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Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope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


The NHK team on day 6 of the Kyushu basho 2005: Hiro Morita (play-by-play) center, Mark Schilling (guest), right and English-language programme director Satoru Kawauchi at left. Hanamichi reporter Makiko Koyama can be seen standing on the right. 		finances, NHK, the most prestigious station in Japanese broadcasting see fit to look towards the future and are willing to clear the aorta of the blockages brought on by age (by inviting fewer of the ‘been here forever’ guests we see basho in, basho out), and look at satisfying European fan tastes a little more with the American era of sumo domination now behind us. After all, if no one else appreciates it – Kotooshu’s Mum and Dad will.

--Mark Buckton


For more on MB’s views on the changing face of sumo off the dohyo as well as on it, and the need to change further, take a look at the January 13th issue of Metropolis – Japan’s No 1 English Magazine at: metropolis.japantoday.com.

Not only will Mark cover the concept of out with the old and in with the new in more detail for the resident in Japan readers, Metropolis will also feature a Doreen Simmons (NHK guest) interview with yokozuna Asashoryu.

Interview with Dave Wiggins Home

of the English language broadcast vanishing altogether), when given the thumbs-up to visit the studio on day 6 of the recently completed Kyushu basho, the chance to sit down and have a chat with the day’s play-by-play guy Hiro Morita, guest Mark Schilling, and director of the English language show, Satoru Kawauchi, proved a valuable insight into NHK goings on and also served to confirm that our English version is safe come the next financial year – even if domestic financial 		issues at NHK have already led to cutbacks in the number of guests used each basho – the guest-a-day concept having been reduced to ‘take thrice weekly’ or so.

Still, witnessing a finely oiled machine in action, with one eye on the sumo via monitor in the director’s room – but a pane of glass away from the broadcast action – and the chance to get a look inside the heart of this aorta of global sumo, I for one hope that in reviewing their