KOBE, Mar. 2 – Enthusiasm is running high among the Kobe followers of sumo, Japan's national sport, which will be staged in the specially erected arena in front of the Sannomiya railway station for three days, March 4, 5 and 6.
    In addition to the “man mountain” grapplers, such as Futabayama and Minanogawa of the “yokozuna” rank and Dewaminato, who went through the recent matches in Tokyo without a defeat, there will be a total of 700 sumo men to give the three day show plenty of thrills. The gates are expected to open at 8 a.m., with the major bouts starting toward the middle of the afternoon.

The major first day pairings are as follows:

Dewanohana vs. Matsu-uragata
Aobayama vs. Hishuzan
Shimbusan vs. Kuganishiki
Katsuragata vs. Fujinosato
Tomoegata vs. Ayagawa
Taikyuzan vs. Takanobori
Yamatonishiki vs. Tsurugamine
Hatasegawa vs. Itsutsujima
Shachinosato vs. Ryuozan
Komanosato vs. Onami
Akinoumi vs. Oshio
Asahigawa vs. Ryogoku
Nayoroiwa vs. Kashimanada
Maedayama vs. Ayanobori
Haguroyama vs. Minanogawa
Futabayama vs. Kagamiiwa.