SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo Chris Gould Chris sinks his teeth deeper into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger fans in part two of a three-part series. Azumazeki up close and personal Steven Pascal-Joiner / William Titus A wiz with a pen and a wiz with a lens get together with SFM to share their time with Azumazeki Oyakata - Takamiyama as was - with the wider sumo following world. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda takes a detailed look at the life and times of a former yokozuna forgotten by many - Maedayama. Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric calls the musubi-no-ichiban kimarite call on nakabi in Kyushu as perhaps only he could. Heya Peek Jeff Kennel First time heya visitor Jeff Kennel wrote about, photographed and even made a video of his time spent at Arashio Beya prior to the Kyushu Basho. All to be found within. SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews Russian up and comer Wakanoho of Magaki Beya. Photo Bonanzas See behind the scenes at the Kyushu Basho, morning training in Arashio Beya through the eyes of an artist and exactly what the Azumazeki lads had to eat halfway though the July Nagoya Basho. All originals, all seen here and nowhere else, and all for you. Kyushu Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Kyushu Basho in Fukuoka and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure. Lower Division Rikishi Mikko Mattila The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eyeing of life down below the salaried ranks. Hatsu Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come January and the Hatsu Basho. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest clarification of a handful of sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert Howard looks at makushita tsukedashi and what it means in real terms. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online. Fan Debate Facilitators - Lon Howard / Carolyn Todd Two SFMers talk over the yokozuna benefiting from weak opposition - or not as the case may be. SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Stephen's artistic offerings. Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Lets Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? Starting with issue #10, the SFM staff will reveal a little of their own routes into sumo fandom - starting with Benny Loh. 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 next basho’s banzuke.

necessary to have more female wrestlers so that the popularity of sumo increases. I hope that other women will also help develop the female sumo movement.’ The advance of women’s rights in professional sumo, Hiroko says, must be carefully managed: ‘It must be observed that sumo has an ancient background and an important role in Japanese history. We need to invest time and effort, and make a big agreement with professional sumo if women are ever to be allowed on the professional dohyo.’ For now, she is interested in drawing crowds, and doubtless finds it ironic that the sport which once passed a Female Prohibition Law now readily begs for female support. Sumo’s female recruitment drive is not helped by the flurry of negative tabloid stories concerning sumotori and their failed romances. Such stories only serve to increase female hostility towards sumo personalities, and often result in their siding with the wrestler’s girlfriend. One particular event in 1993, which resulted in sumo’s most popular wrestler, Takanohana, dumping his glamorous film-star lover Rie Miyazawa, is still remembered by virtually every shinjinrui over 20. The conclusions that both male and female shinjinrui seem to have collectively drawn are that: Rie (the tarento) was ‘cooler’ than Taka (the sumotori); that Taka (the sumotori) was unworthy of Rie (the tarento); and that the break-up was solely the fault of Taka (the sumotori). Although Rie-gate raised key questions regarding sumo’s treatment of women, shinjinrui women have seemingly ignored them, instead simply forming a conviction that sumotori are stuffy personalities and that tarento are more worthy of their respect. The role of women in sumo is worth an article in itself (watch this space,

perhaps). For now, if more general marketing strategies fail, shinjinrui women will prove immensely difficult to recruit, unless that is, professional sumo strengthens its links to amateur sumo, or – perhaps unthinkably – reappraises its ties with Shintoism. Yokozuna Yearnings On March 21st 2005, the world’s most famous sumo fan, President Chirac of France, gained greater popularity in Japan than in his homeland by proclaiming: ‘I hope the next Grand Champion will be Japanese.’ The lack of a Japanese yokozuna is the sole issue which unites sumo-lovers and loathers alike. Even sumo-loathing shinjinrui admit that, despite difficulties relating to sumo personalities, they would happily relate to a Japanese personality with yokozuna status. And so they should. Being English, I can affirm that nations do not take pleasure in seeing their sporting representatives ritually humiliated. Alas, since the decline of Takanohana II in 2001, such humiliation has been suffered by Japanese sumotori and spectators alike. The Hawaiian Musashimaru dominated 2002, before the Mongolian Asashoryu scaled unparalleled heights, winning seven tournaments in a row and setting the record for most bouts won in a calendar year (84/90). With Japan’s finest wrestlers offering mediocre resistance, shinjinrui have found yet another excuse to decry sumo with comments such as those of 24-year-old Keisuke: ‘It is boring now. There are no Japanese yokozuna and the ozeki are rubbish.’ Other youngsters, such as 25-year-old Kentaro, put a surprisingly patriotic spin on events: ‘This is by no means a racist comment, but it is a great shame that our traditional sport, our national sport, does not have a Japanese yokozuna. Deep down, we feel an

obligation to dominate our national sport.’ The sumo journalist Michiyo Ishida suggests that sumo needs a home-grown hero to revive support across the age spectrum. 'Until Wakanohana and Takanohana retired [in 2000 and 2003], sumo had a huge following among all age groups,' she writes. 'Today we don't have superstars like Taka and Waka, so the public in general has lost interest.' However, Ishida acknowledges that shinjinrui were deserting sumo long before the intai of Waka and Taka, (partly, she claims, because three fine sumotori were barred from combating Waka and Taka by virtue of their hailing from the same stable). She is correct about 'superstars,' though. In January 2006, when the ozeki Tochiazuma toyed with becoming a yokozuna superstar, Kokugikan attendances skyrocketed. Furthermore, when Kotooshu caught the popular imagination in 2005, he suggested that the 'superstar' for which shinjinrui crave need not be Japanese. As a result (and especially given the absence of a realistic Japanese yokozuna candidate), certain observers conclude that sumo should not pray for another Japanese yokozuna, but simply for personalities which embody excellence. In the words of Fujimori: ‘Sumo is a spectacle and the most important thing is that it should revolve around combatants who (all being supremely strong) possess personality, and are charismatic enough to mobilise the public’s interest. It is not necessarily the case that these combatants must be yokozuna, but they must inspire respect and fight with real intensity.’ She is far from alone in believing that present-day sumo is sometimes blighted by defensive combat, which Next