Nihon University, abbreviated as Nichidai (日大), is a private research university in Japan. Yamada Akiyoshi, the Minister of Justice, founded Nihon Law School, currently the Department of Law, in October 1889.
A rikishi (力士) sumotori or, more colloquially, sumosan, is a professional sumo wrestler. Rikishi are expected to live according to centuries-old rules and, although there are some exceptions, most come from Japan, where sumo is practiced exclusively. Participation in official tournaments is the only means of marking achievement in sumo and the rank of an individual rikishi is based solely on official wins.
Makuuchi (幕内) or makunouchi (幕の内), is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (rikishi), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
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.
Toshimitsu Obata known as Kitanoumi Toshimitsu (北の湖敏満), was a sumo wrestler. He was the dominant yokozuna in sumo during the 1970s. Kitanoumi was promoted to yokozuna at the age 21, becoming the youngest ever to achieve sumo's top rank, and he remained a yokozuna for a record 63 tournaments. He won 24 tournament championships during his career and was one of a series of truly great yokozuna who came from Hokkaidō, the northernmost main island of Japan. At the time of his death he still held the record for most bouts won as a yokozuna (670). Following his retirement in 1985 he established the Kitanoumi stable. He was chairman of the Japan Sumo Association from 2002 until 2008, and from 2012 until his death.
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.
Takamiyama Daigorō is a former sumo wrestler, the first foreign-born wrestler to win the top division championship. His highest rank was sekiwake. His active career spanned twenty years from 1964 to 1984, and he set a number of longevity records, including most tournaments ranked in the top makuuchi division, and most consecutive top division appearances. 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 highest rank of yokozuna in 1993. He retired as a coach in 2009.
Kyokutenhō Masaru in Nalaikh, Ulan Bator, Mongolia is a former professional sumo wrestler. He made his debut in March 1992 out of Ōshima stable, with the first group of Mongolians ever to join the sport in Japan, reaching the top makuuchi division in January 1998. In his exceptionally long career he received seven special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and won one yūshō, in May 2012 from the maegashira ranks, which made him at 37 the oldest first–time yūshō winner in sumo history, and he was runner-up in one other tournament. His highest rank was sekiwake, which he held on three occasions. He was the first wrestler since the 1950s to be ranked in the top division after the age of 40. He made more appearances in the top division than any other wrestler at 1470, and only Ōshio fought more than his 1870 career bouts. He announced his retirement in July 2015 and declared his intention to stay in sumo as an elder, having acquired Japanese citizenship in 2005. In 2017 he became the head coach of Tomozuna stable and he is known as Tomozuna-oyakata.
Takeshi Inoue, known by his stage name Takeshi Rikiō, born December 20, 1972, is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, who worked for Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former sumo wrestler.
Professional sumo is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win/loss records in official tournaments. For more information see kachi-koshi and make-koshi. Wrestlers are also ranked within each division. The higher a wrestler's rank within a division is, the stronger the general level of opponents he will have to face becomes. According to tradition, each rank is further subdivided into East and West, with East being slightly more prestigious, and ranked slightly higher than its West counterpart. The divisions, ranked in order of hierarchy from highest to lowest, are as follows:
Hoshitango Imachi is an Argentine-born Japanese former professional sumo wrestler and current professional wrestler. His highest rank was Jūryō 3.
Kiyoseumi Takayuki is a former sumo wrestler from Nagoya, Japan. An extremely successful amateur, his highest rank in the professional sport was maegashira 13. He was forced to retire in April 2011 after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association found him guilty of match-fixing.
Musashimaru Kōyō is a former sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 1989, and reached the top makuuchi division in 1991. After reaching ozeki rank in 1994 his progress seemed to stall, but in 1999 he became the second foreign-born wrestler in history to reach the rank of yokozuna. He won over 700 top division bouts and took twelve top division tournament championships during his career. Musashimaru's sheer 235 kg (518 lb) bulk combined with 1.92 m of height made him a formidable opponent, and he was remarkably consistent and injury-free for most of his career. An amiable personality, his fan base was helped by a surprising facial resemblance to Japanese warrior hero Saigō Takamori. After retiring in 2003, he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and founded the Musashigawa stable in 2013.
Jōkōryū Takayuki, formerly known as Sakumayama Takayuki, is a Japanese sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 2011 after a successful college career in sumo. He currently holds the record for the most consecutive wins since entering professional sumo, and for the fastest rise to the top makuuchi division from the lowest jonokuchi division. His highest rank has been komusubi, which he reached in September 2014. However, because of injuries he has fell down the rankings, reaching a low of sandanme 23 in November 2016.
Minatofuji Takayuki is a former sumo wrestler from Annaka, Gunma, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1984, and his highest rank was maegashira 2. He retired in 2002, and in 2010 became the head coach of Minato stable.
Tenkaihō Takayuki is a sumo wrestler from Tamana, Kumamoto, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2007, and reached the top division in January 2012. His highest rank has been maegashira 8. He has taken one sandanme championship.
Takayuki is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
Mitoryū Takayuki is a Mongolian sumo wrestler. He began his professional sumo career in 2017 at the age of twenty three. His highest rank to date has been Jūryō 9. He wrestles for the Nishikido stable.
