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Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope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

  Summing up the situation in makushita, we can see that come Hatsu Basho, makushita loses four up-and-coming rikishi to juryo – namely Satoyama, Homasho, Mokonami and Wakakirin. But at the same time Kakuryu, Baruto and Shiraishi will drop back to makushita. Sawai and Kageyama join the high makushita ranks from below. Also Wakanoho, Kadomoto and Takahashi make their makushita debuts so there is definitely still a lot to look forward to in the makushita division.

The jonidan division yusho was won by Nakaita who is only 162cm (5’3¾”) tall. He has a college degree in Chinese language, but wanted to join professional sumo, regardless. He has been stagnating in 		jonidan for some basho, but now surprisingly, went undefeated and beat another undefeated rikishi, Ryusei, in the play-off. Hungarian Masutoo earned his promotion to sandanme for the first time with a 6-1 at Jd12w.
 
Masutoo
 
 Aki Basho jonokuchi yusho winner Azusayumi also got a 6-1 at Jd31 and will be in sandanme next basho. 		Chiyonishiki won the jonokuchi yusho with a 7-0 record. He has had a long history of illnesses and injuries since his debut and is already 23 years old. Kokkai’s younger brother Tsukasaumi started his career with a 5-2 at Jk35w.
 
Tsukasaumi
 
 Photos by Barbara Ann Klein.

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