Former Yobidashi Hideo-san was popular with sumo fans， who nicknamed him the “elf of the dohyo.” The former top yobidashi eloquently discusses the work of sumo’s urakata (men behind the scenes); the yobidashi， gyoji， and tokoyama， as well as the rikishi， oyakata， heya， bouts， and other topics. This book will make watching bouts even more enjoyable for you， and will deepen your understanding of sumo! With a glossary of 90 items. 元立呼出の秀男さんが「呼出」「行司」「床山」など裏方さんの仕事から、力士や親方、部屋や取組の話まで、伝統や歴史もふまえて幅広く語った『呼出秀男の相撲ばなし』の英語版。観戦がより楽しくなる相撲の味わい方がわかる。巻末に用語解説90 項目。 【主な目次】 Foreword――Life as a Yobidashi from My Entrance into Isegahama Beya to Retirement Chapter 1　Let’s Start with Discussion of the Urakata The People Who Support Sumo The Yobidashi are in Charge of Calling the Rikishi as Well as Sweeping Dohyo I Only Thought I Called Out Well on Three Days in An Entire Tournament The Cheat Sheet Used by Yobidashi Taiko――Yaguradaiko and Furedaiko are Important Tasks for the Yobidashi Constructing the Dohyo――Manual Labor by All the Yobidashi We Have Many Tasks to Fulfill， Including Hitting Wooden Clappers and Carrying Kensho Banners The Daily Life of a Yobidashi――in My Case The Taikozuka――Performing Religious Services for the Souls of Departed Yobidashi Gyoji――Sumo’s Referees-Judging Bouts is Their First Responsibility Gunbai――Essential Item for Gyoji Gyoji Handle the Public Address System Presenting the Kaobure――Done by the Gyoji and Yobidashi The Banzuke is Written in Sumoji Gyoji Wear Different Costumes According to Their Rank The Tokoyama’s Work――They Become Full-Fledged When They Can Arrange Oichomage Former Rikishi Become Wakaimonogashira and Sewanin Chapter 2　Sumo’s Leading Actors-Rikishi and Oyakata What is Needed to Become a Rikishi The Promotion of Rikishi――Those Who Reach Jumaime are Called Sekitori Shikona――A Rikishi’s Ring Name， Real Names are Acceptable Mawashi――A Rikishi Loses if his Mawashi Comes Off A Day in the Life of a Rikishi――Keiko Is Done Only in the Morning Chanko――If There is Not Enough Chanko Sen Dohyoiri――The Sekitori Show Their Faces Bouts――From Entering Shitakubeya to Leaving Torikumi are Decided Upon Every Day There are Currently 82 Winning Techniques The Yumitorishiki――A Ceremony Performed on Behalf of the Winner Yusho， the Sansho and kenshokin――The Makuuchi Yusho Winner Receives Prize Money of 10 Million Yen Jungyo and Hanazumo Rikishi I Remember――Hokutenyu Had Style To Become an Oyakata， One Must Succeed to One of the 105 Toshiyori Myoseki Oyakata Operating Heya and Oyakata Belonging to Heya Okamisan Have a Role Akin to that of Mothers Managers Koenkai――Membership is Available from 10，000 Yen Upwards There are Six Ichimon Chapter 3　Enjoying Sumo Sumo is Said to Have Originated with Nomino Sukune From the Edo Era to Today――There was a Crisis After the Meiji Restoration Nihon Sumo Kyokai Seeing Sumo Beya――Watching Keiko Watching Sumo at the Kokugikan In Conclusion Glossary