Kotofuji Takaya
| 琴富士 孝也 Kotofuji Takaya |
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| Personal information | |
| Born | Takaya Kobayashi October 28, 1964 Chiba, Japan |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 145 kg (320 lb) |
| Career | |
| Heya | Sadogatake |
| Record | 529-528-18 |
| Debut | March 1980 |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (July 1990) |
| Retired | September 1995 |
| Yūshō | 1 (Makuuchi) 1 (Sandanme) |
| Sanshō | 2 (Fighting Spirit) |
| Kinboshi | 2 (Onokuni, Asahifuji) |
| * Career information is correct as of August 2007. | |
Kotofuji Takaya (琴富士 孝也, born 28 October 1964 as Takaya Kobayashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Chiba City, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. In 1991 he won a top division yusho or tournament championship from the maegashira ranks.
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[edit] Career
Kotofuji made his professional debut in March 1980. He had a long apprenticeship in the junior ranks, not breaking through to the jūryō division until November 1986. He had an awkward build for sumo, as his long legs meant his hips were high and therefore his centre of gravity was much higher than the ideal.
He reached the top makuuchi division in September 1988, scoring 11 wins in his top division debut and receiving a share of the Fighting Spirit prize. He made his sanyaku debut at sekiwake in July 1990 but held the rank for only one tournament. He earned his first gold star in January 1991 with a win over Onokuni.
Kotofuji is best remembered for his extraordinary performance in the Nagoya tournament of July 1991, where he became the first maegashira to win the tournament championship in nearly six years. After a poor 5-10 record at maegashira 7 the previous tournament he was ranked at maegashira 13, and fought only his fellow maegashira for the first nine days. Winning all those bouts, he was paired against ozeki Kirishima, yokozuna Asahifuji and ozeki Konishiki on days 10 to 12 - and won all of those matches too. It was the first time he had defeated either Asahifuji or Konishiki. His yusho was confirmed the following day when he defeated Takatoriki to go to 13-0, with no else scoring better than ten. He became the first wrestler ranked below ozeki to win the championship by Day 13 since the introduction of 15 day tournaments. Although he was beaten by Takahanada on Day 14, he defeated Akebono on the final day to finish with an outstanding 14-1 record, two wins clear of runner-up Konishiki on 12-3. Both yokozuna, Asahifuji and Hokutoumi had poor tournaments, turning in scores of 8-7 and 9-6, the worst ever for a tournament with two yokozuna.[1] Kotofuji received his second Fighting Spirit prize as well as the Emperor's Cup. He was as surprised as anyone else at his win, telling an interviewer for Channel 4 that he had just wanted the tournament to be over as soon as possible as he felt sure he wouldn't make it.
Kotofuji never approached anything like those heights again. He scored only 4-11 at komusubi in the following tournament and never made sanyaku again. After a series of poor results he was demoted to the second jūryō division in 1994 and announced his retirement from sumo in September 1995. He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association, under the name of Kumegawa Oyakata, but he had to leave the sumo world in July 1999 when his toshiyori name was needed by his retiring former stablemate Kotoinazuma. Kotofuji then launched a new career as a television personality.
During the short stay of Canadian wrestler Kototenzan at Sadogatake stable, Kotofuji was one of the few wrestlers who attempted to communicate with him in English.[1]
[edit] Fighting style
Kotofuji was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring a hidari-yotsu, (right hand outside, left hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashi. His most common winning kimarite was yori-kiri, a straightforward force out, which accounted for half his victories at sekitori level, but he was also fond of using his right hand grip to win by uwatenage, or overarm throw.
[edit] Top division record
| year in sumo | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | x | x | x | x | East Maegashira #12 11–4 F |
East Maegashira #4 4–11 |
| 1989 | East Maegashira #10 6–9 |
East Maegashira #13 9–6 |
East Maegashira #5 5–10 |
East Maegashira #11 9–6 |
East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
East Maegashira #2 4–11 |
| 1990 | West Maegashira #8 8–7 |
East Maegashira #6 9–6 |
West Maegashira #1 8–7 |
West Sekiwake 4–11 |
East Maegashira #5 7–8 |
West Maegashira #6 8–7 |
| 1991 | East Maegashira #3 5–10 ★ |
East Maegashira #10 8–7 |
West Maegashira #7 5–10 |
East Maegashira #13 14–1 F★ |
East Komusubi 4–11 |
West Maegashira #6 6–9 |
| 1992 | West Maegashira #11 8–7 |
East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
West Maegashira #3 6–9 |
East Maegashira #7 8–7 |
East Maegashira #3 4–11 |
East Maegashira #11 6–9 |
| 1993 | West Maegashira #15 9–6 |
East Maegashira #10 8–7 |
West Maegashira #7 7–8 |
West Maegashira #9 11–4 |
East Maegashira #2 6–9 |
Sat out due to injury 0–0–15 |
| 1994 | West Maegashira #4 3–12 |
East Maegashira #14 8–7 |
West Maegashira #12 9–6 |
West Maegashira #4 4–11 |
East Maegashira #12 4–11 |
(Juryo) |
| 1995 | (Juryo) | (Juryo) | (Juryo) | West Jūryō #9 Retired 2–10–0 |
x | x |
| Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s) P=Playoff(s) |
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-x.
- ^ "Rikishi in Makunouchi and Juryo". szumo.hu. http://www.szumo.hu/sekitori/Kotofuji.html. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
