Sadanoyama Shinmatsu
Encyclopedia
Sadanoyama Shinmatsu is a former sumo
wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture
, Japan
. He was the sport's 50th Yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable
and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association
.
status four years later upon promotion to the juryo division in March 1960. He made his top makuuchi
division debut in January 1961. Sadanoyama won his first tournament title in only his third tournament in the top division, from the rank of maegashira 13. The achievement of winning a tournament from the maegashira ranks is sometimes seen as a jinx on subsequent success in sumo, but Sadanoyama disproved that theory by going on to reach ozeki in March 1962 after winning his second title, and then yokozuna in January 1965 after capturing his third championship.
He made a cameo appearance in the 1967 James Bond
film You Only Live Twice
, as himself.
Sadanoyama announced his retirement suddenly in March 1968, despite having won the previous two tournaments, following a surprise loss to a new maegashira, the Hawaii
an born Takamiyama. It has been suggested that the shock of losing to a foreigner may have prompted a premature retirement.
. One of the most powerful heya in sumo, he produced a string of top division wrestlers, including Mienoumi, Dewanohana Yoshitaka, Washuyama, Onishiki, Ryogoku
, Oginishiki and Mainoumi. In February 1992 he became head of the Japan Sumo Association
. He was chosen ahead of his contemporaries Taihō
and Kashiwado partly because he was in better health than either of them. He changed his toshiyori
name to Sakaigawa in 1996, handing over the Dewanoumi name and the day to day running of his stable to the former Washuyama. He did not run for re-election in 1998, after it became clear he lacked enough support, and was replaced by former ozeki Yutakayama
from the rival Tokitsukaze
faction. He stood down as an elder in 2003 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five.
as oshi dashi (push out) and tsuki dashi (thrust out). However he was also good on the mawashi
where he preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip, and often won by yori kiri (force out) and uwatenage (overarm throw).
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 Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, 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 was the sport's 50th Yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head coach of 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....
and served as head of 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...
.
Career
Born in Arikawa, Minamimatsuura District, he made his professional debut in January 1956, and reached sekitoriSekitori
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 four years later upon promotion to the juryo division in March 1960. He made his 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 debut in January 1961. Sadanoyama won his first tournament title in only his third tournament in the top division, from the rank of maegashira 13. The achievement of winning a tournament from the maegashira ranks is sometimes seen as a jinx on subsequent success in sumo, but Sadanoyama disproved that theory by going on to reach ozeki in March 1962 after winning his second title, and then yokozuna in January 1965 after capturing his third championship.
He made a cameo appearance in the 1967 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
, as himself.
Sadanoyama announced his retirement suddenly in March 1968, despite having won the previous two tournaments, following a surprise loss to a new maegashira, the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an born Takamiyama. It has been suggested that the shock of losing to a foreigner may have prompted a premature retirement.
Retirement from sumo
Sadanoyama remained in the sumo world after his retirement, as an elder. Having married the daughter of the previous stable boss, former maegashira Dewanohana Kuniichi, he became head coach of the Dewanoumi stableDewanoumi 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....
. One of the most powerful heya in sumo, he produced a string of top division wrestlers, including Mienoumi, Dewanohana Yoshitaka, Washuyama, Onishiki, Ryogoku
Ryogoku Kajinosuke
Ryōgoku Kajinosuke is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now a sumo coach.-Career:...
, Oginishiki and Mainoumi. In February 1992 he became head of 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...
. He was chosen ahead of his contemporaries Taihō
Taiho Koki
Taihō Kōki is the 48th Yokozuna in the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. He is generally regarded as the greatest sumo wrestler of the post-war period. He became a yokozuna in 1961 at the age of 21, the youngest ever at the time, and he won a record 32 tournaments between 1960 and 1971...
and Kashiwado partly because he was in better health than either of them. He changed his toshiyori
Toshiyori
A toshiyori is a sumo elder of the Japan Sumo Association. Also known as oyakata, former wrestlers who reached a sufficiently high rank are the only people eligible...
name to Sakaigawa in 1996, handing over the Dewanoumi name and the day to day running of his stable to the former Washuyama. He did not run for re-election in 1998, after it became clear he lacked enough support, and was replaced by former ozeki Yutakayama
Yutakayama Katsuo
Yutakayama Katsuo is a former sumo wrestler from Niigata, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki. Although he never managed to win a top division tournament championship he was a runner-up on eight occasions...
from the rival Tokitsukaze
Tokitsukaze stable
The is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. It was originally founded in 1769 and was dominant during the Taishō period. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an active wrestler at the time. Initially known as...
faction. He stood down as an elder in 2003 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five.
Fighting style
Sadanoyama was known for employing pushing and thrusting techniques such as tsuppari (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest) and regularly won by such 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...
as oshi dashi (push out) and tsuki dashi (thrust out). However he was also good on the 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:...
where he preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip, and often won by yori kiri (force out) and uwatenage (overarm throw).
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 winners
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of James Bond allies in the 1965 film You Only Live Twice