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.

  Mongolian makushita rikishi generally had a decent basho. Ryuo earned a promotion to juryo and robust Koryu scored 5-2 at Ms9, finishing the basho with an impressive kotenage against Sawai. He also smothered Wakanoho's sumo by seizing morozashi and muscling him out. Five Mongolians were at a career high rank in makushita. Top dog Ryuo was 4-3 at Ms1, as noted, while Hakuba couldn't carry on his streak of 6-1's. He was manhandled at Ms2 by Kageyama, Takamifuji, Ryuo and Daishodai. Tamawashi, 21, marched to 4-3 at Ms35; Daiki, 23, suffered a narrow make-
koshi at Ms36; and, Taika, 25, notched up 5 wins at Ms51.

Twenty-year-old Hokutokuni, who resembles his stablemate Hokutoriki, took part in his second makushita basho and earned good grades for his performance: 5-2 with energetic pushing sumo, even looking displeased after one win where he obviously didn't do his preferred sumo.

Let's close the makushita chapter with brief comments about some other high makushita rikishi. Daishodai didn't manage to turn the tide and might still be hampered by his knee: 3-4 at Ms2 is
depressing considering he was at J1 as recently as January 2006. Kirinowaka had three 5-2's in a row to build on and he continued his solid sumo with a 4-3 at Ms3. Haru basho yusho winner Kotoyutaka found the atmosphere different at high makushita. Yet, his 2-5 is nothing to be ashamed of since he had very close bouts against Ryuo and Hakuba and wasn't a tourist, even at Ms4. Takamifuji is soon taking up Hochiyama's role as a regular high makushita who never seems to pass the hurdle and get into juryo. He went 3-4 at Ms4 with both good AND bad sumo. Not a very stable performance by him.

In sandanme, the mix of upcoming rikishi from below and rikishi who had experience in makushita is always interesting. There aren't many who would have even considered Maikaze to be a serious yusho contender, despite his juryo experience. He even had a 2-5 record in sandanme in the Haru basho. Yet, he went on to beat everyone, including Fujimoto and Matsumidori. The 19-year-
old Fujimoto from Fukuoka had a losing record in Haru at his career high rank and commented that he was thinking too much. However, in the Natsu basho, he spent less
time over-thinking and used his powerful body to get a 6-1, earning a promotion to makushita. Twenty-year-old Fukunaga from Sakaigawa-beya dropped down from makushita after his first attempt in Haru, but bounced back with satisfying 6-1 record.

Another impressive pair, Masuhikari and Gagamaru, were expected to take part in the sandanme yusho race, but neither had a very astounding

Gagamaru

















basho. By losing to rather mediocre Arauma and Gorikiyama, and having had a couple of hatakikomi wins, Masuhikari didn't appear to have been in the best of conditions. Georgian Gagamaru

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