Tochinishiki Kiyotaka
Encyclopedia
Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was a sumo
wrestler from Tokyo
, Japan
. He was the sport's 44th Yokozuna. He won ten top division yusho
or tournament championships and was a rival of fellow yokozuna Wakanohana I
. He became the head coach of Kasugano stable
in 1959 and was head of the Japan Sumo Association
from 1974 until 1988.
. He was a fine all round athlete at elementary school, and although he had no family connections to sumo, he was introduced by a shop owner to Kasugano Oyakata, the former yokozuna Tochigiyama
. Tochinishiki made his professional debut in January 1939. He was of such a small size that he had to drink copious amounts of water to met the weight requirement at his physical. However, his stablemaster, to whom Tochinishiki served as an attendant or tsukebito and was a great influence on him in his early days, expected him to become strong.
division in June 1947. He made up for his lack of size by showing superb technique. He won no fewer than nine special prizes
for Technique, and it was even suggested that the prize had been created especially for him. Tochinishiki was known as the Mamushi (Viper
) due to his tenacity once he grabbed hold of his opponent's mawashi
.
In January 1951, he lost 7 consecutive bouts at first but he won eight in a row and clinched his majority of wins or kachi-koshi on the final day, despite the bout being interrupted by a drunken spectator. After this performance, Tochinishiki began to raise his rank on the banzuke
rapidly, taking his first top division championship in September 1952 and earning promotion to ozeki. He finally reached yokozuna in October 1954 after winning two successive championships. There had been four yokozuna in the September 1954 tournament, Kagamisato, Chiyonoyama, Yoshibayama and Azumafuji, but Azumafuji announced his retirement so as not to hinder Tochinishiki's promotion.
When Tochinishiki was promoted to yokozuna, he expected that his stablemaster Tochigiyama would commend him. However, he told him, "From this day on, you should spend every day of your yokozuna life by thinking about the day you retire". At first, he struggled somewhat against heavier wrestlers, but he raised his weight to around 130 kg and he became a wrestler able to use more orthodox methods. Between March 1959 and March 1960, he won 95 bouts and lost only 10 bouts.
He had a great rivalry with yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I
, who reached the top rank in January 1958. They were of a similar build, and they each won ten top division tournament championships, with Tochinishiki coming out slightly ahead in their personal meetings with 19 wins out of 35 bouts. In July 1959 he defeated Wakanohana on the final day and won the championship with a perfect 15-0 score despite the fact that his father had been fatally hit by a truck the previous day.
In October 1959 his stablemaster died suddenly and Tochinishiki became head coach of Kasugano stable
whilst still an active wrestler (a practice no longer permitted). After losing to Wakanohana in a championship-deciding match on the final day of the March 1960 tournament, he decided to retire from active competition two days into the following tournament.
from 1974 to 1988, making him the longest serving chairman to date. Under his direction the new Ryogoku Kokugikan
was built in 1985. Suffering from diabetes, he stood down voluntarily, allowing his old rival Wakanohana to ascend to the position. He died in January 1990, following a stroke.
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 Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, 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 44th Yokozuna. He won ten top division 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 championships and was a rival of fellow yokozuna Wakanohana I
Wakanohana Kanji I
was a sumo wrestler, the sport's 45th Yokozuna .Wakanohana's younger brother was the late former ozeki Takanohana Kenshi and he was the uncle of Takanohana Koji and Wakanohana Masaru...
. He became the head coach of Kasugano stable
Kasugano stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi group of stables. As of November 2007 it had 24 wrestlers. It is currently one of the most successful stables, with five sekitori wrestlers, including the Georgian Tochinoshin and the Korean born Tochinowaka, who uses the current head coach's...
in 1959 and was 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...
from 1974 until 1988.
Early career
One of few yokozuna to hail from the city rather than the country, he was born in what is now Koiwa, EdogawaEdogawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It takes its name from the river that runs from north to south along the eastern edge of the ward. In English, it uses the name Edogawa City....
. He was a fine all round athlete at elementary school, and although he had no family connections to sumo, he was introduced by a shop owner to Kasugano Oyakata, the former yokozuna Tochigiyama
Tochigiyama Moriya
Tochigiyama Moriya was the 27th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling from 1918 till 1925. Generally he is considered one of the pioneers of modern sumo. He is the lightest yokozuna with a weight of 104 kg...
. Tochinishiki made his professional debut in January 1939. He was of such a small size that he had to drink copious amounts of water to met the weight requirement at his physical. However, his stablemaster, to whom Tochinishiki served as an attendant or tsukebito and was a great influence on him in his early days, expected him to become strong.
Top division career and yokozuna career
He reached the top makuuchiMakuuchi
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 June 1947. He made up for his lack of size by showing superb technique. He won no fewer than nine 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 Technique, and it was even suggested that the prize had been created especially for him. Tochinishiki was known as the Mamushi (Viper
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
) due to his tenacity once he grabbed hold of 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:...
.
In January 1951, he lost 7 consecutive bouts at first but he won eight in a row and clinched his majority of wins or kachi-koshi on the final day, despite the bout being interrupted by a drunken spectator. After this performance, Tochinishiki began to raise his rank 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...
rapidly, taking his first top division championship in September 1952 and earning promotion to ozeki. He finally reached yokozuna in October 1954 after winning two successive championships. There had been four yokozuna in the September 1954 tournament, Kagamisato, Chiyonoyama, Yoshibayama and Azumafuji, but Azumafuji announced his retirement so as not to hinder Tochinishiki's promotion.
When Tochinishiki was promoted to yokozuna, he expected that his stablemaster Tochigiyama would commend him. However, he told him, "From this day on, you should spend every day of your yokozuna life by thinking about the day you retire". At first, he struggled somewhat against heavier wrestlers, but he raised his weight to around 130 kg and he became a wrestler able to use more orthodox methods. Between March 1959 and March 1960, he won 95 bouts and lost only 10 bouts.
He had a great rivalry with yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I
Wakanohana Kanji I
was a sumo wrestler, the sport's 45th Yokozuna .Wakanohana's younger brother was the late former ozeki Takanohana Kenshi and he was the uncle of Takanohana Koji and Wakanohana Masaru...
, who reached the top rank in January 1958. They were of a similar build, and they each won ten top division tournament championships, with Tochinishiki coming out slightly ahead in their personal meetings with 19 wins out of 35 bouts. In July 1959 he defeated Wakanohana on the final day and won the championship with a perfect 15-0 score despite the fact that his father had been fatally hit by a truck the previous day.
In October 1959 his stablemaster died suddenly and Tochinishiki became head coach of Kasugano stable
Kasugano stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi group of stables. As of November 2007 it had 24 wrestlers. It is currently one of the most successful stables, with five sekitori wrestlers, including the Georgian Tochinoshin and the Korean born Tochinowaka, who uses the current head coach's...
whilst still an active wrestler (a practice no longer permitted). After losing to Wakanohana in a championship-deciding match on the final day of the March 1960 tournament, he decided to retire from active competition two days into the following tournament.
Later life
In addition to his position as stable boss he was also head 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...
from 1974 to 1988, making him the longest serving chairman to date. Under his direction the new Ryogoku Kokugikan
Ryogoku Kokugikan
, also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...
was built in 1985. Suffering from diabetes, he stood down voluntarily, allowing his old rival Wakanohana to ascend to the position. He died in January 1990, following a stroke.
Top division record
Note: The Osaka tournament resumed in 1953. The Kyushu tournament was first held in 1957, and the Nagoya tournament in 1958.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 past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of yokozuna