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Hakkaku
is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō. He was the sport's 61st ''yokozuna'' and won eight top division championships. He wrestled for Kokonoe stable, as did Chiyonofuji, and the two were the first ''yokozuna'' stablemates to take part in a play-off for the championship, in 1989. After a number of injury problems he retired in 1992, and is now the head coach of Hakkaku stable. In November 2015 he was appointed chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, following the death of Kitanoumi, initially to serve until the end of March 2016. He was then elected as head for a full term by his fellow board members in a vote held in March 2016, and was re-elected in 2018, 2020 and 2022. Early life Hoshi was born in Hiroo, Hokkaidō. An uncle was an acquaintance of former ''yokozuna'' Kitanofuji, who by then had retired from competition and was running Kokonoe stable, and at his invitation Hoshi moved to Tokyo. Upon leaving school, his first appearance in the ring was Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hakkaku Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Takasago ''ichimon'' or group of stables. It was established in September 1993 by former ''yokozuna'' Hokutoumi, who took with him four wrestlers from Kokonoe stable. The stable has so far produced nine ''sekitori'', four of whom have reached the ''makuuchi'' division. As of January 2023, it had 21 wrestlers. Many Hakkaku wrestlers have the kanji 北勝 (pronounced ''hokuto'' or ''hokutō'') in their ring name, taken from the former name of their head coach. Ring name conventions Many wrestlers at this stable take ring names or ''shikona'' that begin with the character 北 (read: hoku), meaning north, in deference to their coach and the stable's owner, the former Hokutoumi. Owner *1993-present: 8th Hakkaku Nobuyoshi ('' rijichō'', the 61st ''yokozuna'' Hokutoumi) Notable active wrestlers *Hokutofuji (best rank ''komusubi'') *Okinoumi (best rank ''sekiwake'') * Kitanowaka (best rank ''jūryō'') Coaches *Azumazeki Seiken ('' iin'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active wrestlers), ''gyōji'' (referees), ''tokoyama'' (hairdressers), and ''yobidashi'' (ushers/handymen), are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run entirely by ''toshiyori'' (elders). The organization has its headquarters in Yokoami, Sumida, Tokyo, Sumida, Tokyo. History The precursor to a full-fledged organization began in the Edo period with sumo bouts that were often held to raise funds for new construction or repair of bridges, temples, shrines and other public buildings. ''Shōgun'' Tokugawa Ieyasu specifically, wanted "street" sumo prohibited and determined sumo should only be held for charitable purposes, and it was known as ''kanjin'' sumo. The wrestl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active wrestlers), ''gyōji'' (referees), ''tokoyama'' (hairdressers), and ''yobidashi'' (ushers/handymen), are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run entirely by ''toshiyori'' (elders). The organization has its headquarters in Yokoami, Sumida, Tokyo. History The precursor to a full-fledged organization began in the Edo period with sumo bouts that were often held to raise funds for new construction or repair of bridges, temples, shrines and other public buildings. ''Shōgun'' Tokugawa Ieyasu specifically, wanted "street" sumo prohibited and determined sumo should only be held for charitable purposes, and it was known as ''kanjin'' sumo. The wrestlers were also paid with extra revenue from these events. This is when the fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Konishiki Yasokichi
Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e (born December 31, 1963), professionally known as is an American former sumo wrestler.Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' He was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach '' ōzeki'', the second-highest possible rank in the sport. During his career he won the top division championship on three occasions and came very close to becoming the first foreign-born grand champion, or ''yokozuna'', prompting a social debate in Japan as to whether a foreigner could have the necessary cultural understanding to be deemed acceptable in sumo's ultimate rank. At a peak weight of he was also at the time the heaviest wrestler ever in sumo, earning him the nicknames "Meat Bomb" and, most famously, "The Dump Truck".Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' Early career Playing truant from school one day, Atisanoe, already 170kg at the age of 18, was spotted on the beach in Hawaii by a sumo talent scout and was offered the chance to go ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kokonoe Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and until 2021 was located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of November 2022 it had 27 sumo wrestlers, four of whom are of ''sekitori'' rank. It is the most successful stable in terms of total ''yūshō'' won by its wrestlers, with 52. History Former ''yokozuna'' Chiyonoyama of Dewanoumi stable had wanted to succeed to the Dewanoumi name, but the then Dewanoumi stablemaster (former wrestler Dewanohana) had already decided to pass the name to former ''yokozuna'' Sadanoyama. Accordingly, in January 1967, he set up his own stable, taking with him, amongst others, then '' ōzeki'' Kitanofuji and attaching the new stable to the Takasago group of stables. After Chiyonoyama died in 1977, Kitanofuji, who had already revived Izutsu stable, became the 11th Kokonoe-''oyakata'', merging his stable with Kokonoe's and giving up the Izutzu elder name. He raised Chiyonofuji, then a ''makuuchi'' wrestler, to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kitanofuji Katsuaki
is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Asahikawa, Hokkaidō. He made his professional debut in 1957, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1964. He was the sport's 52nd ''yokozuna'', a rank he attained in 1970. He won ten tournament championships and was known for his rivalry with Tamanoumi. He retired in 1974 and was the head coach of Kokonoe stable from 1977 to 1992. He left the Japan Sumo Association in 1998 but is still prominent in the sumo world as a commentator as of 2021. Career Kitanofuji began his professional career in January 1957 at the age of just 14, joining Dewanoumi stable. In November 1963 he achieved a perfect 15–0 score in the second highest ''jūryō'' division (a feat not equalled until 43 years later by Baruto) and was promoted to the top ''makuuchi'' division. In his debut top division tournament in January 1964 he scored 13 wins, although he faced only his fellow ''maegashira.'' He won the Fighting Spirit award and was promoted straig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Makuuchi
, or , 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. This is the only division that is featured on NHK's standard live coverage of sumo tournaments. The lower divisions are shown on their satellite coverage, with only the ''makuuchi'' broadcast having bilingual English commentary. ''Makuuchi'' literally means "inside the curtain", a reference to the early period of professional sumo, when there was a curtained-off area reserved for the top ranked wrestlers, to sit before appearing for their bouts. Wrestlers are considered for promotion or demotion in rank before each grand tournament according to their performance in the one previous. Generally, a greater number of wins than losses (''kachi-koshi'') results in a promotion, and the reverse (''make-koshi'') results in demotion. There are stricter criteria ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequently-derived syllabic scripts of ''hiragana'' and ''katakana''. The characters have Japanese pronunciation, pronunciations; most have two, with one based on the Chinese sound. A few characters were invented in Japan by constructing character components derived from other Chinese characters. After World War II, Japan made its own efforts to simplify the characters, now known as shinjitai, by a process similar to China's simplified Chinese characters, simplification efforts, with the intention to increase literacy among the common folk. Since the 1920s, the Japanese government has published character lists periodically to help direct the education of its citizenry through the myriad Chinese characte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hirohito
Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was succeeded by his fifth child and eldest son, Akihito. By 1979, Hirohito was the only monarch in the world with the title "emperor". He was the longest-reigning historical Japanese emperor and one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the world. Hirohito was the head of state under the Meiji Constitution during Japan's imperial expansion, militarization, and involvement in World War II. Japan waged a war across Asia in the 1930s and 40s in the name of Hirohito, who was revered as a god. After Japan's surrender, he was not prosecuted for war crimes, as General Douglas MacArthur thought that an ostensibly cooperative emperor would help establish a peaceful Allied occupation, and help the U.S. achieve their postwar objectives. His role durin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shikona
A is a sumo wrestler's ring name. The tradition of ring names in sumo dates back to the Edo period, where they were used as a means to attract customers and hide the identities of the ''rikishi''. Like standard Japanese names, a ''shikona'' consists of a surname and a personal, or given name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the personal name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former ''yokozuna'' is usually referred to as simply ''Asashōryū''. When addressing a sumo wrestler of the ''makuuchi'' or ''jūryō'' divisions, the suffix is used instead of the usual . The given name is often, but not always, the wrestler's original name, and may be changed at the whim of the individual wrestler. Foreign wrestlers always adopt a new, Japanese given name. Often, on first joining professional sumo, a wrestler's ''shikona'' is the same as his family name. As a wrestler rises through the ranks of sumo, he is expected to change his ''shi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sekiwake
, or , 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. This is the only division that is featured on NHK's standard live coverage of sumo tournaments. The lower divisions are shown on their satellite coverage, with only the ''makuuchi'' broadcast having bilingual English commentary. ''Makuuchi'' literally means "inside the curtain", a reference to the early period of professional sumo, when there was a curtained-off area reserved for the top ranked wrestlers, to sit before appearing for their bouts. Wrestlers are considered for promotion or demotion in rank before each grand tournament according to their performance in the one previous. Generally, a greater number of wins than losses (''kachi-koshi'') results in a promotion, and the reverse (''make-koshi'') results in demotion. There are stricter criteria ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kirishima Kazuhiro
Kirishima Kazuhiro (Japanese: 霧島 一博, born April 3, 1959) is a former sumo wrestler from Makizono, Kagoshima, Japan, who held the second highest rank of '' ōzeki'' from 1990 to 1992 and won one top division tournament championship, and was runner up in seven others. He is now known as Michinoku Oyakata and is the head coach of Michinoku stable. Early career Beginning his career in March 1975, Kazumi Yoshinaga, as he then was, joined the Izutsu stable. He was given the sumo name Kirishima, which came from the national park in his native Kagoshima Prefecture. He did not become established as an elite ''sekitori'' wrestler until November 1983 when he produced a 9–6 score at the rank of ''jūryō'' 10 (he had made the ''jūryō'' division briefly in May 1982 but had lasted only one tournament there). He reached the top ''makuuchi'' division for the first time in July 1984, and won a '' sanshō'' or special prize for Fighting Spirit in his very first tournament. His good look ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_IMG_1452_20130302.JPG "Click for more on -> Shikona")
