Wakanohana Kanji II
| Wakanohana Kanji II | |
|---|---|
| 若乃花 幹士 | |
 Wakanohana's handprint displayed on a monument in Ryōgoku, Tokyo | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Katsunori Shimoyama April 3, 1953 Ōwani, Aomori, Japan |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 129 kg (284 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Futagoyama |
| Record | 656–323–85 |
| Debut | July, 1968 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (May, 1978) |
| Retired | January, 1983 |
| Elder name | Magaki |
| Championships | 4 (Makuuchi) |
| Special Prizes | Outstanding Performance (2) Technique (4) |
| Gold Stars | 3 (Kitanoumi) |
| * Up to date as of June 2020. | |
Wakanohana Kanji II (Japanese: 若乃花 幹士, born April 3, 1953) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori. He was the sport's 56th yokozuna. After retirement he became head coach of Magaki stable. Due to poor health he left the Japan Sumo Association in December 2013.[1][2]
Early career
Born as Katsunori Shimoyama (下山 勝則), he began his sumo career as a 15-year-old in July 1968. He joined Futagoyama stable at the same time as another future yokozuna, Takanosato, who came from the same area of Japan. Initially fighting under his real name, he took on the shikona or ring name surname of Asanohana (朝ノ花) in March 1971. He changed his ring name to Wakamisugi Kanji (若三杉 幹士) in January 1973. It took him five years to reach the status of a salaried sekitori wrestler, when he broke into the jūryō division in May 1973. He was promoted to the top makuuchi division in November 1973. In July 1974, he changed his shikona given name to Toshihito (壽人). From September 1974 to January 1975 he won three consecutive technique prizes and was promoted to sekiwake. Over the next two years he had some up and down results, but from September 1976 to January 1977 at sekiwake rank he put together three 11–4 marks, won three more special prizes and was promoted to ōzeki. In May 1977 he won his first yūshō, or tournament championship, with a 13–2 record.
Yokozuna
In July 1978, he changed his ring name to Wakanohana Kanji, which was the shikona of his stablemaster at Futagoyama, the former Wakanohana Kanji I. That year he emerged as the chief rival to yokozuna Kitanoumi, as the other grand champion at the time, Wajima, was producing inconsistent results. Wakanohana finished runner-up to Kitanoumi in January 1978 and then fought two playoffs with him for the yūshō in March and May. Although he was not able to win either, his record of 40 wins out of a possible 45 over the last three tournaments was enough for promotion to yokozuna. Indeed, it was the best postwar total for any yokozuna candidate.[3]
Wakanohana had reached sumo's top rank at the age of just 25, and fans were naturally hoping for a long rivalry with Kitanoumi. But it was not to be. He did win three further tournaments, in November 1978 (with a perfect 15–0 score), May 1979 and September 1980. However he seemed burdened by the Wakanohana name, and in 1981 he was also pressured into marrying the daughter of his stablemaster. During this brief and unhappy marriage he won no tournament championships and was frequently absent from the dohyō due to injury and illness.[3] The couple divorced shortly before Wakanohana announced his retirement from sumo in January 1983 at the relatively early age of 29.[3] Later in 1983, he married his long-time girlfriend, a club hostess.[3]
Retirement from the ring
No longer able to take over Futagoyama stable due to his divorce, in 1984 Wakanohana instead established his own stable, Magaki, and became known as Magaki Oyakata. He was a senior member of the Japan Sumo Association, serving as a Director, where he was responsible for the running of the honbasho held in Osaka each year. He suffered a minor stroke in March 2007 and since then has used a wheelchair and was unable to take much of an active role in running the stable.[1][2]
In May 2008 it emerged that he had beaten one of his wrestlers with a bamboo stick.[4] Although such rough treatment of juniors was not uncommon at sumo stables in the past, since the death of trainee Takashi Saito at the Tokitsukaze stable in 2007 coaches have been instructed to cut out the practice. The Sumo Association reprimanded him by giving him a 30% pay cut for three months. Kokonoe-oyakata the former Chiyonofuji and head of the Sumo Association's public relations division, criticised Magaki for initially attempting to justify his actions, saying "In addition to his excessive punishment of the wrestler, he invited misunderstanding that such actions are common in all stables."[5][6]
In August 2008 he resigned from the board of directors after the top ranking wrestler at Magaki stable, maegashira Wakanohō, was expelled from sumo after being arrested for possession of cannabis.[7][8] He was, however, repromoted in February 2009.[9]
Along with five other oyakata (Ōtake, Ōnomatsu, Otowayama, Tokiwayama and Futagoyama), he was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association.[10]
Due to his poor health, Magaki stable was wound up after the March 2013 honbasho and he, along with the remaining wrestlers transferred to Isegahama stable.[11] In December 2013 it was announced that he would leave the Sumo Association, five years before the mandatory retirement age of 65.[1][2] He subsequently sold the Magaki title to Tokitenkū in May 2014, making Tokitenkū the first Mongolian-born wrestler to acquire elder stock in the association.[12]
Fighting style
Wakanohana's favoured kimarite or techniques were yori-kiri, with a hidari-yotsu (right hand outside and left hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashi, uwatenage (overarm throw), and sotogake (outside leg trip).
Career record
| Year | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | x | x | x | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #7 4–3 |
West Jonidan #68 5–2 |
| 1969 | West Jonidan #16 6–1 |
East Sandanme #70 5–2 |
West Sandanme #44 5–2 |
West Sandanme #20 4–3 |
West Sandanme #7 5–2 |
East Makushita #47 3–4 |
| 1970 | East Makushita #53 1–6 |
East Sandanme #19 0–1–6 |
East Sandanme #55 6–1 |
East Sandanme #20 6–1 |
West Makushita #47 5–2 |
West Makushita #28 4–3 |
| 1971 | West Makushita #22 3–4 |
East Makushita #29 5–2 |
East Makushita #16 4–3 |
West Makushita #10 2–5 |
West Makushita #25 0–1–6 |
East Makushita #55 5–2 |
| 1972 | West Makushita #38 3–1–3 |
West Makushita #43 6–1 |
West Makushita #17 4–3 |
West Makushita #12 4–3 |
West Makushita #10 4–3 |
East Makushita #8 4–3 |
| 1973 | East Makushita #7 5–2 |
West Makushita #1 3–4 |
West Makushita #3 5–2 |
West Jūryō #13 10–5 |
West Jūryō #5 10–5 |
East Maegashira #13 6–9 |
| 1974 | West Jūryō #2 8–7 |
East Maegashira #13 8–7 |
East Maegashira #11 9–6 |
East Maegashira #6 8–7 |
East Maegashira #3 10–5 T |
West Komusubi #1 11–4 T |
| 1975 | West Sekiwake #1 9–6 T |
East Sekiwake #1 9–6 |
East Sekiwake #1 2–8–5 |
East Maegashira #8 9–6 |
West Maegashira #2 9–6 ★ |
West Komusubi #1 8–7 |
| 1976 | West Komusubi #1 4–11 |
West Maegashira #4 9–6 ★ |
East Komusubi 7–8 |
East Maegashira #1 9–6 ★ |
West Sekiwake #1 11–4 T |
East Sekiwake #1 11–4 O |
| 1977 | East Sekiwake #1 11–4 O |
West Ōzeki #1 9–6 |
West Ōzeki #1 13–2 |
East Ōzeki #1 10–5 |
East Ōzeki #1 10–5 |
West Ōzeki #1 10–5 |
| 1978 | East Ōzeki #1 13–2 |
East Ōzeki #1 13–2–P |
East Ōzeki #1 14–1–P |
West Yokozuna #1 11–4 |
East Yokozuna #2 12–3 |
West Yokozuna #1 15–0 |
| 1979 | East Yokozuna #1 11–4 |
West Yokozuna #1 12–3 |
West Yokozuna #1 14–1 |
East Yokozuna #1 11–4 |
West Yokozuna #2 11–4 |
East Yokozuna #2 12–3 |
| 1980 | West Yokozuna #1 11–4 |
East Yokozuna #2 12–3 |
West Yokozuna #1 12–3 |
West Yokozuna #1 10–5 |
West Yokozuna #1 14–1 |
East Yokozuna #1 13–2 |
| 1981 | West Yokozuna #1 10–5 |
East Yokozuna #2 3–4–8 |
West Yokozuna #1 0–3–12 |
West Yokozuna #1 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15 |
East Yokozuna #2 11–4 |
East Yokozuna #1 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15 |
| 1982 | East Yokozuna #2 9–6 |
East Yokozuna #2 11–4 |
East Yokozuna #2 12–3 |
West Yokozuna #1 11–4 |
West Yokozuna #1 10–5 |
West Yokozuna #1 Sat out due to injury 0–0–15 |
| 1983 | West Yokozuna #2 Retired 2–4 |
x | x | x | x | x |
| Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) |
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See also
- Glossary of sumo terms
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament top division champions
- List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
- List of yokozuna
References
- ^ a b c 間垣親方、体調不良で退職 元横綱２代目若乃花、美男力士で人気 (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ a b c ２代目若乃花の間垣親方が定年待たず退職 (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
- ^ "Sumo stablemaster beats young wrestler with bamboo sword". Mainichi Daily News. 2008-05-19. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ^ "Sumo stablemaster, wrestler punished for abusing young grapplers". Mainichi Daily News. 2008-05-30. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ "Sumo stablemaster gets warning after injuring wrestler with sword". The Japan Times. 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
- ^ "Sumo career goes up in smoke". The Japan Times. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
- ^ "Pot arrest ends sumo career". The Japan Times. 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
- ^ "Disappointment for sumo fans". The Japan Times. 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
- ^ "Reformer Takanohana elected to sumo board". The Japan Times. 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
- ^ 間垣部屋 春場所後に閉鎖…伊勢ケ浜部屋に移籍へ. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 27 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ^ "時天空が年寄名跡「間垣」取得していた" [Tokitenku had acquired "Magaki" elder stock]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 17 June 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "Wakanohana Kanji Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-07-27.
External links
