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SFM’s historian, JK, wraps his two-part article on the greatest of the tsuna wearers
What exactly is it and furthermore, what does it do? The ISF explain themselves and their purpose in existing
Man or myth? Sumo's first yokozuna comes under the spotlight
Tokitsukaze-beya and its famous find themselves the target of Barbara's peek into life inside the heya
Featuring interviews with amateur sumo's European Sumo Union General Secretary and the President of the newly founded Irish Sumo Federation
Would chanko exist without sumo? What is chanko anyway? Find out in Sumo 101
Basho through the eyes of the fans in the seats as SFM gives the mantle of photographer(s) for this basho to Barbara & Gerald Patten. And don't miss our all-Mongolian Bonanza supplied by our Editor, Barbara Ann Klein
Lon gives us his Haru Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results
Mikko Mattila covers the lower division goings on like nobody else around
Mark Buckton glances back to look forward in his ones to look out for come May
Our man Mikko takes us on a tour of his chosen kimarite
Our gaming thread takes a break for April so we can look at the Spanish language book on the sport not long since released
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites today
April's man VS monkey debate covers the issue of reducing the number of honbasho
Sit back and enjoy the offerings
made you a sumo fan? Thierry Perran lets us in on his reasons for loving this sport
See what our featured letter is for this issue
Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
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deal of weight. Being in a similar age group, I started having fantasies. Ah, we felt comfortable.
Keiko itself wasn't very intense. There were some head-to-head bouts, but, mostly, the lower ranks did solo exercises. The sekitori stood around pretty much, except for Tokitsuumi, who stretched his back a lot on the edge of the spectator area. From a previous visit, we had the impression that they did the real keiko before or after the visitors left. Some photos later, we would leave after being gestured that practice was finished. No prayer to the gods, no cleaning up the area and getting the dohyo ready for the next time. Nothing. But, we were happy to watch whatever we could.
Then the Rijicho retired in August of 2002.
The following May, we went back to our usual “preferred keiko-watching” heya, including Tokitsukaze-beya. This time, there was a sign on the door to “ring the bell if you want to watch training”. We did, and in Meike's best and most polite Japanese, she asked if we could watch keiko. “No keiko now”, came the response. OK. We put our tails down and went around to another heya instead. I guess we had to call and make an appointment, which we thought we would do. Instead, we saw Tokitenku at the Kokugikan – or
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was it later that evening? – and asked HIM if we could watch keiko the next day. He said yes. We said “YES!”.
The following day, we ignored the sign and went right on in. One or two rikishi were there, but no sekitori. One wrestler gestured for us to take zabuton, so we did and sat primly and properly, not a peep out of us. Eventually, Shimotori came out, then Tokitsuumi, then Tokitenku, I believe. They stood around and talked and then one would go back behind the noren, then another one. Again, a few of the lower ranks did some exercises, a little head-to-head, and a lot of standing around. Tokitsuumi came out and stretched against the wall. Then, he disappeared. We could hear a lot of talking and laughing in the back, but, now that I think of it – oddly, there was no smell of chanko in the air as there had been in each and every other heya we visited. Eventually, one of the boys told us that keiko was finished, so we left in a state of puzzlement, but not before we took pictures with Tokitenku and Shimotori . This happened the next couple of times we went to Tokitsukaze-beya, (without the photo ops) but the best was yet to come.
In May of last year, we went to Tokitsukaze – remember, we ALWAYS go to Tokitsukaze. Went in, sat on zabuton, took a few photos, watched Takahashi
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do a bit. Watched the lower ranks exercise by themselves, watched the sekitori watch the lower ranks. Watched the rikishi go behind the noren, one by one, then watched one or two come back out. Then watched THEM go back in. Then watched an empty dohyo. No one told us that keiko was finished, so we didn't dare be rude and leave. So we sat there for about 20 minutes all alone. Then, we left.
Usually, rikishi hang around outside the heya for a while after keiko is finished. I can't think of any that I've been to where this wasn't the case. Maybe not all the sekitori stay outside for long, but a lot of the lower ranked boys do. At Tokitsukaze, this is not the case. I think we saw a rikishi outside just once or twice. The first time, we saw a young boy drinking green tea – now Tsuchihashi – and took a photo with him. And, I think we were able to do this only because the large iron gate to the “backyard” was opened. After the new Tokitsukaze oyakata took over, the gate was closed, so, even if we did see someone, it would be like trying to talk to a person in a zoo cage.
We'll go back in May. We ALWAYS go to Tokitsukaze. In the meantime, please enjoy the photos accompanying this article, which were taken over the years.
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