| Brothers in Sumo – part one Brian Lewin |
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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 |
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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 |
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| SFM Interview Dave Wiggins sits down |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 – |
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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.
The former Mitoizumi
Despite his fighting spirit and determination, he was not quite able to make his goal of remaining in sumo until he was forty. Nonetheless, he still lasted an incredible 22 ½ years in sumo, retiring on the 13th day of the 2000 Aki basho at the age of 38. Originally intended to succeed his shisho, he would later decline that honor, choosing instead to act as a regular oyakata within the heya. But two years later he branched out from Takasago-beya to start his own Nishikido-beya, where he would reunite with his brother, hiring him on as heya manager.
The most recent pair of Waka/Taka were virtual sumo royalty from the time they entered a heya... specifically, their father’s heya. Both were successful in kids’ sumo, so their success in Ozumo was considered a given. Younger brother Koji was dead certain about it and entered straight out of junior high, while Masaru was a little more ambivalent, and attended his first year of high school. But, when he saw his brother’s determination, he decided to quit school and join him. So in February 1988, the two joined Fujishima-beya amid a flurry of press and speculation about how far each would go, and how quickly. Masaru, as the oldest, was given a variation on his uncle’s shikona and was called Wakahanada. Koji was thus given a similar variation on his father’s and became Takahanada.
Once they were in the professional world, their experiences were quite similar to that of their father’s with his brother. Fujishima-oyakata treated them as severely as any other rikishi, and they responded accordingly, showing tremendous dedication, working together as brothers to improve as quickly as possible. And “as possible” was in some cases a
Yokozuna Takanohana dohyo-iri
record pace. Taka, with a big, powerful body ideal for sumo, set about surpassing many of the youth records first set by his father. Older brother Waka, with a smaller build like his father and uncle, did not progress so quickly, but still managed to keep pace with his brother pretty well. And as the more gregarious one, Wakahanada also often helped to act as something of a PR man for his notoriously shy brother as Waka-Taka Fever spurred the popularity of sumo to new heights.
The first sign that all was not right was the behind-the-scenes warfare that erupted after Takahanada very happily announced his engagement to model Miyazawa Rie in late 1992. He became much more social and outgoing amid the media frenzy. But unfortunately, things would take a darker turn. Various
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