Meet the Staff – Mark Buckton Mark Buckton is an Englishman who arrived in Japan by way of Australia and never left. Although visiting for a brief stay only he met that special someone and is now a husband and a father with a young son to keep his non-working hours taken care of. Lives and works in northern Tokyo and when he isn’t reading, writing and teaching as part of his job can often be found in and around Ryogoku and eastern Tokyo – sumo’s heartland and the same area he once practiced as an amateur. A frequent visitor to stables, his amateur feet remain firmly planted on the ground as at 35 he is tad too old to consider his own professional participation in the sport. Mark works alongside Cas on much of the ‘back room shenanigans’ as well as writing articles. ed_in_chief@sumofanmag.com