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July 16, 2024
 

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John Gunning
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Mar 8, 2023
In sumo, size doesn't matter (much)
The lack of weight classes in Japan's national sport makes it unique among combat sports such as boxing, where smaller competitors would quickly find themselves overpowered.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Mar 1, 2023
Makuuchi's international brotherhood grows with Kazakhstan's arrival
Kinbozan’s promotion to the rank of maegashira has resulted in sumo’s top tier gaining its first-ever wrestler from the central Asian nation.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Feb 26, 2023
CFL deepens links with Japanese football in combine's fourth year
The international combines and draft are a part of a global outreach program, dubbed CFL 2.0, that was initiated by CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie in 2018.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 22, 2023
Sumo's changed landscape reflected in 2023 depth chart
If all 600 or so active rikishi, and those projected to join in the near future, were available to be chosen by stables, which men would make the top eight?
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 15, 2023
Hawaiian sumo makes triumphant return to Kokugikan ring at Hakuho Cup
After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2021 edition and kept foreign wrestlers away in 2022, the former yokozuna's annual youth tournament was back in force on Sunday.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 1, 2023
Hakuho positions himself to dominate sumo once again
Now known as Miyagino, the former yokozuna's proactive recruiting style has seen the stable add some seriously impressive talent under his watch.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 25, 2023
Not promoting Takakeisho is the right move for both him and sumo
Against a field which contained no other ozeki or yokozuna, the 26-year-old failed to dominate in a manner which would have made promotion impossible to deny.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / Football
Jan 24, 2023
Japanese football misses its big opportunity in Dream Bowl game
Frustration dominates after the Japan All Star team fell 24-20 to an Ivy League selection in a gripping and tightly fought match at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jan 18, 2023
Unstoppable Asanoyama well-positioned for return to top division
After serving a long suspension for violating the Japan Sumo Association's COVID-19 guidelines, the former ozeki is battling his way back to makuuchi with flair.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 11, 2023
Hoshoryu's recent rise may earn him a speedy promotion
Japan's national sport has been going through a period of flux over the past few years and is in desperate need of a new marquee name.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jan 6, 2023
Takakeisho enters New Year Basho with golden opportunity
The first professional sumo tournament of the year gets underway at the Kokugikan in Tokyo this weekend.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jan 4, 2023
Another season of turbulence in store for sumo in 2023
While there are several candidates to become sumo's next big thing, it seems likely that it will take time for one or more wrestlers to separate themselves from their rivals.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 21, 2022
Sumo's topsy-turvy 2022 showed hopeful signs for sport's recovery
For the first time in over 30 years, all six grand tournaments in a calendar year were won by different wrestlers, with rank-and-filers sweeping the final three tournaments.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 14, 2022
High school hopefuls make leap into professional sumo
While university graduates have dominated headlines at recent tournaments, just one of eight new wrestlers entering the sport ahead of the New Year Basho boasts a college background.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 8, 2022
Wrestlers with amateur backgrounds becoming new normal in sumo
These days elite top-tier wrestlers without an amateur background are an increasingly scarce sight.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 30, 2022
Focused Abi completes redemption arc in Fukuoka
Two years after his infamous suspension for violating COVID-19 protocols, the Saitama native won his first Emperor's Cup after triumphing in a rare multi-way playoff at the Kyushu Basho.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 23, 2022
In the land of baseball, sumo and soccer share a close relationship
Japan's national sport and the 'beautiful game' have formed many ties over the years, with even top-ranked wrestlers attending matches and taking part in promotional events.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 16, 2022
Younger wrestlers stepping up early at wild Kyushu Basho
With the top of the banzuke ratings struggling in Fukuoka, several rikishi are looking to capitalize on strong starts as they chase the last Emperor's Cup of 2022.
Japan Times
SUMO
Nov 11, 2022
Only certainty about upcoming Kyushu Basho is uncertainty
Predicting who will emerge victorious in the 2022 Kyushu Basho is almost impossible, but another first time champion or unexpected career breakout performance is a safe bet.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 9, 2022
Should the Japan Sumo Association reconsider the Kyushu Basho?
While better ticket sales and increased income could potentially be found elsewhere, the value of holding a tournament in Fukuoka isn't just monetary.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals
Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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