Attention to Akeni Carolyn Todd SFM's newest addition to the writing staff takes an in-depth look at akeni, their history and production techniques Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda slides former yokozuna Minanogawa under his SFM microscope Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric's wit scythes through the SML and makes clear his opinion of where the future lies for online sumo forums. Eternal Banzuke Phase II Lon Howard Stats, equations and mathematics all lead to a list of sumo's most prolific up and downers Matta-Henka: Another View Lon Howard A row that will never be fully decided but Lon gives his impressions on it all the same Heya Peek Mark Buckton Mihogaseki, former home of Estonian sekitori Baruto is toured (and peeked at) by SFM's Editor-in-Chief SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews shin-komusubi Kokkai Photo Bonanza See the Nagoya basho and Akeni photo bonanzas Nagoya Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon gives us his Nagoya basho summary, along with the henka sightings results Lower Division Rikishi Mikko Mattila Mikko Mattila casts his watchful eye over lower division goings on in makushita and below. Aki Ones to Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn takes over the job of rikishi job performance prediction for SFM as she looks at those to keep an eye on come September Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Our man Mikko's latest trio of kimarite get thrown about the SFM literary dohyo Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert Howard returns with the second of his columns on the amateur sumo scene. Sumo Game SFM's very own quiz comes in for a bit of self scrutiny by our secretive man of questions. We'll call him 'X'. Sumo in Print Barbara Ann Klein SFM’s Editor reviews “The Little Yokozuna”, a book for “young” (and older) adults Kokugi Connections Todd Lambert Check out Todd's bimonthly focus on 3 of the WWW's best sumo sites Fan Debate Facilitator - Lon Howard Keri Sibley and Eduardo de Paz  ponder the concept of ‘to pay or not to pay’ makushita salaries SFM Cartoons Stephen Thompson Sit back and enjoy the offerings of one of sumo's premier artists Lets Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? SFM’s own Todd Lambert details his path into sumofandom Readers' Letters See what our readers had to say since we last went out Sumo Quiz The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

shrine and pictures of past greats – including his father - Masuiyama I. A relatively dark dohyo with much of its illumination coming in through the always open and warehouse style main sliding doors can be a tad annoying to watch for extended periods. Indeed, this may be the reason the rikishi seem to venture outside at regular intervals lest they lose their sight like Pacific Ocean bottom-feeders. Between the entrance door itself and the step up to the tatami viewing area, several weights, bars and benches, that look like they could have featured in the first Rocky movie (1976), sit forlornly – covered in rust and apparently long forgotten. The door to the rear of this ‘weight training facility’ is essentially closed to visitors as it leads off to rikishi showers on the left, and a brief right turn leads to a couple of flights of bare, long since painted steps, up to a concrete-floored kitchen facility having a 12- or 16-odd tatami eating area with small round tables regularly spaced. Spartan, to say the least, and adjacent to an almost bare 40-tatami size communal living area with just a couple of small televisions and storage cupboards, - that is just about all there is to see at Mihogaseki-beya.

The noticeable lack of creature comforts notwithstanding, Mihogaseki oozes sumo and oozes ‘welcome’ in that quiet unassuming sumo way. The various oyakata  have always made

by the entrance, spotless keikoba with all of the modern conveniences – in as far as sumo has them - and a museum-like toilet for visitors. Mihogaseki does lack the decorations and ‘just so’

Mihogaseki-Beya

a point of nodding a welcome to me and any others I have seen attend asageiko, as have the higher ranked rikishi – most notably Satoyama, Baruto and Shiraishi. Only on a second or third visit does the building’s age become apparent and the run down fixtures and fittings that have seen better days come into view, but in doing so, it simply adds to the character of the place. This is not a heya in the manner of Musashigawa with its high-tech office

layout of Kasugano and Tamanoi, but for many old schoolers, this is a ‘sumo stable’ as sumo stables should be – at least it smells that way. After all, don’t forget that when Rocky whooped Apollo second time around, all he had was a grim training facility and the then Springsteen-free streets of Philadelphia to run through. His ‘movie hunger’ took him to the top. Mihogaseki will one day return. Home