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Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope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

  keep his eyes open. Mid-maegashira talent wasted lower, so could put up a 9 or 10 win basho in the new year. 9-6.

Ama – massive heart, natural gift for sumo but needs more weight as I mentioned last time out. Suffered a makekoshi in Kyushu and Hatsu will be a good test to see how he handles it. With more than enough potential to get to the sanyaku ranks and stay there, his

Photo by John Gunning
Photo by John Gunning
‘head-on’ sumo could be trickier and trickier to pull off against the higher rankers, but he has a bag full of tricks that may eventually prove deeper and better filled than that of Kyokushuzan. More straight on, in your face sumo in January’s tournament I think, I hope, this time with better results – 10-5 for Ama.

Kyokushuzan – a strange basho for the grand daddy of sumo’s Mongolian entourage. Normally he does so much better at a rank as low as maegashira 10 and bounces straight back up. Could his Kyushu 7-8 finish be an indication of the years getting to him? Not yet me thinks – 9-6 and another ride in the elevator.
 Kotomitsuki – Mitsuki seems like he has been around forever with all the talk of ozeki runs, injuries and the like over the past few years. He even won a basho once – long ago! Now, with Kotooshu taking the media heat, we could we see Osh’s Aichi stable mate put together another run, but I don’t think so – not yet anyway. I do see him as consistent sekiwake talent however, so another 9-6 prediction in January.

Hakurozan – at maegashira 13, Hakurozan was ranked too low on the Kyushu banzuke, in my opinion. Whilst I see him as far more capable a rikishi than his brother Roho, his impressive

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