Bushōzan Kotarō (Japanese: 武将山 虎太郎; born 6 December 1995 as Kotaro Fujiwara (藤原 虎太郎, Fujiwara Kotarō)) is a Japanese…Bushōzan Kotarō (Japanese: 武将山 虎太郎; born 6 December 1995 as Kotaro Fujiwara (藤原 虎太郎, Fujiwara Kotarō)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki. His debut in maezumō was in January 2014. His highest rank has been maegashira 12.
Takayasu Akira (髙安 晃; born February 28, 1990 in Tsuchiura) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He made his…Takayasu Akira (髙安 晃; born February 28, 1990 in Tsuchiura) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 2005 and reached the top makuuchi division in 2011, the first wrestler born in the Heisei era to do so. His highest rank has been ōzeki. He wrestles for Tagonoura stable. He has been runner-up in a tournament nine times - the most of any wrestler who has not also won a championship. He has earned fourteen special prizes: seven for Fighting Spirit, four for Outstanding Performance and three for Technique. He has also won seven gold stars for defeating yokozuna. After achieving 34 wins in the three tournaments from January to May 2017, he was officially promoted to ōzeki on May 31, 2017. He maintained the rank for a total of 15 tournaments.
Kisenosato Yutaka (Japanese: 稀勢の里 寛, Hepburn: Kisenosato Yutaka; born July 3, 1986, as Yutaka Hagiwara (萩原 寛, Hagiwara…Kisenosato Yutaka (Japanese: 稀勢の里 寛, Hepburn: Kisenosato Yutaka; born July 3, 1986, as Yutaka Hagiwara (萩原 寛, Hagiwara Yutaka)) is a Japanese sumo elder from Ibaraki. As a wrestler, he made his professional debut in 2002 and reached the top makuuchi division in 2004 at the age of just 18. After many years in the junior san'yaku ranks, he reached the second highest rank of ōzeki in January 2012. He earned three kinboshi 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 with a 14–1 record and subsequently was promoted to yokozuna, 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 were a record for a yokozuna. His 12 runner-up finishes are the most in history. In January 2019, he announced his retirement from sumo. He is now an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Nishonoseki Yutaka (二所ノ関 寛).
Miyabiyama Tetsushi (born July 28, 1977 as Masato Takeuchi) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A…Miyabiyama Tetsushi (born July 28, 1977 as Masato Takeuchi) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. With the exception of two tournaments, he was ranked in the top division of professional sumo from 1999 until the end of his career in 2013, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001. He won eight special prizes and was runner-up in four top division tournaments. He wrestled for Fujishima stable (formerly Musashigawa stable), where he worked as a coach until opening his own Futagoyama stable.
Musōyama Masashi (born February 14, 1972, as Takehito Oso) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A…Musōyama Masashi (born February 14, 1972, as Takehito Oso) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in January 1993, and he won promotion to the top makuuchi division in just four tournaments. He won thirteen special prizes and spent a total of 31 tournaments at komusubi and sekiwake before finally reaching the second highest rank of ōzeki in 2000, shortly after winning his only top division tournament championship or yūshō. He retired in 2004. He is now the head coach of Fujishima stable.
Daishi Nobuyuki (born 23 August 1968 as Nobuyuki Takano) is a former sumo wrestler from Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan. He…Daishi Nobuyuki (born 23 August 1968 as Nobuyuki Takano) is a former sumo wrestler from Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1984, and reached the top division in July 1994. His highest rank was maegashira 3. He retired in March 2002 and remained in the Sumo Association as jun-toshiyori before leaving in June 2003. He is now a professional singer.
Mitoizumi Masayuki (born 2 September 1962 as Masato Koizumi) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. His…Mitoizumi Masayuki (born 2 September 1962 as Masato Koizumi) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. His professional career spanned 22 years, from 1978 until 2000. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. He won over 800 career bouts and took the yūshō or championship in the top makuuchi division in 1992. Mitoizumi was nicknamed the "Salt Shaker", due to his habit of throwing enormous quantities of purifying salt onto the ring (dohyō) during the pre-match preliminaries. He is now a coach, and is known as Nishikido Oyakata.
Tagaryū Shōji (Japanese: 多賀竜 昇司, born February 15, 1958) is a former sumo wrestler from Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture…Tagaryū Shōji (Japanese: 多賀竜 昇司, born February 15, 1958) is a former sumo wrestler from Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. In 1984 he won a top division yūshō or tournament championship from the maegashira ranking. After retiring in 1991 he became a sumo coach and head of the Kagamiyama stable, as well as a director of the Japan Sumo Association.
Wakanami Jun (born Jun Tomiyama, 1 March 1941 – 17 April 2007) was a sumo wrestler from Iwai, Ibaraki, Japan. His…Wakanami Jun (born Jun Tomiyama, 1 March 1941 – 17 April 2007) was a sumo wrestler from Iwai, Ibaraki, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He won a top division tournament championship in March 1968. He was also a sumo coach.
Kainoyama Isamu (born Isamu Irii; June 28, 1940 – July 5, 1997) was a sumo wrestler from Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki, Japan. He…Kainoyama Isamu (born Isamu Irii; June 28, 1940 – July 5, 1997) was a sumo wrestler from Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1955, and reached the top division in January 1961. His highest rank was sekiwake. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Onogawa. He left the Sumo Association in September 1971.
Ōuchiyama Heikichi (大内山 平吉; 19 June 1926 – 1 November 1985; born Heikichi Ōuchi) was a sumo wrestler from Hitachinaka…Ōuchiyama Heikichi (大内山 平吉; 19 June 1926 – 1 November 1985; born Heikichi Ōuchi) was a sumo wrestler from Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1944, and reached the top makuuchi division in 1949. He reached the second highest rank of ōzeki in 1955, and was a runner-up in two tournaments. He was well known for his extraordinary size – at 2.02 m (6 ft 7+1⁄2 in) tall he was the tallest modern era ōzeki until Akebono in 1992. After his retirement in 1959 he worked as a coach at Tokitsukaze stable and Tatsutagawa stable until his death in 1985.
Minanogawa Tōzō (Japanese: 男女ノ川 登三; September 17, 1903 – January 20, 1971), also known as Asashio Kyojiro (朝潮 供次郎), was…Minanogawa Tōzō (Japanese: 男女ノ川 登三; September 17, 1903 – January 20, 1971), also known as Asashio Kyojiro (朝潮 供次郎), was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tsukuba, Ibaraki. He was the sport's 34th yokozuna.
Hitachiyama Taniemon (常陸山 谷右衞門; January 19, 1874 – June 19, 1922) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Mito…Hitachiyama Taniemon (常陸山 谷右衞門; January 19, 1874 – June 19, 1922) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture. He was the sport's 19th yokozuna from 1903 till 1914. His great rivalry with Umegatani Tōtarō II created the "Ume-Hitachi Era" and did much to popularise sumo. He is remembered as much for his exploits in promoting the sport as for his strength on the dohyō. In his later years as head coach of Dewanoumi stable he trained hundreds of wrestlers, including three yokozuna. Many consider him the most honorable yokozuna in sumo history, which earned him the nickname "Kakusei" (角聖), or "sumo saint".
Hitachiyama Torakichi (Japanese: 常陸山 虎吉; born in 1850 as Isoarashi Torakichi (五十嵐 虎吉, Isoarashi Torakichi)), also known…Hitachiyama Torakichi (Japanese: 常陸山 虎吉; born in 1850 as Isoarashi Torakichi (五十嵐 虎吉, Isoarashi Torakichi)), also known as Dewanoumi Unemon (出羽ノ海 運右エ門, Dewanoumi Unemon), was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ibaraki prefecture. He wrestled for the Hamakaze and Dewanoumi stables. His highest rank was Maegashira 1.
Inazuma Raigorō (Japanese: 稲妻 雷五郎; 1802 – March 29, 1877) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Awazaki, Hitachi Province…Inazuma Raigorō (Japanese: 稲妻 雷五郎; 1802 – March 29, 1877) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Awazaki, Hitachi Province (now Inashiki, Ibaraki Prefecture). He was the sport's 7th yokozuna.