Asofuji Seiya
Encyclopedia
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
.
, who was also of Nishitsugaru District and a cousin of Asōfuji's father. He took a long time to climb up the rankings, mainly due to his relatively light weight (barely 100 kg). He was even outperformed by his younger brother, who, though he joined the stable three years after Asōfuji, had already reached sekitori
status by 2000. Asōfuji first reached the second highest jūryō division in September 2003, but lasted only one tournament before being demoted back to the third makushita division. He reappeared in the second division a year later and in November 2006 he finally made his top makuuchi
division debut at the age of 30. He was the ninth oldest makuuchi debutant since the end of World War II. In that tournament, there were three sets of brothers (Asofuji and Aminishiki, Kitazakura and Toyozakura, and Roho and Hakurozan
) in the top division simultaneously for the first and only time in sumo history. Asōfuji could manage only a 6-9 score in his top division debut, and only four wins in the next tournament in January 2007.
He fell back to the jūryō division for the March 2007 tournament and a 4-11 record in July sent him right to the bottom of the division. He held onto sekitori
status with an 8-7 mark in September but could manage only five wins in January 2008 and fell back to makushita. He managed a 5-2 score in the March 2008 tournament which returned him immediately to the second division, but again he was unable to secure kachi-koshi and was demoted to makushita once more. He scored 5-2 again in July for another immediate return to jūryō for the September tournament, but fell back to the third division yet again, narrowly missing the kachi-koshi with a 7-8 score. However, a fine 6-1 score at the top makushita ranking in November ensured his return to the sekitori ranks once again. This was his sixth promotion to jūryō, putting him in equal third place on the all-time list.
Asōfuji was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association
, and he was forced to retire in April 2011.
were nage, or throws. His most common winning move over the six tournaments from July 2007 to May 2008 was uwatedashinage, or "pulling outer-arm throw", but he was also adept at shitatenage, or inner-arm throws.
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 Fukaura
Fukaura, Aomori
is a town located in the Nishitsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 9,917 and a density of 20.3 persons per km²...
, Nishitsugaru
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...
, 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...
. His highest rank was maegashira 13. He is the elder brother of 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...
.
Career
Asōfuji made his professional debut in January 1994. He joined Ajigawa stable, run by former yokozuna AsashifujiAsahifuji Seiya
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...
, who was also of Nishitsugaru District and a cousin of Asōfuji's father. He took a long time to climb up the rankings, mainly due to his relatively light weight (barely 100 kg). He was even outperformed by his younger brother, who, though he joined the stable three years after Asōfuji, had already reached sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
status by 2000. Asōfuji first reached the second highest jūryō division in September 2003, but lasted only one tournament before being demoted back to the third makushita division. He reappeared in the second division a year later and in November 2006 he finally made his 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 debut at the age of 30. He was the ninth oldest makuuchi debutant since the end of World War II. In that tournament, there were three sets of brothers (Asofuji and Aminishiki, Kitazakura and Toyozakura, and Roho and Hakurozan
Hakurozan Yuta
Hakurozan Yūta is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 2. His older brother is also a former sumo wrestler, under the name of Rohō of Ōtake stable...
) in the top division simultaneously for the first and only time in sumo history. Asōfuji could manage only a 6-9 score in his top division debut, and only four wins in the next tournament in January 2007.
He fell back to the jūryō division for the March 2007 tournament and a 4-11 record in July sent him right to the bottom of the division. He held onto sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
status with an 8-7 mark in September but could manage only five wins in January 2008 and fell back to makushita. He managed a 5-2 score in the March 2008 tournament which returned him immediately to the second division, but again he was unable to secure kachi-koshi and was demoted to makushita once more. He scored 5-2 again in July for another immediate return to jūryō for the September tournament, but fell back to the third division yet again, narrowly missing the kachi-koshi with a 7-8 score. However, a fine 6-1 score at the top makushita ranking in November ensured his return to the sekitori ranks once again. This was his sixth promotion to jūryō, putting him in equal third place on the all-time list.
Asōfuji was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation 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...
, and he was forced to retire in April 2011.
Fighting style
Among his favourite techniquesKimarite
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...
were nage, or throws. His most common winning move over the six tournaments from July 2007 to May 2008 was uwatedashinage, or "pulling outer-arm throw", but he was also adept at shitatenage, or inner-arm throws.