Tosanoumi Toshio
Encyclopedia
Tosanoumi Toshio is a former sumo
wrestler. He first reached the top division of professional sumo in 1995, winning 13 special prizes and earning 11 gold stars for defeating yokozuna over his long career. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. He retired in 2010 to become a coach at his stable, Isenoumi stable
under the name of Tatekawa.
, where he was a two-time winner of the All Western Japan Sumo Championships in 1992 and 1993, Yamamoto was recruited by former sekiwake Fujinokawa and joined Isenoumi stable
. He was given the shikona
of Tosanoumi, meaning "sea of Tosa
", from his native Kōchi Prefecture. Because of his amateur achievements he had makushita tsukedashi status and entered professional sumo in the third, makushita division in March 1994. He entered jūryō four tournaments later. Another four tournaments later he was promoted to the highest, makuuchi
division. Because he had won the yūshō
or tournament championship with a 14-1 record from the rank of Jūryō 1, he entered at maegashira 7, the second highest ever rank at which to enter the top division after Daiju
in 1970. For his first makuuchi bouts he was drawn against some tough opponents; first ōzeki Wakanohana
, followed by yokozuna Takanohana
the second day. He lost both bouts, and would finish the tournament 7-8.
Recovering from this, his first ever make-koshi, Tosanoumi continued to rise through the ranks, reaching komusubi in January 1996 and sekiwake in May 1997. His best result in a tournament came in November 1998, when he finished as runner-up to Kotonishiki with 12 wins. Although he never rose higher than sekiwake, he held the rank for seven tournaments in total, the last being in May 2005. He was also ranked at komusubi on thirteen occasions, for a total of twenty tournaments in the sanyaku ranks. He remained in makuuchi continuously from July 1995 until January 2006, when a 5-10 result at maegashira 14 resulted in demotion to jūryō. He reappeared in makuuchi just two tournaments later in May 2006, but remained at the bottom of the division. He fell to jūryō on three further occasions, in May 2007, March 2008 and September 2008, but each time made an immediate return to the top division.
Tosanoumi won a total of thirteen prizes
(equal to the 7th highest ever) and 11 gold stars
(the 4th highest ever) in his long makuuchi career. He defeated two yokozuna in the same tournament on four separate occasions. He earned four gold stars from Takanohana
, and three each from Wakanohana
and Akebono
. His last gold star came in 2003 when he beat Musashimaru, in what was the latter's last bout before retirement. In July 2007 he recorded his 600th career win, which came by default when his opponent withdrew. Tosanoumi is eighth on the all-time list of most top division appearances, and ninth for most tournaments ranked in the top division.
He became the oldest active sekitori
after the March 2009 tournament following the retirement of Ōtsukasa
. However, he was unable to maintain his makuuchi position, dropping to jūryō 6 after winning only four matches at Maegashira 15. An 8-7 record in May was not enough to return him to the top division this time. He could manage only a 5-10 score in July, his first ever jūryō make-koshi. He recorded his 700th career win in the January 2010 tournament, the first makushita tsukedashi entrant to achieve this feat.
Following the large number of demotions to the jūryō division in September 2010 after six wrestlers were suspended from competition he made a surprise return to the top division, becoming at 38 years and six months the oldest man ever to do so. He was however out of his depth and scored only 2-13, resulting in demotion straight back to jūryō.
rank. Instead Tosanoumi chose to retire, announcing his decision on December 15 shortly before the release of the new rankings. He will stay in sumo as a coach at Isenoumi stable under the toshiyori
name Tatekawa, and his danpatsu-shiki or official retirement ceremony will take place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
on May 28, 2011.
as opposed to yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques. He has attributed his relative lack of injuries during his career in part to this preference. Over 30 percent of his wins in sumo were oshi-dashi, a simple push out.
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. He first reached the top division of professional sumo in 1995, winning 13 special prizes and earning 11 gold stars for defeating yokozuna over his long career. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. He retired in 2010 to become a coach at his stable, Isenoumi stable
Isenoumi stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers. Part of the Tokitsukaze group of stables, it is one of the oldest active stables in sumo, dating back to the mid-eighteenth century. The legendary Tanikaze, one of the first Yokozuna, and his protégé Raiden, arguably the greatest rikishi ever, were both members of...
under the name of Tatekawa.
Career
After success in amateur sumo competitions while at Doshisha UniversityDoshisha University
, or is a prestigious private university in Kyoto, Japan. The university has approximately 27,000 students on three campuses, in faculties of theology, letters, law, commerce, economics, policy, and engineering...
, where he was a two-time winner of the All Western Japan Sumo Championships in 1992 and 1993, Yamamoto was recruited by former sekiwake Fujinokawa and joined Isenoumi stable
Isenoumi stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers. Part of the Tokitsukaze group of stables, it is one of the oldest active stables in sumo, dating back to the mid-eighteenth century. The legendary Tanikaze, one of the first Yokozuna, and his protégé Raiden, arguably the greatest rikishi ever, were both members of...
. He was given 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 Tosanoumi, meaning "sea of Tosa
Tosa
Tosa can refer to:*Japanese terms:**Geography:***In Kōchi Prefecture****Tosa, Kōchi ****Tosa, Kōchi , a town****Tosa District, Kōchi***Tosa province or Tosa Domain, now known as Kōchi Prefecture**Tosa dialect...
", from his native Kōchi Prefecture. Because of his amateur achievements he had makushita tsukedashi status and entered professional sumo in the third, makushita division in March 1994. He entered jūryō four tournaments later. Another four tournaments later he was promoted to the highest, 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. Because he had won the yūshō
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...
or tournament championship with a 14-1 record from the rank of Jūryō 1, he entered at maegashira 7, the second highest ever rank at which to enter the top division after Daiju
Daiju Hisateru
Daiju Hisateru is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki, but he held the rank for only five tournaments, fewer than any ozeki in the modern era. He won eleven sansho or special prizes during his top division career which lasted from 1970 to 1977...
in 1970. For his first makuuchi bouts he was drawn against some tough opponents; first ōzeki Wakanohana
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...
, followed by yokozuna Takanohana
Takanohana Koji
is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the fifth highest total ever...
the second day. He lost both bouts, and would finish the tournament 7-8.
Recovering from this, his first ever make-koshi, Tosanoumi continued to rise through the ranks, reaching komusubi in January 1996 and sekiwake in May 1997. His best result in a tournament came in November 1998, when he finished as runner-up to Kotonishiki with 12 wins. Although he never rose higher than sekiwake, he held the rank for seven tournaments in total, the last being in May 2005. He was also ranked at komusubi on thirteen occasions, for a total of twenty tournaments in the sanyaku ranks. He remained in makuuchi continuously from July 1995 until January 2006, when a 5-10 result at maegashira 14 resulted in demotion to jūryō. He reappeared in makuuchi just two tournaments later in May 2006, but remained at the bottom of the division. He fell to jūryō on three further occasions, in May 2007, March 2008 and September 2008, but each time made an immediate return to the top division.
Tosanoumi won a total of thirteen prizes
Sansho
Sanshō can refer to:*Sanshō , three special prizes awarded at sumo tournaments*Sanshō , the Japanese name for Sichuan pepper*Sansho the Bailiff , a 1954 film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi...
(equal to the 7th highest ever) and 11 gold stars
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
(the 4th highest ever) in his long makuuchi career. He defeated two yokozuna in the same tournament on four separate occasions. He earned four gold stars from Takanohana
Takanohana Koji
is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the fifth highest total ever...
, and three each from Wakanohana
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 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...
. His last gold star came in 2003 when he beat Musashimaru, in what was the latter's last bout before retirement. In July 2007 he recorded his 600th career win, which came by default when his opponent withdrew. Tosanoumi is eighth on the all-time list of most top division appearances, and ninth for most tournaments ranked in the top division.
He became the oldest active 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...
after the March 2009 tournament following the retirement of Ōtsukasa
Otsukasa Nobuhide
Ōtsukasa Nobuhide is a former sumo wrestler from Miki, Hyōgo, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1993. The highest rank he reached was maegashira 4...
. However, he was unable to maintain his makuuchi position, dropping to jūryō 6 after winning only four matches at Maegashira 15. An 8-7 record in May was not enough to return him to the top division this time. He could manage only a 5-10 score in July, his first ever jūryō make-koshi. He recorded his 700th career win in the January 2010 tournament, the first makushita tsukedashi entrant to achieve this feat.
Following the large number of demotions to the jūryō division in September 2010 after six wrestlers were suspended from competition he made a surprise return to the top division, becoming at 38 years and six months the oldest man ever to do so. He was however out of his depth and scored only 2-13, resulting in demotion straight back to jūryō.
Retirement from sumo
In November 2010 Tosanoumi could score only 4-11 at jūryō 8, which would have resulted in demotion to the makushita division. This broke a run of 97 consecutive tournaments at a sekitoriSekitori
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...
rank. Instead Tosanoumi chose to retire, announcing his decision on December 15 shortly before the release of the new rankings. He will stay in sumo as a coach at Isenoumi stable 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 Tatekawa, and his danpatsu-shiki or official retirement ceremony will take place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
Ryogoku Kokugikan
, also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...
on May 28, 2011.
Fighting style
Tosanoumi's fighting style was solidly oshi-sumo, using pushing and thrusting 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...
as opposed to yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques. He has attributed his relative lack of injuries during his career in part to this preference. Over 30 percent of his wins in sumo were oshi-dashi, a simple push out.
Family
Tosanoumi announced in September 2008 that he would be getting married. The wedding reception and ceremony were held in January 2009.Top division record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of sumo tournament second division winners
- List of active sumo wrestlers
External links
- Japanese Sumo Association Biography (English)(Japanese)
- Tosanoumi's basho results
- Complete biography and basho results (Japanese)