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October 11, 2025
 

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John Gunning
SUMO
May 19, 2019
Sumo 101: Tachiai
One of the first words every new sumo fan learns is tachiai.
Japan Times
SUMO
May 18, 2019
Sumo 101: Endorsements
One of the unique aspects of sumo's attire is a lack of associated wearable merchandise.
Japan Times
SUMO
May 17, 2019
Sumo 101: Online sumo games
Fantasy football is a multi-billion dollar business with millions of participants.
SUMO
May 16, 2019
Sumo 101: Injuries
One of the most surprising aspects of sumo for first-time watchers is the sheer violence of the sport.
SUMO
May 15, 2019
Sumo 101: Americans in sumo
There are two rikishi from the United States of America in sumo currently.
Japan Times
SUMO
May 14, 2019
Sumo 101: Impact of tourism
Sumo's popularity abroad has exploded over the past few years.
SUMO
May 13, 2019
Sumo 101: Amateur sumo
What do Takakeisho, Tochinoshin and Mitakeumi have in common, apart from recently becoming first-time winners of the Emperor's Cup?
SUMO
May 12, 2019
Sumo 101: Ichimon
Sumo's family unit is the stable.
SUMO
May 9, 2019
Kakuryu emerges as clear favorite to capture title
Gambling on sumo, like most sports in Japan, is illegal.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 9, 2019
Sumo attracts famous politicians seeking public affection, attention
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend the final day of the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 1, 2019
Pint-size Enho could shake up banzuke in Reiwa Era
The first banzuke (ranking) of the Reiwa Era was released on Tuesday with newly minted ozeki Takakeisho the standout promotion.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 24, 2019
U.S.-style draft opens world of possibilities for sumo
Sumo has no free agency.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 17, 2019
Peerless Anna Zhigalova dominates women's sumo
Hakuho's undefeated run in Osaka last month gave the yokozuna a 15th perfect championship and 42nd title overall.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 10, 2019
As basho sellouts continue, regional tour offers peek behind curtain
Within 90 minutes of going on sale, tickets for the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament were all snapped up.
JAPAN / Heisei Icons
Apr 4, 2019
Takanohana: The nail that sumo pounded down
In sumo's 2,000-year history, few men have been as steeped in the sport's traditions as Koji Hanada.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 3, 2019
New ozeki Takakeisho can draw strength from stable
Takakeisho is sumo's newest ozeki.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Mar 27, 2019
Dominant Hakuho continues to redefine greatness
Sumo columnist James Hardy once bemoaned the difficulty of doing daily tournament reports, saying, "There are only so many ways to write A pushed out B."
SUMO
Mar 24, 2019
Sumo 101: Instant replay
One of sumo's most distinctive sights is its ringside judges.
Japan Times
SUMO
Mar 23, 2019
Sumo 101: Retired stablemasters
As with most top-level athletic endeavors, 30 seems to be the age when many rikishi either hang up their mawashi or see a noticeable decline in skills and performance.
Japan Times
SUMO
Mar 22, 2019
Sumo 101: Consistent losers
Ted Williams famously said, "Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of 10 and be considered a good performer."
Takaichi's PM bid faces further headwinds with coalition split
LDP leader Sanae Takaichi and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito attend a party leaders' meeting on Friday in Tokyo.
Powerful earthquake strikes off southern Philippines
Authorities inspect a damaged wall and a car outside a mall in Butuan, Philippines, on Friday, after a major earthquake struck the area.
Japan to move toward five-year integrated bachelor's-master’s programs
Japan plans to introduce nationwide five-year bachelor's-master's programs to raise graduate school enrollment and train more highly skilled professionals amid a shrinking workforce.
Tokyo named world’s best big city for second straight year
Tokyo was ranked the world's best large city for the second year in a row in the Conde Nast Traveler's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards.
Chemistry Nobel winner Kitagawa says downtime helped him think up new material
Susumu Kitagawa speaks to reporters at Kyoto University on Wednesday after receiving the news that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry the same day.
A Japanese comedian walks into an Aussie bar … and stays there
Takashi “Waka” Wakasugi stopped by the Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya Ward last month following his stint at Edinburgh Festival Fringe performing his show “Comedy Samurai.”
Chemistry Nobel winner Kitagawa says downtime helped him think up new material
Susumu Kitagawa speaks to reporters at Kyoto University on Wednesday after receiving the news that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry the same day.
University of Tokyo lands its highest spot ever in global higher education ranking
The University of Tokyo in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward
Tokyo named world’s best big city for second straight year
Tokyo was ranked the world's best large city for the second year in a row in the Conde Nast Traveler's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards.
With nuclear sub proposal, Japan faces array of political and tech challenges
The Jingei, the third of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Taigei-class submarines, was commissioned in March last year. It is equipped with lithium-ion batteries, enabling it to have a longer diving time and cruising distance than older models with lead-acid batteries.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo
Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo

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