was a

sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...

wrestler from Minamiakita District, Akita, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1937. He fought in the top '' makuuchi'' division for 16 tournaments and his highest rank was '' maegashira'' 3. He was a member of

Nishonoseki stable Nishonoseki stable may refer to: * Nishonoseki stable (1911–2013) (1911–2013) was a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki group of stables (''ichimon'') named after it. It first appeared in the late eighteenth century and was re-e ...

and recruited the future '' yokozuna'' Wakanohana Kanji I while still an active wrestler. After his retirement from active competition in 1952 he became an

elder An elder is someone with a degree of seniority or authority. Elder or elders may refer to: Positions Administrative * Elder (administrative title), a position of authority Cultural * North American Indigenous elder, a person who has and tr ...

of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Hanakago and established the Hanakago stable, taking Wakanohana with him. He was later the coach of ''yokozuna'' Wajima, who eventually married Hanakago's daughter and took over control of the stable shortly before Hanakago's death in 1981. In 1951 he took part in an exhibition tournament in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, the first visit by professional sumo wrestlers to the United States since World War II, alongside Yakatayama, Fujitayama and retired former ''yokozuna'' Maedayama.

Career record

References

1916 births 1981 deaths Japanese sumo wrestlers Sumo people from Akita Prefecture {{sumo-bio-stub