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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Hidenoyama, one of the sport's earliest 'real' yokozuna back in the early days comes under the all seeing glare of sumo's premier historian Joe Kuroda in an epic tale of then and now – some names you will still recognise while others have long since fallen into disuse.
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Azumazeki or Jesse – call him what you will |
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Chris Gould
A boy from Hawaii once came to Japan and made enough waves and cut enough of a swathe through the local mindset of the time to be recognised as one of the most popular sekitori of all time. His name was Jesse – Azumazeki Oyakata of late – and this is a piece we have been keeping on ice for over two years.
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Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
Eric's observations go a long way in the world of sumo – the dying world of sumo in as far as WWW forum-based coverage goes – stats and all to back his point.
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Natsu Basho Summary |
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Chris Gould
Chris G takes over Lon's slot and will hopefully prove to be a worthy successor to Lon's wonderful pieces these past few years. Have a read and see what you think but with Chris closer than most to sumo, you should get a few interesting insights.
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Nagoya Basho 2009 - Ones To Watch |
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Alexander Herrmann
Nagoya and the oppressive heat of summer are already upon us and so too that means is the Nagoya OTW offering by our very own AH. Perhaps one of the more difficult jobs – predicting a rikishi's performance in an upcoming basho – AH has it down to a tee.
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Heya Peek |
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Chris Gould
Isegahama-beya. The new building in Kinshicho may only have opened in late 2007, but it already plays host to an ozeki and a respected upper-maegashira.
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Photo Bonanzas |
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Chris Gould
SFM's Ed CG puts his increasing camera skills through their paces with joint basho and museum bonanzas. With SFM the only non-Japanese language agency cleared to take images in the Sumo Museum – these are pics (of the Kokugikan's 100 years of history) you will see nowhere else. And, FWIW, the museum now turn to the SFM Ed and E-i-C for advice on exhibits and their labelling!
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Sumo Menko |
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Ryan Laughton
Ryan completes his comprehensive menko database - the first of its kind on the WWW.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
Howard Gilbert makes a massive effort to cover both the recent Oceania tourney Down Under in Australia (where he took part himself) and also touches upon the latest ISF cancellation of a Sumo World Championship – the 2009 version intended for North Africa.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Chris Gould
Wicked, wicked, wicked – have a look and see what we mean. Arguably the very best yet!
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Let's Hear From You |
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Ichiro Katsuta
Ichiro Katsuta, born in the 1970s and working in the city, explains how a relatively young Japanese man was converted into a sumo-lover.
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Morph Corner |
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Olivia Nagioff
Morphing into form once more on SFM's hallowed dohyo - another collection of images unique in their ability to change shape, form and the like before 'reappearing' as they started out. An image of sumo unique to SFM.
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Readers' Letters |
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See what one of our readers thought about our last issue – all in, but particularly on the Koten piece by Michiko Fukuda.
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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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One of the saddest parts of SFM for many a year. We will soon be losing one of our main men in form but not in spirit. Lon Howard writes to you all here to explain the situation.
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Harumafuji picture show!
 Tribute to Azumazeki
In honour of Azumazeki's recent retirement, we have two features:
Heya Peek
describes a visit to his stable two years ago and
Kokugi Konnections
focuses on key points in his career as Takamiyama and on his retirement from the ring. |
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Joe Kuroda
One of Japan’s most popular hot spring areas, Kesennuma, in Miyagi
Prefecture (the area known as the land of Rikuzen at the time) was
Hidenoyama Raigoro’s birthplace. Born Tatsugoro Kukuta in 1808, he was
the fifth son of a farmer...
Read more...
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Olivia Nagioff
- Can a rikishi have too
much lunch?
- Who's having a ball?
- Who's as sweet as candy?
See more...
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Howard Gilbert
I had been looking forward to writing this column for two months,
as I was going to focus on the 2009 Oceania Sumo Championships held on
May 31 on the Gold Coast, Australia. Part of my excitement in writing
about this event is that I was involved as an athlete at my first truly
overseas international event... 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 2005-2009 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
Chris Gould
Staff Writers
Eric Blair
Howard Gilbert
Lon Howard
Joe Kuroda
Todd Lambert
Ryan Laughton
Contributing Photographer
Haruna Miyashita
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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