Brothers in Sumo –
part two
Brian Lewin
Brothers still active on the dohyo get their turn

Yokozuna Comparisons
Joe Kuroda
SFM’s most eminent historian, JK, has a crack at the impossible and tries to see who was the greatest of the tsuna wearers

Rikishi of Old
John Gunning
Takanobori – former sekiwake, former NHK man and all ’round gent

Heya Peek
Barbara Ann Klein
Kitanoumi-beya, Kitazakura, mirrors & photo bonanza

SFM Interview
John Gunning
Kazuyoshi Yoshikawa (son of the late sekiwake Takanobori) on life in sumo way back when

Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
Behind every good man there stands a good woman – read and ye shall see. A departure from our regular 101 feature

Photo Bonanza
See the Hatsu Basho
plus much more through the lens of our photographers

Hatsu Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Hatsu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers lower division goings on in detail

Haru Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark Buckton
Pierre predicts the Haru Basho banzuke while Mark highlights the ones to look out for in Osaka

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko takes us on a tour of his chosen kimarite

Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of sumo news from outside the dohyo and in the restaurants!

Online Gaming
Alexander Nitschke
SFM’s own Alexander Nitschke covers the long running Hoshitori Game

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Feb's debate sees
a pair of Kiwis exchanging opinions on the honbasho going on the road

SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In the third of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and enjoy BL’s offerings and put a caption to ST’s pic to win yourselves a banzuke

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that
made you a sumo fan? A unique perspective from a sightless reader.

Readers’ Letters
See what some SFM
readers had to say since our last issue

Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

 
Oyama oyakata and okamisan. This photo was taken around 1958 and in the background can be seen one of the first TV sets available in Japan covered by a black cloth (Photo by Kudo Shashin-kan)

 		native of Akita known as “the octopus” for his habit of wrapping his legs around an opponent and hanging off him. In fact, Shinkai was one of the most feared rikishi in the makuuchi division as his soto-gake wins often led to injury for his opponent. So it proved on that fateful day as Shinkai executed his outside leg trip, and both rikishi tumbled off the dohyo. Takanobori, unable to break the fall, suffered severe damage to his right knee. He missed the next three days, but managed to return for his final two bouts. However, the injury was extremely serious and despite struggling through the next tournament, he missed the entire May 1936 basho. From that point on, Takanobori was only able to achieve kachi-koshi once more. Forced into adopting a defensive style of sumo in order to protect his knee, he had four consecutive 6-7 records from May 1937, slipping down the banzuke to maegashira 17. The end came at the start of a new era for sumo, when honbasho were extended to the 15 day tournament format we know today. Takanobori was able to gain only three wins and, inevitably, he announced his retirement at the end of the basho.

Next
saw him rattle off consecutive 7-4 and 8-3 records allowing him to reach sanyaku in only his 18th basho.

This meteoric rise coincided with the earthshaking upheaval that was the Shunjuen incident, which occurred after his second tournament in sumo’s top flight. (described in detail in Issue 2 of SFM). Although Minanogawa from Takasago joined the rebels, Takanobori decided it was in his own best interests to stay with the kyokai. His debut at komusubi in the shortened tournament of February 1932 ended with a disappointing 3-5, but, his golden period followed soon thereafter and in the 12 months between May 1932 and May 1933, Takanobori achieved
four consecutive winning records; 8-3, 9-2, 7-4 and 9-2. In the second basho of the four, he achieved the same record (division best) as ozeki Shimizugawa, but unfortunately in those days the yusho was decided by banzuke position rather than a playoff. He was promoted to sekiwake, however, and indeed was on the verge of becoming an ozeki in May when, tragically, he suffered a severe stomach ulcer that required hospitalisation, forcing him to miss the entire January basho.

Three tournaments into his comeback, Takanobori had managed to return to sekiwake when, on the 7th day of the may 1935 basho, he came up against the similarly-ranked Shinkai, a