Brothers in Sumo –
part one
Brian Lewin
Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope

NHK & the Ozumo
English Broadcast
Mark Buckton
A visit to NHK, years of watching the show and the opinions of our Ed-in-Chief

Hanging With the Rikishi
Barbara Ann Klein
Barbara Ann Klein recounts her experiences with the “boys” in a pictorial diary series

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
A look at a rikishi of yesteryear with Chiyonoyama – our man for December

Sumo Exhibit at the
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Barbara Ann Klein
SFM’s Editor takes in the exhibit celebrating 80 years of the Japan Sumo Association at this famous Tokyo museum

Heya Peek
John Gunning
John’s early morning trip to Hakkaku – a visit that almost didn’t happen

SFM Interview
Dave Wiggins sits down
with SFM’s Mark Buckton to discuss the broadcast scene – and maple syrup

Photo Bonanza
What a collection – All-Japan Sumo Tournament, Hakkaku-
beya visit and sumo exhibits at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Kyushu Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Kyushu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results, and his take on the year in brief

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers lower division ups and downs

Hatsu Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark
Buckton
Pierre predicts the Hatsu Basho banzuke while Mark previews the ones to watch for in January

Sumo 101
Eric Blair
Eric explains all you need to know and then some about the Kokugikan building – the mecca of sumo

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko walks us through his chosen kimarite in expert fashion

Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of news from outside the dohyo

Online Gaming
Eric Blair
For the lowdown on Guess the Kotomitsuki – baby of SFM’s John Gunning

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Intra heya bouts –
OK or not? See what our debaters had to say

SFM Cartoons
Stephen Thompson
In the second of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and enjoy ST’s offerings

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that made you a sumo fan? American Todd Defoe tells all

Readers’ Letters
See what SFM readers had to say since our last issue

Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

Higo. Oddly enough, Mainoumi’s study wasn’t done until after the minimum of 30 consecutive basho was decided on, and that’s the exact number he had! If he had had 29…well, a rule is a rule. It’s hard to believe he’ll ever be knocked off, but as noted above, elevator men do slip from view in a hurry unless you start keeping score, so who knows what’s hiding in the data yet to be excavated.

Here is the list of the top 10 elevator men so far. The updated Elevator Rules and Ranking shows the top 20. The currently active men are in bold. The asterisk by Toki, Tamakasuga and Kaiho shows they are “Elevator Retired”, indicating they are still competing but their string of qualifying basho has been
 RIKISHIMOQAFQCEI
1.Mainoumi10.620.82148.72
2.Higonoumi10.460.71437.47
3.Takamisugi10.080.72927.35
4.Kasugafuji9.470.76197.21
5.Kotofuji10.290.67656.96
6.Daishoho10.030.67746.80
7.Kyokudozan8.400.80436.76
8.Kyokushuzan9.710.68526.65
9.Tokitsuumi7.710.77505.97
10.Hamanoshima9.140.64295.88
broken, which means their numbers are not changing any more, and will never change unless they put together at least 30 more additional consecutive qualifying basho before they actually retire (humanly impossible, more or less).

It is hoped in February that data from the 70s will be 		available, but the desire to occasionally indulge in my ‘other life’ may prove to be a formidable obstacle to that.

Elevator Rules and Ranking
Interactive Section
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