SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo Chris Gould Chris sinks his teeth into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger fans - currently so noticeable by their absence. The first of a three-part series. Sumo World Championships Mark Buckton Mark Buckton reports from Sakai near Osaka, site of the latest Sumo World Championships. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda finishes off his look at former yokozuna Minanogawa. Sumo 101 / Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric expains sumo fan terminology - with the inevitable twist - for those just getting into the sport and still subject to the know it alls. Age stands still for no man Joe Kuroda Former ozeki Kiyokuni will retire in November under the compulsory '65 and you are out' rule. JK takes a look at this quiet earth mover. Feel the Sumo Eduardo de Paz Read and feel the renowned Leonishiki's passion for all things sumo at his first live event. SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews Colin Carroll - again - Irish star of Sakai. Photo Bonanza See the Aki Basho bonanza as well as the largest collection of pics you are likely to see on the Sumo World Championships earlier in October. Aki Basho Summary   Lon Howard Lon wraps the September Aki Basho and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure. Lower Division Rikishi   Mikko Mattila The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eye of things 'beneath the curtain'. Kyushu Ones To Watch   Carolyn Todd Carolyn shares her thoughts on whom to keep an eye on in Fukuoka. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest clarification of several of the sport's plethora of kimarite. Amateur Angles   Howard Gilbert Howard Gilbert - manager of New Zealand's amateur sumo team takes a look at the approaching Russians. Kokugi Konnections   Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online. Fan Debate   Facilitator - Lon Howard Jesse Lake and Rich Pardoe hammer out their differences on a current furor - promotion criteria. SFM Cartoons    Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and enjoy Benny Loh's offerings and put a caption to Stephen Thompson's picture to win yourselves a banzuke. Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends    SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Lets Hear From You   What was it that made you a sumo fan? Kevin Murphy reveals all. Readers' Letters   See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens. Sumo Quiz    The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

Feel The Sumo Text and Photo by Eduardo de Paz

you can witness is the tremendous competitiveness in all the categories. You can go to see the bouts with the idea that in the lower divisions, the wrestlers are small, thin and with little technique, but the reality is that practically all those who go up to the dohyo to fight, do it convinced of their force and demonstrate a repertory of techniques and power that astonishes everybody. And, seeing the bouts of makushita, you can understand how difficult is to reach to the upper categories, because the level is very similar to juryo and sometimes even to the lower part of makuuchi. One of the most incredible moments of all the trip is when finally you begin to put faces to all those names with whom, over the years, you have shared your passion about sumo: Mark, John, Barbara, Katrina, Rob, Harumi, Martina, Doreen, David, Verena... and, I even was able to spread this passion to new fellows - two friends from Barcelona whom I met in the hotel, and who decided to get up very early on senshuraku to be able to get two tickets to enter the Kokugikan, so they could enjoy one of the most Next

Thanks to today’s modern communications and transportation, Tokyo is no longer so far away. It’s not so expensive either, or at least very similar to many of the main European cities. None of the reasons that until now have stopped you from travelling to Japan can be an excuse not to decide to get your plane tickets and run to see a live sumo match. And there is no one better place to do it than Tokyo, the world-wide center of this sport. It’s difficult to explain the sensations that one has upon arriving in Narita airport.  Nerves at the time of beginning the dream trip, some fear about confronting the complicated and strange Japanese kanji, uncertainty because of the cultural difference between east and west... all of these things are an explosive mixture that causes everything that is exciting from the first day. If you are a baseball fan, without

a doubt you must visit Yankee Stadium in New York; if your favorite sport is football (soccer) you would like to travel to Madrid to visit the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium; if you like basketball you’ll enjoy it at the Boston Garden. BUT, if you want to see sumo, there is no place in the world like the Ryogoku Kokugikan. And yes, there it was - inviting me to enter from the first day, even before the matches had begun - with the arrogance of the owner of all the secrets and the most appreciated treasures for all the sumo fans. A sumo tournament inside the Kokugikan is not a casual one. The atmosphere you breathe from the first day is really special. The smell of the bintsuke on the rikishi’s hair catches you from the first moment, and the magic of the fight - live! -  makes it like no other sport that can compare when speaking about flexibility and elegance. Perhaps a greater surprise that