Sumo Fan Magazine

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.

Nagoya Ones To Watch

Text by Mark Buckton
Photos by Barbara Ann Klein

sumo we saw in Natsu come July 9th and I wouldn't be surprised if we see him squeezing in with another set of double figures, so 10-5 and an ozeki scalp or two along the way.

Daishoyu – Japanese-
American Daishoyu of Oitekaze Beya was recently the target of some MTV types as they were putting together whatever MTV puts together nowadays. Interest from those looking for more of a gimmick than a true sportsman notwithstanding, this teenager from Tokyo's Arakawa-ku can expect a lot more attention in the months and years ahead if he continues in his present form. Of stout build but not overly tall, Daishoyu has already put together a couple of kachikoshi and is likely to be whizzing up the banzuke pretty fast for the foreseeable future. I wouldn't expect anything different from his trailblazing start when he takes to the dohyo in Nagoya, and predict he could be up there competing with or just behind his division's yusho winners this time. 6-1.

Jumonji – Jumonji has been around for ever – or so it seems. He is one of my personal faves and is ranked far too low this

Next

I usually like to start this column with the lower rankers, perhaps makushita, occasionally even lower than that, and then to work my way up to those in sanyaku.

This time out however, I'm going to start by covering an individual in makunouchi whom we will all be watching from day one and the person SFM was fortunate enough to interview for this issue of the magazine; the Mihogaseki maegashira Baruto.

Read on if you will, agree or disagree at leisure and, of course, feel free to pick me up on the calls I make that end up flat on their face and caked in sand, by sending a mail to our letters page via editor@sumofanmag.
com

Baruto – We are watching – he knows we are watching in our non-Japanese multitudes, but all he did was shrug when asked how he feels about the fans around the world watching his

every shiko and swilling around of the ‘power water.’ This is one cool cookie and one whom the majority sees as going far – yours truly included. He knows he is talented but isn't arrogant with it. In what will be just his second makunouchi basho, Estonia's finest will be in the upper ranks of maegashira and will be going against a more skillful and solid range of characters than he faced in May. The word ‘wall’ and comments on him ‘hitting’ it will be bandied around on the Internet, and perhaps even on TV, but if he comes up against a wall, I can only see him walking through it and leaving rubble in his wake – at least this time out. Expect more of the same

Baruto