is a stable of sumo wrestlers, formerly part of the Tokitsukaze ''

ichimon The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

'' or group of stables. It was founded in 1982 by former ''

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 o ...

'' Yutakayama, who branched off from

Tokitsukaze stable The is a stable of sumo wrestlers in Japan, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. It was founded in 1769 and was dominant during the Taishō period. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still ...

. Minato-''

oyakata The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

'' studied at the

Tokyo University of Agriculture The , abbreviated as Nodai (農大, ''nōdai'') or Tokyo nodai (東京農大, ''Tōkyō nōdai''), is a private university of agriculture in Japan. There are three campuses: Setagaya, Atsugi, and Okhotsk (Abashiri). Outline Tokyo University ...

, and due to his interest in academia his stable was the first to introduce a library on its premises. Until the arrival of Ichinojō, the stable had produced just one ''

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 o ...

'' division wrestler, Minatofuji, who reached a highest rank of ''

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 o ...

'' 2 in 1995 and later became a coach at the stable under the name Tatsutagawa. In July 2010 Minato and Tatsutagawa swapped roles. In the same month the Chinese wrestler Nakanokuni earned promotion 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. Fo ...

'' division. In December 2017 Minato-''oyakata'' left the Tokitsukaze ''ichimon'', leaving the stable unaffiliated to any group. As of January 2023, it had 11 wrestlers. In September 2018 it joined the Nishonoseki ''ichimon''.

People

Ring name conventions

Many wrestlers at this stable take ring names or ''

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'' ...

'' that include the character 湊 (read: minato), which is the first character in the stable name, and which is also in deference to their coach and the stable's owner, the former Minatofuji. It can be used as a prefix, as in Minatoryū and Minatoshō, or as a suffix, as in Hamaminato and Haruminato.

Owners

*2010–present: 23rd Minato ('' iin'', former ''

'' Minatofuji) *1982-2010: 22nd Minato (former ''

'' Yutakayama)

Notable active wrestlers

* Ichinojō (best rank ''

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 o ...

'')

Referees

*Kimura Motoki (''makuuchi'' ''

gyōji A ''gyōji'' () is a referee in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. ''Gyōji'' usually enter the sumo world as teenagers and remain employees of the Sumo Association until they retire aged 65. There are currently a little over 40 active ''gy� ...

'', real name Hiromichi Okamura)

Hairdresser

*Tokomori (2nd class ''

tokoyama A is a hairdresser employed by the Japan Sumo Association to cut and prepare sumo wrestlers' hair, which is done in the style. The Sumo Association ranks them according to experience and ability and only the most senior are entitled to prepar ...

'')

Location and access

Saitama Prefecture,

Kawaguchi City is a Cities of Japan, city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 607,373 in 293,582 households and a population density of 9800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . It is the Greater Tokyo ...

, Shibanakata 2-20-10
15 minute walk from Warabi Station on Keihin Tōhoku Line

References

External links

Official site

Japan Sumo Association profile
{{coord, 35.8295, N, 139.7029, E, source:wikidata, display=title Active sumo stables