Tokitsuumi Masahiro

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Tokitsuumi Masahiro
時津海 正博
Tokitsuumi 2010.JPG
Personal information
BornMasahiro Sakamoto
(1973-11-08) November 8, 1973 (age 50)
Nagasaki, Japan
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight133 kg (293 lb)
Career
Stable Tokitsukaze
University Tokyo University of Agriculture
Record466-485-43
DebutMarch 1996
Highest rankMaegashira 3 (November 2001)
RetiredOctober 2007
Elder name Tokitsukaze
Championships 2 (Jūryō)
Special Prizes 4 (Technique)
* Up to date as of October 2007.

Tokitsuumi Masahiro (born November 8, 1973, as Masahiro Sakamoto) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Fukue, Nagasaki, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996. His highest rank was maegashira 3. He became the head coach of Tokitsukaze stable in 2007 following the dismissal of the previous stablemaster. He was asked to retire by the Japan Sumo Association in February 2021 for violating COVID-19 safety protocols. [1]

Contents

Early life

With influence from his father, Tokitsuumi participated in sumo competitions from the age of three, and after a stint with judo in junior high school, he began practicing sumo again in high school and university. He did very well in sumo at Tokyo University of Agriculture, but after graduating, he passed an entrance test to begin working at a printing company and was planning to have a career with them. But, his father, after seeing his continued success in amateur sumo, suggested he try his hand at professional sumo. Soon afterwards, he was recruited by the former ōzeki Yutakayama, a fellow Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate, and joined his Tokitsukaze stable. He made his debut in March 1996 at the age of 22.

Career

After joining at the bottom of the third makushita division, Tokitsuumi took just over a year to reach the elite sekitori ranks, making the second highest jūryō division in May 1997. He won the jūryō division championship at his first attempt with a 12–3 record, but then fell flat with a 5–10 mark in the next tournament. In July 1998 he produced a 10–5 score at the rank of jūryō 2 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division for September.

Tokitsuumi had a long career in the top makuuchi division. His four special prizes for Technique were evidence of his ability, but he always struggled when promoted above the mid-level maegashira ranks. He never reached a san'yaku rank, his highest rank being maegashira 3. A poor result in 2005 took him down to jūryō but he immediately recovered his position in top division by winning the jūryō championship for the second time in July 2005. His best score in the top division was a 12–3 result in January 2006. Just two tournaments later he suffered an injury which took him down to jūryō once again, and it took him three tournaments to get back. However he showed few signs of slowing down, comfortably holding his own in the lower maegashira ranks in 2007.

Fighting style

Tokitsuumi was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who preferred fighting on the mawashi to pushing or thrusting. His favoured grip was migi-yotsu, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms. He won over 40 per cent of his matches by yori-kiri, or force out. [2] He was also fond of shitatenage, or underarm throw.

Retirement

On October 9, 2007, he suddenly retired from being an active sumo wrestler and became head coach of Tokitsukaze stable, after the previous head coach (former komusubi Futatsuryū) was dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association for his involvement in a hazing scandal. [3] [4] He was initially reluctant to do so, having not yet reached san'yaku, but was persuaded by the former Yutakayama, who had always regarded him as his preferred successor. He was a popular choice among his fellow wrestlers.

In a highly unusual move, the banzuke (or ranking sheet) for the November 2007 tournament contained a blank space in the rank where Tokitsuumi's name ought to have appeared (West maegashira 11). Ordinarily, when a wrestler retires he does not succeed immediately as a head coach and owner of a stable. In this case, due to the unusual nature of the dismissal of the previous Tokitsukaze stablemaster, he acquired both the stable and toshiyori-kabu (coaching license) for the Tokitsukaze name immediately on retirement. Had his name remained on the banzuke he would therefore have been listed twice. The blank space was left to avoid the confusion in the rankings that would otherwise result. The last time a comparable situation occurred was in 1873, when two wrestlers were expelled from professional sumo as agitators. They formed a new organization (the modern Takasago stable). On that occasion, their names were blotted out of the banzuke with ink.

His official retirement ceremony, or danpatsu-shiki , took place at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan on October 5, 2008.

In June 2010 he faced censure for his involvement in the gambling scandal rocking the sumo world, after it was revealed that he had illegally bet on baseball while still an active wrestler. [5] On July 4 he was demoted to the lowest toshiyori level on the elder hierarchy, with no opportunity for re-promotion for at least five years. [6]

Tokitsukaze has produced the top division wrestlers Tosayutaka, Shōdai and Yutakayama.

Tokitsuumi was told not to leave his house and prevented from attending the September 2020 tournament after he breached the Sumo Association's COVID-19 guidelines by travelling to another prefecture. [7] In the same month he was unable to take part in the ceremony marking Shōdai's promotion to ōzeki, despite having been given permission to do so, due to an acute illness. [8] He was demoted from iin level to the lowest toshiyori level by the Sumo Association on October 1. During his trip he had engaged in several non-essential activities such as eating out, playing golf and visiting his home town of Gotō, Nagasaki. [9] [10]

In January 2021 the Sumo Association said it was again investigating Tokitsuumi for possible COVID-19 safety protocol violations, after he was reported to have visited a mahjong parlor. [11] The Sumo Association formally requested Tokitsuumi's retirement on 22 February, which he accepted. [1]

Family

His sons, Hirokazu and Shoma, joined professional sumo in May 2021 after graduating from high school. They were initially scheduled to join Tokitsukaze stable, but following their father's resignation joined Tatsunami stable. [12] Hirokazu and Shoma took the shikona Kiryuko and Shunrai respectively. Kiryuko was promoted to juryo after the July 2024 tournament, the 12th time in sumo history that a father and son have both made the sekitori ranks. [13]

Career record

Tokitsuumi Masahiro [14]
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
1996 x Makushita tsukedashi #60
6–1
 		EastMakushita#31
5–2
 		EastMakushita#17
4–3
 		WestMakushita#11
4–3
 		EastMakushita#9
4–3
 
1997 WestMakushita#5
5–2
 		WestMakushita#2
5–2
 		WestJūryō#13
12–3
Champion
 		WestJūryō#3
5–10
 		EastJūryō#8
9–6
 		WestJūryō#3
8–7
 
1998 WestJūryō#2
4–11
 		WestJūryō#9
9–6
 		WestJūryō#5
8–7
 		EastJūryō#2
10–5
 		WestMaegashira#14
8–7
 		EastMaegashira#13
9–6
 
1999 EastMaegashira#5
4–11
 		WestMaegashira#11
9–6
 		WestMaegashira#6
4–11
 		EastMaegashira#13
8–7
 		EastMaegashira#10
7–8
 		EastMaegashira#12
8–7
 
2000 WestMaegashira#11
9–6
 		EastMaegashira#7
7–8
 		WestMaegashira#8
5–10
 		WestMaegashira#11
9–6
 		EastMaegashira#10
7–8
 		EastMaegashira#12
8–7
 
2001 WestMaegashira#9
8–7
 		EastMaegashira#4
6–9
 		WestMaegashira#6
4–11
 		WestMaegashira#13
11–4
T		WestMaegashira#4
9–6
 		EastMaegashira#3
2–13
 
2002 EastMaegashira#11
11–4
T		WestMaegashira#4
2–6–7
 		EastMaegashira#11
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		EastMaegashira#11
8–7
 		WestMaegashira#6
7–8
 		WestMaegashira#7
8–7
 
2003 WestMaegashira#4
5–10
 		EastMaegashira#8
8–5–2
 		EastMaegashira#7
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		EastMaegashira#7
9–6
T		WestMaegashira#3
5–10
 		WestMaegashira#6
8–7
 
2004 EastMaegashira#4
7–8
 		EastMaegashira#5
8–7
 		EastMaegashira#4
7–8
 		EastMaegashira#6
6–9
 		WestMaegashira#8
5–10
 		EastMaegashira#14
8–7
 
2005 EastMaegashira#12
5–10
 		EastMaegashira#16
8–7
 		WestMaegashira#12
3–12
 		WestJūryō#3
11–4
Champion
 		WestMaegashira#14
4–11
 		WestJūryō#3
9–6
 
2006 WestMaegashira#14
12–3
T		WestMaegashira#5
2–13
 		EastMaegashira#16
2–9–4
 		EastJūryō#9
8–7
 		WestJūryō#6
8–7
 		EastJūryō#4
10–5
 
2007 WestMaegashira#12
8–7
 		WestMaegashira#10
8–7
 		EastMaegashira#6
3–12
 		EastMaegashira#11
8–7
 		WestMaegashira#7
5–10
 
Retired
–
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

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References

  1. 1 2 "Sumo: Tokitsukaze asked to quit after breaking COVID rules". Kyodo News. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Tokitsuumi bouts by kimarite". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Former stable master gets six years for young wrestler's hazing death". The Japan Times. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Tokitsuumi replaces fired elder". The Japan Times. 10 October 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Kotomitsuki, Otake to get ax over bets / Nagoya basho to go ahead as planned". Daily Yomiuri. 29 June 2010. Archived from the original on 12 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  6. ↑ http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/kotomitsuki-otake-to-be-fired-but-get-severance-pay [ dead link ]
  7. ↑ "時津風親方が秋場所謹慎他県訪れる違反行為か". daily.co.jp. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Shodai Promoted to 2nd-Highest Sumo Rank of Ozeki". Nippon. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "コンプライアンス委、時津風親方に「無自覚で到底許しがたい」旅行し、ゴルフや会食". Sanspo (in Japanese). 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "LDP, Komeito members defy restrictions to hit posh Ginza clubs". Asahi Shimbun. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Sumo: Stablemaster Tokitsukaze on hot seat over virus safety issues". The Mainichi. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "先代時津風親方の長男が立浪部屋入門へ、父退職で時津風部屋入りを再考". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "木竜皇、父の背中追い　大相撲". Jiji.com (in Japanese). 31 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  14. ↑ "Tokitsuumi Masahiro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
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