Ryogoku Kajinosuke
Encyclopedia
Ryōgoku Kajinosuke is a former sumo
wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan
. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now a sumo coach.
, where he won six major titles. Upon joining the professional sport he had makushita tsukedashi status, allowing him to make his debut at the bottom of the third makushita division. He had a losing score in his first tournament and so his first appearance on the banzuke
ranking sheets was actually in the fourth sandanme division. However, he responded with five straight winning records and was promoted to the second jūryō division for the first time in March 1986. After taking part in two playoffs for the jūryō championship in November 1986 and January 1987 he was promoted to the top makuuchi
division for the January 1987 tournament. Until this point he had been fighting simply as Kobayashiyama, based on his own surname, but to mark his promotion he was granted the shikona
of Ryōgoku, which had previously been used by a former champion from his Dewanoumi stable
, Ryōgoku Yūjirō
.
He achieved kachi-koshi in his first two top division tournaments and reached komusubi rank in July 1987. It was to be his highest rank, and he held it on three further occasions. He earned two special prizes
for Outstanding Performance and Fighting Spirit. His three kinboshi
for defeating yokozuna were all earned against Chiyonofuji
. In July 1990 he not only defeated Chiyonofuji but was also the only man to beat the winner of the tournament, Asahifuji. Injury problems in his later career forced Ryogoku's demotion back down to jūryō a couple of times, and he retired in January 1993.
, under the name Nakadachi Oyakata. He established his own training stable
, Nakadachi stable in 1998. In 2003 he acquired the Sakaigawa elder name and it was renamed Sakaigawa stable
. It is one of the strongest stables in sumo, with seven sekitori
ranked wrestlers as of 2011.
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 Nagasaki, 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 komusubi. He is now a sumo coach.
Career
He was a premature baby, who had to be given special care because of his tiny size. He was interested in sumo from a young age, but played soccer until high school as there was no opportunity to practise sumo at his junior high. He was an amateur sumo champion at Nihon UniversityNihon University
Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....
, where he won six major titles. Upon joining the professional sport he had makushita tsukedashi status, allowing him to make his debut at the bottom of the third makushita division. He had a losing score in his first tournament and so his first appearance 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 was actually in the fourth sandanme division. However, he responded with five straight winning records and was promoted to the second jūryō division for the first time in March 1986. After taking part in two playoffs for the jūryō championship in November 1986 and January 1987 he was promoted 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 January 1987 tournament. Until this point he had been fighting simply as Kobayashiyama, based on his own surname, but to mark his promotion he was granted 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...
of Ryōgoku, which had previously been used by a former champion from his Dewanoumi stable
Dewanoumi stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers. It has a long, prestigious history. Its current head coach is former sekiwake Washuyama. As of November 2007 it had 21 wrestlers....
, Ryōgoku Yūjirō
Ryogoku Yujiro
Ryogoku Yujiro was a Japanese sumo wrestler. His highest rank was sekiwake.-Career:He made a debut in June 1909. He reached the top makuuchi division in May 1914 and won the championship with a 9-0-1 record. He is the only wrestler since 1909 to win the top division championship at his first attempt...
.
He achieved kachi-koshi in his first two top division tournaments and reached komusubi rank in July 1987. It was to be his highest rank, and he held it on three further occasions. He earned two special prizes
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:...
for Outstanding Performance and Fighting Spirit. His three kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
for defeating yokozuna were all earned against Chiyonofuji
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
, born June 1, 1955, as in Hokkaidō, Japan, is a former champion sumo wrestler and the 58th yokozuna of the sport. He is now the head coach of Kokonoe stable....
. In July 1990 he not only defeated Chiyonofuji but was also the only man to beat the winner of the tournament, Asahifuji. Injury problems in his later career forced Ryogoku's demotion back down to jūryō a couple of times, and he retired in January 1993.
Retirement from sumo
He remained in the sumo world as 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 Nakadachi Oyakata. He established his own training stable
Heya
In sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...
, Nakadachi stable in 1998. In 2003 he acquired the Sakaigawa elder name and it was renamed Sakaigawa stable
Sakaigawa stable
Sakaigawa stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi group of stables. It was established in its modern form on 25 May 1998 by former komusubi Ryogoku, who branched off from Dewanoumi stable...
. It is one of the strongest stables in sumo, with seven 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...
ranked wrestlers as of 2011.
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