Takamiyama Daigorō
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is a former
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, the first foreign-born wrestler to win the top division championship (in 1972). His highest rank was ''
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 ...
''. His active career spanned twenty years from 1964 to 1984, and he set a number of longevity
records A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, ...
, including most tournaments ranked in 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, and most consecutive top division appearances. He is also the first foreign-born wrestler ever to take charge of a training
stable A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...
, founding
Azumazeki stable was a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Takasago group of stables. It was founded in February 1986 by the Hawaiian born Takamiyama of the Takasago stable in Higashi–Komagata, Sumida, Tokyo. It was the first stable ever to be run by a fo ...
in 1986. His most successful wrestler was fellow Hawaiian Akebono who reached the highest rank 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. This is the on ...
'' in 1993. He retired as a coach in
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
.


Early life

Kuhaulua was born in Happy Valley,
Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
to parents who were mostly of Hawaiian descent. Due to his impressive height of 6 foot 2 inches (189 cm) and 280 pounds (127 kg), he was recruited as a tackle for the
Henry Perrine Baldwin High School Henry Perrine Baldwin High School is a public high school in Wailuku, Hawaii. Serving in the major commercial, industrial, and municipal communities of the island of Maui, its curriculum offers a wide range of courses, including Advanced Placement ...
football team. His football coach noticed that he had weak legs and hips, and recommended that he train his lower body through
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 ...
, a sport popular among the local Japanese-American community. He joined a local amateur sumo club and it was there that he was spotted by visiting professional sumo wrestlers from
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 ...
. He was eventually recruited by the head coach of
Takasago stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these ''kanji'' is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋". History The stable was establi ...
, 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 ...
'' Maedayama. After graduating from Baldwin High School in
Wailuku Wailuku is a census-designated place (CDP) in and county seat of Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 17,697 at the 2020 census. Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Iao Valley. In the early 20th centur ...
in 1963 he left for
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
on February 22, 1964 to join Takasago stable as a new recruit.


Sumo career

Takamiyama made his professional debut in March 1964. He achieved ''
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 ...
'' status in March 1967 when he won promotion to 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. He 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 five tournaments later. He had an exceptionally long top division career that spanned from January 1968 to January 1984. For many years he held the record for having competed in the most tournaments as a top division wrestler, at 97 (these were also consecutive tournaments). In November 2009 this record was broken by the veteran '' ōzeki'' Kaiō, and Kaiō has also surpassed his long-standing record of 1430 top division bouts. However, Takamiyama still holds the record for the most consecutive bouts in the top division (1231), as he did not miss a match from his debut until he was forced to withdraw from the September 1981 tournament because of a training injury. He won a total of twelve ''
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 ...
'' (gold stars awarded for ''
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 ...
'' wins against a ''yokozuna''), a record which stood until Akinoshima surpassed it in the 1990s. His first ''kinboshi'' came in only his second top division tournament against
Sadanoyama was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th ''yokozuna''. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association. Career Born in Arikawa, ...
, who had won the previous two tournaments but suddenly retired just two days after losing to him. His final gold star came ten years later at the age of 35, against
Kitanoumi , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the dominant wrestler in the sport during the 1970s. Kitanoumi was promoted to ''yokozuna'' at the age of 21, becoming the youngest ever to achieve sumo's top rank. He won 24 tournament ...
in September 1978 – only the third time the ''yokozuna'' had been beaten that year. Takamiyama also won eleven special prizes, or '' sanshō'' for his performances in tournaments. The highlight of his career came in July 1972 when he won the tournament championship with a 13–2 record – the first foreigner ever to do so. Ranked at ''
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 ...
'' 4, he lost only to
Kotozakura was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kurayoshi, Tottori. He was the sport's 53rd ''yokozuna''. He made his professional debut in 1959, reaching the top division in 1963. After several years at the second highest rank of '' ōzeki'', ...
and Takanohana and defeated Asahikuni on the final day to finish one win ahead of Takanohana. A congratulatory letter from
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Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
was read out by the US Ambassador to Japan at the presentation ceremony, marking the first time English had been officially spoken on the '' dohyō''. Following this victory he was promoted to sumo's third highest rank of ''
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 ...
''. He was to hold this rank a further seven times, but he was ultimately unable to score ten wins or more in consecutive tournaments and so was never able to reach the rank of '' ōzeki''. Nevertheless, he paved the way for other Hawaii wrestlers such as
Konishiki Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e (born December 31, 1963), professionally known as is an American former sumo wrestler.Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' He was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach '' ōzeki'', the second- ...
and Akebono. His final appearance in the ''
san'yaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' ranks was at ''
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 September 1982 at age 38, making him the second oldest postwar ''san'yaku'' wrestler after former ''ōzeki''
Nayoroiwa Nayoroiwa Shizuo (名寄岩静男, September 27, 1914 – January 26, 1971) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Nayoro, Hokkaidō, Japan. Career He joined Tatsunami stable and made his professional debut in May 1932. Along with his stablemates Fu ...
. Due to his exceptionally large size – he weighed over 200 kg as his peak – and trademark
sideburns Sideburns, sideboards, or side whiskers are facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to run parallel to or beyond the ears. The term ''sideburns'' is a 19th-century corruption of the original ''burnsides'', named ...
and bright orange ''
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 ...
'', Takamiyama was an instantly recognisable figure to the Japanese public, even amongst those who did not regularly follow sumo. He appeared in several television commercials before the practice was banned by the Sumo Association. His great fighting spirit, and his determination to never miss a bout no matter what injuries he might be carrying – a Japanese character trait known as '' gaman'' – were much admired.


Retirement from sumo

Takamiyama's goal had always been to fight until the age of forty, but a serious elbow injury sustained in November 1983 caused him to fall to ''jūryō'', and in May 1984, facing certain demotion to the third ''
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, he announced his retirement after twenty years in sumo. He was just a few weeks short of his fortieth birthday. He became a member of the Japan Sumo Association, with the name ''Azumazeki''. To do so he had taken
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 ...
ese
citizenship Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
in 1980 and adopted the Japanese name Daigoro Watanabe, his wife's family name. Takamiyama had been responsible for recruiting fellow Hawaiian
Konishiki Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e (born December 31, 1963), professionally known as is an American former sumo wrestler.Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' He was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach '' ōzeki'', the second- ...
to Takasago stable in July 1982, while he was still an active wrestler. He subsequently opened his own training stable, Azumazeki-''beya'', in February 1986, the first foreign-born former wrestler to do so. Another Hawaiian, Akebono, became the stable's first ''sekitori'' in 1990, and became the first foreign-born ''yokozuna'' in 1993. One of Azumazeki's stated goals after this was to coach a Japanese wrestler to the top division, and this was achieved in July 2000 when the popular
Takamisakari Takamisakari Seiken (born May 12, 1976 as Seiken Katō) is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1999 and established himself in the top division in 2002 after a brief appearance ...
made his ''makuuchi'' debut. He was later joined by
Ushiomaru Ushiomaru Motoyasu (born Motoyasu Sano; May 11, 1978 – December 13, 2019) was a sumo wrestler from Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan. He began his professional career in 1994 and first reached the top division in 2002. His highest rank was ''m ...
, who in 2009 took over the running of the stable when Azumazeki reached the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age of sixty-five. His farewell party at a local hotel in Tokyo on 6 June 2009 attracted 1000 guests, including Akebono and
Konishiki Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e (born December 31, 1963), professionally known as is an American former sumo wrestler.Franz LidzMeat Bomb, 05.18.92 - ''Sports Illustrated'' He was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach '' ōzeki'', the second- ...
. A congratulatory letter from
US President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
was read out.


Fighting style

Takamiyama's technique was somewhat rudimentary (his eleven ''sanshō'' awards did not include a Technique Prize). He tended to rely on his strength and momentum rather than work on the 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 ...
'' with throwing moves. His two most common winning
techniques 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 ...
were ''yorikiri'' (force out) and ''oshidashi'' (push out). Being exceptionally strong he regularly won by ''kimedashi'' (armlock force out) and ''tsuridashi'' (lift out). His balance was suspect, as his long legs meant he was rather top-heavy with his centre of gravity too high. As a result, he was often prone to being thrown by lighter, more agile opponents. At a peak weight of he was the heaviest sumo wrestler of his time. Two lightweights who he often had trouble with were Asahikuni and Washuyama.


Career record


See also

*
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 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 ...
* Glossary of sumo terms *
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 ...
*
Fred Kuhaulua Fred Mahele Kuhaulua (February 23, 1953 – September 20, 2021) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. On August 1, the left-hander was signed by the California Angels as an amateur free agent. He played for the Angels () and the San Diego Padres ( ...
- Cousin of Takamiyama


References


External links


Azumazeki beya profileAzumazeki Beya and Takamiyama combined featureOral history interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takamiyama, Daigoro 1944 births Living people American sumo wrestlers American emigrants to Japan Japanese sumo wrestlers Japanese people of Native Hawaiian descent Sekiwake Native Hawaiian sportspeople Naturalized citizens of Japan Sumo people from Hawaii Mukoyōshi