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Brothers still active on the dohyo get their turn
SFM’s most eminent historian, JK, has a crack at the impossible and tries to see who was the greatest of the tsuna wearers
Takanobori – former sekiwake, former NHK man and all ’round gent
Kitanoumi-beya, Kitazakura, mirrors & photo bonanza
Kazuyoshi Yoshikawa (son of the late sekiwake Takanobori) on life in sumo way back when
Behind every good man there stands a good woman – read and ye shall see. A departure from our regular 101 feature
plus much more through the lens of our photographers
Lon gives us his Hatsu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results
Mikko Mattila covers lower division goings on in detail
Pierre predicts the Haru Basho banzuke while Mark highlights the ones to look out for in Osaka
Mikko takes us on a tour of his chosen kimarite
John’s unique bimonthly view of sumo news from outside the dohyo and in the restaurants!
SFM’s own Alexander Nitschke covers the long running Hoshitori Game
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today
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
made you a sumo fan? A unique perspective from a sightless reader.
readers had to say since our last issue
Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
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averting defeat by slinging the yokozuna out by kotenage, he effectively took both of them out of the running by disabling Asashoryu and rendering the yokozuna powerless against Tochiazuma on senshuraku. No other single bout changed the basho so profoundly, and since we still don’t know how badly Asashoryu is injured, it may have an effect on the next one too. No contest in calling this one.
In truth, Tochiazuma’s serendipity saved the basho from the scrap heap because if
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he had just posted his average numbers, you would have probably seen a sekiwake and a hiramaku rikishi duking it out for the Emperor’s cup, since ozeki Chiyotaikai and Kaio were kyujo from days 8 and 9, respectively. Now that he has broken Asashoryu’s hold on the cup, there is no question that the eyes of a nation will be on Tochiazuma in Osaka as he strives to stand beside Asashoryu, draped in the tsuna. For those fans – whether they be Japanese or not – who feel that sumo must have a Japanese yokozuna to thrive, all of his
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matches will be preceded by draining spells of anticipation, unless he is already eliminated. Considering all the heavenly bodies that had to line up to produce this yusho, and his evident inability to even stay on the dohyo, I am less than hopeful. But there was always Kotozakura, wasn’t there? Well, thanks for watching, and until next time… so long for now (stolen from Dave Wiggins, whom I dearly hope has more pancake time left on his plate).
Henka Sightings Summary
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