Kotozakura Masakatsu I
was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, Tottori. He was the sport's 53rd ''makuuchi#Yokozuna, yokozuna''. He made his professional debut in 1959, reaching the top division in 1963. After several years at the second highest rank of ''Makuuchi#Ōzeki, ōzeki'', in 1973 he was promoted to ''yokozuna'' at the age of thirty-two years two months, becoming the oldest wrestler to be promoted to ''yokozuna'' since 1958, when the current six tournaments system was established. After his retirement he was head coach of Sadogatake stable and produced a string of top division wrestlers. Career Born , he came from a sumo background, as his father was involved in organising regional amateur sumo tournaments and his grandfather's brother had been a professional ''rikishi''. The young Kamatani at first competed in judo, achieving Shodan (rank), shodan level while still in middle school. However, after doing well in a national high school sumo competition he ...
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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 ...
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