Daishoyama Naoki
Encyclopedia
Daishōyama Naoki is a former sumo
wrestler from Ishikawa Prefecture
, Japan
. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in January 1989 and reached a highest rank of maegashira 2 before retiring in 1995. He is now the head coach of Oitekaze stable
.
, as an amateur he won eleven sumo titles, including collegiate and amateur yokozuna, while studying at Nihon University
. He also served as captain of the school sumo team. He was recruited by the former sekiwake Annenyama of the Tatsunami stable
. Yamazaki had stayed at the heya
while taking part in junior high school competitions (as did Daishoho), and he had also met the former Tatsunami stable wrestler Wakanami as an infant, being held in his arms for a photograph (as top rikishi are often requested to do for luck). As an amateur champion he was given makushita tsukedashi status and made his debut in the third highest makushita division. His first tournament was in January 1989 and after two consecutive yusho
with perfect 7-0 records in January and March 1990 he was promoted to the second highest juryo division, becoming the first sekitori
from Tatsunami stable since the abrupt departure of yokozuna Futahaguro in 1987. He changed his shikona
or fighting name from his own surname to Daishoyama at this point.
Daishoyama made his debut in the top makuuchi
division in September 1990, and made a kachi-koshi winning score along with three other makuuchi debutants, Akebono
, Wakahanada
and Takatoriki. This marked the first time that four wrestlers making their top division debuts at the same time had all come through with winning records. In January 1991 he reached what was to be his highest rank of maegashira 2 and earned his first kinboshi
for defeating yokozuna Hokutoumi. He was to repeat this upset in July 1991 and also defeated yokozuna Onokuni in that tournament. In January 1993 he had slipped to maegashira 14 in the banzuke
rankings but responded with his best ever top division score, winning twelve bouts, defeating Konishiki and Takahanada amongst others and finishing runner-up to Akebono, who was promoted to yokozuna after the tournament. Daishoyama was rewarded with what was to be his only sansho
award, for Fighting Spirit.
Daishoyama had had longstanding hip problems since his professional debut, and after missing two tournaments in 1994 through injury he fell back to the juryo division. After being forced to sit out the September 1995 tournament as well he was demoted to the makushita division and retired from sumo in November without competing in any more bouts.
, or elder of the Japan Sumo Association
, and he purchased the Oitekaze name. In May 1998 he branched out from Tatsunami stable, where he had been working as a coach, and opened up his own Oitekaze stable
. His first top division wrestler was Hayateumi in 2000 and he was followed by Hamanishiki in 2001 and the Georgian
Kokkai
in 2004.
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 Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
, 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...
. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in January 1989 and reached a highest rank of maegashira 2 before retiring in 1995. He is now the head coach of Oitekaze stable
Oitekaze stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was established in its modern incarnation on 1 October 1998 by former maegashira Daishoyama, who is the stable's current head coach...
.
Career
Born in Anamizu, Hosu DistrictHosu District, Ishikawa
is a district located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The current total area is 456.69 km².The district has two towns.*Anamizu*Noto-District History:...
, as an amateur he won eleven sumo titles, including collegiate and amateur yokozuna, while studying at Nihon University
Nihon University
Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....
. He also served as captain of the school sumo team. He was recruited by the former sekiwake Annenyama of the Tatsunami stable
Tatsunami stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, and the head stable of the Tatsunami ichimon or group.-History:The stable is one of the most prestigious in sumo. It was originally founded in 1876 by Onigazaki, but the current incarnation dates from 1915...
. Yamazaki had stayed at the 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...
while taking part in junior high school competitions (as did Daishoho), and he had also met the former Tatsunami stable wrestler Wakanami as an infant, being held in his arms for a photograph (as top rikishi are often requested to do for luck). As an amateur champion he was given makushita tsukedashi status and made his debut in the third highest makushita division. His first tournament was in January 1989 and after two consecutive 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 perfect 7-0 records in January and March 1990 he was promoted to the second highest juryo division, becoming the first 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...
from Tatsunami stable since the abrupt departure of yokozuna Futahaguro in 1987. He changed 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 from his own surname to Daishoyama at this point.
Daishoyama made his debut in 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 September 1990, and made a kachi-koshi winning score along with three other makuuchi debutants, 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...
, Wakahanada
Wakanohana Masaru
is a former sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. As an active wrestler he was known as Wakanohana III Masaru , and his rise through the ranks alongside his younger brother Takanohana Koji saw a boom in sumo's popularity in the early 1990s...
and Takatoriki. This marked the first time that four wrestlers making their top division debuts at the same time had all come through with winning records. In January 1991 he reached what was to be his highest rank of maegashira 2 and earned his first kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
for defeating yokozuna Hokutoumi. He was to repeat this upset in July 1991 and also defeated yokozuna Onokuni in that tournament. In January 1993 he had slipped to maegashira 14 in the banzuke
Banzuke
This article is about the banzuke document, for a list of wrestlers as ranked on an actual banzuke see List of active sumo wrestlersA , officially called is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament or honbasho. The term can also...
rankings but responded with his best ever top division score, winning twelve bouts, defeating Konishiki and Takahanada amongst others and finishing runner-up to Akebono, who was promoted to yokozuna after the tournament. Daishoyama was rewarded with what was to be his only sansho
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:...
award, for Fighting Spirit.
Daishoyama had had longstanding hip problems since his professional debut, and after missing two tournaments in 1994 through injury he fell back to the juryo division. After being forced to sit out the September 1995 tournament as well he was demoted to the makushita division and retired from sumo in November without competing in any more bouts.
Retirement from sumo
Having fought in 33 sekitori basho Daishoyama was qualified to become a toshiyoriToshiyori
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...
, or elder of 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 purchased the Oitekaze name. In May 1998 he branched out from Tatsunami stable, where he had been working as a coach, and opened up his own Oitekaze stable
Oitekaze stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was established in its modern incarnation on 1 October 1998 by former maegashira Daishoyama, who is the stable's current head coach...
. His first top division wrestler was Hayateumi in 2000 and he was followed by Hamanishiki in 2001 and the Georgian
Georgian people
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
Kokkai
Kokkai Futoshi
Kokkai Futoshi is a professional sumo wrestler from Georgia. He began his career in May 2001. He is the first Caucasian rikishi to reach sumo's highest division, makuuchi, which he achieved in 2004. His highest rank has been komusubi, which he reached in 2006...
in 2004.