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SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo |
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Chris Gould
Wrapping up his look at increasing the popularity of sumo, Chris Gould caps a series the NSK would do well to refer to.
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Sumo Souvenirs |
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Mark Buckton
Souvenirs are a part of every sport and sumo is no different - or is
it? A look at collectibles and the downright trashy, the bona fide
versus the unproven.
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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Joe Kuroda's latest look at times past focuses on former makunouchi man Dewagatake.
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Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
Eric takes a no-nonsense look at the claims of fixed bouts in the Japanese media.
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Rikishi Diary |
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Mark Kent
Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori -
takes us through the first month or so of his training and preparation
for the various European events lined up in in 2007.
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Heya Peek |
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Chris Gould
SFM's Chris Gould was in Japan for the Hatsu Basho and popped along to
the new Shikoroyama Beya to give SFM an online exclusive peek into
sumo's newest heya.
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SFM Interview |
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Mark Buckton
Mark interviews Mark - Buckton on Kent that is as Mark Kent, the UK's
only active heavyweight amateur answers a few questions on his own
recent entry into the sport.
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Photo Bonanzas |
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Sumo Forum stepped in to take the weight off the shoulders of SFM as
far as Hatsu went so we could sit back, relax, enjoy the sumo and take
a few more select pics you won't see anywhere else.
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Hatsu Basho Summary |
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Lon Howard
Lon wraps the Hatsu Basho and chucks in a few bits on the rush of henka
that threatens to sully the good name of at least one foreign ozeki.
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Sumo Menko |
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Ryan Laughton
Sumo cards of old brought to life by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM here.
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Haru Ones To Watch |
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Carolyn Todd
Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come March and the Haru Basho.
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Kimarite Focus |
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Mikko Mattila
Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
Howard looks at the 'sumo factory' of lore - Nichidai.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Todd Lambert
Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best the WWW has to offer.
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Fan Debate |
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Facilitator - Carolyn Todd
Moti Dichne comes back for more and takes on Bradley Sutton on the subject of 'Modernize the heya - yea or nay?'
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SFM Cartoons |
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Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Benny's artistic offerings.
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Sumo Odds & Ends |
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SFM's interactive elements - as always includes Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke!
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Let's Hear From You |
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What was it that made you a sumo fan? Ryan Laughton - sumo fan and menko expert reveals all.
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Readers' Letters |
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See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens.
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Sumo Quiz |
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The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself a genuine banzuke.
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S.O.S.
(Shinjinrui on Sumo)
by Chris Gould
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for the NSK would be much more pleasant if all tournament seats were sold.
Central to the phenomenon of empty seats are, of course, Japan’s
under-30s. Although the term ‘shinjinrui’ (‘new race’) has gradually
absented itself from Japanese social commentary, I have applied it to
the Japanese youth of today because their outlook on life – and, to a
lesser but significant extent, sumo – is indisputably different to that
of previous generations. The previous two essays have explored many
theories as to why shinjinrui take little interest in Japan’s
‘national’ sport, but could it simply be the case that there are basic
structural barriers (financial, geographical, logistical and
organisational) that prevent shinjinrui from joining in the fun?
Expensive entrance fee?
‘It’s not that I don’t want to come to sumo,’ says Hiroshi, a
25-year-old air steward. ‘I’ll admit it’s hard to get to bouts during
the day, but the thing that puts me off most is the high price of
tickets.’
My
shinjinrui interviews confirm that Hiroshi speaks for many of his
peers. The most common reason youngsters give for not attending sumo is
the cost of tickets. In the words of the sumo journalist Liliane
Fujimori: ‘The prices are pretty high, and… people with modest incomes
will, without doubt, pass up the chance to watch live sumo and remain
content with [watching] televised broadcasts.’
The cheapest ticket for a Tokyo basho is a ‘day pass,’ which is priced
at around ¥2,100 ($17.50). However, few shinjinrui are
Next
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In the final essay of the trilogy, Chris Gould looks at the
structural barriers which – by all accounts – appear to be preventing
Japan’s under-30s from enjoying sumo.
January 10th
2007. Another weekday, another 45%-full Kokugikan. A despondent
Englishman, who has briefly departed the arena for a photo engagement,
fails to suppress his inner feelings when greeted by his favourite
Kokugikan usher. ‘Konde imasen, ne?’ (‘A crowd, there is not, eh?’),
the Englishman complains, in Japanese most charitably described as
‘pidgin.’ A nearby oyakata, doubtless itching to break up the monotony
of guidebook duty, overhears my remark and offers a response. ‘He says:
“Wait until the weekend. Then the crowds will come,”’ is the usher’s
English translation.
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Sure
enough, the weekend comes and so do the crowds; the man’in rei (full
house) banners are lowered on both the following Saturday and Sunday.
But my seeds of doubt continue to germinate. I spend a large portion of
Day 8 contemplating just how the Japan Sumo Association (NSK) – with a
payroll encompassing hundreds of wrestlers, oyakata, officials, guides
and clerical staff – can possibly remain solvent with average daily
gates of 6,000. If a professional football club, cricket club, rugby
team or – dare I say – the
Lawn Tennis Association found itself in a similar position, it would be
bankrupted within a month. I am no more blind to the vital financial
assistance provided by koenkai, kanemochi and other private sponsorship
than I am to the presumably limited capacity of these donors to keep
bailing sumo out. I simply feel that life
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