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.

 

Shimoda
















at Ms1e, but ended up losing to Shimoda and Asahimaru in the second half. His 5-2 consisted of many pulling moves – admittedly against tough foes like Kageyama, Kimurayama and Koryu. He beat them all in a matter of seconds using the same method of push-pull/yank. Mongolian Ryuo resorted less to pulls and, rather, stuck to his

Kanbayashi














 own forward-going sumo. His 4-3 record at Ms1w was enough for promotion and even warranted a congratulatory kiss from Hakuho's father (Ryuo is Hakuho's stablemate).

Shimoda's main threats to his yusho hunt turned out to be the Musashigawa duo of ex-juryo rikishi Bushuyama and Miyamoto. Bushuyama spent all of 2004 in juryo, but dropped out after Hatsu 2005, and has

Bushuyama













been earning his pocket money in makushita ever since – with mediocre results. Whether he may have been weakened by a succession of injuries is unknown, but he certainly made a positive impression during Natsu. While 6-1 at Ms22 was a good result, as such, it was more the quality of his sumo that lay as evidence of his tuned-up condition. He started the basho with five straight wins, showing substantial power in his
favoured hidari-yotsu stance. In his sixth bout, he lost to Shimoda but completed the basho with a superb win over Kageyama.

Still, Bushuyama earns a prize of being the most invigorated ex-
juryo fighter in makushita. Not only was he very strong in his sumo, he was clearly in sharp shape mentally, too, demonstrating his pleasure after his strong wins and discontent after his slap-down by Shimoda. Bushuyama's stablemate, 27-year-old Miyamoto, was close to his highest rank ever at Ms28 and surprisingly found himself at 6-0, going against Shimoda in a yusho deciding bout. He was overwhelmed by Shimoda, but will rise to new heights on the banzuke thanks to his three oshidashi and three hatakikomi wins.

In addition to Bushuyama, another ex-juryo man in pleasantly rejuvenated shape was Wakatenro from Magaki-beya. He had had a difficult stretch with nagging injuries, but turned up at Natsu in healthy-mode, going all the way to 6-1, and losing only to Bushuyama. His main training partner, Wakanoho, continued

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