Toyonoumi Shinji

Shinji Hamada (22 September 1965 – 20 November 2021), better known as Toyonoumi Shinji, was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Buzen, Fukuoka. He made his professional debut in March 1981 and reached the top division in November 1988. He was known by the shikona Takanohama until 1990. His highest rank was ''maegashira'' 1. He did not miss a single bout in his 19-year professional career. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Yamahibiki. He left the Sumo Association in June 2002.

Career

Born Shinji Hamada in Buzen, Fukuoka, he was first spotted while at elementary school by ''ozeki'' Takanohana Kenshi, who was on a regional tour, and the youngster was promised a spot in Futagoyama stable. After graduating from junior high in March 1981, he made his professional debut alongside future ''sekiwake'' Tochitsukasa. In March 1982 he followed the now retired Takanohana to a new stable the former ''ozeki'' had founded, Fujishima. Having previously fought under his own surname of Hamada, to mark the occasion his ''shikona'' was modified to Takanohama. He rose steadily up the ranks, reaching the elite ''sekitori'' level in September 1987 when he was promoted to the ''juryo'' division. In November 1988 having won the juryo '' yusho'' or tournament championship he made his debut in the top ''makuuchi'' division alongside Saganobori. These two were the final new ''makuuchi'' wrestlers of the Shōwa era. He fell back to ''juryo'' in July 1989 but immediately returned. In July 1990 he switched to the ''shikona'' of Toyonoumi, which he was to use for the rest of his career. In January 1992 he took a second ''juryo'' division championship – in the same tournament that his stablemate Takahanada (the son of his stablemaster) won the ''makuuchi'' division title. In February 1993 he found himself back under the Futagoyama banner when his original stable and Fujishima merged following the retirement of Futagoyama Oyakata (former ''yokozuna'' Wakanohana Kanji I).

Despite fighting in the top division for a total of thirty tournaments, Toyonoumi never won a special prize or managed to defeat a ''yokozuna.'' He never reached a ''sanyaku'' position, his highest rank being ''maegashira'' 1 which he achieved in September 1992. His last appearance in the top division was in March 1994 but he carried on fighting for another five years after that, finally announcing his retirement in March 1999 facing certain demotion to the unsalaried ''makushita'' division. He had been an active wrestler for 19 years and had never missed a bout in his entire career, fighting 1316 consecutive matches – the eighth highest in sumo history.

Retirement from sumo

Toyonoumi's ''danpatsu-shiki'' or official retirement ceremony was held on 3 October 1999 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, with around 3000 guests. He remained in the sumo world as a coach at his stable under the elder name of Yamahibiki Oyakata, but he was only renting the elder stock and he left the Japan Sumo Association in June 2002. The Sumo Association announced that he had died of an unspecified illness on 20 November 2021, aged 56.

Fighting style

Toyonoumi was one of the heaviest wrestlers ever, reaching a peak weight of around in 1998, and was sometimes criticised for being ungainly and slow-moving. He favoured ''yotsu-sumo'' or grappling techniques. He used a ''hidari-yotsu'' position on his opponent's ''mawashi'' or belt, with a right hand outside, left hand inside grip. His two most common winning ''kimarite'' were yori-kiri ''(force out)'' and ''oshi-dashi'' (push out). Among other techniques he used regularly were ''kotenage'' (armlock throw) and ''kimedashi'' (arm barring force out).

Career record

See also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of sumo record holders
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo tournament second division champions

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Toyonoumi, Shinji
1965 births
2021 deaths
Japanese sumo wrestlers
People from Buzen, Fukuoka
Sumo people from Fukuoka Prefecture