Misugisato Kōji

Misugisato Kōji (born 1 July 1962 as Kōji Okamoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Shiga Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1979, and his highest rank was ''komusubi'' which he reached in 1989. He earned six gold stars for defeating yokozuna and one special prize for Fighting Spirit. He retired in 1998 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association before leaving the sumo world in 2006.

Career

Born in Shigaraki, Koka District, he joined Futagoyama stable at the beginning of 1979 at the age of 15, recruited by former ''yokozuna'' Wakanohana. He initially fought under his own surname before being given the ''shikona'' of Misugisato (meaning "village of three cedars") in 1980. In July 1984 he reached the ''sekitori'' ranks for the first time, but lasted only one tournament in the ''juryo'' division before being demoted back to ''makushita.'' It took him exactly two years to win promotion back to ''juryo'' and he promptly won the divisional '' yusho'' or tournament championship with an 11-4 record. He moved up and down the division a few times before winning promotion to the top ''makuuchi'' division after a 10-5 score at the rank of ''Juryo'' 2 in March 1988. In November 1988 he scored nine wins against six losses at the rank of ''maegashira'' 7, which was enough to see him promoted to ''komusubi'' for the January 1989 tournament. Unusually, he had been promoted to the ''san'yaku'' ranks without ever having faced any ''san'yaku'' ranked wrestlers himself. (He received some ''banzuke'' good fortune as both ''komusubi'' and most of the ''maegashira'' ranked above him had finished with ''make-koshi'' or losing records in November).

Misugisato was thrown in at the deep end in his ''komusubi'' debut, facing all the three ''yokozuna'' in the first three days. Unsurprisingly, he was unable to defeat any of them and finished with a losing score of 3-12. Nevertheless, he upset ''yokozuna'' Hokutoumi in the May and September 1989 tournaments, to earn the first two of his eventual six ''kinboshi'' or gold stars. On the final day of the January 1992 tournament he faced Takahanada, who needed the win to clinch his first top division tournament championship. Takahanada was the nephew of Misugisato's stablemaster Futagoyama, who was officiating in his last tournament as the head of the Japan Sumo Association and was due to present the trophy to the winner of the ''yusho''. Misugisato had already earned a majority of wins, and lost the match to finish on 8-7. He and Takanohana would later become stablemates when Futagoyama stable merged with Takahanada's Fujishima stable. In May 1992 he earned ten wins at ''Maegashira'' 1, defeating '' ozeki'' Konishiki and Kirishima along the way, and was rewarded with his first '' sanshō'' or special prize, for Fighting Spirit, and promotion back to ''komusubi''. He held the rank for the next two tournaments.

Misugisato never reached the ''san'yaku'' ranks again, but he remained in the top division until March 1997. He then fought in the ''juryo'' division until his retirement in July 1998 at the age of 36. Although he had a losing record by Day 9 and demotion to the third ''makushita'' division was inevitable, he was aware that his stablemaster Fujishima Oyakata would not let him compete at such a low level and so he was determined to reach 700 career wins in his final tournament. He achieved this on Day 12, and then announced his retirement.

Retirement from sumo

Misugisato had his danpatsu-shiki, or official retirement ceremony, in January 1999. He remained in the sumo world as a coach, initially under his old fighting name for a two year grace period (''jun-toshiyori''), and then from July 2000 under the ''toshiyori'' or elder name of Hamakaze, but left his role in November 2006, following a rule change by the Sumo Association that meant he was no longer eligible to open his own stable. His elder stock was subsequently taken by the former ''maegashira'' Gojōrō Katsuhiro. Considerably in debt due to the amount he had invested in attempting to open a stable, he had a chanko restaurant and then became a practitioner of seitai. He runs a business called ''Misugisato's Gottsu Hand'' in Nakano, Tokyo offering tui na treatment. He has also helped with training sessions at Shikoroyama stable.

Personal life

Misugisato was married in 1990. His eldest son was a successful American football and stickball player at high school and played in an all-star game.

He comes from area famous for its pottery, known as Shigaraki ware, and became interested in ceramics as a result. In his days as an active wrestler he also built up a vast record collection.

Fighting style

Misugisato was a solidly ''yotsu-sumo'' (grappling) wrestler who did not often push or thrust at his opponents. His favoured grip on the ''mawashi'' was ''migi-yotsu'', a left hand outside, right hand inside position. His most common winning ''kimarite'' was a straightforward ''yori-kiri'', or force out. He was also well known for ''uwatenage'', or overarm throw, and the ring edge throw (''utchari''), sometimes dubbed "Misugisato's Magic".

Career record

See also

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

References

External links

*
Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Misugisato, Koji
1962 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sumo people from Shiga Prefecture
Komusubi