Brothers in Sumo –
part one

Brian Lewin
Brothers no longer active on the dohyo come under the SFM microscope

NHK & the Ozumo
English Broadcast

Mark Buckton
A visit to NHK, years of watching the show and the opinions of our Ed-in-Chief

Hanging With the Rikishi
Barbara Ann Klein
Barbara Ann Klein recounts her experiences with the “boys” in a pictorial diary series

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
A look at a rikishi of yesteryear with Chiyonoyama – our man for December

Sumo Exhibit at the
Edo-Tokyo Museum

Barbara Ann Klein
SFM’s Editor takes in the exhibit celebrating 80 years of the Japan Sumo Association at this famous Tokyo museum

Heya Peek
John Gunning
John’s early morning trip to Hakkaku – a visit that almost didn’t happen

SFM Interview
Dave Wiggins sits down
with SFM’s Mark Buckton to discuss the broadcast scene – and maple syrup

Photo Bonanza
What a collection – All-Japan Sumo Tournament, Hakkaku-
beya visit and sumo exhibits at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Kyushu Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Kyushu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results, and his take on the year in brief

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers lower division ups and downs

Hatsu Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark
Buckton
Pierre predicts the Hatsu Basho banzuke while Mark previews the ones to watch for in January

Sumo 101
Eric Blair
Eric explains all you need to know and then some about the Kokugikan building – the mecca of sumo

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko walks us through his chosen kimarite in expert fashion

Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of news from outside the dohyo

Online Gaming
Eric Blair
For the lowdown on Guess the Kotomitsuki – baby of SFM’s John Gunning

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Intra heya bouts –
OK or not? See what our debaters had to say

SFM Cartoons
Stephen Thompson
In the second of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and enjoy ST’s offerings

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that made you a sumo fan? American Todd Defoe tells all

Readers’ Letters
See what SFM readers had to say since our last issue

Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

  Guess the Kotomitsuki

by Eric Blair

banzuke – and Mitsuki himself. Answers can be accepted till the Friday before shonichi of a given basho.

  • Does he beat either Chiyotaikai or Asashoryu?
  • What day does he secure his kachikoshi / make-koshi?
  • Who is the highest ranked rikishi he defeats?
  • Who will he face on the last day?
  • Does he win that senshuraku bout?

  • Look easy? Even if not, simple enough to enter? – give it a go then – GTK isn’t a high tech game played by hundreds. It’s a game brought about by the passion of one man for a rikishi he has followed since he first got into the sport – and that in itself makes it a real fan’s game. By the fan for the fans, as we say.

    Sumo Forum
    Home

    Each issue we ask the creators
    from the online sumo gaming world
    to tell us just what makes their games tick.
    Enjoy.



    When it first appeared on Sumo Forum in late 2004, Guess the Kotomitsuki (GTK) needed a bit of explaining. Several people were confused as to why guessing the basho ins and outs of a single sekitori would qualify as a game.

    Today, just over a dozen short months later, and with half a dozen GTKs behind us, the confusion has shifted to fierce competition bar for a few regular newbie questions, and sees an ever increasing number of players vie for the numerous prizes offered by the founder –

    SFM’s very own Editor of things photography – John Gunning – prizes that generally include tegata (Mitsuki’s being one of course), banzuke and more.

    Set up to run exclusively on the ‘Games’ vein of Sumo Forum, John, aided by the more than able gamester, Jejima, accepts result forecasts on a variety of questions based on perennial non-ozeki, Kotomitsuki, of course – some standards of which are listed below although they do change from time to time to take into account real life issues surrounding the
     
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