| Brothers in Sumo – part one Brian Lewin |
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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 |
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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 |
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| SFM Interview Dave Wiggins sits down |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 – |
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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.
Responses ranged from Scuba gear to clown suits and a full body banana peel to sumo wrestling garb.
Hmm...sumo in the boardroom? I like it! The CEO and the Marketing manager can work out their ideas while trying to push one another off the mahogany conference table. Brilliant!
S.U.M.O. or another
If the internet were any indicator, sumo has become BIG all around the world. Members of the Sumo Mailing List, the Sumo Games community and Sumo Forum hail from all over the globe. Japan’s National Sport is reluctantly becoming universal.
The United States has certainly taken notice. Many American sumo fans recall hearing about Takamiyama, Akebono or even Sentoryu competing in Japan and finding a way to watch the basho in person or on satellite TV. ESPN’s “Sumo Digest” – a re-broadcast of the Japanese program of the same name with
Next Home
As you may well know, the life of a rikishi is rather difficult – the training, the discipline, the eating. It’s not the life for everyone...or is it?
The Japanese have always recruited their future sekitori at a young age. It’s not uncommon for 15 year-olds to begin competing at the maezumo (entry) level. Now in America, kids of all ages and abilities are getting a chance to live the life of sumo, thanks to Sumo Kids.
In the metro Buffalo, NY area, this program that teaches kids the physical and mental aspects of Japan’s national sport is gaining acceptance. Not only will a child learn the techniques of sumo, but also the discipline. Winning with courtesy, controlling your emotions and actions and showing politeness in every day life are part of the great lessons that are taught through the Sumo Kids program. The kids are given a creed to follow, but the deeper meanings of “I will begin my day with courtesy and end my day with courtesy” and “I can do it, I will do it” don’t always dawn on
...and it’s catching on!
In April 2005, the program crossed the Peace Bridge to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Former Amateur Champ and Ontario native Emanuel Yarbrough, who has been a long-time supporter, cut the ribbon with Mayor Ted Salci on a new Sumo Kids headquarters at United Family Martial Arts.
Sumo Kids is a non-profit, privately-funded organization created to provide programs for schools and community organizations based on the tenets of sumo and personalized learning and to provide their programs at little or no cost by continuous fund raising.
Don’t be surprised if the fashion craze at your local middle school is all of a sudden a white X-small mawashi.
Did I say “Fashion”?
According to a national poll, people wear the oddest things to work. The Creative Group,
