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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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Nakano Middle School, participated in national level sumo tournaments and was never beaten. He joined ozumo with his older brother Masaru (later, yokozuna Wakanohana III) and joined the tough training programs of Fujishima-beya, now Futagoyama-beya. His heya-mates in those early days, ozeki Takanonami (current Otowayama oyakata), sekiwake Takatoriki (current Otake oyakata) and sekiwake Akinoshma (current Sendagawa oyakata) went on to have successful careers of their own.
Yokozuna Takanohana quickly set a number of “youngest” records as he progressed through the ranks:
 Makushita yusho – 16 years, 9 months
Juryo promotion – 17 years, 2 months
Makunouchi promotion – 17 years, 8 months
Sansho award – 18 years, 7 months
First kinboshi – 18 years, 9 months
Komusubi promotion – 18 years, 11 months
Sekiwake promotion – 19 years, 1 month
First makunouchi yusho – 19 years, 5 months (Asashoryu won his first at 22 years 1 month)
Ozeki promotion – 20 years, 5 months
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Takanohana won his first makunouchi yusho just 23 basho following his dohyo debut, the same number later needed by Asashoryu, and a record that still stands as the fewest basho to achieve this goal in sumo history.
Takanohana (photo by Barbara Ann Klein)
He also won 7 yusho before his promotion to yokozuna, the most in sumo history, before winning consecutive 15-0 yusho, and with it, promotion to yokozuna at the January 1995 basho.
From March 1993 to November 1997, Takanohana won the yusho or its equivalent 21 times, and was runner-up 5 times. During this period, he
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only had one losing record – at the November 1993 basho – and one kyujo basho, in November 1996.
In January 2003, Takanohana retired and was given a one-
generation toshiyori share. Only three yokozuna, Taiho, Kitanoumi and Chiyonofuji had been similarly granted such by the kyokai for their own outstanding achievements as yokozuna. Yokozuna Taiho has since retired from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai and is currently the Director of the Sumo Museum. Takanohana and Kitanoumi are the only active one-generation toshiyori holders, as former yokozuna Chiyonofuji declined to accept since he planned on inheriting the post of Kokonoe Oyakata instead.
Takanohana officially inherited his father's Futagoyama-beya and renamed it Takanohana-
beya on June 1st, 2004. His father and shisho, Futagoyama oyakata, the former ozeki Takanohana, worked tirelessly as a sumo association director to enhance the popularity of ozumo until his death on May 30th, 2005 from cancer of the mouth. Although Takanohana vowed to carry on his father's legacy, he currently has no
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