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.
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.
Tochiazuma Daisuke is a retired sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in 1994, reaching the top division just two years later after winning a tournament championship in each of the lower divisions. After winning twelve special prizes and four gold stars, he reached his highest rank of ōzeki in 2002 and won three top division tournament championships before retiring because of health reasons in 2007 at the age of 30. In 2009 he became the head coach of Tamanoi stable.
Asahifuji Seiya is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori, Japan. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top makuuchi division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of ōzeki in 1987 and became the 63rd yokozuna in the history of the sport in 1990 at the age of 30. He won four tournaments and was a runner-up on nine other occasions. He retired in 1992 and is now the head coach of Isegahama stable.
Tsunenohana Kan'ichi was a sumo wrestler from Okayama, Japan. He was the sport's 31st yokozuna.
Hoshitango Imachi is an Argentine-born Japanese former professional sumo wrestler and current professional wrestler. His highest rank was Jūryō 3.
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.
Masuiyama Daishirō is a former sumo wrestler and coach from Hyōgo, Japan. In 1980 he became the oldest wrestler to be promoted to the rank of ōzeki in the modern era. After retiring from active competition in 1981 he became a sumo coach and an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Mihogaseki and produced several top division wrestlers as head of Mihogaseki stable before stepping down upon reaching age 65 in 2013. He is also an enka musician.
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.
Gagamaru Masaru is a professional sumo wrestler from Georgia. The third Georgian national after Kokkai and Tochinoshin to make the top makuuchi division, he made his professional debut in November 2005, reaching the jūryō division in November 2009 and makuuchi in July 2010. Originally from Kise stable, he briefly competed for the Kitanoumi stable before moving back to the Kise stable after it was re-established. His highest rank has been komusubi. He has won two special prizes for Fighting Spirit and has been runner-up in one tournament.
Kurosegawa Kuniyuki is a former sumo wrestler from Higashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1966, and reached the top division in May 1978. His highest rank was komusubi. He retired in May 1984 and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kiriyama. In 1995 he branched out from Isegahama stable and established his own Kiriyama stable, which shut down in 2011. He reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in May 2016, but has been re-hired by the Sumo Association for five years as a consultant. In September 2016 he was re-appointed as a judge of tournament bouts, following the demotion of Kasugayama.
Wakanojō Munehiko is a former sumo wrestler from Naha, Okinawa, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1992, and reached the top division in September 1997. His highest rank was maegashira 6. He retired in May 2004.
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.
Wakajishi Shigenori is a former sumo wrestler from Kamikita, Aomori, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1964 and reached the top division in January 1973. His highest rank was komusubi. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He left the Association in July 1996.
Oiteyama Hirokuni, born Mitsugu Yamaguchi, was a sumo wrestler from Goshogawara, Aomori, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1953 and reached the top division in May 1960. His highest rank was maegashira 6. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He reached the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age of 65 in June 2003.
Aonosato Sakari was a sumo wrestler from Kuraishi, Aomori, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1953, and reached the top division in January 1959. His highest rank was sekiwake. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Hatachiyama. In 1988 he took over as head coach at Tatsutagawa stable from former yokozuna Kagamisato and became Tatsutagawa-oyakata. Two months prior to reaching the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age of 65 in November 2000, Tatsutagawa stable was shut down and the remaining wrestlers transferred to Michinoku stable.
Kainoyama Isamu was a sumo wrestler from Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1955, and reached the top division in January 1961. His highest rank was sekiwake. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Onogawa. He left the Sumo Association in September 1971.
Yoshinotani Akitoshi was a sumo wrestler from Miiraku, Nagasaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1965 and reached the top division in January 1974. His highest rank was maegashira 4. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under a series of different names, since he didn't own a toshiyori-kabu of his own. He died while active as Onaruto-oyakata.
Udagawa Katsutarō was a sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1954 and reached the top division in January 1960. His highest rank was maegashira 3. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under a series of different names, since he didn't own a toshiyori-kabu of his own. He left the Sumo Association in October 1977.
Kimikaze Toshiji is a former professional sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 13. He won the jūryō championship in March 2012.
