<DATE> Contents

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.
  traditional and interesting phenomena of the Japanese culture.

The wrestlers... well, some of them are friendlier than others, but I’ll always have all the pictures I took of the rikishi while they entered the Kokugikan. And, of course, photos that I have next to the sumotori, presently active or retired, like ozeki Kaio, former yokozuna Musashimaru, Toki, Kitazakura and even some others who are lower-ranked like Minaminoshima, Gagamaru, Tochinoshin, Kainowaka and Kaisei.


Maybe a lot of people think that 15 days watching sumo could be excessive, but I can assure everyone that it absolutely is not. I must say that the time flies very quickly, and all of a sudden you realize that you are already watching senshuraku bouts and saying good bye to all the feelings of the magic of sumo for the first time in your life. Even one of my friends told me that he had some envy because he would like to feel,

Ozeki Kaio and Me
    

once again, all of the sensations you feel the first time that you travel to Japan to watch sumo. Yes, it could be true that all those sensations are unique and they never return, but I am sure that the next time that I go to Japan to see a bout I’ll have some other special feelings, and I’ll be again sitting in front of the dohyo watching bout after bout.

Maybe someone who has been
reading this article until the end does not know very clearly what these sensations are that I’m talking about, but I can assure all of you that if somebody decides to travel to Japan to see a tournament live, he will experience the same as I did. And this is because sumo is not just a sport, it is much more than that. And it’s necessary to live it live to be able to feel it.
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