Takekaze Akira (born June 21, 1979 as Akira Narita) is a 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 from
Akita Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its ge ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, 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.
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'' division the following year. He was a runner-up in one tournament, earned two special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and one
gold star for defeating 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.
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.'' Takekaze is in first place for the slowest promotion from ''makuuchi'' debut to the third highest ''
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.
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'' rank in history. Aged 35 years and two months, he is in first place for the eldest to make his ''sekiwake'' debut post World War II. He was a member of
Oguruma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form it existed from March 1987 when it was founded by Kotokaze, a former Sadogatake stable wrestler., until February 2022. The first wrestler from the sta ...
. He retired in January 2019 to become an
elder of the
Japan 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 Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active ...
under the name Oshiogawa-''oyakata''.
Early life and sumo background
Born in
Moriyoshi,
Kitaakita District, Narita practised sumo in college and was a very dominant player, having achieved the student equivalent of ''
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.
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'' after winning the
Kokutai
is a concept in the Japanese language translatable as "system of government", "sovereignty", "national identity, essence and character", "national polity; body politic; national entity; basis for the Emperor's sovereignty; Japanese constituti ...
(Japan Games) and All Japan University Championship sumo tournaments in 2001, his fourth year at
Chuo University
, commonly referred to as or , is a private flagship research university in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1885 as Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (the English Law School), Chuo is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the country. The univer ...
. He made his professional debut in May 2002, joining former ''
ōzeki''
Kotokaze's
Oguruma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form it existed from March 1987 when it was founded by Kotokaze, a former Sadogatake stable wrestler., until February 2022. The first wrestler from the sta ...
.
Career
Upon entry he was given ''
makushita tsukedashi
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'' status and allowed to enter at the rank of ''
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 ...
'' 15 due to his amateur achievements. He reached ''
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 ...
'' level in just two tournaments, and was promoted 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.
This is the on ...
'' division in March 2003, the first wrestler from his stable to achieve this.
Takekaze had to pull out of his debut tournament in the top division due to injury and fell back 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. However upon winning the ''jūryō'' championship in September 2003 with a 13–2 record he was promoted back to the top division. He took time to adjust to the stronger opposition in ''makuuchi'' and did not achieve a ''
kachi-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'' or winning record above the mid ''maegashira'' ranks until May 2007. However, in January 2008 he produced his best score in the top division, 12–3, which included a defeat of ''
ōzeki''
Kotoōshū. He was awarded his first
special prize, for Fighting Spirit. Consequently, in the March, 2008 tournament he debuted at the ''
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 ...
'' rank, finally breaking into ''
san'yaku
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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''. He was the first wrestler from his stable to make the titled ranks.
Takekaze could manage only three wins in his ''komusubi'' debut and was demoted to ''maegashira'' 8 for the May 2008 tournament. However, an 8–7 score at ''maegashira'' 4 in March 2009, which included a defeat of ''
ōzeki''
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 ...
, saw him climb to ''maegashira'' 2 for the May 2009 tournament. He also reached ''maegashira'' 1 in November 2009. In September 2010 he finished runner-up in a tournament for the first time, and was awarded his second Fighting Spirit prize, shared with stablemate
Yoshikaze
Yoshikaze Masatsugu (born March 19, 1982 as Masatsugu Ōnishi) is a former sumo wrestler from Saiki, Oita Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake''. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2004, reaching the top divi ...
.
In July 2014 Takekaze earned 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 a 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 ...
'' with a win over
Harumafuji. His 9–6 score at ''maegashira'' 4 was enough to earn him promotion to ''
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 ...
'' for the first time, as everyone else in the division from ''sekiwake'' down to ''maegashira'' 3 had a losing score, with the exception of ''sekiwake''
Gōeidō who was promoted to ''ōzeki.'' Not only did Takekaze become the oldest ''sekiwake'' debutant since the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
at the age of 35 years two months, but the 64 tournaments it took to reach the ''sekiwake'' rank from his top division debut is also a record. He performed creditably in the September 2014 tournament, only just missing out on ''
kachi-koshi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
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'' with a 7–8 record. He remained in the ''san'yaku'' ranks at ''komusubi'' for the following tournament in November, but could only score 2–13. In 2015 he managed only two winning tournaments and dropped down the rankings. By January 2016 he had fallen to ''maegashira'' 13, his lowest rank for seven years but secured his top division status with a 10–5 result. He went on to secure four winning records out of six tournaments in 2016.
In September 2017 Takekaze appeared in his 83rd top division tournament, a record for a college graduate and 10th all-time. He has also fought more top division matches than any other former amateur champion and is in the top ten all-time. His 5–10 record in the January 2018 tournament saw him demoted to ''jūryō'' for the first time since 2005, but he resolved to continue wrestling, and earned immediate promotion back to ''makuuchi'', becoming at 38 years and 10 months the second oldest wrestler to do so since the beginning of the
Showa era after
Aminishiki. However he lasted only one tournament and was demoted back to ''jūryō'' after the May 2018 ''basho''.
Retirement from sumo
He announced his retirement during the January 2019 tournament after his eighth loss at the low rank of '' jūryō'' 12 made demotion 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 virtually certain. He is the owner of the Oshiogawa ''
toshiyori kabu
A is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association (JSA). Also known as , former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible. The benefits are considerable, as only ''toshiyori'' are allowed to run and coach in su ...
'' and stayed in sumo as a coach at Oguruma stable. His ''
danpatsu-shiki
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'' was held in front of a 9000 crowd at the
Ryōgoku Kokugikan
, also known as Ryōgoku Sumo Hall or Kokugikan Arena, is the name bestowed to two different indoor sporting arenas located in Tokyo. The fist ''Ryōgoku Kokugikan'' opened its doors in 1909 and was located on the lands of the Ekōin temple in Ry ...
on 1 February 2020, with his son taking part in a bout with him, and around 200 to 300 people participating in the hair-snipping ritual.
In February 2022 Oguruma stable closed and he branched out to open his own
Oshiogawa stable was a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form it dates from March 1975 when it was founded by Daikirin Takayoshi, Daikirin, a former Nishonoseki stable (1911–2013), Nishonoseki stable wre ...
, taking former ''makuuchi'' wrestlers
Yago and
Amakaze and a number of other personnel with him.
Fighting style
Takekaze was almost entirely reliant on ''oshi-sumo'' or pushing
techniques, and usually lost if his opponents grabbed hold of his ''
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 ...
'' or belt. He commented, "Sumo at the ''mawashi'' is not my style – I haven't learned to do it."
He has won only around four percent of his career matches by ''yori-kiri'' (force out), which is the most popular overall technique in sumo.
As well as ''oshi-dashi'' (push out) he also regularly employed ''hiki-otoshi'', the pull-down, and ''tsuki-otoshi'', the thrust over.
At just 172 cm (5 ft in) he was of the shortest wrestlers in the top division.
Personal life
Takekaze was married in August 2006. He has a son, born at the end of 2007.
Career record
See also
*
List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
The table below lists the runners up ('' jun-yusho'') in the top ''makuuchi'' division at official sumo tournaments or ''honbasho'' since the six tournaments per year system was instituted in 1958. The runner up is determined by the wrestler(s) w ...
*
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 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 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 ...
*
List of sekiwake
This is a list of all sumo wrestlers whose pinnacle in the sport has been the third highest rank of ''sekiwake'' 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 act ...
*
List of sumo elders
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takekaze, Akira
1979 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Akita Prefecture
Sekiwake
Chuo University alumni