is a retired 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
Mishima, Shizuoka
Mishima City Hall
is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 109,803 in 49,323 households, and a population density of 1800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
...
. A former amateur competitor at
Toyo University
is a university with several branches in Japan, including Hakusan, Asaka, Kawagoe, Itakura, and Akabane.
Overview
The predecessor to Toyo University was , which was founded at Rinsho-in Temple by Enryo Inoue in 1887. Inoue felt that the ...
, he made his professional debut in March 2004, reaching 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 for the first time in March 2010. He won a ''
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 ...
'' and a ''
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 championship. His highest rank was ''
maegashira
, 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 ...
'' 9. He was one of the shortest wrestlers in professional sumo at .
Early life and sumo background
Isobe began practicing sumo as a fourth grader in Mishima City, his hometown. His father encouraged him to drink milk to try to increase his height. In his sixth year of primary school he won a national boys sumo tournament, earning the title of "young boy yokozuna" for this accomplishment. In junior high school as a representative for Shizuoka prefecture in a national tournament, he won both the team and individual competitions. In his second year of high school in 1998 he took the championship to take the high school ''yokozuna'' title.
In his third year, he won a
Kanazawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Overview Cityscape
File:もてな ...
tournament and was chosen for a tournament expedition to China, which was also attended by many future stars in sumo. He defeated the future 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 wrestler
Futeno, and also finished ahead of the future
Asashōryū. He was a bronze medallist in the inaugural Junior World Sumo Championships in 1999. He went on to
Toyo University
is a university with several branches in Japan, including Hakusan, Asaka, Kawagoe, Itakura, and Akabane.
Overview
The predecessor to Toyo University was , which was founded at Rinsho-in Temple by Enryo Inoue in 1887. Inoue felt that the ...
where the future
Kimurayama
Kimurayama Mamoru (born 13 July 1981 as Mamoru Kimura) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ''maegashira'' 7. He is now a coach at Kasugano stable. He was the only wrestler in the elite ran ...
was his teammate.
Career
Joining
Irumagawa stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi '' ichimon'' or group of stables. It was set up in January 1993 by former ''sekiwake'' Tochitsukasa, who branched off from Kasugano stable. The first ''sekitori'' produced by the stable was ...
in March 2004, he was below the official height requirement at just 166 cm but was accepted after passing a secondary examination.
Initially fighting under his own surname of Isobe, he recovered from an elbow injury sustained in 2006 to reach the second highest ''
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 November 2007. He was the second wrestler to pass the secondary height exam and reach ''juryo,'' following
Toyonoshima
Toyonoshima Daiki (born June 26, 1983 as Daiki Kajiwara) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Sukumo, Kōchi, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 2002, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in September 2004. He was a runner ...
. After changing his ''
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 ...
'' to Sagatsukasa he initially remained near the bottom of ''jūryō'' and was demoted to ''
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 ...
'' on several occasions. However he fought his way back and reached the top division in March 2010 after a 9–6 score at ''jūryō'' 1. He lasted only one tournament in ''makuuchi'' and a series of poor performances back in ''jūryō'' saw him demoted to ''makushita'' once again. Returning to ''jūryō'' in May 2011 he won the ''
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. ''Y ...
'' or championship with a 13–2 record and was promoted back to the top division. He lasted four tournaments at the top before being relegated to ''jūryō'' for the March 2012 tournament. After six tournaments in the second division, the last two of which he achieved consecutive 9–6 records, he was promoted back to the top division for the March 2013 tournament. However, he was injured and missed the last seven days of the tournament and was again relegated. He only lasted one tournament in ''jūryō'' and dropped out of the salaried divisions in July 2013 where he remained until retiring, apart from one brief appearance in ''jūryō'' in March 2014.
Retirement from sumo
Sagatsukasa retired in August 2021 at the age of 39 after finishing the previous month's ''basho'' in ''
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 ...
'' with a 6–1 record, ending a professional sumo career spanning 17 years. He decided not to remain with the Sumo Association, instead returning to his native Shizuoka Prefecture.
One year after his retirement, Sagatsukasa's
retirement ceremony was held in
Numazu
is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 189,486 in 91,986 households, and a population density of 1,014 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Numazu is at the nor ...
.
Fighting style
Sagatsukasa's
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, Cultu ...
profile listed his favoured techniques as ''kuisagari'', an unusual move employed by shorter wrestlers that involves pushing the head against the opponent's chest and grabbing the front part of the ''
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 ...
'', ''oshi'' (pushing) and ''nage'' (throwing). His most common winning ''
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 ...
'' were ''oshi dashi'' (push out), ''hiki otoshi'' (pull down) and ''tsuki otoshi'' (thrust over). In September 2011 he defeated
Tochinowaka with the spectacular ''
ipponzeoi'' move, which had only been seen twice in the top division since 1974.
Career record
See also
*
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 past sumo wrestlers
This is a list of prominent past wrestlers (either retired or deceased) in the sport of professional sumo. They are listed in order of the year and tournament month that they made their professional debuts. The information listed below was gleaned ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sagatsukasa, Hiroyuki
1981 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Shizuoka Prefecture