Yokozuna Comparisons
Joe Kuroda
SFM’s historian, JK, wraps his two-part article on the greatest of the tsuna wearers

Amateur Sumo's Global Aspirations
Courtesy: International Sumo Federation
What exactly is it and furthermore, what does it do? The ISF explain themselves and their purpose in existing

Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
Man or myth? Sumo's first yokozuna comes under the spotlight

Heya Peek
Barbara Ann Klein
Tokitsukaze-beya and its famous find themselves the target of Barbara's peek into life inside the heya

SFM Interview
Mark Buckton
Featuring interviews with amateur sumo's European Sumo Union General Secretary and the President of the newly founded Irish Sumo Federation

Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
Would chanko exist without sumo? What is chanko anyway? Find out in Sumo 101

Photo Bonanza
See the Haru
Basho through the eyes of the fans in the seats as SFM gives the mantle of photographer(s) for this basho to Barbara & Gerald Patten. And don't miss our all-Mongolian Bonanza supplied by our Editor, Barbara Ann Klein

Haru Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Haru Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers the lower division goings on like nobody else around

Natsu Basho Forecast
Mark Buckton
Mark Buckton glances back to look forward in his ones to look out for come May

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Our man Mikko takes us on a tour of his chosen kimarite

Sumo in Print
Mark Buckton
Our gaming thread takes a break for April so we can look at the Spanish language book on the sport not long since released

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Facilitator – Lon Howard
April's man VS monkey debate covers the issue of reducing the number of honbasho

SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
Sit back and enjoy the offerings

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that
made you a sumo fan? Thierry Perran lets us in on his reasons for loving this sport

Readers’ Letters
See what some
See what our featured letter is for this issue

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

rarely did we have the same courses twice. For certain, we never ate the same things in two different heya. In fact, even in the same heya, the meals were different depending upon the venue. Contingent upon whether we ate in Tokyo or, say, Osaka, the number of breakfast guests was different, as was the variety of dishes served – and the company of rikishi.

In Tokyo, there were rarely others participating at the same time as our little group of two or three. But in Osaka, there were tables filled with invitees. On those occasions, the breakfasts were much simpler – just some basic chanko and maybe two side dishes, although in one of the heya, a side dish was scrumptiously cooked beef. However, the younger, lower ranks still took care of the guests and could not partake until everyone else was done.

One of the oyakata, at an out-of-Tokyo hon-basho, invited us “upstairs” to socialize. As we sat over a few glasses of tea, an exquisite chanko pot and table service was brought out. Ingredients for an extraordinary chanko nabe were then placed
on the table, and the oyakata proceeded to place each mouth-watering item in the pot. We were salivating with anticipation of the meal to come. After a while, the oyakata's tsukebito came out and beckoned for us to follow him downstairs – where the mass chanko was being served. Well, I guess there really would not have been enough for all four of us upstairs. But, we were somewhat brought down to earth. Now, lest I leave a bad impression, this oyakata is one of the nicest, most caring, most generous and gregarious men I've met anywhere. And I'm sure that had we been expected…… … well, MAYBE we would have eaten at his table. My point, however, before I got carried away is that oyakata eat chanko, too.

There is an eating hierarchy – the highest ranked rikishi eat first, then the next lower in rank, and so on down to the wrestlers at the bottom of the totem pole. And poor things, the latter are usually the ones who must rise up first in the morning. It is also the lower ranking men who are charged with the responsibility of
cooking. This serves many of them well, as is evidenced by the number of former rikishi in the chanko restaurant business!

All around Ryogoku, the home of sumo, one can find restaurants with handwritten, plain or elaborate calligraphics, or even neon signs sporting the hiragana for chanko – . Some eateries in Ryogoku whose specialty is not chanko may have a form of it on the menu, anyway. There is a terrific chanko-ya called “Tanaka”, formerly “Daishoho”, in Asagaya, owned and run by Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka of ISF fame. “Chez Taikai” in the upscale Omotesando area serves a superb, albeit somewhat expensive, chanko nabe. One of ozeki Chiyotaikai's former tsukebito is the head chef there. Generally, the restaurants will make the chanko with hand formed rounds of chopped fish, chicken or meat, rather than the cubes or chunks of whole meat that are found in the heya-style chanko. But wherever you go for chanko during hon-basho, be sure to make reservations.

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