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.

  only managed a 4-3 after a solid 13-1 career start. Another Georgian, Tsukasaumi (Kokkai's brother), missed the first bout due to injury but maintained his winning record streak by winning 4 of his 6

Tsukasaumi














bouts at Sd34. Nakaita, who won the jonidan yusho three basho ago, has been seriously outclassed in sandanme and returns to jonidan with a telling 5-16 aggregate record of his three-basho sandanme stint.

Also in jonidan, the yusho went to a rikishi used to competing at
higher levels. Musashigawa-
beya's 25-year-old Yamasaki has been as high as Ms16 but plummeted down due to a severe injury requiring a three-
basho absence. In his second come-back basho in jonidan, he caused the first career loss to Takunishiki and then easily defeated Daishoyu in the play-
off between 7-0 rikishi. Both Takunishiki and Daishoyu will be closely observed in their
sandanme debut in the Nagoya basho. Former makushita

Daishoyu
















 tsukedashi Hakiai underwent a knee operation and made his come-back after a three-basho absence. He started well with 3-0 at Jd49 but then lost to injury again. Sadly, the future looks grim for the former college champion.

Jonokuchi was filled with new rikishi as is usual in May. Shimoda's team mates Sakaizawa and Kitazono were among the strong newcomers as well as well-built Georgian Toshinoshin. Sakaizawa's physical measurements are respectable (187cm, 161kg) and he evidently isn't a stranger to the more technical sumo moves, as his winning kimarite included shitatehineri (against Toshinoshin) and kakenage. Toshinoshin lost to Sakaizawa and Kitazono, and ultimately achieved 5-2. Two other college rikishi, Mori and Shimizu, had a good 6-1 start, both losing only to Sakaizawa.

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