Asahifuji Seiya
Encyclopedia
is a former sumo
wrestler from Aomori
, Japan
. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top makuuchi
division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of ozeki in 1987 and became the 63rd Yokozuna in the history of the sport in 1990 at the age of 30. He won four tournaments and was a runner-up on nine other occasions. He retired in 1992 and is now the head coach of Isegahama stable
.
in Nishitsugaru District
. His father, who worked as an electrician, was a keen amateur sumo enthusiast and Vice President of the Prefectural Sumo Federation. He was determined to see his son succeed in sumo and even built a dohyo
in the garden for him to practise. Asahifuji also did well at sumo at school, finishing third in a national schoolboy competition, and later winning the West Japan Student Newcomers tournament while studying at Kinki University
. However, tiring of the never-ending training, he gave up sumo for a while and spent his time fishing. Eventually an acquaintance of his father introduced him to Oshima Oyakata, formerly Asahikuni
, who had recently opened his own heya
or stable of wrestlers, Oshima stable
.
division in March 1983. He won his first special prize
for Fighting Spirit in the November 1984 tournament, where he finished runner-up. He reached sekiwake rank for the first time in January 1986. After regular training sessions at Takasago stable
, where he knew Asashio
from his university days, he began to develop a more rounded technique, and after three double figure scores he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki after the September 1987 tournament.
in playoffs in both January and May 1989. His 13-2 mark in May was his fifth consecutive runner-up performance, and his seventh overall, but he had been unable to win two tournaments in a row, regarded by the Japan Sumo Association
as the minimum requirement for yokozuna promotion after the embarrassment of Futahaguro
's brief tenure at sumo top's rank.
After managing only 8-7 in the following tournament in July, Asahifuji endured a long slump. This was partly caused by longstanding pancreatic trouble, which had first been diagnosed in 1984 and had also afflicted his stablemaster during his active days. After a string of mediocre 8-7 and 9-6 scores it seemed Asahifuji would finish his career as an ozeki. However, by mid 1990 his health began to improve, and after encouragement from his stablemaster, who reminded him that he would soon turn 30 years of age and was down to his last chance, he won consecutive championships in May and July 1990. He scored 14-1 in both tournaments, securing his yokozuna promotion on the final day in July by defeating yokozuna Chiyonofuji
for only the fifth time in 28 meetings.
on Day 13 and was defeated by Hokutoumi in the championship deciding bout on the final day. In November 1990 he finished runner-up again, to Chiyonofuji. In January and March 1991 he posted reasonable scores of 11-4 but was never really in contention for the championship in either tournament, although he did have a memorable win over the young rising star Takahanada in March. He had to wait until May 1991 for his first title as a yokozuna, when he defeated Konishiki twice on the last day, once in their regulation match and once in the playoff, to finish with a fine 14-1 record.
This was to prove Asahifuji's only tournament championship as a yokozuna, as the rest of his career was dogged by illness and injury. He managed only a bare majority of 8-7 in July 1991, the last tournament he was to complete. He pulled out of the September 1991 tournament with an injured shoulder on the sixth day, and hampered by the return of his old pancreatic problems missed the November 1991 tournament altogether. He returned in January 1992 but after losing his opening three bouts to Akebono
, his nemesis Akinoshima (for the fifth time in a row) and finally Wakahanada, he announced his retirement at the age of 31.
, but instead he took over the Ajigawa stable in 1994. The first top division wrestler he produced was Aminishiki
in 2000, who reached the sekiwake rank in 2007. Aminishiki's brother Asōfuji
, now retired, was also a briefly a top division rikishi. Asahifuji's greatest success has come with Harumafuji (formerly known as Ama), who reached the second highest rank of ozeki in November 2008 and won his first top division yusho in May 2009. Harumafuji took his second championship in July 2011, the same tournament in which Takarafuji, like Asahifuji a Kinki University graduate, made his top division debut.
In November 2007 he acquired the prestigious Isegahama elder
name and renamed his stable Isegahama stable
. (The Ajigawa name has now been acquired by Aminishiki and is being used temporarily by a coach in another stable). He has also worked as a shinpan, or judge at tournament matches.
or techniques were listed by the Sumo Association as migi-yotsu ( a left hand outside, right hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashi
), yorikiri (force out) and uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). However, he was also fond of employing more unorthodox techniques little used by other wrestlers and certainly not taught by coaches. He was criticised for this by his stablemaster, the former ozeki and noted technician Asahikuni, whose view was that by winning by his own idiosyncratic methods, he would be unable to cure his faults. Asahifuji himself claimed in an interview with Channel 4
television to have no favourite technique, but did say that while "everyone likes to throw an opponent, that's not sumo."
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Aomori
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of ozeki in 1987 and became the 63rd Yokozuna in the history of the sport in 1990 at the age of 30. He won four tournaments and was a runner-up on nine other occasions. He retired in 1992 and is now the head coach of Isegahama stable
Isegahama stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was re-established by the 63rd Yokozuna Asahifuji Seiya in November 2007, who re-named his Ajigawa stable when he acquired the Isegahama toshiyori name....
.
Early life
He was born in the fishing town of KizukuriKizukuri, Aomori
was a town located in Nishitsugaru District in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan.Kizukuri was located in central Tsugaru Peninsula, facing the Sea of Japan. The area was part of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. Kizukuri was created on March 30, 1955 through the merger of Shussei, Kawayoke,...
in Nishitsugaru District
Nishitsugaru District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori, Japan.As of 2003 , the district has an estimated population of 24,033 and a density of 28.9 persons per km²...
. His father, who worked as an electrician, was a keen amateur sumo enthusiast and Vice President of the Prefectural Sumo Federation. He was determined to see his son succeed in sumo and even built a dohyo
Dohyo
thumb|A dohyōThe dohyō is the ring in which sumo wrestling bouts are held. A modern dohyo is a circle of rice-straw bales 4.55 meters in diameter, mounted on a square platform of clay 6.7m on a side, and 34 to 60 cm high. The surface is covered by sand.A new dohyō is built prior to each...
in the garden for him to practise. Asahifuji also did well at sumo at school, finishing third in a national schoolboy competition, and later winning the West Japan Student Newcomers tournament while studying at Kinki University
Kinki University
, or , is a private non-sectarian and coeducational university based in Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan with campuses in five other locations: Nara, Nara; Ōsakasayama, Osaka; Uchita, Wakayama; Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima; and Iizuka, Fukuoka....
. However, tiring of the never-ending training, he gave up sumo for a while and spent his time fishing. Eventually an acquaintance of his father introduced him to Oshima Oyakata, formerly Asahikuni
Asahikuni Masuo
is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki. He is now the head coach of Ōshima stable.-Career:Born in Aibetsu, Kamikawa District, Asahikuni made his professional debut in July 1963, joining Tatsunami stable. He reached the second highest juryo division in March 1969...
, who had recently opened his own heya
Heya
In sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...
or stable of wrestlers, Oshima stable
Oshima stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in 1980 by former ozeki Asahikuni, who branched off from Tatsunami stable. The head of Tatsunami stable opposed the setting up of the new stable, and did not speak to Oshima Oyakata until Asahifuji was...
.
Early sumo career
Asahifuji made his professional debut in January 1981. He was already 20 years old, considerably older than most new recruits who tend to be 15 or 16. However, because of his amateur sumo experience he was able to work his way up the ranks very quickly and won tournament championships in the jonokuchi, sandanme and makushita divisions with perfect records. He reached the second highest jūryō division after only eight tournaments, a record that stood unbeaten till 2008. He was promoted to the top makuuchiMakuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in March 1983. He won his first special prize
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
for Fighting Spirit in the November 1984 tournament, where he finished runner-up. He reached sekiwake rank for the first time in January 1986. After regular training sessions at Takasago stable
Takasago stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
, where he knew Asashio
Asashio Taro IV
Asashio Tarō IV is a former sumo wrestler from Muroto, Kochi, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki...
from his university days, he began to develop a more rounded technique, and after three double figure scores he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki after the September 1987 tournament.
Ozeki
In January 1988 he won his first top division tournament championship, which was also the first for the Tatsunami-Isegahama icihimon or group of stables in nearly twenty years. In 1989 he won 40 out of a possible 45 bouts in the first three championships of the year and came very close to promotion to the highest rank of yokozuna, but he was defeated by yokozuna HokutoumiHokutoumi Nobuyoshi
Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. He is the sport's 61st Yokozuna. He is now the head coach of Hakkaku stable.-Early life:...
in playoffs in both January and May 1989. His 13-2 mark in May was his fifth consecutive runner-up performance, and his seventh overall, but he had been unable to win two tournaments in a row, regarded by the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
as the minimum requirement for yokozuna promotion after the embarrassment of Futahaguro
Koji Kitao
Kōji Kitao is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler, born in Mie, Japan. He was sumo's 60th Yokozuna, and the only yokozuna in sumo history not to win a top division tournament championship...
's brief tenure at sumo top's rank.
After managing only 8-7 in the following tournament in July, Asahifuji endured a long slump. This was partly caused by longstanding pancreatic trouble, which had first been diagnosed in 1984 and had also afflicted his stablemaster during his active days. After a string of mediocre 8-7 and 9-6 scores it seemed Asahifuji would finish his career as an ozeki. However, by mid 1990 his health began to improve, and after encouragement from his stablemaster, who reminded him that he would soon turn 30 years of age and was down to his last chance, he won consecutive championships in May and July 1990. He scored 14-1 in both tournaments, securing his yokozuna promotion on the final day in July by defeating yokozuna Chiyonofuji
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
, born June 1, 1955, as in Hokkaidō, Japan, is a former champion sumo wrestler and the 58th yokozuna of the sport. He is now the head coach of Kokonoe stable....
for only the fifth time in 28 meetings.
Yokozuna
Asahifuji began his yokozuna career with 12 straight wins in the September 1990 tournament, but he lost to KirishimaKirishima Kazuhiro
Kirishima Kazuhiro is a former sumo wrestler from Makizono, Kagoshima, Japan, who held the second highest rank of ōzeki from 1990 to 1992 and won one top division tournament championship...
on Day 13 and was defeated by Hokutoumi in the championship deciding bout on the final day. In November 1990 he finished runner-up again, to Chiyonofuji. In January and March 1991 he posted reasonable scores of 11-4 but was never really in contention for the championship in either tournament, although he did have a memorable win over the young rising star Takahanada in March. He had to wait until May 1991 for his first title as a yokozuna, when he defeated Konishiki twice on the last day, once in their regulation match and once in the playoff, to finish with a fine 14-1 record.
This was to prove Asahifuji's only tournament championship as a yokozuna, as the rest of his career was dogged by illness and injury. He managed only a bare majority of 8-7 in July 1991, the last tournament he was to complete. He pulled out of the September 1991 tournament with an injured shoulder on the sixth day, and hampered by the return of his old pancreatic problems missed the November 1991 tournament altogether. He returned in January 1992 but after losing his opening three bouts to Akebono
Akebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
, his nemesis Akinoshima (for the fifth time in a row) and finally Wakahanada, he announced his retirement at the age of 31.
After retirement
Asahifuji has remained in the sumo world as a coach. He had married a niece of the former Kasugayama Oyakata in 1988, and seemed set to revive Kasugayama stableKasugayama stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. In its modern form it dates from 1954 when it was re-established by former ozeki Nayoroiwa who led it until his death in 1971...
, but instead he took over the Ajigawa stable in 1994. The first top division wrestler he produced was Aminishiki
Aminishiki Ryuji
Aminishiki Ryūji is a Japanese sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 1997 and has been ranked in the top division since 2000. He has earned ten special prizes and won seven gold stars for defeating yokozuna during his career. He has twice been runner-up in a tournament. The highest rank...
in 2000, who reached the sekiwake rank in 2007. Aminishiki's brother Asōfuji
Asofuji Seiya
Asōfuji Seiya is a retired sumo wrestler from Fukaura, Nishitsugaru, Aomori, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 13. He is the elder brother of Aminishiki.-Career:...
, now retired, was also a briefly a top division rikishi. Asahifuji's greatest success has come with Harumafuji (formerly known as Ama), who reached the second highest rank of ozeki in November 2008 and won his first top division yusho in May 2009. Harumafuji took his second championship in July 2011, the same tournament in which Takarafuji, like Asahifuji a Kinki University graduate, made his top division debut.
In November 2007 he acquired the prestigious Isegahama elder
Toshiyori
A toshiyori is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association. Also known as oyakata, former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible...
name and renamed his stable Isegahama stable
Isegahama stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was re-established by the 63rd Yokozuna Asahifuji Seiya in November 2007, who re-named his Ajigawa stable when he acquired the Isegahama toshiyori name....
. (The Ajigawa name has now been acquired by Aminishiki and is being used temporarily by a coach in another stable). He has also worked as a shinpan, or judge at tournament matches.
Fighting style
Asahifuji's favoured kimariteKimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
or techniques were listed by the Sumo Association as migi-yotsu ( a left hand outside, right hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashi
Mawashi
In sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
), yorikiri (force out) and uwatedashinage (pulling overarm throw). However, he was also fond of employing more unorthodox techniques little used by other wrestlers and certainly not taught by coaches. He was criticised for this by his stablemaster, the former ozeki and noted technician Asahikuni, whose view was that by winning by his own idiosyncratic methods, he would be unable to cure his faults. Asahifuji himself claimed in an interview with Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television to have no favourite technique, but did say that while "everyone likes to throw an opponent, that's not sumo."
Top division record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of yokozuna