Masatsukasa Koshin
Encyclopedia
Masatsukasa Kōshin is a former sumo
wrestler from Aomori Prefecture
, Japan
. His highest rank was maegashira 8. He was forced to retire in April 2011 after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association
found him guilty of match-fixing.
, Nishitsugaru
(also the home town of Kaiho, Aminishiki and Asofuji), he made his professional debut in January 2003 joining Irumagawa stable
.
In his first tournament on the banzuke
ranking sheets in March 2003 he took the yusho
or tournament championship with a perfect 7-0 record. Six consecutive kachi-koshi or winning scores saw him reach the third highest makushita division in March 2004 and he became a sekitori
on his promotion to the jūryō division in September 2005. After three poor performances he was demoted back to makushita in March 2006 but made an immediate return to the second division, and although he was never able to win more than nine bouts out of fifteen in any one tournament, a series of steady scores took him up to Jūryō 3. A 9-6 score in May 2008, winning his last four matches, was enough to earn him promotion to the top makuuchi
division for the July 2008 basho
.
He scored an impressive ten wins in his top division debut, which resulted in promotion to his highest rank to date of maegashira 8, but he had three make-koshi or losing scores in the next three tournaments, and fell back to the jūryō division in March 2009. In September he returned to the top division at the very lowest rank of maegashira 16. He made an excellent start, winning his first five bouts, but eight losses in the next ten days saw him narrowly fail to maintain his makuuchi position. In July 2010 he secured the jūryō yusho by the 13th day, and was promoted back to the top division at maegashira 8. however, he was unable to take part in the September tournament due to an injury to his left ankle. Back in jūryō for the November tournament, he secured his kachi-koshi by winning his last two bouts to finish on 8-7.
Masatsukasa was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation by the Japan Sumo Association
, and he was forced to retire in April 2011.
being oshi-dashi, or push-out.
He first adopted the shikona
or fighting name of Masatsukasa in July 2003. In September 2008 he changed the second part of his shikona from Tadashi to Koshin, the name of his son.
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 Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, 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...
. His highest rank was maegashira 8. He was forced to retire in April 2011 after an investigation by 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...
found him guilty of match-fixing.
Career
Born in FukauraFukaura, Aomori
is a town located in the Nishitsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 9,917 and a density of 20.3 persons per km²...
, Nishitsugaru
Nishitsugaru District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori, Japan.As of 2003 , the district has an estimated population of 24,033 and a density of 28.9 persons per km²...
(also the home town of Kaiho, Aminishiki and Asofuji), he made his professional debut in January 2003 joining Irumagawa stable
Irumagawa stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in 1992 by former sekiwake Tochitsukasa, who branched out from Kasugano stable. As of November 2007, the stable had 13 wrestlers...
.
In his first tournament on the banzuke
Banzuke
This article is about the banzuke document, for a list of wrestlers as ranked on an actual banzuke see List of active sumo wrestlersA , officially called is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament or honbasho. The term can also...
ranking sheets in March 2003 he took the yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
or tournament championship with a perfect 7-0 record. Six consecutive kachi-koshi or winning scores saw him reach the third highest makushita division in March 2004 and he became a 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...
on his promotion to the jūryō division in September 2005. After three poor performances he was demoted back to makushita in March 2006 but made an immediate return to the second division, and although he was never able to win more than nine bouts out of fifteen in any one tournament, a series of steady scores took him up to Jūryō 3. A 9-6 score in May 2008, winning his last four matches, was enough to earn him promotion to 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 for the July 2008 basho
Honbasho
A is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
.
He scored an impressive ten wins in his top division debut, which resulted in promotion to his highest rank to date of maegashira 8, but he had three make-koshi or losing scores in the next three tournaments, and fell back to the jūryō division in March 2009. In September he returned to the top division at the very lowest rank of maegashira 16. He made an excellent start, winning his first five bouts, but eight losses in the next ten days saw him narrowly fail to maintain his makuuchi position. In July 2010 he secured the jūryō yusho by the 13th day, and was promoted back to the top division at maegashira 8. however, he was unable to take part in the September tournament due to an injury to his left ankle. Back in jūryō for the November tournament, he secured his kachi-koshi by winning his last two bouts to finish on 8-7.
Masatsukasa was one of 23 wrestlers found guilty of fixing the result of bouts after an investigation by 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...
, and he was forced to retire in April 2011.
Fighting style
Masatsukasa favoured pushing and thrusting techniques, with his most common winning kimariteKimarite
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...
being oshi-dashi, or push-out.
Family
Upon becoming a sekitori in August 2005 he revealed that he had been married since May 2003. His wife and his two year old son were living with his parents back in Aomori. He did not feel he could say anything publicly before reaching a salaried rank.He first adopted the shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
or fighting name of Masatsukasa in July 2003. In September 2008 he changed the second part of his shikona from Tadashi to Koshin, the name of his son.