Ouchiyama Heikichi
Encyclopedia
Ouchiyama Heikichi was a sumo
wrestler from Ibaraki Prefecture
, Japan
.
He joined Tokitsukaze stable
in 1944 and reached the top makuuchi
division in 1949. After finishing as runner-up to Chiyonoyama with a 13-2 record in March 1955 (Chiyonoyama defeated him in a playoff) he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki. He only managed to stay at ozeki for eight tournaments, as injury meant he had three consecutive make-koshi or losing scores which saw him demoted from the rank. He fought in the maegashira ranks until his retirement in 1959. He became an elder
of the Japan Sumo Association
, working as a coach at his old stable. He was known as Shikoroyama Oyakata until 1961 and then Tatsutayama Oyakata until his death in 1985.
He was well known for his extraordinary size: at tall he was the tallest modern era ozeki until Akebono
in 1992.
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 Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi 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 Tokitsukaze stable
Tokitsukaze stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. It was originally founded in 1769 and was dominant during the Taishō period. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an active wrestler at the time. Initially known as...
in 1944 and reached 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 1949. After finishing as runner-up to Chiyonoyama with a 13-2 record in March 1955 (Chiyonoyama defeated him in a playoff) he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki. He only managed to stay at ozeki for eight tournaments, as injury meant he had three consecutive make-koshi or losing scores which saw him demoted from the rank. He fought in the maegashira ranks until his retirement in 1959. He became an 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...
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...
, working as a coach at his old stable. He was known as Shikoroyama Oyakata until 1961 and then Tatsutayama Oyakata until his death in 1985.
He was well known for his extraordinary size: at tall he was the tallest modern era ozeki until 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...
in 1992.