Akinoshima Katsumi

Last updated

Akinoshima Katsumi
安芸乃島 勝巳
Akinoshima-Katsumi20160522.jpg
Personal information
BornKatsumi Yamanaka
(1967-03-16) 16 March 1967 (age 57)
Hiroshima, Japan
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight158 kg (348 lb)
Career
Stable Futagoyama
Record822-757-78
DebutMarch, 1982
Highest rankSekiwake (May, 1989)
RetiredMay, 2003
Elder name Takadagawa
Championships 1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
1 (Jonidan)
Special Prizes Outstanding Performance (7)
Fighting Spirit (8)
Technique (4)
Gold Stars 16
Chiyonofuji (4)
Hokutoumi (4)
Asahifuji (4)
Ōnokuni (2)
Akebono
Musashimaru
* Up to date as of July 2007.

Akinoshima Katsumi (born 16 March 1967 as Katsumi Yamanaka) is a former sumo wrestler from Akitsu, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1982, and after reaching the top division in 1988 he remained there for 15 years. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was known as the "giant killer" having defeated more yokozuna than any other untitled wrestler ( maegashira ) in the history of sumo, earning himself 16 gold stars or kinboshi over his career, four more than his nearest kinboshi earning rivals, Takamiyama and Tochinonada. He also has received 19 performance prizes ( sanshō ), another record in sumo history.

Contents

Akinoshima was a member of Futagoyama stable and was a stablemate of the wrestling brothers Takanohana II and Wakanohana III during their rise in sumo and subsequent yokozuna reigns. Akinoshima was a wrestler always capable of surprise wins, but lacked consistency, spending most of his career as a maegashira. After his retirement in 2003 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and in 2009 he became head coach of the Takadagawa stable.

Early years

Though he practiced judo in his junior high school years, Yamanaka had dreamed from a very young age of becoming a sumo wrestler, and eventually was able to enter a sumo competition while still in junior high school. Sometime later, he had a chance meeting with then ōzeki Takanohana I on one of the ōzeki's visits to Hiroshima. Yamanaka was invited to join Takanohana's stable, Futagoyama-beya (then known as Fujishima-beya). Making his professional debut in March 1982, he reached the third highest makushita division in March 1985. After winning the makushita championship with a perfect 7-0 record in May 1987 he made his second division jūryō debut that July, and entered the top division makuuchi in March 1988, just days shy of his 20th birthday.

Career

Akinoshima's tegata Akinoshima tegata.JPG
Akinoshima's tegata

Akinoshima received his first kinboshi on his defeat of the yokozuna Ōnokuni in September 1988. He went on to receive at least one kinboshi from every yokozuna he faced. He won 14 of his 16 kinboshi in a period of just four years from 1988 to 1992, and he would earn only two more in the last 11 years of his top division career. It is notable that due to sumo rules, Akinoshima never faced his stablemates, Wakanohana and Takanohana in the sumo ring. [1] Had he had this chance, he may have attained even more kinboshi than his already unrivaled record. His record of 16 kinboshi is four clear of his nearest rival. [1] He also had a remarkable hold over the ōzeki Konishiki, whom he defeated in every one of their first seven meetings, and he had a 25-10 overall career advantage over him.

He had an ongoing rivalry with another maegashira star Kotonishiki, and managed to chalk up only a 9–39 win–loss record against him during their respective top division careers. Only three wrestlers in the history of sumo have ever lost more times to another than Akinoshima did against Kotonishiki. [2] He won his last bout against Kotonishiki in March 2000, but injured his elbow in the win. Ironically, this injury would be one factor that led to his eventual retirement in May 2003. After losing to Iwakiyama on the 14th day of the tournament he faced certain demotion to jūryō and announced his retirement with immediate effect, not appearing on the final day. He was the last top division wrestler from the Shōwa era to retire.

He competed in the top division for 91 tournaments, which at the time of his retirement was the third highest in history, after Takamiyama and Terao. [3] He never won a top division tournament title, his best result being 12-3 in March 1992 when he finished runner-up to Konishiki. He was ranked in the titled san'yaku ranks for 27 tournaments, 15 at komusubi and 12 at sekiwake. However, he was never consistent enough to earn promotion to ōzeki, often dropping matches to less talented opponents.

He won his nineteenth sanshō or special prize in 1999, breaking the record of eighteen held by his rival Kotonishiki. [1] The last two came in September 1999, a tournament in which he was also runner-up for the second time.

He was an extremely diligent trainer, setting himself the target of one hundred practice bouts every day. [4] He suffered a severe shoulder injury in 1995, which required surgery.

Fighting style

Akinoshima favoured yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques, preferring to fight at close quarters rather than thrust to the chest. His favourite grip on the mawashi was hidari-yotsu, with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. His most common winning kimarite was yori-kiri or force out, but he also regularly used throws, both overarm (uwatenage) and underarm (shitatenage). He was known for his excellent balance, and for his ability to bury his head into his opponent's body, making him almost impossible to shake off.

When he first entered the top division in 1988 his weight was around 130 kg (290 lb), below average, but this gradually increased, and peaked at 158 kg (348 lb) towards the end of his career.

Retirement

Upon retirement, Akinoshima became a coach ( oyakata ) at his stable under the name Fujishima. [1] But disagreements with stablemaster Takanohana II over how to run the stable would eventually lead to Akinoshima moving to coach at Takadagawa stable instead, [1] a fairly rare occurrence in the world of sumo. He became Sendagawa-oyakata. He took over the running of Takadagawa stable from former ōzeki Maenoyama in August 2009. [5] In September 2012 he oversaw the promotion of Ryūden to jūryō, the stable′s first sekitori since Dairaidō in 2006. In January 2016 Kagayaki reached the top division, joined by Ryūden in January 2018.

In March 2024, he was elected director of the Japan Sumo Association for the first time, his term of office to run until 2026. [6]

Personal life

Akinoshima was known for often avoiding interviews after big wins even though an interview immediately after a big win is a long time sumo tradition. Akinoshima would refuse saying that it was disrespectful to the defeated wrestler.

He is a big fan of The Rolling Stones and was appointed their "ambassador" by Warner Music Japan. [7] He invited The Rolling Stones to his retirement ceremony at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in January 2004, but they were unable to attend.

Unusually for someone in the sumo world, he does not drink alcohol. [8]

The Sumo Association announced on 25 April 2020 that Akinoshima and five other wrestlers, including a jūryō wrestler in Takadagawa stable, were being hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. [9]

Career record

Akinoshima Katsumi [10]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1982x(Maezumo)WestJonokuchi#17
61P
 
EastJonidan#82
70P
Champion

 
WestSandanme#73
34
 
WestJonidan#1
52
 
1983EastSandanme#55
43
 
EastSandanme#43
25
 
EastSandanme#72
34
 
EastSandanme#85
61
 
EastSandanme#27
52
 
EastSandanme#1
16
 
1984EastSandanme#32
43
 
EastSandanme#20
34
 
WestSandanme#36
52
 
WestSandanme#4
16
 
EastSandanme#39
43
 
WestSandanme#23
34
 
1985WestSandanme#40
61
 
EastMakushita#56
52
 
EastMakushita#34
52
 
WestMakushita#21
52
 
WestMakushita#11
34
 
EastMakushita#20
34
 
1986WestMakushita#29
52
 
WestMakushita#15
25
 
EastMakushita#33
61
 
EastMakushita#15
34
 
WestMakushita#25
61
 
WestMakushita#7
25
 
1987 EastMakushita#20
52
 
EastMakushita#9
34
 
WestMakushita#14
70
Champion

 
EastJūryō#12
87
 
WestJūryō#10
87
 
WestJūryō#6
96
 
1988 EastJūryō#4
123
Champion

 
EastMaegashira#12
78
 
EastJūryō#1
105
 
WestMaegashira#10
114
F
EastMaegashira#2
87
O
WestKomusubi#1
78
 
1989 EastMaegashira#1
78
WestMaegashira#1
87
F
WestSekiwake#1
69
 
EastMaegashira#1
78
EastMaegashira#2
78
WestMaegashira#2
510
 
1990 WestMaegashira#6
87
 
WestMaegashira#2
87
O
EastMaegashira#1
105
OT
EastSekiwake#1
96
F
EastSekiwake#1
69
 
EastMaegashira#1
105
O
1991 EastKomusubi#1
510
 
WestMaegashira#3
87
EastMaegashira#1
96
F
EastKomusubi#1
87
 
EastKomusubi#1
96
 
WestSekiwake#1
411
 
1992 EastMaegashira#5
87
WestMaegashira#2
123
FO
EastKomusubi#1
96
 
EastSekiwake#1
105
 
EastSekiwake#1
87
 
EastSekiwake#2
78
 
1993 EastMaegashira#1
96
 
WestSekiwake#1
0213
 
EastMaegashira#10
Sat out due to injury
0015
EastMaegashira#10
96
O
WestMaegashira#2
96
 
WestKomusubi#1
69
 
1994 EastMaegashira#2
411
 
EastMaegashira#10
96
 
EastMaegashira#3
312
 
EastMaegashira#14
87
 
WestMaegashira#13
114
 
WestMaegashira#4
105
 
1995 EastKomusubi#1
114
F
WestSekiwake#1
114
F
EastSekiwake#1
78
 
EastKomusubi#1
1212
 
WestMaegashira#7
Sat out due to injury
0015
WestMaegashira#7
87
 
1996 EastMaegashira#4
96
 
WestKomusubi#1
69
 
EastMaegashira#2
510
 
WestMaegashira#5
105
 
WestMaegashira#1
78
 
EastMaegashira#2
96
 
1997 WestKomusubi#1
69
 
EastMaegashira#2
78
 
WestMaegashira#2
78
 
EastMaegashira#3
69
 
EastMaegashira#5
87
 
WestKomusubi#1
78
 
1998 WestMaegashira#1
69
 
WestMaegashira#2
96
 
WestKomusubi#1
105
T
EastSekiwake#1
348
 
WestMaegashira#5
Sat out due to injury
0015
WestMaegashira#5
87
 
1999 EastMaegashira#3
114
T
EastKomusubi#2
114
O
EastSekiwake#1
69
 
WestMaegashira#1
69
WestMaegashira#3
114
FT
WestKomusubi#1
312
 
2000 WestMaegashira#4
78
 
EastMaegashira#5
510
 
WestMaegashira#7
105
 
EastMaegashira#1
87
 
EastKomusubi#1
78
 
EastMaegashira#1
510
 
2001 EastMaegashira#4
78
 
EastMaegashira#5
510
 
WestMaegashira#9
87
 
EastMaegashira#6
411
 
WestMaegashira#11
96
 
WestMaegashira#6
87
 
2002 WestMaegashira#1
69
 
EastMaegashira#4
78
 
EastMaegashira#5
312
 
WestMaegashira#11
69
 
EastMaegashira#13
78
 
EastMaegashira#14
96
 
2003 WestMaegashira#9
69
 
WestMaegashira#12
69
 
WestMaegashira#15
Retired
69
xxx
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks:  Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira

See also

Related Research Articles

Takamiyama Daigorō is an American-born Japanese former professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for Takasago stable for twenty years from 1964 to 1984, his highest rank was sekiwake. Takamiyama set a number of longevity records in sumo, including most tournaments ranked in the top makuuchi division, and most consecutive top division appearances. In July 1972, he became the first foreign-born wrestler to win the top division championship. He is also the first foreign-born wrestler ever to take charge of a training stable, founding Azumazeki stable in 1986. His most successful wrestler was fellow Hawaiian Akebono who reached the sport's highest rank of yokozuna in 1993. Takamiyama retired as a coach in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaiō Hiroyuki</span> Sumo wrestler

Kaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kotonishiki Katsuhiro</span>

Kotonishiki Katsuhiro is a former sumo wrestler from Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1984, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1989. He won two top division tournament titles from the maegashira ranks, the first in 1991 and the second in 1998. His highest rank was sekiwake, which he held 21 times. He earned eighteen special prizes during his career, second on the all-time list, and defeated yokozuna eight times when ranked as a maegashira. He retired in 2000 and after a long stint as a sumo coach at Oguruma stable, took the vacant elder name Asahiyama and branched out to form his own stable of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takasago stable</span> Japanese sumo wrestlers

Takasago stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miyabiyama Tetsushi</span>

Miyabiyama Tetsushi is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. With the exception of two tournaments, he was ranked in the top division of professional sumo from 1999 until the end of his career in 2013, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001. He won eight special prizes and was runner-up in four top division tournaments. He wrestled for Fujishima stable, where he worked as a coach until opening his own Futagoyama stable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takanonami Sadahiro</span>

Takanonami Sadahiro was a Japanese sumo wrestler and coach from Aomori. He held sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki from 1994 until 2000. He won two tournament championships, and was a runner-up in eight others. He was a sumo coach from his retirement in 2004 until his death in 2015 at the age of 43.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takanohana stable</span>

Takanohana stable was a stable of sumo wrestlers, created in 2004 when Takanohana Kōji took over the running of Futagoyama stable from his father Takanohana Kenshi. Formerly of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables, it became the leader of a breakaway Takanohana group in 2010, which was formally recognized as an ichimon in 2014. It is one of the most successful sumo stables with 42 top division championships to its name, won by eight different wrestlers, if Futagoyama's history from 1962 is included. As of the September 2018 tournament the stable had eight wrestlers, including three sekitori. Takanohana resigned from the Japan Sumo Association shortly after that tournament and the stable was absorbed into Chiganoura stable on October 1, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tosanoumi Toshio</span> Japanese sumo wrestler

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 kinboshi or 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tochinonada Taiichi</span> Japanese sumo wrestler

Tochinonada Taiichi is a former sumo wrestler from Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. An amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1997. He earned twelve kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna, the second highest ever, and he was a runner-up in two tournaments. His highest rank was sekiwake. He is now a coach at Kasugano stable under the name Takenawa Oyakata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakanosato Shinobu</span>

Wakanosato Shinobu is a retired sumo wrestler from Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. He made his debut in the top division in 1998, and his highest rank was sekiwake. He holds the record for the most consecutive tournaments ranked in the junior san'yaku ranks of sekiwake and komusubi. He won ten special prizes and was twice runner-up in a tournament. He earned two gold stars for defeating yokozuna at a maegashira rank. He had 1691 career bouts, sixth on the all-time list. He retired in 2015 and was a coach at Tagonoura stable, until opening his own Nishiiwa stable in February 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maenoyama Tarō</span> Sumo wrestler (1945–2021)

Maenoyama Tarō was a sumo wrestler from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ōzeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable. He left the Sumo Association in 2010 upon turning 65.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takadagawa stable</span>

Takadagawa stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was formed in 1974 by former ōzeki Maenoyama, and was originally in the Takasago group of stables before joining the Nishonoseki ichimon. A series of wrestlers from Taiwan were recruited in the late 1980s. Later a Mongolian, Maenoyu, was at the stable from 2004 until 2007, but there have been no foreigners recruited since Maenoyu's retirement and the current stablemaster has indicated there are no plans to do in the immediate future. As of January 2023, it had 19 wrestlers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takamisugi Takakatsu</span>

Takamisugi Takakatsu is a former sumo wrestler from Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now the head coach of Tokiwayama stable, renamed from Chiganoura stable.

The following are the events in professional sumo during 2004.

The following are the events in professional sumo during 2003.

In 1999, Musashimaru firmly established his position as the dominant sumo wrestler of the year. Born in American Samoa and raised in Hawaii, Musashimaru became only the second foreign-born wrestler in history to achieve the highest rank of yokozuna or grand champion, in May 1999. He finished the year having won four tournaments, a rare accomplishment.

The following are the events in professional sumo in 1998.

In 1996, the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament set a record for the number of wrestlers in a playoff, after Musashimaru, Akebono, Wakanohana, Takanonami, and Kaio, all tied at 11–4. Musashimaru won the historic five-way playoff, taking his second tournament title since July 1994.

In 1995, yokozuna Takanohana finished in first place, while fellow yokozuna Akebono ranked second. The third-ranked sumo wrestler was ōzeki Wakanohana, who took the championship title at the November Kyūshū Basho after winning in a playoff against his brother Takanohana, the first tournament bout between brothers in the history of sumo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dewanishiki Tadao</span> Sumo wrestler

Dewanishiki Tadao was a sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. He won ten kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna during his long top division career, which only four wrestlers have bettered. He also won four special prizes. After his retirement he was a coach at Dewanoumi stable.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gunning, John (18 March 2020). "Akinoshima had decorated career as part of sumo's dominant stable". Japan Times. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  2. "Bout query result". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  3. Since his retirement Akinoshima's 91 top division tournaments has also been surpassed by Kaio, Kyokutenho and Aminishiki.
  4. Yukikaze (June 2003). ""Giant Killer" Calls It A Career". Sumo Shimpo. Archived from the original on 8 July 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2008.
  5. "Sendagawa gets Takadagawa beya". Sumo Forum. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  6. "日本相撲協会の八角理事長が続投決定、実質5期目 暴力問題の撲滅などを誓う" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  7. "Four Flicks DVD out in Japan today". Rolling Stones Fan Club of Europe. 10 December 2003. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
  8. Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN   0-8348-0283-X.
  9. "Sumo stablemaster, 5 wrestlers contract new coronavirus". english.kyodonews.net. Kyodo. 25 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  10. "Akinoshima Katsumi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2012.