Daimanazuru Kenji
Encyclopedia
Daimanazuru Kenji is a former sumo
wrestler from Kawakami
, Yoshino District, Nara
, Japan
. He began his professional career in 1992, and spent a total of 19 tournaments in the top two divisions, peaking at maegashira 16 in 2006. He retired at the end of the January 2010 tournament and has chosen to work outside of the Sumo Association.
, then run by the former wrestler Wakafutase. In 1997 his stablemaster died suddenly and for the remainder of his career he was coached by former ozeki Daiju
. He initially fought under his own surname of Omae, before adopting the shikona
of Futasewaka in 1994. He switched to his familiar name of Daimanazuru at the beginning of 2000.
He reached sekitori
status in November 2003, after more than eleven years in the unsalaried divisions
, by winning the makushita tournament championship or yusho
with a perfect 7-0 record. He made his jūryō debut alongside future yokozuna Hakuho
. After two losing scores in January and March 2004 he slipped back to makushita, but he returned to jūryō in January 2005. He made steady progress, rising slowly up the jūryō division with a succession of 8-7 scores, which was enough to earn him promotion to the top makuuchi
division for the July 2006 tournament. It had taken him 85 tournaments to reach makuuchi from his professional debut, the seventh slowest ever. However, his single tournament there saw him win only two bouts, against veterans Buyuzan and Tochisakae, and he was demoted straight back to jūryō.
In September 2007 he suffered an eye injury and had to withdraw on the 4th day, resulting in demotion back to the unsalaried makushita division. By July 2008 he had fallen to Makushita 26, the same rung on the ladder as fellow former top division wrestler Takahama
. He scored six wins against one loss in that tournament however, and took part in an eight-way playoff for the makushita championship. He missed out on his third title, eliminated in the semifinal stage by Yamamotoyama. Restricted by a nagging shoulder injury, a series of mediocre performances after that saw him fall to Makushita 54 for the January 2010 basho, his lowest rank since entering the makushita division at the end of 1997. Despite recording 4 wins against 3 losses, he announced his retirement after the tournament at the age of 33. He did not fight in enough sekitori tournaments to qualify for a toshiyori
(elder) position, and will be leaving the sumo world to work in a Tokyo
based firm.
(force out) or oshidashi
(push out). He preferred a migi-yotsu grip on the mawashi
, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms.
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 Kawakami
Kawakami, Nara
is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 2,286 and a density of 8.49 persons per km². The total area is 269.16 km².-External links:*...
, Yoshino District, Nara
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
, 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 began his professional career in 1992, and spent a total of 19 tournaments in the top two divisions, peaking at maegashira 16 in 2006. He retired at the end of the January 2010 tournament and has chosen to work outside of the Sumo Association.
Career
He made his professional debut in May 1992, joining Asahiyama stableAsahiyama stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It has a long history. As of April 2008 it had 11 sumo wrestlers.-History:...
, then run by the former wrestler Wakafutase. In 1997 his stablemaster died suddenly and for the remainder of his career he was coached by former ozeki Daiju
Daiju
Daiju may refer to:*Daiju Takase, Japanese mixed martial arts fighter*Daiju Hisateru, Japanese sumo wrestler...
. He initially fought under his own surname of Omae, before adopting the 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...
of Futasewaka in 1994. He switched to his familiar name of Daimanazuru at the beginning of 2000.
He 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 in November 2003, after more than eleven years in the unsalaried divisions
Professional sumo divisions
Professional sumo is divided into 6 ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win/loss records in official tournaments. For more information see kachikoshi and makekoshi. Wrestlers are also ranked within each division...
, by winning the makushita 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...
with a perfect 7-0 record. He made his jūryō debut alongside future yokozuna Hakuho
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,...
. After two losing scores in January and March 2004 he slipped back to makushita, but he returned to jūryō in January 2005. He made steady progress, rising slowly up the jūryō division with a succession of 8-7 scores, which was enough to earn him promotion 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 for the July 2006 tournament. It had taken him 85 tournaments to reach makuuchi from his professional debut, the seventh slowest ever. However, his single tournament there saw him win only two bouts, against veterans Buyuzan and Tochisakae, and he was demoted straight back to jūryō.
In September 2007 he suffered an eye injury and had to withdraw on the 4th day, resulting in demotion back to the unsalaried makushita division. By July 2008 he had fallen to Makushita 26, the same rung on the ladder as fellow former top division wrestler Takahama
Takahama Tatsuro
Hamanishiki Tatsurō is a sumo wrestler from Kumamoto, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1999. His highest rank has been maegashira 11, which he reached in 2002...
. He scored six wins against one loss in that tournament however, and took part in an eight-way playoff for the makushita championship. He missed out on his third title, eliminated in the semifinal stage by Yamamotoyama. Restricted by a nagging shoulder injury, a series of mediocre performances after that saw him fall to Makushita 54 for the January 2010 basho, his lowest rank since entering the makushita division at the end of 1997. Despite recording 4 wins against 3 losses, he announced his retirement after the tournament at the age of 33. He did not fight in enough sekitori tournaments to qualify for a toshiyori
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...
(elder) position, and will be leaving the sumo world to work in a Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
based firm.
Fighting style
Daimanazuru had a straightforward fighting style, with around 70% of his wins being either yorikiriKimarite
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...
(force out) or oshidashi
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...
(push out). He preferred a migi-yotsu grip on the 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:...
, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms.