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The NSK - the way forward? |
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Chris Gould
Recent PR efforts would suggest the NSK is waking up to public opinion on the way the sport should be run. CG takes a look at some of the efforts underway as sumo looks to move it up to the next level.
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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Tamanoumi - a man taken well before his time - whilst still an active yokozuna, comes into focus. A rough diamond just starting to shine or a flash in the pan? You decide having read through JK's excellent analysis of one of sumo's less well known yokozuna of modern times.
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SFM Interview |
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Nagoya and TV filming has delayed the recording and release of the latest SFM sekitori interview - our highest ranker to date. Keep checking back in the days / weeks following the basho to see just what this multi-yusho winner has to say when confronted with SFM's interview team.
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Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
EB lets rip on sumo groupies - those camera toting 'friends' of the rikishi more often than not known for turning chance encounters into deep and meaningful relationships that make it tricky for the rest of us to watch up close and personal at asageiko.
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Natsu Basho Summary |
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Lon Howard
Lon runs us through the events at last month's Natsu Basho - and of course includes his take on things Bulgarian and Kotooshu's first yusho - to date?!
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Nagoya Basho - Ones To Watch |
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Alexander Herrmann
Nagoya - hottest basho of the year is often said to be the site of strange events à la sumo - and this year we have our very own Alex Herrmann trying to figure out what we can expect to see in Japan's sweltering Aichi Gymnasium.
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Heya Peek #1 |
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Chris Gould
There's something special about making it to the changing rooms of your sport's heroes - and in the case of sumo that is of course the 'shitakubeya'. There are two - the east and west. Chris G reports from one.
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Heya Peek #2 |
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Enatsu Watanabe / Mark Buckton
Been there before, but Kokonoe is always worth a second visit as the heya has a couple of interesting young lads to keep an eye on.
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Heya Rivals |
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Mark Buckton
Rivalry is supposedly discouraged in sumo but is never too far away, bubbling below the surface - something MB looks at in this first in a run of pieces on an emerging, as of yet unnoticed rivalry developing in Kokonoe.
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Photo Bonanzas |
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Chris Gould / Mark Buckton
MB and CG throw in a few from the Natsu Basho in Tokyo.
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Sumo Menko |
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Ryan Laughton
Back with menko of old, the detective work of RL hits a brief bump in the road in IDing some of the oldies - but nothing capable of derailing his infectious interest in this aspect of the sport.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
University sumo and the earliest known origins of amateur sumo fall under HG's gaze this issue with the set up in Japan covered in more detail than most will have ever imagined possible.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Todd Lambert
SFM's TL scours the WWW and introduces us to three more of the lesser known sumo sites out there - again à la Nihongo as this is truly where the gems lie. Time to dust off those dictionaries if you didn't last time.
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I was there - I remember |
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SA
From fishmonger to sushi chef, all the time an avid fan of sumo, SA in northern Tokyo tells it how it is / was / always has been in his septuagenarian eyes.
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Morph Corner |
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Olivia Nagioff
Morphing part VII - unique to SFM - and thanks to the imagination of our own Olivia Nagioff - some weird changing images of several of sumo's finest.
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SFM Cartoons |
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Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
Sit back and enjoy this issue's cartoon bonanza courtesy of the SFM men in Thailand and Malaysia.
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Sumo Odds & Ends |
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SFM's interactive elements, as always including Henka Sightings and Elevator Rikishi - Lon and Ben do their stuff.
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Readers' Letters |
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See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens.
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News Snippets!
Joe Kuroda
Tamanoumi and Kitanofuji were jointly promoted to yokozuna after
the January 1970 tournament, and for the next two years their rivalry
on the dohyo coupled with their contrasting personalities piqued
the public's interest,...
Read more...
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Chris Gould
Although the words 'Japan' and 'sound public relations' are rarely
used in the same sentence, the Japan Sumo Association has
launched a concerted PR initiative to boost the flagging popularity of
a time honoured tradition.
Read more...
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Olivia Nagioff
What will happen to Takamisakari if he pumps himself up any further?
See more...
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Enatsu Watanabe
The heya building ... is one of the most modern
heya, certainly one of the largest, and from the usual work ethic
demonstrated within, a heya those in any century past would be
proud to set foot. No slackers here, no cutting
corners or joviality when sweat and effort is the name of the game
– Kokonoe is about business.
Read more...
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Like most Japanese over the age of 60, SA, as he wants to be
referred to, recalls with great clarity the decade in sumo that
saw Taiho reign supreme, Kashiwado play an important
and effective supporting role, and the other yokozuna and ozeki of
the time sit, for the most part on the sidelines as sumo history was
created.
Read more...
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For all the sumo related news, views, tournament
coverage and historical analysis you will ever need -
in English, French, German and Spanish.
We welcome your comments so if you have
something to say please mail us at
editor@sumofanmag.com.
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You Could Be Advertising Here!
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Sumo Fan Magazine (SFM) logo and slogan are © Copyright 2005 by Sumo
Fan Magazine. Furthermore, all submissions and other content found on
this site are © Copyright 2005-2008 SFM and the writers, photographers and
artists who produced them, except where otherwise indicated. No part
may be reproduced in any form, without express written permission of
SFM.
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fx Service
(Foreign Exchange) |
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Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director – Japan
Mark Buckton
Editor
Carolyn Todd
Assistant Editor
Olivia Nagioff
Staff Writers
Eric Blair
Howard Gilbert
Chris Gould
Lon Howard
Joe Kuroda
Todd Lambert
Ryan Laughton
SFM Interactive
Ben Doolan
Website System Admin & Hosting
Alisdair Davey
Magazine & Website Layout Designer
Olivia Nagioff
Cartoonists
Benny Loh
Stephen Thompson
Staff Translators
Denis Chaton – French
Alexander Herrmann – German
Eduardo de Paz – Spanish
SFM Interpreter
Enatsu Watanabe
SUMO ARTIST
Lynn Matsuoka
Asanowaka
was a classic looking figure in sumo, and briefly carried the sword
during Akebono's dohyo-iri. He was incredibly funny and would say some
things other rikishi wouldn't dare say. He was, of course, famous for
his froglike shikiri for which the Kyokai kept reprimanding him, the
crowd loved it! This ink jet print, ed. 100, 9.5 x 11 inches is signed
and numbered by the artist, available for $550. from the studio. Please
contact artist@aloha.net
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