takes his training a step further on his road to European and World sumo glory. Heya Peek Mark Buckton Oitekaze Beya just to the north of Tokyo and not far from the abode of SFM's Ed-i-C falls under the microscope. SFM Interview Carolyn Todd Carolyn interviews Riho Rannikmaa during his recent trip to Osaka - head of all things sumo in Estonia, friend and mentor of Baruto, this is a man with something to announce. Sumo à la LA Alisdair Davey SFM's man in the shadows reports on his recent jaunt in LA, as guest of the Californian Sumo Association and SFM reporter at large. Photo Bonanzas Hot on the heels of the recent Ise bonanza - Haru up close and very very personal - some of our best pics to date. Haru Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Haru Basho and chucks in a few bits on the henka issues the top dogs are suffering from at present. Sumo Menko Ryan Laughton Sumo cards of old brought to life once again by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM offerings here - Pt II of III. Natsu Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders the ones to watch come May and Natsu when sumo comes home to Tokyo. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert On your marks, get set, go - Howard Gilbert walks us through the months ahead on the amateur calendar. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's latest selection of the best sumo sites the WWW has to offer. Fan Debate Facilitator - Carolyn Todd Should it or shouldn't it? Honbasho go on the overseas road that is. See what SFM's Chris Gould and James Hawkins have to say. SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample ST's latest 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 - A. S. - the face in the crowd reveals almost all - to see everything you'll have to close your eyes. 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.

Futabayama front and centre - Courtesy of Sumo Museum

that winning is of little consequence if you do not win properly, that sumo can be watched with eyes closed by real fans. This little old lady, whose teenage years saw her quest to return to the land of her ancestors if not of her birth made via present day North Korea and the extreme North eastern corner of China, is now a resident of suburban Tokyo in a nondescript neighborhood in which strangers still stand out. Those passing her by would see nothing in her demeanor to suggest anything but a run-of-the-mill, stay-at-home lifestyle for these past 6 or 7 decades but in her 155 or so centimeters can be found a depth of sumo knowledge - backed by

photographs that even the NSK has not been able to verify - the trips to Manchuko / China by the rikishi of the 1930s that set her on the road to a lifelong passion. Atsuko is a visitor to honbasho even now and attended the 2006 yokozuna souken at the early hour of 7am or so but will be the one face in the crowd you miss, the one you ignore – just the way she likes it. She is a great fan of ozeki Tochiazuma and maegashira Homasho and sees rikishi as the men wearing mawashi themselves do – as (fellow) rikishi, as equals; not as someone born Japanese or otherwise. As suggested above, sumo is a sport even the blind can

enjoy and Atsuko is blind to passport color. NB: this piece was written on behalf of Ms. Shimura whose own language skills in written and spoken English would not have permitted it. * while the city name is unchanged to this day, Atsuko has asked the writer not to make mention in public of more than the first letter (in English) of ‘D’. She has returned on occasion to the city of her birth, her education and, eventually, her youth – now welcomed as a tourist - but the change brought about in the years hence have left it a sad place, a shadow of its former self. Home