Hakuho Sho
Encyclopedia
is a professional sumo
wrestler (rikishi) from Ulan Bator, Mongolia
. Making his debut in March 2001, he reached the top makuuchi
division in May 2004
. On May 30, 2007
at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese
overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo, yokozuna. He has won twenty yusho
or tournament championships to date. In 2009
, he broke the record for the most wins in a calendar year, winning 86 out of 90 bouts. He became the only active yokozuna in 2010
, following the retirement of his rival and fellow Mongolian Asashōryū
. In that year he established the second longest winning streak in sumo history.
tradition. His father Jigjidiin Mönkhbat won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling
at the 1968 Summer Olympics
, and held the highest ranking in Mongolian wrestling, "Darkhan Avarga" (meaning "Invincible Giant"), which is the Mongolian equivalent of Yokozuna. Davaajargal did not however have any formal training in Mongolian wrestling himself, as his father wished him to try other sports, and he concentrated on basketball
as a child instead. However, at an early age he would be seen reading sumo magazines, and when his father asked him why he liked sumo so much, he responded by saying he wanted to be as big as a sumo wrestler one day. At that time he was considered below average in size.
He came to Japan in October 2000 when he was fifteen years old, invited by pioneering Mongolian rikishi Kyokushūzan
. Weighing only 62 kg (136.7 lb), no sumo training stable (heya
) was prepared to accept him. Hearing this, Kyokushūzan asked heya master Miyagino Oyakata
to intercede, and Davaajargal was accepted to Miyagino stable
on the last day of his two-month stay in Japan, December 24, 2000. He was given the ring name (shikona
) Hakuhō, with haku meaning "white" and hō, meaning the Chinese mythological bird Peng
. His ring name was named after former yokozuna Taihō
.
Hakuhō made his professional debut at the March tournament (honbasho
) in Osaka
in 2001. Despite having no previous wrestling experience, as his weight increased he steadily rose in the ranks, reaching the second highest jūryō division in January 2004, and the top makuuchi
division in May of the same year. In his very first top-division tournament, he scored twelve wins against three losses and was awarded a special prize (sanshō
) for Fighting Spirit. He also enjoyed great success in subsequent tournaments, winning a gold star (kinboshi
) for defeating Yokozuna Asashōryū
in November 2004 while still at the lowest makuuchi rank of maegashira. This tournament also saw him finish as runner-up for the first time. He achieved a rapid promotion to the rank of komusubi in January 2005 and sekiwake only one tournament later. His progress was delayed by an injury which forced him to take leave (zen-kyu) from the Nagoya tournament in 2005.
Ōzeki promotion came in March 2006
after a 13-2 record, which included a playoff for the championship (which he lost to Asashōryū) and also earned him two special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Technique. This gave him a three tournament record of 35 wins against ten losses. His promotion was confirmed just a few weeks after his twenty-first birthday, making him the fourth youngest wrestler to reach ōzeki in modern sumo history.
) with a 14-1 record, defeating Miyabiyama
in another playoff. After another strong performance (13-2) in July, in which he finished as runner-up to Asashōryū and defeated him on the final day, Hakuhō flirted with promotion to yokozuna, but an uncharacteristically poor 8-7 showing in September shelved such early hopes. An injury sustained in training prevented him from participating in the November tournament, putting him at risk for demotion (kadoban) in January 2007, when he scored a respectable ten wins on his return to the ring.
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In March 2007 Hakuhō won his second championship in Osaka
and a third championship in the very next tournament in May, with a perfect 15-0 record. Winning two consecutive championships satisfies the de facto minimum requirements for promotion to the top rank in sumo. On the day following the tournament, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council unanimously recommended his promotion to yokozuna which was formally announced by the Japan Sumo Association
on May 30, 2007. He performed his inaugural ring-entering ceremony (dohyo-iri) at the Meiji Shrine
(in the lesser-used Shiranui style) on June 1. He performed the ceremony at the Kokugikan
during Kyokushūzan's retirement ceremony (danpatsu-shiki) on June 2.
on the 10th day, and further losses to Kotoōshū
and Chiyotaikai
put him out of contention for the title. He finished the tournament with an 11-4 record.
Hakuhō's first tournament championship as a yokozuna came in September 2007 with a 13-2 record, triumphing over Chiyotaikai on the last day. His second title as a yokozuna, and fifth overall, came in the following tournament in November with a 12-3 score. He lost to Kotomitsuki on the final day but the championship had already been decided earlier in the day when his only challenger Chiyotaikai pulled out through injury. His yokozuna rival Asashōryū missed both these tournaments through suspension.
tournament, he faced the returning Asashōryū on the final day with both wrestlers having a 13-1 score. In a bout lasting nearly a minute, Hakuho defeated Asashōryū, winning his 6th championship with a 14-1 record. In the March 2008 tournament the two yokozuna met once again to decide the title and this time Asashōryū got his revenge, with Hakuhō finishing as runner-up.
In the May 2008 tournament, he won his first nine consecutive bouts. On the 10th day, however, he lost to Ama for the fourth time in their last five meetings, injuring his ankle in the process. Subsequent losses to Kotoōshū (the eventual winner of the tournament) and Kotomitsuki put him out of contention for the championship. He finished on 11-4, losing to Asashōryū on the final day in a match that sparked controversy after the two yokozuna nearly came to blows when Asashōryū gave Hakuhō an extra shove after the bout was over. Both wrestlers were given a warning over their conduct by the Japan Sumo Association
.
In July 2008, with Asashōryū pulling out through injury he won his seventh championship without a serious challenge, securing victory by the 13th day: the first time this had been achieved since January 2005. He finished the tournament unbeaten; his second zensho-yusho. Although he lost on day five of the September tournament, he still dominated all other opponents and secured another championship on the 14th day. He finished the tournament with a 14-1 record.
In the November tournament Hakuhō was once again the sole yokozuna participating. He lost his opening bout to Aminishiki and his 12th day bout to Ama, both opponents hailing from Isegahama stable
. Both Hakuhō and Ama finished with a 13-2 record and the eventual play-off was won by Hakuhō, handing him his fourth yusho of the season and ninth in total.
tournament Hakuhō defeated Asashōryū on the final day in their first meeting since May, handing his fellow yokozuna his first defeat of the tournament and leaving both men with identical 14-1 records. Hakuhō was however beaten in the subsequent playoff. Hakuho defeated Asashōryū again in the March tournament, this time capping off an undefeated 15-0 championship, his third zensho-yusho and his tenth championship overall.
In May he extending his winning run to 33 regulation bouts, the best since Asashōryū's 35 in 2004, until he was defeated by Kotoōshū on Day 14. He recovered to beat Asashōryū on Day 15 to finish at 14-1, but he lost the playoff bout to Harumafuji who claimed his first championship.
In July he won his eleventh championship, finishing one win ahead of Kotoōshū with another 14-1 score. He almost pulled off his twelfth championship in the following September tournament. One win behind Asashōryū for most of the tournament after giving away his first kinboshi
in a year (to Shōtenrō
) he forced a playoff by beating his rival on the final day, but then lost in the succeeding playoff bout. This was a very similar scenario to his loss to Asashōryū in the preceding January tournament. Regardless of this loss, he still managed to become the first makuuchi wrestler ever to win fourteen or more bouts in five consecutive tournaments. He also became the first wrestler ever to lose three makuuchi playoffs in one year. After the tournament he was diagnosed with ligament damage in his left elbow; however surgery was not required.
On November 28, the fourteenth day of the Kyushu basho, he clinched his twelfth tournament championship and broke Asashōryū's 2005 record for most bouts won in a calendar year, which had stood at 84. He defeated Asashōryū the following day to secure his fourth career zensho yusho and set his 2009 record total at 86 wins. This was also his fourteenth consecutive yusho or jun-yusho (winner or runner-up) performance, another record.
on Day 7, and he suffered consecutive losses to ozeki Harumafuji and Kaiō
on Days 12 and 13 to concede the title to Asashōryū by Day 14. He gained some consolation by beating his yokozuna rival for the seventh straight time in regulation bouts on the final day to finish the tournament on 12-3.
Hakuhō expressed his shock at the retirement of Asashōryū in February, following allegations his fellow yokozuna had assaulted a man in a drunken brawl outside a nightclub during the previous tournament. Fighting back tears he said, "I don't want to believe it. I was honoured to wrestle in the same era as him." After getting ritually beaten by majestic Asashoryu earlier in his career, Hakuho came to completely dominate him, winning all of their last seven regulation matches (excluding two tournament-playoff defeats) and finishing with a 14-13 record over his greatest rival.
He won the Osaka tournament in March with a perfect 15-0 record, his fifth undefeated score and thirteenth championship overall. After his victory he spoke of the extra pressure now that he was sumo's lone yokozuna and his relief at the win.
Hakuhō wrapped up his fourteenth championship in May by Day 13 (his earliest yusho win since July 2008) and went on to record his sixth zensho-yusho, the first time he has achieved this in consecutive tournaments. With the win, he equalled the number of yusho won by yokozuna Wajima
, and to commemorate this he switched to wearing Wajima's trademark gold coloured mawashi
.
In July 2010 a special committee reviewing the extent of illegal gambling within sumo revealed that Hakuhō had bet several tens of thousands of yen on hanafuda
Japanese card games with his fellow wrestlers twice a year or so. However, the panel said that he would not be punished as it was not considered a serious offence. He nonetheless appeared along with nearly 80 other wrestlers at a press conference and apologised to sumo fans for his actions. On the 14th day of the Nagoya tournament he won his 46th consecutive bout, surpassing Taihō's 45, behind only Chiyonofuji
's 53 and Futabayama
's 69 as the longest winning run since the beginning of the Showa era. He clinched his fifteenth yusho on the same day, and on the final day he secured his third consecutive 15-0 record, the first wrestler ever to achieve this. However, he did not receive the Emperor's Cup
or any other trophy, as the Sumo Association decided to withdraw them in response to the gambling scandal. Hakuhō commented, "I hope we will not have a tournament like this ever again."
On Day 6 of the Aki basho in September he equalled the 53-bout winning streak of Chiyonofuji with a win over Kotoshogiku, and surpassed it the following day by pushing out Kisenosato in front of the first sell-out crowd of the tournament so far. He said afterwards that he felt "I really repaid my debt of gratitude" to the former Chiyonofuji. He secured his fourth consecutive yusho on the fourteenth day when rank-and-filers Yoshikaze and Takekaze suffered defeats, and he moved to 14-0 (and 61 consecutive wins) by beating Kotooshu. Asked about Futabayama's record of 69 wins, set in the two tournament a year era from 1936 to 1939, he responded, "It is truly amazing that he was able to continue winning for almost three years." Former Sumo Association Kitanoumi estimated that Hakuhō had a possibility of "about 80 percent" of breaking the record, which he would achieve on the eighth day of the November tournament. Hakuhō wrapped up the Aki basho by defeating Harumafuji to achieve his fourth perfect record in a row. This was also his eighth zensho-yusho overall, equalling the record held jointly Futabayama and Taihō.
On the first day of the November 2010 tournament, Hakuhō defeated Tochinoshin, tying the consecutive wins record of Tanikaze with 63. However, on the following day his run was finally brought to an end when he was defeated by Kisenosato. This was only the fifth time in his yokozuna career that Hakuhō has been defeated by a maegashira, and Kisenosato is the first to earn more than one kinboshi
from him, having previously upset him in September 2008. However, Hakuho won all his remaining bouts and defeated maegashira Toyonoshima in a playoff to win the championship. He finished the year on 86 wins in regulation matches, equalling the record he set in 2009. At a press conference following his victory, he revealed that having his winning run halted before breaking Futabayama's record affected him so badly that he considered withdrawing from the tournament.
On December 21 he was awarded the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize
, receiving the Prime Minister's Trophy from Naoto Kan
.
During the May "technical examination tournament" Hakuhō notched up his 500th win in the top division, with a victory over Kitataiki on Day 5. He achieved this total with the loss of just 99 top division bouts since his debut in May 2004 – a winning percentage of 83%. He was defeated by Harumafuji on Day 13 but went on to win his seventh straight championship, equalling Asashoryu's record, despite losing to Kaio on the final day.
Hakuho was defeated on the eleventh day of the July 2011 tournament by sekiwake Kotoshogiku and his quest for a record eighth straight yusho ended on Day 14 when he was beaten by Harumafuji to drop two wins behind. He also lost his final day match to Baruto to finish on 12-3, his poorest result since January 2010. Nevertheless it was still enough for runner-up honours, his twelfth.
He was defeated by Kisenosato for the third time in five meetings on Day 12 of the September tournament and then lost to Kotoshogiku for the second time in a row the following day. However he rallied to beat Baruto on Day 14 and then Harumafuji on the final day to clinch his twentieth tournament championship. On November 25th 2011, he won his 21st tournament title in Fukuoka, moving to 13-0 with none of his rivals scoring better than 10-3. He finished the tournament on 14-1, his only loss coming to Baruto on the final day.
. He mostly employs yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques as opposed to thrusting. He says he does not have a special or favourite kimarite
, and that "the only thing I am very good at is yorikiri (force-out)". This technique, the most common kimarite in sumo, is used by Hakuhō to win 28% of his matches. He favours the migi-yotsu position, meaning his right hand is inside and his left hand is outside his opponent's arms, and he has become famous for his left hand outside grip. He also regularly employs uwate-nage, or outer-arm throw. While meeting foreign journalists in April 2009 Hakuhō said he was studying the techniques of the 35th Yokozuna Futabayama, a wrestler whom he greatly admires, in particular his approach to the tachi-ai
or initial charge.
. His second daughter was born in January 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 (rikishi) from Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. Making his debut in March 2001, he 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 May 2004
2004 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 - 25 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 14 - 28 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 - 23 May*Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 4 -18 July...
. On May 30, 2007
2007 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 7 - 21 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 11 - 25 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 - 27 May*Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 8 - 22 July...
at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo, yokozuna. He has won twenty 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 to date. In 2009
2009 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 January - 25 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 15 March - 29 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 May - 24 May...
, he broke the record for the most wins in a calendar year, winning 86 out of 90 bouts. He became the only active yokozuna in 2010
2010 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 January – 24 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 14 March – 28 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 May – 23 May...
, following the retirement of his rival and fellow Mongolian Asashōryū
Asashōryū Akinori
is a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
. In that year he established the second longest winning streak in sumo history.
Early career
Like many of his countrymen in professional sumo, Hakuhō belongs to a family in the Mongolian wrestlingMongolian wrestling
Mongolian wrestling, known as Bökh , is the folk wrestling style of Mongols in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and other regions...
tradition. His father Jigjidiin Mönkhbat won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
at the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, and held the highest ranking in Mongolian wrestling, "Darkhan Avarga" (meaning "Invincible Giant"), which is the Mongolian equivalent of Yokozuna. Davaajargal did not however have any formal training in Mongolian wrestling himself, as his father wished him to try other sports, and he concentrated on basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
as a child instead. However, at an early age he would be seen reading sumo magazines, and when his father asked him why he liked sumo so much, he responded by saying he wanted to be as big as a sumo wrestler one day. At that time he was considered below average in size.
He came to Japan in October 2000 when he was fifteen years old, invited by pioneering Mongolian rikishi Kyokushūzan
Kyokushuzan Noboru
Kyokushūzan Noboru is a former professional sumo wrestler and current politician of Democratic Party. He was the first wrestler from Mongolia to reach sumo's top makuuchi division....
. Weighing only 62 kg (136.7 lb), no sumo training stable (heya
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...
) was prepared to accept him. Hearing this, Kyokushūzan asked heya master Miyagino Oyakata
Chikubayama Masakuni
Chikubayama Masakuni is a former sumo wrestler from Ukiha, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.-Career:He joined Miyagino stable and debuted in March 1973. His ring name was named after former yokozuna Yoshibayama, his stablemaster. His active career was relatively modest...
to intercede, and Davaajargal was accepted to Miyagino stable
Miyagino stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was founded by the 43rd Yokozuna Yoshibayama as Yoshibayama dōjō while he was still an active wrestler, before changing to its current name in 1960....
on the last day of his two-month stay in Japan, December 24, 2000. He was given the ring name (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...
) Hakuhō, with haku meaning "white" and hō, meaning the Chinese mythological bird Peng
Peng (mythology)
Peng or Dapeng is a giant bird that transforms from a Kun giant fish in Chinese mythology. In comparative mythology of giant creatures, Peng is likened to the Roc or Garuda and Kun to the Leviathan.-Names:...
. His ring name was named after former yokozuna 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...
.
Hakuhō made his professional debut at the March tournament (honbasho
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 ....
) in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
in 2001. Despite having no previous wrestling experience, as his weight increased he steadily rose in the ranks, reaching the second highest jūryō division in January 2004, and 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 May of the same year. In his very first top-division tournament, he scored twelve wins against three losses and was awarded a special prize (sanshō
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 Fighting Spirit. He also enjoyed great success in subsequent tournaments, winning a gold star (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 Asashōryū
Asashōryū Akinori
is a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
in November 2004 while still at the lowest makuuchi rank of maegashira. This tournament also saw him finish as runner-up for the first time. He achieved a rapid promotion to the rank of komusubi in January 2005 and sekiwake only one tournament later. His progress was delayed by an injury which forced him to take leave (zen-kyu) from the Nagoya tournament in 2005.
Ōzeki promotion came in March 2006
2006 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 8 - 22 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 12 - 26 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 - 27 May*Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 9 - 23 July...
after a 13-2 record, which included a playoff for the championship (which he lost to Asashōryū) and also earned him two special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Technique. This gave him a three tournament record of 35 wins against ten losses. His promotion was confirmed just a few weeks after his twenty-first birthday, making him the fourth youngest wrestler to reach ōzeki in modern sumo history.
Ōzeki
At his first tournament as ōzeki in May 2006, with Asashōryū absent, Hakuhō won his first championship (yūshōYusho
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...
) with a 14-1 record, defeating Miyabiyama
Miyabiyama Tetsushi
Miyabiyama Tetsushi is a sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. He has been ranked in the top division of professional sumo since 1999, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001...
in another playoff. After another strong performance (13-2) in July, in which he finished as runner-up to Asashōryū and defeated him on the final day, Hakuhō flirted with promotion to yokozuna, but an uncharacteristically poor 8-7 showing in September shelved such early hopes. An injury sustained in training prevented him from participating in the November tournament, putting him at risk for demotion (kadoban) in January 2007, when he scored a respectable ten wins on his return to the ring.
Promotion to Yokozuna
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and a third championship in the very next tournament in May, with a perfect 15-0 record. Winning two consecutive championships satisfies the de facto minimum requirements for promotion to the top rank in sumo. On the day following the tournament, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council unanimously recommended his promotion to yokozuna which was formally announced 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...
on May 30, 2007. He performed his inaugural ring-entering ceremony (dohyo-iri) at the Meiji Shrine
Meiji Shrine
', located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.-History:...
(in the lesser-used Shiranui style) on June 1. He performed the ceremony at the 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...
during Kyokushūzan's retirement ceremony (danpatsu-shiki) on June 2.
2007
Hakuhō's first tournament as a yokozuna was in July 2007. His 25 match winning streak was brought to an end by KotomitsukiKotomitsuki Keiji
Kotomitsuki Keiji is a former sumo wrestler from Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1999. He reached the top makuuchi division in November 2000 and won one yusho or tournament championship, in September 2001...
on the 10th day, and further losses to Kotoōshū
Kotooshu Katsunori
Kotoōshū Katsunori is a professional sumo wrestler or rikishi. He made his debut in 2002, reaching the top division just two years later...
and Chiyotaikai
Chiyotaikai Ryuji
Chiyotaikai Ryūji , is a Japanese former sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 1992 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1997. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for 65 consecutive tournaments from 1999 until 2009, making him the longest serving ōzeki in the modern...
put him out of contention for the title. He finished the tournament with an 11-4 record.
Hakuhō's first tournament championship as a yokozuna came in September 2007 with a 13-2 record, triumphing over Chiyotaikai on the last day. His second title as a yokozuna, and fifth overall, came in the following tournament in November with a 12-3 score. He lost to Kotomitsuki on the final day but the championship had already been decided earlier in the day when his only challenger Chiyotaikai pulled out through injury. His yokozuna rival Asashōryū missed both these tournaments through suspension.
2008
In the January 20082008 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 January - 27 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 9 March - 23 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 May - 25 May...
tournament, he faced the returning Asashōryū on the final day with both wrestlers having a 13-1 score. In a bout lasting nearly a minute, Hakuho defeated Asashōryū, winning his 6th championship with a 14-1 record. In the March 2008 tournament the two yokozuna met once again to decide the title and this time Asashōryū got his revenge, with Hakuhō finishing as runner-up.
In the May 2008 tournament, he won his first nine consecutive bouts. On the 10th day, however, he lost to Ama for the fourth time in their last five meetings, injuring his ankle in the process. Subsequent losses to Kotoōshū (the eventual winner of the tournament) and Kotomitsuki put him out of contention for the championship. He finished on 11-4, losing to Asashōryū on the final day in a match that sparked controversy after the two yokozuna nearly came to blows when Asashōryū gave Hakuhō an extra shove after the bout was over. Both wrestlers were given a warning over their conduct 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...
.
In July 2008, with Asashōryū pulling out through injury he won his seventh championship without a serious challenge, securing victory by the 13th day: the first time this had been achieved since January 2005. He finished the tournament unbeaten; his second zensho-yusho. Although he lost on day five of the September tournament, he still dominated all other opponents and secured another championship on the 14th day. He finished the tournament with a 14-1 record.
In the November tournament Hakuhō was once again the sole yokozuna participating. He lost his opening bout to Aminishiki and his 12th day bout to Ama, both opponents hailing from Isegahama stable
Isegahama stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tatsunami ichimon or group of stables. It was re-established by the 63rd Yokozuna Asahifuji Seiya in November 2007, who re-named his Ajigawa stable when he acquired the Isegahama toshiyori name....
. Both Hakuhō and Ama finished with a 13-2 record and the eventual play-off was won by Hakuhō, handing him his fourth yusho of the season and ninth in total.
2009
In the January 20092009 in sumo
-Tournaments:*Hatsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 January - 25 January*Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 15 March - 29 March*Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 May - 24 May...
tournament Hakuhō defeated Asashōryū on the final day in their first meeting since May, handing his fellow yokozuna his first defeat of the tournament and leaving both men with identical 14-1 records. Hakuhō was however beaten in the subsequent playoff. Hakuho defeated Asashōryū again in the March tournament, this time capping off an undefeated 15-0 championship, his third zensho-yusho and his tenth championship overall.
In May he extending his winning run to 33 regulation bouts, the best since Asashōryū's 35 in 2004, until he was defeated by Kotoōshū on Day 14. He recovered to beat Asashōryū on Day 15 to finish at 14-1, but he lost the playoff bout to Harumafuji who claimed his first championship.
In July he won his eleventh championship, finishing one win ahead of Kotoōshū with another 14-1 score. He almost pulled off his twelfth championship in the following September tournament. One win behind Asashōryū for most of the tournament after giving away his first kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
in a year (to Shōtenrō
Shōtenrō Taishi
Shōtenrō Taishi is a sumo wrestler from Khovd Province, Mongolia. He joined professional sumo in 2001 and was known as Musashiryu Taishi until 2007. He made the top makuuchi division for the first time in 2009 and his highest rank has been maegashira 2...
) he forced a playoff by beating his rival on the final day, but then lost in the succeeding playoff bout. This was a very similar scenario to his loss to Asashōryū in the preceding January tournament. Regardless of this loss, he still managed to become the first makuuchi wrestler ever to win fourteen or more bouts in five consecutive tournaments. He also became the first wrestler ever to lose three makuuchi playoffs in one year. After the tournament he was diagnosed with ligament damage in his left elbow; however surgery was not required.
On November 28, the fourteenth day of the Kyushu basho, he clinched his twelfth tournament championship and broke Asashōryū's 2005 record for most bouts won in a calendar year, which had stood at 84. He defeated Asashōryū the following day to secure his fourth career zensho yusho and set his 2009 record total at 86 wins. This was also his fourteenth consecutive yusho or jun-yusho (winner or runner-up) performance, another record.
2010
In the opening tournament of the year Hakuhō's 30 bout winning streak was ended by BarutoBaruto Kaito
Baruto Kaito is a professional sumo wrestler from Estonia. Making his debut in May 2004, he is one of only two Estonians ever to join the sport in Japan, and the first to reach the top division, in May 2006...
on Day 7, and he suffered consecutive losses to ozeki Harumafuji and Kaiō
Kaio Hiroyuki
Kaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.He made his debut in 1988, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1993. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for eleven years from 2000 to 2011, and is the longest-serving ozeki of all time in terms of...
on Days 12 and 13 to concede the title to Asashōryū by Day 14. He gained some consolation by beating his yokozuna rival for the seventh straight time in regulation bouts on the final day to finish the tournament on 12-3.
Hakuhō expressed his shock at the retirement of Asashōryū in February, following allegations his fellow yokozuna had assaulted a man in a drunken brawl outside a nightclub during the previous tournament. Fighting back tears he said, "I don't want to believe it. I was honoured to wrestle in the same era as him." After getting ritually beaten by majestic Asashoryu earlier in his career, Hakuho came to completely dominate him, winning all of their last seven regulation matches (excluding two tournament-playoff defeats) and finishing with a 14-13 record over his greatest rival.
He won the Osaka tournament in March with a perfect 15-0 record, his fifth undefeated score and thirteenth championship overall. After his victory he spoke of the extra pressure now that he was sumo's lone yokozuna and his relief at the win.
Hakuhō wrapped up his fourteenth championship in May by Day 13 (his earliest yusho win since July 2008) and went on to record his sixth zensho-yusho, the first time he has achieved this in consecutive tournaments. With the win, he equalled the number of yusho won by yokozuna Wajima
Wajima Hiroshi
is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler from Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan. He was sumo's 54th Yokozuna. He won a total of 14 tournament championships or yusho during his career and retired in March 1981....
, and to commemorate this he switched to wearing Wajima's trademark gold coloured 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 July 2010 a special committee reviewing the extent of illegal gambling within sumo revealed that Hakuhō had bet several tens of thousands of yen on hanafuda
Hanafuda
are playing cards of Japanese origin that are used to play a number of games. The name literally translates as "flower cards". The name also refers to games played with those cards.-History:...
Japanese card games with his fellow wrestlers twice a year or so. However, the panel said that he would not be punished as it was not considered a serious offence. He nonetheless appeared along with nearly 80 other wrestlers at a press conference and apologised to sumo fans for his actions. On the 14th day of the Nagoya tournament he won his 46th consecutive bout, surpassing Taihō's 45, behind only 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....
's 53 and Futabayama
Futabayama Sadaji
Futabayama Sadaji , born as Akiyoshi Sadaji in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945. He won twelve top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with...
's 69 as the longest winning run since the beginning of the Showa era. He clinched his fifteenth yusho on the same day, and on the final day he secured his third consecutive 15-0 record, the first wrestler ever to achieve this. However, he did not receive the Emperor's Cup
Emperor's Cup
, commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...
or any other trophy, as the Sumo Association decided to withdraw them in response to the gambling scandal. Hakuhō commented, "I hope we will not have a tournament like this ever again."
On Day 6 of the Aki basho in September he equalled the 53-bout winning streak of Chiyonofuji with a win over Kotoshogiku, and surpassed it the following day by pushing out Kisenosato in front of the first sell-out crowd of the tournament so far. He said afterwards that he felt "I really repaid my debt of gratitude" to the former Chiyonofuji. He secured his fourth consecutive yusho on the fourteenth day when rank-and-filers Yoshikaze and Takekaze suffered defeats, and he moved to 14-0 (and 61 consecutive wins) by beating Kotooshu. Asked about Futabayama's record of 69 wins, set in the two tournament a year era from 1936 to 1939, he responded, "It is truly amazing that he was able to continue winning for almost three years." Former Sumo Association Kitanoumi estimated that Hakuhō had a possibility of "about 80 percent" of breaking the record, which he would achieve on the eighth day of the November tournament. Hakuhō wrapped up the Aki basho by defeating Harumafuji to achieve his fourth perfect record in a row. This was also his eighth zensho-yusho overall, equalling the record held jointly Futabayama and Taihō.
On the first day of the November 2010 tournament, Hakuhō defeated Tochinoshin, tying the consecutive wins record of Tanikaze with 63. However, on the following day his run was finally brought to an end when he was defeated by Kisenosato. This was only the fifth time in his yokozuna career that Hakuhō has been defeated by a maegashira, and Kisenosato is the first to earn more than one kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
from him, having previously upset him in September 2008. However, Hakuho won all his remaining bouts and defeated maegashira Toyonoshima in a playoff to win the championship. He finished the year on 86 wins in regulation matches, equalling the record he set in 2009. At a press conference following his victory, he revealed that having his winning run halted before breaking Futabayama's record affected him so badly that he considered withdrawing from the tournament.
On December 21 he was awarded the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize
Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize
is given to one sportsperson or sports team every year since 1968 by the Japan Professional Sports Association. The award is one of the most prestigious all-sport awards in Japanese sport. The recordholders are baseball players Ichiro Suzuki and Sadaharu Oh...
, receiving the Prime Minister's Trophy from Naoto Kan
Naoto Kan
is a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
.
2011
In the January 2011 tournament in Tokyo he was surprisingly beaten by Kisenosato for the second time in a row but he secured his eighteenth championship on the fourteenth day. In doing so Hakuhō became only the third man after Taihō and Asashōryū to win six consecutive tournaments.During the May "technical examination tournament" Hakuhō notched up his 500th win in the top division, with a victory over Kitataiki on Day 5. He achieved this total with the loss of just 99 top division bouts since his debut in May 2004 – a winning percentage of 83%. He was defeated by Harumafuji on Day 13 but went on to win his seventh straight championship, equalling Asashoryu's record, despite losing to Kaio on the final day.
Hakuho was defeated on the eleventh day of the July 2011 tournament by sekiwake Kotoshogiku and his quest for a record eighth straight yusho ended on Day 14 when he was beaten by Harumafuji to drop two wins behind. He also lost his final day match to Baruto to finish on 12-3, his poorest result since January 2010. Nevertheless it was still enough for runner-up honours, his twelfth.
He was defeated by Kisenosato for the third time in five meetings on Day 12 of the September tournament and then lost to Kotoshogiku for the second time in a row the following day. However he rallied to beat Baruto on Day 14 and then Harumafuji on the final day to clinch his twentieth tournament championship. On November 25th 2011, he won his 21st tournament title in Fukuoka, moving to 13-0 with none of his rivals scoring better than 10-3. He finished the tournament on 14-1, his only loss coming to Baruto on the final day.
Fighting style
Hakuhō has a straightforward but effective style, reminiscent of yokozuna TakanohanaTakanohana Koji
is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the fifth highest total ever...
. He mostly employs yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques as opposed to thrusting. He says he does not have a special or favourite kimarite
Kimarite
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...
, and that "the only thing I am very good at is yorikiri (force-out)". This technique, the most common kimarite in sumo, is used by Hakuhō to win 28% of his matches. He favours the migi-yotsu position, meaning his right hand is inside and his left hand is outside his opponent's arms, and he has become famous for his left hand outside grip. He also regularly employs uwate-nage, or outer-arm throw. While meeting foreign journalists in April 2009 Hakuhō said he was studying the techniques of the 35th Yokozuna Futabayama, a wrestler whom he greatly admires, in particular his approach to the tachi-ai
Tachi-ai
The tachi-ai is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout.There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the aim of getting a decisive advantage in the bout:...
or initial charge.
Family
In February 2007 Hakuhō married a 22 year-old woman, Sayoko Wada, then a university student and glamour model, after a three-year relationship. The couple welcomed a daughter in May 2007 and a son in September 2008. Their wedding ceremony took place at the Meiji ShrineMeiji Shrine
', located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.-History:...
. His second daughter was born in January 2011.
Tournament 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 past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo record holders
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of sumo tournament second division winners
- List of active sumo wrestlers
- List of yokozuna