Fujinoshin Tsukasa

Fujinoshin Tsukasa (born 6 November 1960 as Tetsuya Yagi) is a former sumo wrestler from Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1976, and reached the top division in September 1986. His highest rank was ''maegashira'' 1. He retired in September 1990 after injury problems and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association.

Career

He was born in Funabashi, Chiba, not far from the Kuramae Kokugikan. At the age of 15 in March 1976 he joined Izutsu stable (later renamed Kokonoe stable), recruited by former ''yokozuna'' Kitanofuji. He switched from his family name of Yagi to the ring name of Fujihikari in 1978. After several years in the lower divisions he broke into ''jūryō'' division in January 1985, but only stayed there for two tournaments. He returned to ''jūryō'' in January 1986 and made the top ''makuuchi'' division in September of that year, before falling back to ''jūryō''. In November 1987 he returned to the top division and stayed there for two years, reaching a highest rank of ''maegashira'' 1 in January 1988, although he was unable to defeat a ''yokozuna'' or win a special prize. During this period he was part of a stable that included two ''yokozuna'', Chiyonofuji and Hokutoumi, as well as fellow ''maegashira'' Takanofuji.

The beginning of the end of Fujinoshin′s career came on Day 12 of the Aki basho in September 1989 when he had his ankle broken by a wrestler ( Misugisato) who fell on it while Fujinoshin was sitting by the ''dohyō'' waiting for his match. He was unable to compete and had to default and withdraw from the tournament. The ''kosho'' or public injury system which protected a wrestler′s rank for one tournament did not apply in his case as the injury did not occur in a tournament bout itself, and as a result he fell back to the ''jūryō'' division. He returned to sumo in January 1990 but was unable to win promotion back to ''makuuchi'' and announced his retirement in September 1990 having fallen into the ''makushita'' division after another enforced absence.

Retirement from sumo

Fujinoshin has remained in the sumo world as a ''toshiyori'' or elder of the Japan Sumo Association and has worked as a coach at Kokonoe stable and Hakkaku stable. Until 1998 he was known as Nishikido Oyakata, but when his old boss Kitanofuji quit the Sumo Association that year he switched to the Jinmaku elder name.

Fighting style

Fujinoshin employed a wide variety of techniques but was regarded by some commentators as a jack of all trades, master of none. He favoured a right hand outside, left hand inside grip (hidari-yotsu) on his opponent's ''mawashi'' or belt. His most common winning technique was ''yori-kiri'' (force out) but he also tried ''oshi–dashi'' (push out), ''hataki–komi'' (slap down), ''yori–taoshi'' (force out and down), ''uwate–nage'' (overarm throw), ''shitate–nage'' (underarm throw), ''uwatedashi–nage'' (pulling overarm throw) and ''katasukashi'' (armlock throw).

Career record

See also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo elders

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fujinoshin, Tsukasa
1960 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Chiba Prefecture
Kokonoe stable sumo wrestlers