was a Japanese 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 from

Kurayoshi is a city located in the central part of Tottori Prefecture, Japan. As of October 1, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 48,558 and a population density of 180 persons per km², making it the third largest city in Tottori. The total a ...

, Tottori. He was the sport's 53rd ''

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 ...

''. He made his professional debut in 1959, reaching the top division in 1963. After several years at the second highest rank of '' 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 is a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form, it dates from September 1955, when it was set up by former ''komusubi'' Kotonishiki Noboru. Former ''yokozuna (sumo), yokozuna'' Kotozakura ...

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 A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official t ...

''. The young Kamatani at first competed in

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...

, achieving

shodan SHODAN (Sentient Hyper-Optimized Data Access Network) is a fictional artificial intelligence and the main antagonist of the cyberpunk-horror themed video games ''System Shock'' and ''System Shock 2''. Character design SHODAN is an artificial in ...

level while still in middle school. However, after doing well in a national high school sumo competition he decided on a career in professional sumo. Initially his parents wanted him to continue with judo but they were persuaded 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 ...

Kotonishiki Noboru Kotonishiki Noboru (March 7, 1922 – July 14, 1974, born Noboru Fujimura) was a sumo wrestler and coach from Kanonji, Kagawa, Japan. His highest rank was ''komusubi''. He was runner-up in the January 1949 tournament and earned seven gold stars f ...

to let him join

. Kotozakura made his professional debut in January 1959. He reached 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 in July 1962 and 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. This is the on ...

'' division in March 1963. After making his ''

san'yaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

'' debut at ''komusubi'' in January 1964 he suffered an injury and returned to ''jūryō'', but he quickly recovered. After an 11–4 record at ''

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 on ...

'' in September 1967 he was awarded the Outstanding Performance

prize A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements.

and promotion to ''ōzeki''. He won two tournament championships in July 1968 and March 1969, but by the early 1970s he had begun to be regarded as something of a "perpetual ''ōzeki''", often struggling with injuries and finding it difficult to come up with the necessary wins to maintain his rank. He was ''kadoban'', or in danger of demotion from ''ōzeki'', three times during this period. Remarkably however, he won consecutive championships in November 1972 and January 1973 to earn promotion to ''yokozuna'' at the age of thirty two, after thirty two tournaments at ''ōzeki''. In July 1973 he defeated

Kitanofuji 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 tourn ...

in a playoff to win his only championship as a ''yokozuna''. After injuring his knee in 1974 he withdrew from several tournaments and announced his retirement that July. He made an appearance in the 1967

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...

film '' You Only Live Twice,'' seen fighting

Fujinishiki Fujinishiki Akira (born Akira Watanabe, also known as Akira Ichimiya, 18 March 1937 – 17 December 2003) was a sumo wrestler from Kōfu, Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Yamanashi, Japan. His highest rank was ''komusubi,'' which he held on ...

After retirement

Memorial Museum of 53rd Yokozuna Kotozakura

Kotozakura had been expecting to open up his own training stable, but when his stablemaster died suddenly just days after Kotozakura's retirement, he took over

instead. He produced many top division wrestlers over the years, such as ''ōzeki'' Kotokaze, Kotoōshū,

Kotomitsuki is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Okazaki City. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1999. He reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in November 2000 and won one ''yūshō'' or tournament championship, in Septemb ...

and Kotoshōgiku and ''sekiwake''

Kotogaume Kotogaume Tsuyoshi (born 5 October 1963 as Satoru Kitayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Yatsuo, Nei District, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He joined sumo in 1979 and made the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1985. His highest rank was ''sekiwake,'' ...

Kotofuji is a former sumo wrestler from Chiba, Chiba, Chiba City, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake''. In 1991 he won a top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championship from the ''maegashira'' ranks. Career Kotofuji made his professional debut ...

Kotonishiki Kotonishiki Katsuhiro (born June 8, 1968 as Hideyuki Matsuzawa) is a former sumo wrestler from Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1984, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1989. He won two top division tournament tit ...

, and Kotonowaka. When ''yokozuna'' Asashōryū was criticized for his behaviour in 2003, Kotozakura defended the Mongolian by pointing out the lack of emotional strength in young Japanese sumo wrestlers at the time. After 31 years as head coach, he passed on ownership of the stable upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five in November 2005 to Kotonowaka, who had become his son-in-law. Shortly after attending the ''ōzeki'' promotion ceremony of Kotomitsuki, Kotozakura died on August 14, 2007. He had battled

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

for several years and had also suffered the trauma of a leg amputation.

Fighting style

Kotozakura's favoured techniques were the two most common ''

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 ...

'' in sumo – ''yorikiri'' (force out) and ''oshidashi'' (push out). When grabbing 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 ...

'' he preferred a ''migi-yotsu'', or left hand outside, right hand inside grip.

Career record

References

External links