Yokozuna Comparisons
Joe Kuroda
SFM’s historian, JK, wraps his two-part article on the greatest of the tsuna wearers

Amateur Sumo's Global Aspirations
Courtesy: International Sumo Federation
What exactly is it and furthermore, what does it do? The ISF explain themselves and their purpose in existing

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
Man or myth? Sumo's first yokozuna comes under the spotlight

Heya Peek
Barbara Ann Klein
Tokitsukaze-beya and its famous find themselves the target of Barbara's peek into life inside the heya

SFM Interview
Mark Buckton
Featuring interviews with amateur sumo's European Sumo Union General Secretary and the President of the newly founded Irish Sumo Federation

Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
Would chanko exist without sumo? What is chanko anyway? Find out in Sumo 101

Photo Bonanza
See the Haru
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

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

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers the lower division goings on like nobody else around

Natsu Basho Forecast
Mark Buckton
Mark Buckton glances back to look forward in his ones to look out for come May

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

Sumo in Print
Mark Buckton
Our gaming thread takes a break for April so we can look at the Spanish language book on the sport not long since released

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Facilitator – Lon Howard
April's man VS monkey debate covers the issue of reducing the number of honbasho

SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
Sit back and enjoy the offerings

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that
made you a sumo fan? Thierry Perran lets us in on his reasons for loving this sport

Readers’ Letters
See what some
See what our featured letter is for this issue

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

  Thing is – he is just too good for this level (antics notwithstanding) and I have therefore got to go with a definite, no doubt about it, get your mortgage papers ready – 9-6 at Natsu. Gulp!

Ama – In the first of a trio of quotes from my previous Ones to Watch – that are all wholly intended as trumpet-blowing pats on the back from me to me: “Ama will have the Osaka crowd behind him as he marches to a hard won 8-7.” Expect more of the same back at the Kokugikan, as the relatively small guy with the lion's heart wins over more fans and sumo's crème de la crème still find him a handful. Prediction – 8-7 with a couple of ozeki scalps on his already crowded belt.

Hakuho – In this column in February, I said: “Look for a title run if in form and a ‘disappointing’ 10-5 if not.” Not a bad call considering he was in form and even featured in a senshuraku play-off against the yokozuna after they both finished the basho 13-2. Given that both went into the last day

Ama

























13-1, I for one didn't expect both to lose, but ate-up the extra bout the regulation time defeats brought about with relish, as I am sure did half the sumo fans alive today. A great in the making, Haru's performance secured him his ozeki ranking and I'll start the nickname now – F2. The Japanese media are
comparing him to Taiho. For me – Futabayama.

Tochiazuma – As with my comments on Hakuho above, I'll start on Tochiazuma by referring back to what I said in our last issue: “Prediction? A good 12-3 but pipped to the yusho by the yokozuna. Oh, and loads of talk about 12-3 being ‘good enough’ but the NSK deciding otherwise.” Whilst not exactly ‘pipped’, the 12-3 was spot on and could / should / would have been good enough for a play-off bout if sumo had never heard of Hakuho. Sumo has heard of Hakuho however, and Tochiazuma must now wait until May to see if a yusho comes his way to carry him to the top of the mountain; on the crest of the ‘carry over rule’. Hard to say it as I have a lot of respect for the ozeki, but I do believe he will be better remembered when his mawashi has dried out for the last time if he DOESN'T make yokozuna. 11-4 in May and an end to the issue.

Home