Tochisakae Atsushi

Tochisakae Atsushi
Tochisakae Atsushi
栃栄篤史
Personal information
Born	Atsushi Okamoto; June 27, 1974 (age 50); Saga, Japan
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	156 kg (344 lb)
Web presence	website
Career
Stable	Kasugano
Record	480-423-86
Debut	January, 1993
Highest rank	Maegashira 1 (January, 2001)
Retired	January, 2008
Elder name	Mihogaseki
Championships	2 (Jūryō); 1 (Makushita); 2 (Sandanme); 1 (Jonidan)
	* Up to date as of January 2008.

Last updated August 02, 2024

Tochisakae Atsushi (born June 27, 1974, as Atsushi Okamoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Saga Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1993, reaching the top division for the first time in 2000. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He suffered many illness and injury problems throughout his career. He retired in 2008 and is now an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Mihogaseki, working as a coach at Kasugano stable.

Career

Okamoto was born and raised in Nakano, Tokyo, although both his parents were from Saga and as he was fond of the city as well he chose to list it as his birthplace on the banzuke ranking sheets when he joined professional sumo.^[1] As a child he practised kendo, but was drawn to sumo after entering a Nakano ward Sumo Tournament in the fourth grade and finishing third.^[1] He trained at several heya , including Fujishima, Futagoyama and Dewanoumi, and while at middle school he trained at Nihon University Sumo Club with several future top division wrestlers such as Kushimaumi, Hamanoshima and Mainoumi. This led him to Saitama Sakae High School, where he became the High School Yokozuna in 1992.^[1]

Rather than go to university, he instead joined Kasugano stable in January 1993 through a connection of his uncle, after graduating straight from high school - the first High School Yokozuna to enter professional sumo in this way.^[1] He initially wrestled under his own surname of Okamoto and then used the sumo name of Tochinoiwa, before adopting his familiar name of Tochisakae in January 1999. He progressed through the lower divisions fairly quickly but shortly after winning the yusho in the makushita division he had surgery for empyema and side effects of the anaesthetic saw him lose the use of almost all the muscles in the right side of his body.^[1] He refused to miss tournaments, and after a long period of rehabilitation with acupuncture treatment he eventually made a full recovery.^[1]

He first reached a salaried rank in March 1998 when he was promoted to the jūryō division, but after pulling out with an injury towards the end of the tournament he fell back to makushita. More misfortune was to follow him when he earned promotion back to jūryō in November 1998, only to miss the entire tournament with another injury. After falling down to the fourth sandanme division he fought his way back up the ranks and was promoted to jūryō for the third time in May 2000. He made his debut in the top makuuchi division just two tournaments later in September 2000.

He reached his highest rank of maegashira 1 in January 2001, and fought all the yokozuna and ozeki for the first time, defeating ozeki Dejima. However, more injury problems struck him in July 2001 when he had to pull out with broken heel bones, and in 2002 he had to withdraw from three consecutive tournaments due to phlegmon, resulting in demotion back to jūryō.^[1] He won the jūryō championship in March 2003 and returned to the top division in July. After missing the whole of the January 2005 tournament he fell to the second division once again. His 26th and last tournament in makuuchi was in January 2006. In May 2007 at the rank of Jūryō 3 he lost his first ten bouts and pulled out on the 11th day, resulting in a return to makushita for the first time since 2000.

Retirement from sumo

In January 2008 Tochisakae announced his retirement. He stayed with the Sumo Association as an elder under the name Takenawa, the stock borrowed from his still active stablemate Tochinonada. His danpatsu-shiki , or official retirement ceremony, was held jointly with another stablemate, Tochinohana, at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in January 2009. In January 2011 he switched to the Kiyomigata elder name, owned by active wrestler Tochiozan, but in August 2014 he acquired the Mihogaseki stock for himself and is now known as Mihogaseki Oyakata.

Fighting style

Tochisakae was an oshi-sumo specialist, favouring pushing and thrusting techniques. His most common winning kimarite was oshi-dashi (push out), followed by tsuki-otoshi (thrust over) and hiki-otoshi (pull down). By contrast, he won only around four percent of his matches by yori-kiri (force out), normally the most frequently used technique in sumo.^[2]

Career record

Tochisakae Atsushi^[3]
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
1993	(Maezumo)	WestJonokuchi#40 5–2	WestJonidan#139 7–0–PP Champion	EastSandanme#96 5–2	WestSandanme#60 7–0 Champion	EastMakushita#39 3–4
1994	EastMakushita#50 2–5	EastSandanme#20 6–1	EastMakushita#46 4–3	WestMakushita#40 7–0 Champion	EastMakushita#4 3–4	EastMakushita#8 1–6
1995	WestMakushita#29 2–5	WestMakushita#48 4–3	WestMakushita#37 6–1	WestMakushita#16 2–5	EastMakushita#34 4–3	WestMakushita#27 3–4
1996	WestMakushita#37 5–2	EastMakushita#22 3–4	EastMakushita#32 2–5	WestMakushita#54 5–2	EastMakushita#33 3–4	EastMakushita#43 6–1
1997	EastMakushita#20 4–3	EastMakushita#16 4–3	WestMakushita#11 4–3	EastMakushita#6 3–4	WestMakushita#9 5–2	EastMakushita#4 4–3
1998	EastMakushita#3 5–2	EastJūryō#12 5–8–2	WestMakushita#3 4–3	WestMakushita#2 5–2	EastMakushita#1 5–2	EastJūryō#12 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15
1999	WestMakushita#14 5–2	WestMakushita#5 5–2	WestMakushita#1 1–2–4	WestMakushita#21 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7	EastSandanme#1 7–0–P Champion	WestMakushita#7 5–2
2000	EastMakushita#3 4–3	EastMakushita#1 6–1	EastJūryō#9 9–6	EastJūryō#6 12–3	EastMaegashira#15 8–7	EastMaegashira#6 8–7
2001	WestMaegashira#1 4–11	WestMaegashira#7 8–7	EastMaegashira#5 7–8	WestMaegashira#6 4–5–6	WestMaegashira#12 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15	WestMaegashira#12 7–8
2002	EastMaegashira#14 9–6	EastMaegashira#10 5–10	EastMaegashira#15 8–7	WestMaegashira#10 9–3–3	EastMaegashira#4 2–9–4	WestMaegashira#12 0–6–9
2003	WestJūryō#10 8–7	EastJūryō#8 10–5–PP Champion	EastJūryō#3 10–4–1	WestMaegashira#11 8–7	WestMaegashira#6 5–10	WestMaegashira#10 7–8
2004	WestMaegashira#11 9–6	EastMaegashira#7 7–8	WestMaegashira#8 7–8	WestMaegashira#9 6–9	EastMaegashira#13 5–10	WestJūryō#1 10–5
2005	EastMaegashira#15 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15	EastJūryō#10 11–4	EastJūryō#2 12–3 Champion	WestMaegashira#12 7–8	WestMaegashira#13 5–10	EastJūryō#1 9–6
2006	EastMaegashira#13 4–10–1	WestJūryō#4 6–9	WestJūryō#7 9–6	EastJūryō#2 6–9	EastJūryō#4 6–9	EastJūryō#7 7–8
2007	EastJūryō#8 8–7	EastJūryō#6 9–6	WestJūryō#3 0–11–4	EastMakushita#3 4–3	EastMakushita#2 3–4	EastMakushita#5 4–3
2008	WestMakushita#1 Retired 2–4	x	x	x	x	x
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

Related Research Articles

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.

Dejima Takeharu is a former sumo wrestler from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1996, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year. In July 1999 he won the yūshō or tournament championship and earned promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki. He lost the rank in 2001 and, for the most part, remained a maegashira until his retirement in 2009. He won ten special prizes and six gold stars over his long career. He wrestled for Musashigawa stable. He is now an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Ōnaruto Oyakata.

Kakizoe Tōru, is a former sumo wrestler. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 2001 and reached the top division in 2003. His highest rank was komusubi, which he held for just one tournament. He won one special prize, for Technique. After injury problems he fell to the third makushita division in 2011 and retired in April 2012, becoming a sumo coach. He was part of ex-yokozuna Musashimaru's Musashigawa stable from 2013 until 2020, when he moved to Irumagawa stable. He is now a sumo elder, under the name Ikazuchi (雷).

Toyonoshima Daiki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Sukumo, Kōchi, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division in September 2004. He was a runner-up in five tournaments, and earned ten special prizes. His highest rank was sekiwake, which he first reached in September 2008 and held for five tournaments in total. Following a suspension in July 2010 he was demoted to the jūryō division, but upon his return to makuuchi in November 2010 he took part in a playoff for the championship. He won four kinboshi or gold stars awarded for yokozuna upsets, three of them earned by defeating Harumafuji from 2013 to 2015. He wrestled for Tokitsukaze stable. He retired in 2020 and was an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Izutsu-oyakata until his departure from the association in January 2023.

Tamanoshima Arata is a former sumo wrestler from Izumizaki, Fukushima, Japan. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1998, reaching the top makuuchi division at the end of 2000. He was twice runner-up in a tournament, and earned six special prizes and two gold stars during his career. His highest rank was sekiwake. He wrestled for Kataonami stable. He retired in November 2011 to become an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and is now known as Hanaregoma Oyakata. In December 2021 he became head coach of Hanaregoma stable.

Tamakasuga Ryōji is a former sumo wrestler from Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he made his professional debut in 1994 and reached a highest rank of sekiwake in 1997. He fought in the top makuuchi division for twelve years, won five special prizes and earned seven gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He retired in 2008 and is now a sumo coach. In February 2010 he took over the running of Kataonami stable.

Takekaze Akira is a former professional sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year. He was a runner-up in one tournament, earned two special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and one gold star for defeating a yokozuna. Takekaze is in first place for the slowest promotion from makuuchi debut to the third highest sekiwake rank in history. Aged 35 years and two months, he is in first place for the eldest to make his sekiwake debut post World War II. He was a member of Oguruma stable. He retired in January 2019 to become an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Oshiogawa-oyakata.

Hitoshi Tochihana is a former Japanese sumo wrestler from Yamagata, Iwate. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1995, reaching the top makuuchi division in 2000. His highest rank was komusubi. He retired in 2008 and is now a sumo coach.

Wakanoyama Hiroshi is a former sumo wrestler from Gobo, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi.

Kasugano stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. As of January 2023 it had 17 wrestlers. It has been led by former sekiwake Tochinowaka Kiyotaka since 2003. It was one of the most successful stables in 2013, with six sekitori wrestlers, including now retired Georgian Tochinoshin and Japanese born Tochinowaka Michihiro, who used the current head coach's old ring name.

Asanowaka Takehiko is a former sumo wrestler from Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He is now a sumo coach.

The following are the events in professional sumo during 2003.

Kimurayama Mamoru was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. His highest rank was maegashira 7. He was a coach at Kasugano stable. He was the only wrestler in the elite ranks in his time from Wakayama Prefecture.

Gojōrō Katsuhiro is a former sumo wrestler from Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan. Making his professional debut in 1989, he spent a total of 53 tournaments as an elite sekitori ranked wrestler, reaching a highest rank of maegashira 3 in 1998. After a number of injury problems he retired in 2005 at the age of 32. He is now a sumo coach under the name Hamakaze-oyakata.

Tochitsukasa Tetsuo is a former sumo wrestler from Nakagawa, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. After his retirement from sumo in 1992 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and established Irumagawa stable in 1993, which he ran until 2023.

Wakakōyū Masaya is a former professional sumo wrestler from Funabashi, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. The last two characters of his ring name were taken from his mentor and coach at Ōnomatsu, the former Masurao. He was only the second wrestler from his stable to reach the top division. He was runner-up in one tournament and earned one special prize, for Fighting Spirit. He is now a sumo coach.

Tochinowaka Michihiro is a former sumo wrestler from Hyogo, Japan. His father is a Zainichi Korean and his mother is a Korean immigrant. He made his professional debut in 2007 and steadily rose through the ranks. His highest rank was maegashira 1.

Naminohana Kazutaka is a former sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori, Japan. He was active from 1984 until 1997 and his highest rank was komusubi. He fought for Futagoyama stable and won one special prize for Fighting Spirit. After retiring at age 28 because of injury he went into the restaurant business.

Aogiyama Hideki is a former sumo wrestler from Hikone, Shiga, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1985, and reached the top division in March 1993. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in November 2003, and he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Edagawa.

Ōikari Tsuyoshi is a former sumo wrestler from Nishikyō, Kyoto, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1995, and reached the top division in November 1998. His highest rank was maegashira 11. He retired in November 2004, and as of 2016 he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kabutoyama.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jonosuke (26 October 2004). "Featured rikishi - Tochisakae". Sumo Forum. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
↑ "Tochisakae bouts by kimarite". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
↑ "Tochisakae Atsushi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-09-21.

External links

Tochisakae Atsushi 's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[forum-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jonosuke (26 October 2004). "Featured rikishi - Tochisakae". Sumo Forum. Retrieved 27 January 2010.

[2] "Tochisakae bouts by kimarite". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 27 January 2010.

[3] "Tochisakae Atsushi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-09-21.

[1]

[2]

[3]