Brothers in Sumo –
part one
Brian Lewin
Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope

NHK & the Ozumo
English Broadcast
Mark Buckton
A visit to NHK, years of watching the show and the opinions of our Ed-in-Chief

Hanging With the Rikishi
Barbara Ann Klein
Barbara Ann Klein recounts her experiences with the “boys” in a pictorial diary series

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
A look at a rikishi of yesteryear with Chiyonoyama – our man for December

Sumo Exhibit at the
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Barbara Ann Klein
SFM’s Editor takes in the exhibit celebrating 80 years of the Japan Sumo Association at this famous Tokyo museum

Heya Peek
John Gunning
John’s early morning trip to Hakkaku – a visit that almost didn’t happen

SFM Interview
Dave Wiggins sits down
with SFM’s Mark Buckton to discuss the broadcast scene – and maple syrup

Photo Bonanza
What a collection – All-Japan Sumo Tournament, Hakkaku-
beya visit and sumo exhibits at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Kyushu Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Kyushu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results, and his take on the year in brief

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers lower division ups and downs

Hatsu Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark
Buckton
Pierre predicts the Hatsu Basho banzuke while Mark previews the ones to watch for in January

Sumo 101
Eric Blair
Eric explains all you need to know and then some about the Kokugikan building – the mecca of sumo

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko walks us through his chosen kimarite in expert fashion

Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of news from outside the dohyo

Online Gaming
Eric Blair
For the lowdown on Guess the Kotomitsuki – baby of SFM’s John Gunning

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Intra heya bouts –
OK or not? See what our debaters had to say

SFM Cartoons
Stephen Thompson
In the second of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and enjoy ST’s offerings

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that made you a sumo fan? American Todd Defoe tells all

Readers’ Letters
See what SFM readers had to say since our last issue

Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

  with his ample technique. His startling tsuki-oshi attacks earned him a 10-5 mark and the gino-sho. Kasuganishiki made yet another return to makuuchi at M15 and his 9-6 outing will keep him in the fold for at least a little while. M17 Jumonji reversed his slide toward juryo by actually staying near the lead till mid-basho, eventually settling back to 9-6.

Leading the disappointment parade was Tochinonada. After 52 consecutive makuuchi basho, Kasugano-beya’s warhorse must head for juryo after posting 7-8 at M17w, the last spot on Kyushu’s makuuchi banzuke. He gave it a valiant try, digging out of a 3-7 hole to pull even at 7-7, but was overcome by Kitazakura on senshuraku. With Kotonowaka gone, M11 Tosanoumi is now the oldest makuuchi rikishi at 33 and continues to slide toward the juryo precipice himself with 5-10. The ever-injured M10 Takanowaka’s 1-11-3 will return him to juryo along with another kyujo victim in M14 Shimotori with 0-0-15. Those landing on the juryo bubble for Hatsu include M12 Wakatoba (5-10), M13 Shunketsu (6-9) and M16 Katayama (7-8). Not counting Kotonowaka, there were six makuuchi rikishi who did not complete the Kyushu Basho.
 M2 Kakizoe inexplicably turned in 4-11 and will be at his lowest level in more than two years in Hatsu. He was also called for a rare hansoku (pulling Kyokutenho’s mage) on day 5. M1 Hokutoriki may overtake Kyokushuzan on the Elevator Rikishi ladder by posting 2-13. A hobbled ‘Shuzan’, along with Takamisakari, surprisingly could only muster 7-8 at M10 and M9, respectively. Could their days in makuuchi be numbered? What a blow that would be – not a lot of charisma out there right now.

In every basho recently there has been at least one major injury to report. This time on day 4 against Kotonowaka, M15 Tamaasuka fractured his ankle and will be out of action at least two months, which means he will miss Hatsu. Depending on his recovery time and the wiles of the banzuke, he may find his way to makushita before he appears on the dohyo again.

These days, since calling any ozeki’s loss an upset is a stretch, the Upset of the Basho came down to Kisenosato’s swift run-out of Kotooshu on day 7 vs. Kotooshu’s day 13 summit of Mount Asashoryu. Although shocking at the time, the only two people who will recall 		‘Kise-Kotoo’ by the end of Hatsu are Kise and Kotoo. I wouldn’t even call Kotooshu’s win a major upset because he was fully capable of it, but we all said something like “Wow, he did it!” when it happened, and it did prevent another Asashoryu zensho so it does get the nod without any prolonged musing.

Some will say the basho was boring because the yusho and Kotooshu’s goal were both reached on day 14, rendering senshuraku another non-event. I prefer to celebrate those moments as well as the allure of a new rivalry and to anticipate Hatsu’s enticements, which include Tamanoshima’s hunt for respect, Tokitenku’s new-found firepower, and of course, Kotooshu’s ozeki debut. Also, for the first time since Haru 2000, all sekiwake and komusubi made their kachi-koshi, so on the surface at least we’re being tempted with signs of some stability. There’s always something to watch for!


A Mini-Lookback at 2005
Home