Kisenosato
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

is a Japanese 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 Ibaraki. He made his professional debut in 2002, and reached 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 2004 at the age of just 18. After many years in the junior ''
san'yaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' ranks, he reached the second highest rank of '' ōzeki'' in January 2012. He earned three ''
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 stars by defeating ''yokozuna'' in his career leading up to ''ōzeki'' and nine special prizes. He scored more than 20 double-digit winning records at the ''ōzeki'' rank. In 2016, he secured the most wins in the calendar year, the first wrestler to do so without winning a tournament in that year. After being a runner-up in a tournament on twelve occasions, he broke through at the January 2017 tournament, winning his first top division championship or ''
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 ...
'' with a record and subsequently was promoted to ''
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 ...
'', the first Japanese born wrestler to reach sumo's highest rank since Wakanohana in 1998. He had been a candidate four times previously (July 2013, January 2014, July 2016 and September 2016), but in each case he failed to achieve the necessary number of wins. Kisenosato won his first tournament as a ''yokozuna'' in March 2017, but suffered a left chest muscle injury in the process and was not able to complete another tournament until September 2018. His eight straight missed tournaments was a record for a ''yokozuna''. In January 2019, he announced his retirement from sumo. He is now 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 of .


Early life and sumo background

Yutaka Hagiwara was born in
Ashiya, Hyōgo 270px, Ashiya City Hall 270px, Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum 270px, Ashiya seen from Ashiya Station is a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 95,485 in 45562 households and a population density of 5 ...
, but moved to
Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 76,218 in 32,714 households and a population density of 970 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.4%. The total area of th ...
when he was two years old. In his second year of middle school he moved to neighbouring
Ushiku is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 84,675 in 35,082 households and a population density of 1437 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.5%. The total area of the ...
but continued to attend school in Ryūgasaki. Though Hagiwara was a fan of watching sumo from a young age, he was on his schools'
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
teams as a
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
in primary and junior high school. He eventually gave up when he realized he was only excelling because of his size. On a chance meeting with then head of
Naruto stable Naruto stable (鳴戸部屋 ''Naruto-beya'') is a heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables, and founded by former sumo wrestler Kotoōshū Katsunori on 1 April 2017. History Naruto stable ...
, the former ''
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 ...
''
Takanosato , real name , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori. He was the sport's 59th ''yokozuna'' from 1983 to 1986 and won four top division tournament championships. After retirement he established Naruto stable which he ran fr ...
, the stablemaster convinced Hagiwara's initially skeptical parents that he was a great candidate for sumo. Hagiwara eventually joined the stable upon finishing junior high school. The stable was known for its strict environment and the ''
oyakata The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' would encourage him to always use forward-moving techniques in training to better prepare him for tournament situations, rather than go for a quick win by stepping backwards.


Career

He fought his first bout in March 2002 under his real name. He rose quickly through the divisions, entering 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 May 2004, aged 17 years and 9 months, the second youngest ever ''jūryō'' wrestler after Takanohana, whom Hagiwara had idolised when he was a boy. Three tournaments later, in November 2004, he entered 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, again the second youngest (18 years 3 months) after Takanohana. To mark his entry into the top division his stablemaster gave him the ''
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 ...
'' or ring surname of Kisenosato. His first major top division result was 12 wins against three losses in the September 2005 tournament, where he was awarded the Fighting Spirit special prize. He was promoted to the rank of ''
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 ...
'' in July 2006, which he held until March 2007 when he fell back to ''
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 ...
'' 1. Early in his top division career Kisenosato was involved in some controversial bouts with ''
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 ...
'' Asashōryū. He defeated him for the first time in September 2006, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance Prize. Shaken by this, Asashōryū responded in the next tournament by leaping to the side at the ''
tachi-ai The is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout. It is a combination of two Japanese words that mean “stand” and “meet”. There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the ai ...
'' and employing a highly unusual leg kicking
technique Technique or techniques may refer to: Music * The Techniques, a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group of the 1960s *Technique (band), a British female synth pop band in the 1990s * ''Technique'' (album), by New Order, 1989 * ''Techniques'' (album), by M ...
called ''ketaguri''. Afterwards Asashōryū was criticised by the Yokozuna Deliberation Committee for using this rare move. In March 2007 Kisenosato slapped Asashōryū around the face during their match. Asashōryū was so riled by this that he gave Kisenosato a small kick in the back after the bout was over, which prompted much criticism from the Japanese media. In July 2007 Kisenosato turned in a strong 11–4 record and derailed
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 ...
's hopes of a tournament championship on the final day by slapping him down. This earned him promotion back to ''komusubi'' for September 2007. Kisenosato defeated Asashōryū once again in the ''yokozuna''s comeback tournament in January 2008, earning him 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, (his first win over Asashōryū had been at ''komusubi'' rank so he was ineligible then) and his second Outstanding Performance prize. After this performance he was named one of seven wrestlers who
NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...
commentator Shūhei Nagao (the former Mainoumi) called the "
Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seven ...
" and identified as "holding the key" to a Japanese resurgence in sumo, which was dominated by foreigners in the top ranks. (The others were Gōeidō, Kotoshōgiku, Hōmashō, Toyohibiki,
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 ...
and Tochiōzan). Returning to ''komusubi'' in the March 2008 tournament, Kisenosato lost to Asashōryū on opening day but defeated three out of four '' ōzeki'' and held his rank with an 8–7 score. In May 2008 he scored another win over Asashōryū on opening day, finishing with a strong 10–5 record and a share of the Fighting Spirit prize. Despite this he was not promoted 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 ...
'', only the third time since 15-day tournaments were introduced in 1949 that a ''komusubi'' with ten wins has not moved up the rankings. Kisenosato spent nine tournaments at ''komusubi'' without making ''sekiwake'', which has only happened to three previous wrestlers, Dewanishiki,
Fujinishiki Fujinishiki Akira (born Akira Watanabe, also known as Akira Ichimiya, 18 March 1937 – 17 December 2003) was a sumo wrestler from Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan. His highest rank was ''komusubi,'' which he held on ten occasions. He won the top ''makuu ...
and Takamiyama. Back in the ''maegashira'' ranks for the September 2008 tournament, he was the only man to defeat tournament winner Hakuhō, earning him his second ''kinboshi'', but he fell short with six wins against nine losses. In November 2008 Kisenosato scored 11–4, sending him to ''komusubi'' for the fifth time in the January 2009 tournament. He scored eight wins there, and Aminishiki's losing record meant Kisenosato finally made his long-awaited ''sekiwake'' debut in March 2009, in his tenth tournament at a ''
san'yaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' rank. He produced a somewhat disappointing 5–10 record and was demoted to ''maegashira'' 4 in May. However, he proved this rank was too low for him by producing a 13–2 record, his best ever top division score, and won his third Fighting Spirit prize. This performance returned him immediately to ''sekiwake'' for the July 2009 tournament. He came through with a good 9–6 score there, defeating Asashōryū (for the fourth time) and three ''ōzeki''. In September he failed on the final day to get ''
kachi-koshi The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' but remained in the ''san'yaku'' ranks at ''komusubi'' for the November 2009 tournament. However, a 6–9 in
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
saw him drop back to the ''maegashira'' ranks. In January 2010 he won his first five matches, before losing five in a row. He finished on 9–6 and returned to ''komusubi'' for the March tournament. He remained in ''san'yaku'' for the next three tournaments but fell back to ''maegashira'' 1 in November 2010. On the second day of the Kyushu tournament he upset Hakuhō, bringing to an end the ''yokozuna''s post-war record of 63 consecutive victories. He was rewarded with the Outstanding Performance prize and promotion back to ''sekiwake''. He defeated Hakuhō once again in the following tournament, scoring 10–5 and winning another Outstanding Performance award, his fourth.
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 ...
official Takanohana said after the tournament that Kisenosato would be considered for promotion to ''ōzeki'' if he won at least 13 bouts in the March 2011 ''
honbasho A is an official professional sumo tournament. The number of ''honbasho'' every year has varied along the years; since 1958 there are six tournaments every year. Only ''honbasho'' results matter in determining promotion and relegation for ''riki ...
'', which would give him 33 wins over three tournaments (the usual minimum requirement for ''ōzeki''). However, that tournament never took place due to a match-fixing scandal and in the subsequent 'technical examination' tournament in May he secured a majority of wins only on the final day.


Promotion to ''ōzeki''

After a solid 10–5 score in July, in the September 2011 tournament Kisenosato raced to an 8–0 start, before losing three in a row. However, he then rebounded by beating Hakuhō for the third time in their last five meetings on Day 12. He finished runner-up alongside Kotoshōgiku on 12–3, his first ever runner-up performance, and also shared the Outstanding Performance prize. With 22 wins in the last two tournaments, he was once again a candidate for promotion to ''ōzeki'' in November. However, with a record of 10–4 going into his match on the final day, he lost to Kotoshōgiku. This gave him a record of "only" 32 wins in three tournaments, below the Association's loosely defined ''ōzeki'' promotion standard of 33, but the Sumo Association had already indicated before the match took place that he had done enough to earn promotion. This was the second successive tournament to feature an ''ōzeki'' promotion, following Kotoshōgiku. Kisenosato credited his success to his late stablemaster, the former ''yokozuna''
Takanosato , real name , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori. He was the sport's 59th ''yokozuna'' from 1983 to 1986 and won four top division tournament championships. After retirement he established Naruto stable which he ran fr ...
, who had died suddenly shortly before the tournament. "Everything that he taught me about sumo led to this result and I'm so grateful." He had long been regarded as one of the most promising Japanese sumo wrestlers, but prior to reaching ''ōzeki'' there had been concern expressed about his seeming inability to hold down a ''san'yaku'' position and a possible lack of fighting spirit. His stablemaster had also criticized him in 2010 for his attitude in training. Kisenosato's promotion was made official on 30 November, following a unanimous vote by the Sumo Association's executive board. Chairman Hanaregoma commented, "He has been solid through the last several tournaments. I want him to start putting himself in title contention."


''Ōzeki'' career

Kisenosato produced an 11–4 record in his debut ''ōzeki'' tournament in January 2012. In the May 2012 tournament he was leading the ''yūshō'' race after twelve days, the first Japanese born wrestler to do so at that stage since Tochiazuma in 2007, but a loss against Hakuhō on Day 13 meant he was caught up by rank–and–filers Kyokutenhō and Tochiōzan, and a final day loss to
Baruto Kaido Höövelson, (known professionally as Baruto Kaito ; born 5 November 1984) is an Estonian politician and former professional sumo wrestler. Making his debut in May 2004, he reached the top division after just two years in sumo in May 2006 ...
meant he finished on 11–4 and missed out on a playoff for the championship. In the next five tournaments he produced five double figure scores, but only just, as they were all 10–5. However, in the May 2013 tournament he won his first thirteen matches, making a strong case for a possible start at a run for ''yokozuna'' promotion, but he was defeated by Hakuhō on Day 14, and he also lost his final day bout to Kotoshōgiku to finish two wins behind Hakuhō on 13–2. In July 2013 he stopped Hakuhō's streak of 43 consecutive victories by beating him on the 14th day – the third time he has ended a significant winning run of the ''yokozuna'', having also defeated Hakuhō after his 63 wins in a row in November 2010 and 23 in January 2011. After the November 2013 tournament, in which he was runner-up for the fourth time in a row, Kisenosato was told by the Sumo Association that he would be promoted if he won the championship with at least 13 wins, but he collapsed in the following January ''basho'' and won only seven bouts. He pulled out on the final day, missing the first bout of his career. He maintained his ''ōzeki'' status with a 9–6 result in March 2014 and was never in danger of demotion again. He finished runner-up in May 2014, January 2015 and May 2015. In the second half of 2015 Kisenosato maintained his consistent form: he went 10–5 in July (including a win over Kakuryū), 11–4 in September and 10–5 in November (beating Harumafuji on the final day). After a moderate 9–6 in January 2016 he was back to his best in March, recording 13 wins and finishing runner-up to Hakuhō. He was runner-up for the tenth time in his career in the May 2016 tournament, finishing on 13–2 and having been at 12–0 before losing to Hakuhō and Kakuryū on consecutive days. Kisenosato went into the July 2016 tournament with the possibility of being promoted to ''yokozuna'' if he could win the tournament, however he was unable to clinch a victory and was runner-up for the eleventh time, and the third time in a row. He was criticized by Hideshige Moriya, chair of the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
, for the manner of his defeat to the eventual winner Harumafuji on Day 13, which saw him fall to 10–3: "The way he lost to Harumafuji makes him unworthy of recommendation (for promotion)." He finished this tournament with a 12–3 record. His fourth bid for ''yokozuna'' promotion in September ended in failure after two losses in the first three days, to
Okinoumi is a retired Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Okinoshima, Shimane. He joined professional sumo in 2005, reaching the top division in 2010. He was runner-up in ''makuuchi'' three times in the January 2011, March 2013, and November 2017 t ...
on the opening day and
Tochinoshin ; ) is a Georgian professional sumo wrestler from Mtskheta. He is a member of the Kasugano stable and made his professional debut in March 2006. He reached the top ''makuuchi'' division just two years later in May 2008. After a long hiatus due t ...
on Day 3, and a final score of 10–5. In the November 2016 tournament Kisenosato was runner up for the twelfth time in his career finishing with a 12–3 record including victories over all three ''yokozuna'' (dealing ''yokozuna'' Kakuryū, the victor of the tournament, his only loss). He also won against ''ōzeki'' Gōeidō, and ''ōzeki''
Terunofuji , lead=yes), is a Mongolian-born naturalised-Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for the Isegahama stable, he entered professional sumo in January 2011 and took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his debut as a ''sekitori ...
. His three losses were against Endō, Shōdai, and Tochinoshin. Kisenosato finished out 2016 with the most victories in a calendar year getting 69 wins. Harumafuji had 67 wins, and Hakuho (who sat out one tournament) had 62 wins. He is the first wrestler in the modern era of sumo to do this without winning a tournament. In 2016 Kisenosato was runner up four times, and under ''yokozuna'' promotion consideration twice. Kisenosato started off the January 2017 tournament very strong, winning his first 8 days straight, however on day 9 Kisenosato lost to fellow ''ōzeki'' Kotoshōgiku. This did not put him off leading the tournament since Hakuhō also lost on day 9. Kisenosato won the remaining days of the tournament. On Day 14, Kisenosato secured his much-anticipated first career top-division championship with a win over Ichinojō and a Hakuhō loss against Takanoiwa. His first championship came in his 31st tournament as an ''ōzeki'', longer than any other ''ōzeki'' since the
Shōwa era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. It was preceded by the Taishō era. The pre-1945 and post-war Shōwa periods are almos ...
began in 1926. He defeated ''yokozuna'' Hakuhō on Day 15 to conclude the tournament with a 14–1 record.


Promotion to ''yokozuna''

Having won his first tournament in January 2017, combined with his overall 2016 record (including four runner-up finishes), Kisenosato was considered for promotion to the ''yokozuna'' rank. The Japan Sumo Association's Yokozuna Deliberation Council met on January 23, 2017, and determined that Kisenosato was a suitable candidate. The Board of Directors accepted the Council's recommendation two days later. Shortly after the Board of Directors met on January 25, 2017, two envoys conveyed the decision to Kisenosato and his stablemaster. Kisenosato accepted, formally becoming the 72nd ''yokozuna''. He was the first wrestler of Japanese descent to be promoted to ''yokozuna'' since Wakanohana in 1998. As is the tradition for a new ''yokozuna'', he performed his first '' yokozuna dohyō-iri'', or ring-entering ceremony, on January 27 at
Meiji Shrine , is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine does not contain the emperor's grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. History Af ...
in Tokyo. He chose to use the Unryū style of ring entrance ceremony after studying footage of previous ''yokozuna'' and practicing until late the previous night to master the technique. His stablemate Takayasu acted as sword carrier while Shōhōzan took the role of dew sweeper.


''Yokozuna'' career

Kisenosato was listed on the west side of the new ''
banzuke A , officially called is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament (''honbasho''). The term can also refer to the rankings themselves. The document is normally released about two w ...
'' released on February 27, 2017, the first Japanese born wrestler to appear as a ''yokozuna'' on the ranking sheets since Takanohana retired in January 2003. He told a press conference, "My mission is to always be involved in the championship title race. That is an absolute must." At
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
in March he began impressively, winning his first twelve matches to lead the tournament but was defeated by Harumafuji on day 13 sustaining shoulder and chest injuries as he fell from the ''dohyō''. Despite leaving the arena with his arm in a sling, his stablemaster said Kisenosato was not immediately withdrawing from the tournament and would fight on Day 14. However he lost easily to Kakuryū. On the final day of the tournament, Kisenosato defeated
Terunofuji , lead=yes), is a Mongolian-born naturalised-Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for the Isegahama stable, he entered professional sumo in January 2011 and took the second division ''jūryō'' championship in his debut as a ''sekitori ...
to tie him with a record of 13–2 and force a playoff. In spite of his injured shoulder, Kisenosato won the playoff match beating Terunofuji again to win the tournament, his second in a row. This victory made him the first newly promoted ''yokozuna'' in 22 years to have won his debut tournament. His medical certificate was published by the Japan Sumo Association after the tournament, indicating injuries to his left chest muscle and left upper arm, with a month-long recovery period. He skipped the regional tour in April to allow his injuries to heal. He was ranked as the top East Yokozuna on the May 2017 ''banzuke'', the first time a Japanese wrestler held the highest position since Takanohana in July 2001. He withdrew from the tournament on Day 11 having lost four matches, due to his failure to recover from his upper body injuries and inability to use his left arm properly. Nishiiwa Oyakata, a coach at Tagonoura stable, said that Kisenosato had suffered from a lack of preparation time. "He only had about a week to practice against wrestlers before the meet. You would usually train for about a month after healing from injury, so I wish he had more time. I hope he will be able to live up to fans' expectations at the
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
basho." The only previous time Kisenosato had withdrawn from a tournament in his 15-year career was the final day of the January 2014 tournament. Kisenosato declared himself fit for the July tournament but lost to
Mitakeumi is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Agematsu, Nagano. He is in the Dewanoumi stable. He is a pusher thruster-type wrestler. A former amateur champion at Toyo University, he made his professional debut in March 2015, reaching the top '' ...
on opening day and
Tochinoshin ; ) is a Georgian professional sumo wrestler from Mtskheta. He is a member of the Kasugano stable and made his professional debut in March 2006. He reached the top ''makuuchi'' division just two years later in May 2008. After a long hiatus due t ...
on Day 3. He then withdrew from the tournament on Day 6 after suffering a left ankle ligament injury in his defeat the previous day to Ikioi. His stablemaster said, "The pain in his left arm seems to be gone but he hasn't been able to put on good sumo." He began full training for the September ''basho'' with 13 practice bouts with Yago of the ''jūryō'' division on September 4, but admitted he "had a long way to go." Shibatayama Oyakata commented, "He is not in a condition to engage in bouts at a sumo tournament. I felt that he was just testing how much he has recovered from his injuries." On September 7 Kisenosato's stablemaster confirmed that he would sit out the tournament, saying "it takes courage to rest, and I hope this break will turn things in the right direction." He returned for the November 2017 tournament in
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
but pulled out on Day 10, having already given away five ''kinboshi'' to ''
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 ...
'' ranked wrestlers, tying the record for the most conceded in one tournament since 15 day ''
honbasho A is an official professional sumo tournament. The number of ''honbasho'' every year has varied along the years; since 1958 there are six tournaments every year. Only ''honbasho'' results matter in determining promotion and relegation for ''riki ...
'' were established in 1949. Kisenosato's stablemaster said he was suffering from a contusion in his lower back and a left leg ligament injury. He entered the January 2018 tournament but withdrew on Day 6 with a 1–4 record having suffered three successive defeats to ''maegashira.'' His stablemaster indicated that Kisenosato had injured the left pectoralis major muscle of his chest, near his old injury. This marked the fifth successive tournament that he had either failed to enter or dropped out of. Having received criticism for repeatedly returning to action without healing properly, Kisenosato said that the outcome of the next tournament in which he competes will determine whether or not he continues his career. He did not enter the March 2018 tournament, and his decision not to participate in May meant a failure to complete seven straight tournaments, equalling the longest absence for a ''yokozuna'' since the six tournaments a year system began in 1958. On July 2 Kisenosato faced Hakuhō in a training session held at
Kokonoe stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and until 2021 was located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of November 2022 it had 27 sumo wrestlers, four of whom are of ''sekitori'' rank. It is the most s ...
, the first time the two ''yokozuna'' had met in the practice ring in over a year, but he ultimately decided not to enter the July ''basho''. Missing his eighth straight tournament, Kisenosato said, "Although I have been trying desperately to be in shape, I decided to withdraw since I haven't made enough progress. I will put everything into competing at the next meet." Kisenosato fully participated in the
Yokozuna Deliberation Council The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
's ''soken'' or training session shortly before the September 2018 tournament. He said, "I'm fully prepared. I did everything there is to be done," and his stablemaster said Kisenosato was in the best condition since his injury. He finished the tournament with a 10–5 record, the first time he has completed a tournament since March 2017. He met Hakuhō on the 13th day for the 60th time, but the first time as a ''yokozuna''. Hakuhō defeated Kisenosato but said after the tournament, "I think he did a fine job. He is someone who will propel the sport to greater prosperity." He was the sole ''yokozuna'' to enter the November 2018 tournament, but lost his opening three bouts, and seemed to observers to be still suffering from a lack of power in his left upper body. He became the first ''yokozuna'' to lose his first three matches since
Asahifuji is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Aomori. He joined professional sumo in 1981, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division just two years later. He reached the second highest rank of '' ōzeki'' in 1987 and became the 63rd ''yokoz ...
in January 1992. On Day 4 he was defeated by Tochiōzan, the first ''yokozuna'' since
Miyagiyama was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ichinoseki, Iwate, Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture. He was the sport's 29th ''Yokozuna (sumo), yokozuna'', and the last ''yokozuna'' in Osaka sumo. Career He was born . In the fall of 1909, he joined ...
in 1931 to lose his first four bouts. He withdrew from the tournament the following day, citing an injury to his right knee suffered on the opening day (unrelated to his previous injury problems). After the tournament he received an "encouragement" from the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, which indicates that his performance is considered to be below that of ''yokozuna'' standard. The Council had not previously issued any sort of resolution on the previous occasions in which Kisenosato had withdrawn or abstained from participating in a tournament. Kisenosato pulled out of the winter regional tour, but on December 25 he told reporters he intended to compete in the January 2019 tournament.


Retirement

Kisenosato was listed as the top ''yokozuna'' on the January 2019 ''banzuke'', despite not winning a match in November, because the other two ''yokozuna'' had sat out completely. He lost his opening three bouts of the tournament, giving him a sequence of eight straight losses from the last day of the September 2018 tournament (not counting defaults), the worst by a ''yokozuna'' since 15-day tournaments were established in 1949. On the morning of the fourth day of the tournament, stablemaster Tagonoura announced that Kisenosato had decided to retire from the sport. His stablemaster said, "It was his decision. He told me he could no longer perform at the level he wanted to." In a press conference on January 16, 2019, Kisenosato said "I'm retiring as a wrestler in the ongoing tournament and assuming the name of Araiso as a sumo elder." He further went on to say, "Even though it's very regrettable that I wasn't able to live up to everyone's expectations as a yokozuna, I don't regret one bit of my career on the dohyo." When mentioning the injury he suffered in March 2017, he said, "Since the injury, I was confident that I was doing the best I could. I wrestled with everything I had in the world, but I felt for the first time that I was unable to go on." Further saying, "I was gradually recovering, but I was unable to wrestle in my own style. My condition couldn't return to that before I was injured." Kisenosato also expressed his gratitude to his supporters saying, "I was supported by so many people... I have nothing but gratitude." His stablemaster Tagonoura said of the retirement, "I was delighted when he became ''yokozuna'' but when you see him closely, you can tell that he was struggling a lot. These two years went like a flash." Hakuhō on learning of Kisenosato's retirement said, "It's lonely now. I've run out of words to express my appreciation for his efforts." Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yoshihide Suga is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2020 to 2021. He had served as Chief Cabinet Secretary during the second administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe fro ...
said during his daily briefing that, "I would like to give honor to what he has achieved and to send hearty cheers to Kisenosato."


After retirement

Kisenosato remained in sumo as a coach for Tagonoura stable under the elder name for the mandatory one year period before planning to open his own stable. He initially looked for premises in the area between
Akihabara Station is a railway station in Tokyo's Chiyoda ward. It is at the center of the Akihabara shopping district specializing in electronic goods. Lines Akihabara Station is served by the following lines. JR East: * Tōhoku Main Line ** Keihin-Tohoku Li ...
and Asakusabashi Station. His official retirement ceremony (''
danpatsu-shiki The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'') was held on September 29, 2019. To help him prepare for being a head coach he took a one-year sports science research master's course at
Waseda University , abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the ''Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō'' by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. The university has numerou ...
graduate school, his
thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
being "A new way to run a sumo stable." In May 2021 the Sumo Association gave permission for him to open up his own stable effective August 1. Initially located in
Tsukuba, Ibaraki is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 244,528 in 108,669 households and a population density of 862 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 20.3%. The total ar ...
, the stable will eventually be based in Inashiki when construction is completed in May 2022. Kisenosato took four wrestlers from Tagonoura stable with him when the stable first opened. In December 2021 it was announced that Kisenosato would be changing his elder name to Nishonoseki, to coincide with the previous holder of the name, former ''ōzeki''
Wakashimazu (born 12 January 1957 as Mutsuo Hidaka) is a Japanese former sumo wrestler from Nakatane, Kagoshima, Japan. His highest rank was '' ōzeki''. He won two top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championships. He retired in 1987 and founded Matsug ...
, reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 in January 2022. Araiso stable was accordingly renamed
Nishonoseki stable Nishonoseki stable may refer to: * Nishonoseki stable (1911–2013) (1911–2013) was a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki group of stables (''ichimon'') named after it. It first appeared in the late eighteenth century and was re-e ...
. Kisenosato was appointed as a '' shimpan'' (ringside judge) in March 2022. He made his debut as a judge at the May 2022 tournament.


Fighting style

Kisenosato was mainly a ''yotsu-sumo'' wrestler, and his favourite grip on 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 ...
'' was ''hidari-yotsu'', or right hand outside, left hand inside. 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 ...
'' was ''yorikiri'' (force out), followed by ''oshidashi'' (push out) and ''tsukiotoshi'' (thrust over). He was criticized for frequently stalling at the ''
tachi-ai The is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout. It is a combination of two Japanese words that mean “stand” and “meet”. There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the ai ...
'', or initial charge, in an attempt to unsettle his opponent. Kisenosato's injury in March 2017 prevented him from using his favoured defensive technique of '' ottsuke'', where he traps his opponent's arm with his left. He had been encouraged by his first stablemaster, Naruto Oyakata, to base his style around his powerful left arm, and after the injury commentators noted that it appeared difficult for him to adapt and use his right in tournament bouts. Kisenosato confirmed this in an interview after his retirement, saying "My left chest muscle became weak after that injury, and my opponents were able to easily escape my attempts for a hold. My physician proposed an idea to tape up the affected area, but I didn't want people seeing me like that. The injury limited my range of motion and I wasn't able to do the things I'd easily done before."


Career record


See also

* List of ''yokozuna'' *
List of sumo tournament top division champions This is a list of rikishi, wrestlers who have won the Makuuchi, top division (''makuuchi'') yusho, championship in professional sumo since 1909, when the current championship system was established. These honbasho, official tournaments are held ex ...
*
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 is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a '' rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring ...
*
Glossary of sumo terms The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
*
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 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 ...
*
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

*
Biography and basho results (Japanese)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kisenosato, Yutaka 1986 births Living people Japanese sumo wrestlers Sumo people from Ibaraki Prefecture Yokozuna