Note About Fan Shikonas Many sumo fans adopt a shikona, despite the fact that some of us don't speak a word of Japanese and could perhaps never, in our wildest dreams, become even an amateur rikishi. So why do so many of us, especially those who don't speak Nihongo go out and adopt a shikona? Quite simply, imitation. As you know, imitation is the highest form of flattery and a shikona is a beautiful, fun and unique tradition of sumo. Wanting to get a tad closer to the lives of our heroes atop the dohyo via the intangible beauty and symbolism of shikona, we express ourselves in sumofandom by creating and using a shikona of our very own. So some of our staff and contributors may use their shikona along with their real names and I hope you will join me in welcoming this way of them expressing themselves as fans of sumo (and if you don't please feel free to write in and tell us why you don't). |