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SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jul 30, 2015

Time for Hakuho to bring down curtain on legendary career?

In 1971, when the great Taiho retired from the sport of sumo with 32 Emperor's Cups to his name, Hakuho was not yet born.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Mar 26, 2015

Hakuho showing no signs of letting up

When Hakuho won his 33rd Emperor’s Cup in January, he was widely acknowledged as the greatest ever grand champion in the history of the sport.
Japan Times
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Mar 28, 2014

Kakuryu secures promotion to yokozuna, but will he now revert to form?

In the days since he defeated fellow ozeki Kotoshogiku to win his first makunouchi championship at the Haru Basho in Osaka on Sunday March 23, new Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu has been getting used to the helter-skelter off the dohyo lifestyle he will have for the rest of his sumo career.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 24, 2013

TV sports broadcasts as a language-learning tool

Another exciting grand sumo tournament ended yesterday, and brought back memories of my first encounter with sumo, in Okinawa back in September 1965.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Sep 30, 2013

While Hakuho chalks up another victory, Harumafuji's future grows less certain

And then there were 27 — little replicas of the Emperor's Cup atop the yokozuna's mantelpiece that is.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jan 28, 2013

Harumafuji bounces back but cracks are still there

Harumafuji made many a sports-page headline Monday morning thanks to his latest 15-0 championship, his third zensho-yusho to date, and in claiming his fifth Emperor's Cup; his first as a yokozuna.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Nov 10, 2011

The next big thing, and one that never quite made it

Leading up to the 2011 Kyushu tourney down in Fukuoka, the world of sumo is looking to round off another annus horribilis.
SUMO
Jun 4, 2009

Ozeki Kaio says harsh treatment is integral

Sumo veteran Kaio said Tuesday that harsh treatment of wrestlers in training is an integral part of Japan's ancient sport and is partially responsible for his own success.
Japan Times
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Mar 11, 2009

Catwalks for the King, a shot at glory for his underlings

With the Spring Basho less than two weeks away now, sumo fans might be forgiven for thinking something is amiss given the lack of any real news coming out of Osaka.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jul 29, 2008

Asa might not have been all there, but Haku certainly was

When yokozuna Asashoryu withdrew from the July 13-27 Nagoya Basho on Day 6, public opinion was largely split.
Reader Mail
Oct 18, 2007

Other wrestlers must step up

Regarding the Oct. 10 sports brief "Tokitsuumi replaces fired elder": The tragic death of the young wrestler in the Tokitsukaze stable has brought many private details of sumo life to light. For the 34 years I have intensely covered sumo as a reportage artist, and having been married to a Japanese...
Reader Mail
Aug 12, 2007

Wrestlers deserve independence

With the latest shenanigans in the sumo world, isn't it about time to consider free agency for sumo wrestlers, or the creation of an independent sumo league without the supervision of the almighty Japan Sumo Association and outdated stable masters? I recently read that there had been very little interest...
SUMO / Basho reports
May 28, 2007

Undefeated Hakuho dominates Asashoryu

Hakuho overwhelmed fellow Mongolian Asashoryu on Sunday to finish the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with a perfect 15-0 record.
SUMO
Nov 7, 2006

The safe money goes on Asashoryu

In November, 1957, a maegashira ranked near the foot of the makunouchi division went 15-0 to claim his first ever yusho. His name was Tamanoumi, a 34-year-old Oita man, and his name goes down in history as the winner of the first official Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
SUMO
Mar 28, 2006

HARU HAPPENINGS -- Something for everyone

In perhaps the most entertaining sumo tournament in years, the recently completed Haru Basho essentially had it all.
SUMO
Dec 22, 2005

Kotooshu ready for ozeki debut

Bulgarian giant Kotooshu shoved grand champion Asashoryu's pre-tournament comments back down his throat when he pulled of a revenge victory over the feisty Mongolian at the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament last month.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE WAY OF WASHOKU
Mar 21, 2003

Nyumen: Warming noodles are just the ticket

The other day we lined up for standing-room tickets to see the grand sumo tournament here in Osaka. It must have been 10 years since I had attended a tournament — it only comes to Osaka once a year.
SUMO
Sep 23, 2002

Maru overpowers Taka to take title

Yokozuna Musashimaru overpowered fellow-yokozuna Takanohana on the final day of the Aki Basho to win his 12th title with a 13-2 record. It was the 31-year-old Hawaiian-born yokozuna's third yusho this year; he also triumphed in March and May.
SUMO
May 12, 2002

Takanohana is still star of the no-show

Much of the focus in the runup to the Natsu Basho has been on a rikishi who will not even compete: yokozuna Takanohana.
SUMO
Mar 10, 2002

Two Ozeki aiming to boost promotion hopes in Osaka

The Haru Basho gets under way in Osaka today, with ozeki Tochiazuma and Chiyotaikai aiming for yokozuna promotion, while sekiwake Kotomitsuki sets his sights on ozeki.
SUMO
Aug 22, 2000

Kaio makes ozeki for autumn basho

Kaio checks out the new sumo rankings. Kaio became the first wrestler from Fukuoka Prefecture since 1918 to reach sumo's second highest rank of ozeki on Monday when the Japan Sumo Association released its rankings for next month's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
SUMO
Jun 27, 2000

Musashigawa stable makes some history

(See rankings for the Nagoya Basho) The Musashigawa stable became the first sumo stable in history to have a yokozuna and three ozeki ranked for the same event Monday when the Japan Sumo Association released its rankings for next month's Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

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