Nagoya Nears
Eric Blair
As Nagoya nears, EB gets a head start on the pack by focussing on points of interest, past and present surrounding sumo's hottest basho

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
The 42nd yokozuna Kagamisato falls under the JK microscope

Heya Peek
Barbara Ann Klein
Kokonoe-beya and the Chiyo Boys

SFM Interview
Mark Buckton
SFM's Ed-in-Chief interviews Estonian up and comer Baruto

Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
SFM's Editor looks at all the twists and turns involved in the tsunauchi-shiki and adds a photo bonanza to boot

Photo Bonanza
See the Natsu
Basho and Kokonoe-beya photo bonanzas

Natsu Basho Summary
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Natsu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila lets you know what is going on down below the curtain

Nagoya Ones to Watch
Mark Buckton
MB's mixed bag of things to look out for in Nagoya

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Our man Mikko takes us on a tour of several defensive oriented kimarite

Amateur Angles
Howard Gilbert
The first of our regular column pieces on the amateur sumo scene from a man who knows more than most

Sumo Game
Bruce Rae
For a look at his very own: PTYW (Pick The Yusho Winners)

Sumo in Print
Barbara Ann Klein
SFM's Editor reviews the newly published biography of Akebono, Gaijin Yokozuna – but sees it as more than just a biography

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Check out Todd's bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites around

Fan Debate
Facilitator – Lon Howard
Sumo author Mina Hall and long long time fan Jim Bitgood discuss how to make sumo more entertaining – if such a concept is even necessary

SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson		  
Sit back and enjoy the offerings of sumo's premier artists

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that
made you a sumo fan? James Vath in rural Japan lets us in on his gateway to the sport

Readers’ Letters
See what our readers had to say since we last went out

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

  former Takamiyama's stable, evoke images of a manner of servitude likely not seen since feudalism. The cruelty and derision shown to the lowest rank, but ever-so-more hurtful given the language barrier, are graphically recounted. Chad's rise above this, his opportune meeting with a trainer who would teach him that roll-up-
your-eyes-until-only-the-whites-
show self-hypnosis (which we have been calling stink-eye), and his fierce rivalry with the Taka-Waka boys are at the very least, exceptionally engrossing.

But not only does the book follow Chad, as he is called throughout, it also recounts a story of the highs and lows of the Rowan family – a tale of a bus driver father, Randy, suffering from what would be a fatal illness; a loving but stern mother, Jan, who could “lick” her sons (as well as their father) with the best of them; Chad's brother, Ola, an aspiring rikishi who would become involved with an element of the yakuza and wind up running away from the same heya that took in Chad.

Much is written about Chad's best friend, George Kalima, the former Yamato of Magaki-beya, who, after eight years in sumo, never recovered fully from an
auto accident and retired prematurely from a sport in which he surely would have excelled. In fact, much is written about all of the other Hawaiian/Samoan rikishi – and we probably, at long last, have the definitive account of why Konishiki was never promoted to the ultimate rank, primarily from the then-rijicho Dewanoumi's own remarks. There is also an hilarious account by Percy Kipapa (the former Daiki and tsukebito to Akebono, who was tragically murdered in May 2005) of the Sumo Mailing List's own Kawika, aka Dave Meisenzahl, challenging Yamato, then Akebono, to sumo bouts in a bar somewhere in Tokyo. You have to read it to believe it – I'm not sure any of us did when Kawika posted this to the list some 5-6 years ago.

Despite what I have written above, do not think that the book is just about Chad Rowan. There is a great amount of narrative about the sport itself without even a mention of the yokozuna's name – and I must admit, these are the parts that gave me goose bumps. The author's description of and feeling about the Kokugikan when seeing it for the first time; the brutality of butsukari-geiko
and matawari during asageiko, the silence in the Kokugikan during the lowest ranked rikishis' bouts – these were and are also reflections of my own initial and ongoing emotions. Goose bumps, chicken skin – whatever it is called in your culture – it's an amazing portrait of sumo experiences.

Yes, this biography covers many, many people in addition to Chad, gives the reader some inside gossip, and relates information about sumo-do – the sumo way of life – in a more pointed, as well as poignant, manner than I've ever read before. All of this represents the underpinnings to Chad's career and is a welcome addition to the dearth of English language sumo books. I would like to have seen a few more photos (they are in black and white) and, perhaps, additions to the glossary, including some of the pidgin English and Hawaiian terms, but all in all, I recommend this book very highly.

And, just wait until you read about Chad's final encounter with Kokonoe Oyakata, the former Chiyonofuji.

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