Asasekiryu Taro
Encyclopedia
Asasekiryū Tarō is a sumo
wrestler. He made his debut in January 2000, reaching the top division in March 2003. He has won four special prizes
, and has spent a total of five tournaments to date in the titled sanyaku ranks. The highest rank he has reached is sekiwake.
). Yokozuna Asashōryū
was a stablemate of his, and both men originally came to Japan as exchange students at Meitoku Gijuku High School and learnt the Japanese language before entering professional sumo. Asasekiryū often served as a tachimochi
or sword bearer during Asashōryū's dohyō-iri or ring entering ceremony. His shikona
or fighting name literally means morning red dragon, very similar to Asashoryu's morning blue dragon (in both cases, the Asa character is taken from his stablemaster's fighting name of Asashio
, who was a classmate at Kinki University
of Asashoryu and Asasekiryu's high school sumo coach).
Asasekiryū won the tournament championship or yusho
in the jonidan division in May 2000 with a perfect 7-0 record. He earned promotion to the jūryō (second division) in July 2002, and to the top makuuchi
division in March 2003, following his 11-4 score which won the jūryō championship or yusho
.
He made little impact in the top division until March 2004, when he won his first twelve bouts, including a defeat of ōzeki Kaiō
. He finished as tournament runner-up with a 13-2 record and earned two special prizes
for Technique and Outstanding Performance. In May 2006 he scored ten wins at maegashira 2 and won the Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to komusubi for the July 2006 tournament, but was forced to withdraw partway through this basho
due to injury and had some mixed results after that.
In May 2007, fighting from the mid maegashira ranks, he produced an outstanding 12-3 record. This gave him runner-up honours once again, and his second Technique prize. In July 2007 Asasekiryū had his first chance to fight a yokozuna and earn a gold star
when he met new Yokozuna Hakuhō
, as sumo rules prevented him from being matched against his stablemate Asashōryū. He lost, but the eight wins he managed in this tournament at maegashira 1 were enough to earn him promotion to sekiwake for September, his highest rank to date. He held his rank in that tournament, but after a disappointing 3-12 score in November 2007, he was demoted back to the maegashira ranks for the January 2008 tournament.
Asasekiryū produced two good performances in the first two tournaments of 2008. In January he scored ten wins and in March he defeated two ōzeki, and tournament runner-up Baruto
to finish 8-7. This performance returned him to the titled sanyaku ranks for the May 2008 tournament, at komusubi. However he was unable to maintain his ranking, only scoring six wins against nine losses. He was again ranked at komusubi in September 2008, but turned in a poor 4-11 record. He has remained in the maegashira ranks since then, slipping as low as maegashira 12 in July 2009. He became his stable's top rikishi in February 2010, following the retirement of Asashōryū. He has continued to move up and down the division, reaching maegashira 1 in July 2010 but falling back to maegashira 9 by May 2011.
or belt. His most common winning technique
is a straightforward yori-kiri or force out. He is also fond of throws, most often employing uwatenage (outer arm throw) and uwatedashinage (pulling outer arm throw).
, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's komusubi.
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. He made his debut in January 2000, reaching the top division in March 2003. He has won four special prizes
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:...
, and has spent a total of five tournaments to date in the titled sanyaku ranks. The highest rank he has reached is sekiwake.
Career
Asasekiryū first came to Japan in 1997 and fought his first professional sumo bout in January 2000, joining Wakamatsu stable (now Takasago stableTakasago 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"....
). Yokozuna Asashōryū
Asashōryū Akinori
is a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
was a stablemate of his, and both men originally came to Japan as exchange students at Meitoku Gijuku High School and learnt the Japanese language before entering professional sumo. Asasekiryū often served as a tachimochi
Tachimochi
In professional sumo, the tachimochi is one of the two attendants that accompany a yokozuna when he performs his dohyo-iri or ring entrance ceremony. The other attendant is called the tsuyuharai....
or sword bearer during Asashōryū's dohyō-iri or ring entering ceremony. His shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
or fighting name literally means morning red dragon, very similar to Asashoryu's morning blue dragon (in both cases, the Asa character is taken from his stablemaster's fighting name of Asashio
Asashio Taro IV
Asashio Tarō IV is a former sumo wrestler from Muroto, Kochi, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki...
, who was a classmate 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....
of Asashoryu and Asasekiryu's high school sumo coach).
Asasekiryū won the tournament championship or yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
in the jonidan division in May 2000 with a perfect 7-0 record. He earned promotion to the jūryō (second division) in July 2002, and to 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 in March 2003, following his 11-4 score which won the jūryō championship or yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
.
He made little impact in the top division until March 2004, when he won his first twelve bouts, including a defeat of ōzeki Kaiō
Kaio Hiroyuki
Kaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.He made his debut in 1988, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1993. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for eleven years from 2000 to 2011, and is the longest-serving ozeki of all time in terms of...
. He finished as tournament runner-up with a 13-2 record and earned two special prizes
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 Technique and Outstanding Performance. In May 2006 he scored ten wins at maegashira 2 and won the Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to komusubi for the July 2006 tournament, but was forced to withdraw partway through this basho
Honbasho
A is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
due to injury and had some mixed results after that.
In May 2007, fighting from the mid maegashira ranks, he produced an outstanding 12-3 record. This gave him runner-up honours once again, and his second Technique prize. In July 2007 Asasekiryū had his first chance to fight a yokozuna and earn a gold star
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
when he met new Yokozuna Hakuhō
Hakuho Sho
is a professional sumo wrestler from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Making his debut in March 2001, he reached the top makuuchi division in May 2004. On May 30, 2007 at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo,...
, as sumo rules prevented him from being matched against his stablemate Asashōryū. He lost, but the eight wins he managed in this tournament at maegashira 1 were enough to earn him promotion to sekiwake for September, his highest rank to date. He held his rank in that tournament, but after a disappointing 3-12 score in November 2007, he was demoted back to the maegashira ranks for the January 2008 tournament.
Baruto Kaito
Baruto Kaito is a professional sumo wrestler from Estonia. Making his debut in May 2004, he is one of only two Estonians ever to join the sport in Japan, and the first to reach the top division, in May 2006...
to finish 8-7. This performance returned him to the titled sanyaku ranks for the May 2008 tournament, at komusubi. However he was unable to maintain his ranking, only scoring six wins against nine losses. He was again ranked at komusubi in September 2008, but turned in a poor 4-11 record. He has remained in the maegashira ranks since then, slipping as low as maegashira 12 in July 2009. He became his stable's top rikishi in February 2010, following the retirement of Asashōryū. He has continued to move up and down the division, reaching maegashira 1 in July 2010 but falling back to maegashira 9 by May 2011.
Fighting style
Asasekiryu is a yotsu-sumo (grappling) wrestler, preferring a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashiMawashi
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:...
or belt. His most common winning technique
Kimarite
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...
is a straightforward yori-kiri or force out. He is also fond of throws, most often employing uwatenage (outer arm throw) and uwatedashinage (pulling outer arm throw).
Family
His father was a Mongolian wrestlerMongolian wrestling
Mongolian wrestling, known as Bökh , is the folk wrestling style of Mongols in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and other regions...
, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's komusubi.
Tournament 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 sumo tournament second division winners
- List of active sumo wrestlers
External links
- Japanese Sumo Association Biography (English)(Japanese)
- complete biography and basho results (Japanese)