Sumo Souvenirs   Mark Buckton Second of a two parter on sumo souvenirs - some hints on avoiding the fluff. Konishiki Chris Gould Takamiyama's 60s / 70s successes notwithstanding Konishiki was sumo's first full-on mover and shaker from lands afar leaving Chris G to take an in-depth look at the ripples the big guy left behind when exiting the sumo pool. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda's looks back at the life and times of former yokozuna Shiranui. Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric IDs the true winners of the henkafest that was the Haru Basho senshuraku. Rikishi Diary Mark Kent Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori - takes his training a step further on his road to European and World sumo glory. Heya Peek Mark Buckton Oitekaze Beya just to the north of Tokyo and not far from the abode of SFM's Ed-i-C falls under the microscope. SFM Interview Carolyn Todd Carolyn interviews Riho Rannikmaa during his recent trip to Osaka - head of all things sumo in Estonia, friend and mentor of Baruto, this is a man with something to announce. Sumo à la LA Alisdair Davey SFM's man in the shadows reports on his recent jaunt in LA, as guest of the Californian Sumo Association and SFM reporter at large. Photo Bonanzas Hot on the heels of the recent Ise bonanza - Haru up close and very very personal - some of our best pics to date. Haru Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Haru Basho and chucks in a few bits on the henka issues the top dogs are suffering from at present. Sumo Menko Ryan Laughton Sumo cards of old brought to life once again by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM offerings here - Pt II of III. Natsu Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders the ones to watch come May and Natsu when sumo comes home to Tokyo. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert On your marks, get set, go - Howard Gilbert walks us through the months ahead on the amateur calendar. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's latest selection of the best sumo sites the WWW has to offer. Fan Debate Facilitator - Carolyn Todd Should it or shouldn't it? Honbasho go on the overseas road that is. See what SFM's Chris Gould and James Hawkins have to say. SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample ST's latest artistic offerings. Sumo Odds & Ends SFM's interactive elements - as always includes Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Let's Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan - A. S. - the face in the crowd reveals almost all - to see everything you'll have to close your eyes. Readers' Letters See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens. Sumo Quiz The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself a genuine banzuke.

The 11th Yokozuna Shiranui Koemon   by Joe Kuroda

the Unryu yokozuna.   More sumo fans are eager to see the Shiranui dohyo-iri  performed as there were so few yokozuna who adopted it, the last being the third Wakanohana (Masaru).  Most yokozuna who performed the Shiranui style were either not successful or else had a short tenure as yokozuna.  Of those, the 43rd yokozunaYoshibayama Junnosuke (1920-1977) won no yusho as yokozuna – while in recent memory – the yokozuna careers of Wakanohana III, Asahifuji, Takanosato and Kotozakura were short-lived.  Actually, as his shisho performed the Shirauni style, it is entirely

The 11th yokozuna Shiranui Koemon (may also be known as Mitsuemon) was born in 1825 and died on February 24, 1879.  He has been largely credited with a dohyo-iri style he is said to have initiated and currently one of the two dohyo-iri styles performed by yokozuna.  The other is the Unryu style, which is known to have been originated by the 10th yokozuna Unryu Kyukichi (1822-1890). The dohyo-iri forms by yokozuna Unryu and Shiranui were so admired for their simplicity and beauty in the day that the styles were widely accepted by later generations of yokozuna to this day.  Shiranui’s dohyo-iri was reported to be like “a white crane majestically spreading its wings”. Most sumo historians believe that what is currently known as the Unryu style dohyo-iri was actually originated by Shiranui, as he is shown performing his dohyo-iri with his arm to his chest in a period painting.  Interestingly, it is actually the 22nd yokozuna Tachiyama Mine-emon (1877-1941) that is acknowledged as having perfected the current Shiranui dohyo-iri style, but Tachiyama himself was quoted as saying his dohyo-iri was based on yokozuna Unryu and he considered his dohyo-iri to be that of yokozuna Unryu.  The confusion about two dohyo-iri has not really been settled but yokozuna Shiranui’s dohyo-iri likely was closer to the current Unryu form.

In the Unryu style of dohyo-iri, the yokozuna will put his left arm in front of his chest and extend his right arm while raising himself up.  Recent yokozuna Akebono, Takanohana and Musashimaru all performed Unryu dohyo-iri, as Asashoryu is doing now.  The

Tsuna in the Unryu (left) and Shiranui (right) styles (Mark Buckton)

act of putting the arm to the chest is considered a defensive move, while extending the right arm is an offensive gesture.  For this reason the Unryu style is said to be both an offensive and defensive form. But in the Shiranui dohyo-iri, the yokozuna will extend both arms out to his side while raising himself up without bending his left arm to bring it to his chest. Another major difference is that the yokozuna rope of the Shiranui yokozuna is tied with two knots in the back rather than one, as in

conceivable that ozeki Kotooshu may go with it if he too becomes a yokozuna one day. In the 2007 Natsu basho, ozeki Hakuho will be making another serious challenge for yokozuna promotion.  Should he win the yusho or equivalent he will most likely be promoted as the 69th yokozuna after the basho.  Already, active discussion is underway to see which dohyo-iri style Hakuho will be performing. Next