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As Nagoya nears, EB gets a head start on the pack by focussing on points of interest, past and present surrounding sumo's hottest basho
The 42nd yokozuna Kagamisato falls under the JK microscope
Kokonoe-beya and the Chiyo Boys
SFM's Ed-in-Chief interviews Estonian up and comer Baruto
SFM's Editor looks at all the twists and turns involved in the tsunauchi-shiki and adds a photo bonanza to boot
Basho and Kokonoe-beya photo bonanzas
Lon gives us his Natsu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results
Mikko Mattila lets you know what is going on down below the curtain
MB's mixed bag of things to look out for in Nagoya
Our man Mikko takes us on a tour of several defensive oriented kimarite
The first of our regular column pieces on the amateur sumo scene from a man who knows more than most
For a look at his very own: PTYW (Pick The Yusho Winners)
SFM's Editor reviews the newly published biography of Akebono, Gaijin Yokozuna – but sees it as more than just a biography
Check out Todd's bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites around
Sumo author Mina Hall and long long time fan Jim Bitgood discuss how to make sumo more entertaining – if such a concept is even necessary
Sit back and enjoy the offerings of sumo's premier artists
made you a sumo fan? James Vath in rural Japan lets us in on his gateway to the sport
See what our readers had to say since we last went out
Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
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Heya Peek – Kokonoe and the Chiyo Boys
Text and Photos by Barbara Ann Klein
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Chiyotenzan
Chiyonishiki, and, yes, Chiyohakuho and Chiyotenzan, among a few other lower rankers
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Going to asageiko at Kokonoe-beya is always a bit intimidating to me. Kokonoe Oyakata, the former great yokozuna, Chiyonofuji, has a very stern countenance as a shinpan at dohyo-side. He is the same in the heya. Irrespective of how ultra-proper one is while attending morning practice, or how many times one has been there acting ultra-properly, at some point in time the sliding doors open and Kokonoe Oyakata, in his white heya-wear, glares out from the living/eating room. One morning, opening the shoji to the viewing area when entering the heya, I came literally six inches away, face-to-face with the oyakata. Smiling, bowing and whispering “ohayo gozaimasu (good morning)”, I reddened as Kokonoe stepped aside and pointed to the zabuton so that we could sit “comfortably”. Whew!
This damp, chilly morning in May – never taking anything for granted – we duly asked
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permission to enter from the young rikishi attending to the kitchen and package work around by the back door. We breathed a sigh of relief that our entrance was without incident – or oyakata-meeting – and began watching keiko.
Initially, the usual suspects were there – the non-sekitori, that is – Chiyonohana, Chiyonoretsu, Chiyomuso,
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