Sakahoko Akihiro
Encyclopedia
Sakahoko Nobushige is a former sumo
wrestler from Kagoshima Prefecture
, Kyūshū
, Japan
. His highest rank was sekiwake. He is now the head coach of Izutsu stable
. He is the elder brother of Terao Tsunefumi
.
division in November 1982. (His elder brother, meanwhile, never got higher than jūryō 2 and slid down the rankings). He reached what was to be his highest rank of sekiwake for the first time in July 1984. This was his first ever tournament in the titled sanyaku ranks and somewhat unusually for a sanyaku debutant he was able to produce a winning score (kachi-koshi) of 8-7. He received the Technique prize
for his efforts. In March 1985 Sakahoko's younger brother Terao joined him in makuuchi. They were the first pair of brothers to be in the top division simultaneously since Tanikaze and Tatsugesake 200 years before.
In September 1987 he defeated two yokozuna, Chiyonofuji and Futahaguro, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance prize. He was promoted back to sekiwake and proceeded to hold the rank for a then record nine successive tournaments from November 1987 until March 1989, but he was never under consideration for promotion to ozeki as he could not achieve regular double figure scores, his best result being 9-6. In July 1989, troubled by a shoulder injury, he turned in a disastrous 2-13 record and was demoted to the maegashira ranks. He managed to return to komusubi for one tournament in November 1990 but fell to jūryō in 1992 and announced his retirement that September at the age of 31 after 14 years in sumo. (Terao competed for another ten years, until September 2002).
under the toshiyori
name of Kasagayama. In 1994, when his father retired, he became Izutsu Oyakata and took over the running of Izutsu stable. The stable currently has one makuuchi wrestler, Kakuryu, who has reached sekiwake rank. He also works as a shinpan or judge of tournament bouts.
with both arms inside the opponent's, called moro-zashi. His most common winning kimarite
was overwhelmingly yori-kiri or force out, which accounted for over half his victories at sekitori level.
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 Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, 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 sekiwake. He is now the head coach of Izutsu stable
Izutsu stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze group of stables.The stable was established in the Meiji era by former yokozuna Nishinoumi Kajirō I, the 16th yokozuna, who became the 7th Izutsu-oyakata. He was succeeded by Nishinoumi Kajirō II, the 25th yokozuna...
. He is the elder brother of Terao Tsunefumi
Terao Tsunefumi
Terao Tsunefumi is a former sumo wrestler. He was born in Tokyo, but brought up in Kajiki, Aira District, Kagoshima, Japan. He fought out of Izutsu stable...
.
Career
Sakahoko made his professional debut in January 1978, joining Izutsu stable, which was run by his father, ex sekiwake Tsurugamine. His elder brother, Kakureizan, had joined sumo in March 1975, but Sakahoko quickly caught up with him and they made their jūryō debuts together in July 1981. Sakahoko made his debut in the top makuuchiMakuuchi
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 November 1982. (His elder brother, meanwhile, never got higher than jūryō 2 and slid down the rankings). He reached what was to be his highest rank of sekiwake for the first time in July 1984. This was his first ever tournament in the titled sanyaku ranks and somewhat unusually for a sanyaku debutant he was able to produce a winning score (kachi-koshi) of 8-7. He received the Technique prize
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 his efforts. In March 1985 Sakahoko's younger brother Terao joined him in makuuchi. They were the first pair of brothers to be in the top division simultaneously since Tanikaze and Tatsugesake 200 years before.
In September 1987 he defeated two yokozuna, Chiyonofuji and Futahaguro, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance prize. He was promoted back to sekiwake and proceeded to hold the rank for a then record nine successive tournaments from November 1987 until March 1989, but he was never under consideration for promotion to ozeki as he could not achieve regular double figure scores, his best result being 9-6. In July 1989, troubled by a shoulder injury, he turned in a disastrous 2-13 record and was demoted to the maegashira ranks. He managed to return to komusubi for one tournament in November 1990 but fell to jūryō in 1992 and announced his retirement that September at the age of 31 after 14 years in sumo. (Terao competed for another ten years, until September 2002).
Retirement from sumo
Sakahoko stayed in the sumo world as an elder of the Japan Sumo AssociationJapan 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...
under the 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...
name of Kasagayama. In 1994, when his father retired, he became Izutsu Oyakata and took over the running of Izutsu stable. The stable currently has one makuuchi wrestler, Kakuryu, who has reached sekiwake rank. He also works as a shinpan or judge of tournament bouts.
Fighting style
Unlike his brother Terao, who liked pushing and thrusting techniques, Sakahoko took after his father in specialising in yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques. He was well known for favouring the grip on the 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:...
with both arms inside the opponent's, called moro-zashi. His most common winning kimarite
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...
was overwhelmingly yori-kiri or force out, which accounted for over half his victories at sekitori level.