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April 03, 2025
 

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John Gunning
SUMO
Mar 10, 2020
Despite goofball reputation, Takamisakari had solid career
When Takamisakari called it a day back in 2013, this paper carried a headline declaring that the "clown prince of sumo" had retired, while Kyodo News opened with a line that called the former komusubi's pre-bout rituals "goofball antics."
SUMO
Mar 9, 2020
Undervalued Gagamaru has had solid career in raised ring
To date, four men from the country of Georgia have become sumo wrestlers in Japan.
Japan Times
SUMO
Mar 8, 2020
Lightweight Terao defied odds in long career
Sumo is an extremely physical sport with injury an ever-present risk for its participants.
SUMO
Mar 5, 2020
Health risks in spotlight as Spring Basho nears start
The Japan Sumo Association is proceeding with the upcoming Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, but has decided, in light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, that it will be held behind closed doors.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Mar 5, 2020
Legend Byamba deserves lot of credit for raising global profile of sumo
The sumo world lost a legend on Feb. 28 with the passing of Byambajav Ulambayaryn.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 26, 2020
Calling off Spring Basho would be right move for JSA
The Japan Sumo Association is essentially a reactive, rather than proactive, organization.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 19, 2020
Sumo without American rikishi after Wakaichiro retires
Just like that, there are no American rikishi left in sumo.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 12, 2020
Legendary Ryogoku Kokugikan has adapted to modern needs
One of sport's most overused cliches is the labeling of a ballpark or stadium as the mecca of football, baseball or basketball.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 5, 2020
Ban on social media wrong call for sumo's popularity, transparency
Japan's national sport is semiglobalized.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 29, 2020
Tokushoryu's unlikely run among sumo's best surprises
January 2020 served up one of the best sumo tournaments of recent times.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 26, 2020
Kashiwado carved out place despite presence of legend
There have been a few rikishi in the history of sumo whose careers have been akin to supermassive black holes — so overwhelmingly dominant that nothing can escape their presence.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 25, 2020
Kyokutenho was a trailblazer
In 1991, though most people didn't realize it at the time, the Oshima stablemaster made a decision that would dramatically alter the course of sumo over the next several decades.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jan 24, 2020
Sentoryu embodied colorful sumo nickname
Since Takamiyama first blazed a trail to Japan in 1964, 30 other Americans have followed the giant Hawaiian into professional sumo.
SUMO
Jan 23, 2020
Hanakaze's longevity moves into fifth decade
In March 1986, while Mike Ditka, Walter Payton and William "The Refrigerator" Perry and the rest of the Chicago Bears were still celebrating their Super Bowl XX mauling of the New England Patriots two-plus months earlier, in Osaka a young man named Daisaku Yamaguchi made his professional sumo debut....
SUMO
Jan 22, 2020
Kitazakura known best for talent, attitude outside ring
Rikishi who are famous for something other than results in the ring usually achieve that status through some notable aspect of their personality.
SUMO
Jan 21, 2020
Kotoshogiku experienced brief but memorable time in spotlight
There are eight active wrestlers who have spent time at sumo's second-highest rank.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 20, 2020
Legendary Futabayama set standard for sumo greatness
Yokozuna Hakuho's incredible 43 championships, 15 perfect titles and numerous other records and achievements rightly see him often referred to as the greatest rikishi in the history of sumo.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 19, 2020
Kokkai helped European rikishi arrive in sumo world
The first rikishi whose place of origin was listed as somewhere outside Japan was Hiraga, who joined professional sumo in 1934.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 18, 2020
Yama succeeds after sumo
Life after professional sumo (for those who don't qualify for elder status) is generally quite prosaic.
SUMO / Rikishi Files
Jan 17, 2020
Former yokozuna Kitanoumi was imposing figure in sumo
Intimidation factor is something that cannot be discounted when it comes to finding reasons for success in sumo.
As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more U.S. firms say retailers turning away products
Empty shelves with "Buy Canadian Instead" signs are seen in the American Whiskey section of the BC Liquor in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 10.
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
Japan, South Korea and China vow to strengthen trade ties amid looming U.S. tariffs
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto (left), South Korean Trade Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (center) and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Sunday
The U.S. says Japan has a 700% tariff on American rice. Is that the case?
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds up a piece of paper with information about tariff rates at the White House on Tuesday.
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
A new human trafficking trend emerges from Myanmar scam centers
Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar gather at a compound inside KK Park, a fraud center on the country's border with Thailand, after a multinational crackdown in February.
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.
On defense, Japan may avoid Trump's worst impulses — for now
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth chat after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Sunday.

Podcast

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

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks

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