Taihō Kōki was the 48th yokozuna in the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. He became a yokozuna in 1961 at the age of 21, the youngest ever at the time. He won 32 tournament championships between 1960 and 1971, a record that was unequalled until 2014. His dominance was such that he won six tournaments in a row on two separate occasions. He is the only wrestler to win at least one championship every year of his top division career, and he won 45 consecutive matches between 1968 and 1969, which at the time the best winning streak since Futabayama in the 1930s. He was a popular grand champion, especially amongst women and children. After retiring from active competition he became a sumo coach, although health problems meant he had limited success. When he died in January 2013 he was widely cited as the greatest sumo wrestler of the post-war period. Since then Hakuhō, who regarded Taihō as a mentor, surpassed his record by winning his 33rd championship in January 2015.
Futabayama Sadaji, born as Akiyoshi Sadaji in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945. He won twelve yūshō or top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with the public. After his retirement he was head coach of Tokitsukaze stable and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.
Oikawa is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Kitanofuji Katsuaki 北の富士勝昭 is a former sumo wrestler, born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 52nd yokozuna. He was also the head coach of Kokonoe stable.
Ryūko Seihō was a sumo wrestler with the Hanakago beya, an actor and a celebrity in Japan. He was born in Ōta, Tokyo. His highest rank in sumo was komusubi.
Tsunenohana Kan'ichi was a sumo wrestler from Okayama, Japan. He was the sport's 31st yokozuna.
Chiyonoyama Masanobu was a sumo wrestler from Fukushima, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 41st yokozuna from 1951 until 1959. He is regarded as the first "modern" yokozuna in that he was promoted by the Japan Sumo Association itself and not the House of Yoshida Tsukasa. He was the first yokozuna from Hokkaidō, which was also the birthplace of the subsequent yokozuna Yoshibayama, Taihō, Kitanoumi and his own recruits Kitanofuji and Chiyonofuji. After his retirement he left the Dewanoumi group of stables and founded Kokonoe stable in 1967.He died in 1977 while still an active stablemaster.
Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was a sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. He was the sport's 44th yokozuna. He won ten top division yūshō or tournament championships and was a rival of fellow yokozuna Wakanohana I. He became the head coach of Kasugano stable in 1959 and was head of the Japan Sumo Association from 1974 until 1988.
Asashio Tarō III was a sumo wrestler from Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He was the sport's 46th yokozuna. He was also a sumo coach and head of Takasago stable.
Wakashimazu Mutsuo is a Japanese former sumo wrestler from Nakatane, Kagoshima, Japan. His highest rank was ōzeki. He won two top division yūshō or tournament championships. He retired in 1987 and is now the head coach of Nishonoseki stable.
Kotokaze Kōki is a former sumo wrestler from Tsu, Mie, Japan. Beginning his career in 1971, he reached the top makuuchi division in 1977 but after a serious injury in 1979 he fell greatly in rank before staging a comeback. His highest rank was ōzeki, which he reached in 1981. He won two tournament championships and was a runner-up in two others. He won six special prizes and six gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He retired in 1985 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and the head coach of Oguruma stable.
Tamanoumi Daitarō, real name Tomohiro Miura, was a sumo wrestler from Ōita, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. He won a top division tournament championship in 1957. He was later the head coach of Kataonami stable.
Haguroyama Sojō is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan.
Kōtetsuyama Toyoya, born Kōnoshin Suga, was a sumo wrestler from Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1957, and reached the top division in September 1963. His highest rank was sekiwake. He is one of the rare examples of a wrestler whose only tournament in the sanyaku ranks was at sekiwake, rather than komusubi. He retired in January 1975. He branched out from Asahiyama stable and established the Onaruto stable in October 1975. He produced the top division wrestler Itai and jūryō Ishinriki. He was married to a ballet instructor. Onaruto stable closed in December 1994 and he left the Japan Sumo Association. He died in somewhat mysterious circumstances in 1996, a month before claims he made about match fixing in sumo were published in a book called Yaocho. The co-writer of the book died within hours of Onaruto, in the same hospital. Police found no evidence of foul play, but Onaruto's wrestler Itai later said his boss had links to a major yakuza crime syndicate.
Kairyūyama Teruhisa was a sumo wrestler from Shōwa, Akita, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1956 and reached the top division in July 1960. His highest rank was sekiwake. He won eight gold stars against grand champion yokozuna in the course of his career. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kiriyama. He left the Sumo Association in December 1980.
Wakasugiyama Toyoichi was a sumo wrestler from Shime, Fukuoka, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1953, and reached the top division in March 1959. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He left the sumo world upon retirement from active competition in May 1967.
Iwakaze Kakutaro was a sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1952 and reached the top division in May 1956. His highest rank was sekiwake. He retired from active competition in September 1965.
Teruhisa is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
Tokitsuyama Jin'ichi was a professional sumo wrestler from Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan who wrestled for Tatsunami stable. He won the top division sumo championship in the summer tournament of 1953 and was runner-up in five other tournaments. His highest rank was sekiwake. After his retirement in 1961 he worked as a coach at Tatsunami stable until his death in 1968.
