got sumo?

top 10 questions for the Sumo fanatic:

Many thanks to all those fans who participated in our first sumo quiz and to Mark Buckton for compiling the questions and organizing the prizes. We hope to run another quiz during the September tournament.

1. The sport of sumo has how many divisions? Six (in ascending order) Jonokuchi, Jonidan, Sandanme, Makushita, Juryo, and Makunouchi

2. The current yokozuna is Asashoryu. What is his nationality by birth? Mongolian

3. Asashoryu is sumo's 67th, 68th or 69th yokozuna? 68th.

4. Asashoryu beat which ozeki on Day 15 of the March tournament to claim his second successive zensho yusho (undefeated record)? Chiyotaikai.

5. After winning the March tournament, Asashoryu collected 32 envelopes of cash for his troubles (provided by those represented on the kensho banners) but committed a faux pas. What was that supposed error? He collected the prize using his left hand instead of the traditional and supposedly 'cleaner' right hand.

6. Which yokozuna holds the record for emerging victorious from 69 consecutive bouts? Futabayama (the 35th yokozuna) who went unbeaten from Jan. 1936 to Jan. 1939.

7. The yokozuna who won the all-time record 69 consecutive bouts had just 9 complete fingers and one other major disability, kept quiet until after he retired. What was it? He was blind in one eye.

8. Sumo's latest stadium, the 3rd Kokugikan in Ryogoku, Tokyo, was first used for the January basho of which year? 1985.

9. The capacity of the current Kokugikan is closest to 9000, 10,000, 11000 or 12000? 11,000.

10. Taiho, the Showa era yokozuna who still retains the title of most basho won in the history of the sport was half Japanese and half what other nationality? Russian or more precisely Ukranian.
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