Sumo Fan Magazine

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Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope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.

A MINI-LOOKBACK AT 2005

by Lon Howard

Tokitsuumi, Takanowaka and Tochinonada, while Tosanoumi, Takamisakari and Kyokushuzan have begun a sluggish decline; and the year was marred by three potential career-threatening injuries (Hayateumi, Kaiho and Tamaasuka), topped off with the most kyujo seen since kosho was abolished two years ago. And we said sad goodbyes to Asanowaka, Kotoryu, Wakanoyama, Yotsukasa, Gojoro and Kotonowaka.

The largest disappointment for 2005 was the failure of anyone to arrive at a staging area for advancement to ozeki. The current trio of Kaio, Tochiazuma and Chiyotaikai have, each in their own way, given us signs that they can’t continue for much longer, and at this point there is no one showing they might be capable of advancing in a traditional way. At least two of the young bucks mentioned earlier must take up the challenge or before too long the Sumo Kyokai will be forced to do some very messy work to make the banzuke recognizable.

Henka Sightings Summary
Home

When Asashoryu followed up his lone 2004 stumble in Aki with a zensho yusho at Kyushu, many observers began predicting he would do in 2005 exactly as he did – run the yusho table. This is how completely he was perceived to own the world of sumo. One year later, has the view changed at all? Well, just a little. New ozeki Kotooshu, who began the year at M4, has beaten the yokozuna in two of their last four meetings, and moreover, the last conquest combined both strength and technique by the Bulgarian – so there is glimmering hope that Asashoryu finally has a rival. Beyond that, when you look back and examine the year’s Hatsu Basho banzuke, it’s difficult to find anything of substance that’s different right now.

The same three ozeki who began the year holding on to their rank for dear life are still at it, all of them recording at least one kadoban with two of them doing so three times. Kotomitsuki and

Wakanosato declined to the point where many don’t even consider them ozeki pretenders anymore, although Kotomitsuki can at least stay in sanyaku for the most part. Everybody’s next yokozuna Hakuho finally looked like the 20-year-old he is; and Futeno and Kisenosato whetted our fancy but had advanced only slightly at year’s end.

The other two Europeans on the Hatsu banzuke, Kokkai and Roho, spent the year showing great promise but also great disappointment, apparently intent on proving that the pulling and slap-down moves of European wrestling can be a staple go-to technique in ozumo. So far they have proven the contrary. They were joined in the top division in July by Roho’s brother, Hakurozan. All three floundered at times but ended the year on an high note.

Slowly slipping from behind the curtain were Tochisakae, Tamakasuga, Buyuzan,