Maenoyama Taro
Encyclopedia
Maenoyama Tarō is a former sumo
wrestler from Osaka Prefecture
, Japan
. He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ozeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable
. He left the Sumo Association in 2010 upon turning 65.
, of Korean descent. He entered Takasago stable
and made his professional debut in March 1961. He reached sekitori
status in November 1965 upon promotion to the juryo division and reached the top makuuchi
division in September 1966. He made his sanyaku debut in March 1968 at sekiwake. In May 1969 he defeated yokozuna Kashiwado on opening day and went on to win 11 bouts, receiving his first sansho
or special prize, for Fighting Spirit. He was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki in July 1970 after two consecutive runner-up performances to yokozuna Kitanofuji, the second coming in a play-off. His ozeki debut was inauspicious as he missed the entire tournament through injury. He was unable to win more than nine bouts in any of his ten tournaments at ozeki rank, and was demoted from ozeki in March 1972 after injury problems meant he had two consecutive losing scores. He continued to compete in the lower ranks until March 1974 when he announced his retirement from active competition at the age of 29.
under the name Takadagawa and established the Takadagawa stable
in April 1974. He produced such top division wrestlers as komusubi Maenoshin and Kenko
, and maegashira Kiraiho. It was once part of the Takasago
ichimon (group of stables). However, the stable became a pariah after Takadagawa ran for the leadership of the Sumo Association in 1998 against the wishes of the Takasago ichimon. As a result, he was forced to leave the Takasago camp. There was some belief that he would join the Dewanoumi
group but instead the stable went independent and is not attached to any ichimon. In December 2008 it was announced that former sekiwake Akinoshima would be his successor. Takadagawa stood down in August 2009 to ease the transition. The two swapped elder names, and he became Sendagawa Oyakata. He left the Japan Sumo Association
in March 2010 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.
were tsukidashi (thrust out), hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi
) and yorikiri (force out).
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ozeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable
Takadagawa Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was formed in 1974 by former ozeki Maenoyama, and was originally in the Takasago group of stables, but was excommunicated from that group in 1998 due to disagreement over group nominations to the Japan Sumo...
. He left the Sumo Association in 2010 upon turning 65.
Career
He was born in MoriguchiMoriguchi, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan which serves as a satellite town to Osaka.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 146,524 and the density of 11,510 persons per km²...
, of Korean descent. He entered Takasago stable
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"....
and made his professional debut in March 1961. He reached sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
status in November 1965 upon promotion to the juryo division and reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in September 1966. He made his sanyaku debut in March 1968 at sekiwake. In May 1969 he defeated yokozuna Kashiwado on opening day and went on to win 11 bouts, receiving his first sansho
Sansho (Sumo)
Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
or special prize, for Fighting Spirit. He was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki in July 1970 after two consecutive runner-up performances to yokozuna Kitanofuji, the second coming in a play-off. His ozeki debut was inauspicious as he missed the entire tournament through injury. He was unable to win more than nine bouts in any of his ten tournaments at ozeki rank, and was demoted from ozeki in March 1972 after injury problems meant he had two consecutive losing scores. He continued to compete in the lower ranks until March 1974 when he announced his retirement from active competition at the age of 29.
Retirement from sumo
He became an elder of the Japan Sumo AssociationJapan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
under the name Takadagawa and established the Takadagawa stable
Takadagawa Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was formed in 1974 by former ozeki Maenoyama, and was originally in the Takasago group of stables, but was excommunicated from that group in 1998 due to disagreement over group nominations to the Japan Sumo...
in April 1974. He produced such top division wrestlers as komusubi Maenoshin and Kenko
Kenko Satoshi
Kenkō Satoshi was a sumo wrestler from Osaka, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi.-Career:Debuting in November 1984, he reached the second highest jūryō division in March 1991. His first tournament in the top makuuchi division was in July 1992...
, and maegashira Kiraiho. It was once part of the Takasago
Takasago
Takasago may refer to:*Takasago, Hyōgo, a city located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan*Takasago International Corporation, a company producing chemical flavorants and fragrances*Takasago , a Noh play by Zeami, or one of the lead characters in it...
ichimon (group of stables). However, the stable became a pariah after Takadagawa ran for the leadership of the Sumo Association in 1998 against the wishes of the Takasago ichimon. As a result, he was forced to leave the Takasago camp. There was some belief that he would join the Dewanoumi
Dewanoumi
Dewanoumi may refer to:*Dewanoumi stable, stable of sumo wrestlers*Dewanoumi-oyakata, a toshiyori name...
group but instead the stable went independent and is not attached to any ichimon. In December 2008 it was announced that former sekiwake Akinoshima would be his successor. Takadagawa stood down in August 2009 to ease the transition. The two swapped elder names, and he became Sendagawa Oyakata. He left the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
in March 2010 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.
Fighting style
Maenoyama's favourite techniquesKimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
were tsukidashi (thrust out), hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi
Mawashi
In sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
) and yorikiri (force out).
Top division record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of sumo tournament second division winners
- List of past sumo wrestlers