is a Japanese former professional
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. He made his professional debut in 2011 after a successful college career in sumo. He currently holds the
record for the most consecutive wins since entering professional sumo, with 27, and for the fastest rise to the top ''
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.
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'' division from the lowest ''
jonokuchi
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' division (nine tournaments). His highest was ''
komusubi
, 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.
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'', which he reached in September 2014. However, because of injuries he fell down the rankings, reaching a low of ''
sandanme
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' 23 in November 2016. He returned to the ''
jūryō
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' division for four tournaments from November 2020 until May 2021, but announced his retirement in September 2022 having fallen to the ''
makushita
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' division.
Early life and sumo background
He participated in amateur sumo while in high school in
Saitama prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
, and in his third year there, won the junior sumo championship in the free weight category. He later entered
Nihon University
, abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Japan. Its predecessor, Nihon Law School (currently the Department of Law), was founded by Yamada Akiyoshi, the Minister of Justice (Japan), Minister of Justice, in 1889. ...
and in his second year, in 2008, he achieved the status of student ''yokozuna'' in the national student sumo tournament. This success would have allowed him to enter professional sumo at a higher rank (known as ''
makushita tsukedashi
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'') but he chose to give priority to graduating, and passed up this chance.
Career
Early career
Upon graduating he joined
Kitanoumi stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ''ichimon'' or group of stables. It was set up in 1985 as Kitanoumi stable by former ''yokozuna'' Kitanoumi, who branched off from Mihogaseki stable. It absorbed Hatachiyama stable in 2006, f ...
, adopting the ''
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'' co ...
'' of to distinguish himself from an active wrestler who already had the surname Sakuma. Before even entering the ring he was making a name for himself because of his diligence, skill, and strength in practice. He was allowed to practice regularly with higher ranked wrestlers almost from the beginning because of this. He won his first tournament championship or ''
yūshō
is the term for a championship in Japanese. This article focuses on championships in the sport of professional sumo.
It is awarded in each of the six annual ''honbasho'' or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most bouts. ''Yūs ...
'' in the ''
jonokuchi
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' division with a perfect record and a playoff win against stablemate and fellow rising star . In the following September tournament he won all his regular matches, but lost a playoff match for the ''
jonidan
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' championship. Playoffs are not calculated in professional sumo records, therefore his consecutive record was left intact. He continued his streak in the November tournament, with a perfect record and a playoff win. In the first tournament of 2012, he continued undefeated and on the 11th day of the tournament, reached
27 consecutive wins from his entry into sumo, surpassing the previous record set by former ''
komusubi
, 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 on ...
''
Itai
Itai (''ee-tai'') is a Hebrew biblical name, and also a Shona name. The name can also be written: Itai, Itahy, Ittai, Ittay, Etay, Eitay, Itay, Ytai, Etai, Itaj, Ithai, or Eatai.
Hebrew name
Itai ( he, איתי) is a Biblical name that appears i ...
in 1979. In his next match, on the 13th day, he finally lost to an overarm throw, by . Nevertheless, on the final day of the tournament he came through a four-way playoff to win the championship. This was his fourth consecutive playoff, a record. His calmness in the ring, and unaffected humbleness about his success at this stage was noted by commentators.
Though he logged two losses for the first time in his first upper ''
makushita
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' tournament in March 2012, his five wins was enough to earn him promotion to ''
jūryō
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' in the following May tournament. The six tournaments it took him to reach ''
sekitori
A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a ''rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: ''makuuchi'' and ''jūryō''.
The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fract ...
'' status from ''maezumo'' is level with Itai and
Tosayutaka for the fastest ever. On the occasion of his promotion, he changed his ''shikona'' surname to Jōkōryū. It was also announced that he would be moving to the re–established
Kise stable
, also known as Kimura Sehei stable, was a heya (sumo), heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ''ichimon'' or affiliated group of stables.
History
The original Kise stable (which had no connection to the current incarnation found ...
, which was founded by the former
Higonoumi
Higonoumi Naoya (born 23 September 1969 as Naoto Sakamoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Kumamoto, Japan. After his retirement he opened up Kise stable.
Career
A former amateur champion at Nihon University, he turned professional in 1992, joini ...
but forced to merge with Kitanoumi stable in 2010.
Makuuchi career
Jōkōryū's first tournament as a ''sekitori'' was a success, with him securing his ''
kachi-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'' or majority of wins on the final day with a win over . After a 10–5 score in July, he won promotion to the ''
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 on ...
'' division by clinching the ''jūryō'' championship in September with a playoff win over
Ikioi. His ''makuuchi'' debut in November 2012 was just nine tournaments after his professional debut, beating the previous record of eleven held by
Kotoōshū and
Aran
Aran m
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Iran
* Aran, Alborz, a village in Alborz Province
* Aran, Nain, a village in Isfahan Province
* Aran, K ...
. He found the going more tough in the top division and recorded his first ever ''
make-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'', finishing on 6–9 and suffering immediate demotion back to ''jūryō.'' However he made a quick return to ''makuuchi'' after finishing runner–up in January to
Takanoiwa
Takanoiwa Yoshimori (born 26 February 1990 as Adiyagiin Baasandorj) is a retired sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He made his professional debut in January 2009. He has both a ''sandanme'' and a ''jūryō'' division championship. He reac ...
on 11–4. Afterwards he largely alternated between winning and losing tournaments, and fell to ''jūryō'' again in January 2013. For the remainder of 2013 he managed to stay in the top division, but was again relegated to the second division in January of the following year, but bounced back in one tournament just as he had in the previous year. In the following two tournaments of March and May 2014 he logged two consecutive winning tournaments in the top division, a feat he couldn't accomplish in the previous year. In the July 2014 tournament he had his best finish in the top division at 10–5, which earned him promotion to the ''
san'yaku
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'' ranks for the first time at ''
komusubi
, 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 on ...
'' for September. He could manage only four wins in his ''san'yaku'' debut and dropped back to the ''maegashira'' ranks. In January 2015 he suffered an injury to his right knee in a bout against
Endō but continued to fight and picked up his first ''
kinboshi
is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked (''maegashira'') wrestler's victory over a ''yokozuna''.
It is believed that the term stems from the usage of the terms ''shiroboshi'' (lit: white star) to designate a b ...
'' or gold star for the defeat of a ''
yokozuna
, 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 on ...
'', upsetting
Harumafuji on Day 7. Jōkōryū dedicated the win to his son, as it was his birthday.
Injuries and demotions
Jōkōryū withdrew on Day 12 of the January 2015 tournament and with only five wins against ten losses in each of his next two tournaments, he was relegated back to ''jūryō.'' His 8–7 record in September was his first majority of wins at any tournament in 2015. Although he returned to the top division in January 2016 he was not fully healed and he was forced to withdraw after only two wins because of ligament damage to the same knee that he had injured a year earlier. After two consecutive losing scores in the ''jūryō'' division he was demoted to ''makushita'' for the July 2016 tournament. After undergoing surgery he was forced to miss both the July and September tournaments, and fell to ''
sandanme
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For ...
'' 23. He predictably won the division on his comeback in November, going unbeaten in all seven bouts before beating Asahiryū in a play-off. He was promoted to the ''makushita'' division for the January 2017 tournament, where he turned in a ''
make-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'' record of 3–4. He returned to ''jūryō'' for the September 2018 tournament after an absence of 13 tournaments. He is the first former ''sanyaku'' ranked wrestler to make a return to ''jūryō'' from the ''sandanme'' division.
(This feat was matched by
Terunofuji
, lead=yes), is a Mongolian-born naturalised-Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for the Isegahama stable, he entered professional sumo in January 2011 and took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his debut as a ''sekitori ...
and
Chiyootori in November 2019.) He was forced to withdraw with a foot injury on Day 14 of the January 2019 tournament, and with only five wins he was demoted back to the ''makushita'' division. He returned to ''jūryō'' for four tournaments between November 2020 and May 2021, but was demoted to ''makushita'' for the July 2021 tournament.
Retirement from sumo
After 6 consecutive losing records in the ''makushita'' division, Jōkōryū announced his retirement after his sixth loss in the September 2022 tournament.
Fighting style
Jōkōryū's favoured ''
kimarite
''Kimarite'' ( ja, 決まり手) is the technique used in sumo by a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) to win a match. It is officially decided or announced by the ''gyōji'' (referee) at the end of the match, though judges can modify this decision. The rec ...
'' or techniques were ''migi yotsu'' (a left hand outside, right hand inside grip on his opponent's ''
mawashi
In sumo, a is the loincloth that (sumo wrestlers) wear during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a as part of the ring entry ceremony or .
For top ranked professional , it is made of silk and comes in a var ...
''), ''yorikiri'' (force out) and ''uwatenage'' (overarm throw).
Career record
See also
*
List of sumo record holders
This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo. Only performances in official tournaments or ''honbasho'' are included here. Since 1958 six ''honbasho'' have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportu ...
*
List of sumo tournament second division champions
This is a list of wrestlers who have won the sumo second division ''jūryō'' championship since 1909, when the current championship system was established. These official tournaments are held exclusively in Japan.
The wrestler who has won the mo ...
*
*
List of komusubi
This is a list of all sumo wrestlers whose pinnacle in the sport has been the fourth highest rank of ''komusubi'' and who held the rank in the modern era of sumo since the 1927 merger of the Tokyo and Osaka organizations. There are usually two ac ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jokoryu, Takayuki
1988 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Tokyo
Nihon University alumni
Komusubi