Kotofuji Takaya
Encyclopedia
is a former sumo
wrestler from Chiba City
, Japan
. His highest rank was sekiwake. In 1991 he won a top division yusho
or tournament championship from the maegashira ranks.
He reached the top makuuchi
division in September 1988, scoring 11 wins in his top division debut and receiving a share of the Fighting Spirit prize
. He made his sanyaku debut at sekiwake in July 1990 but held the rank for only one tournament. He earned his first gold star
in January 1991 with a win over Onokuni.
Kotofuji is best remembered for his extraordinary performance in the Nagoya
tournament of July 1991, where he became the first maegashira to win the tournament championship in nearly six years. After a poor 5-10 record at maegashira 7 the previous tournament he was ranked at maegashira 13, and fought only his fellow maegashira for the first nine days. Winning all those bouts, he was paired against ozeki Kirishima
, yokozuna Asahifuji and ozeki Konishiki on days 10 to 12 - and won all of those matches too. It was the first time he had defeated either Asahifuji or Konishiki. His yusho was confirmed the following day when he defeated Takatoriki to go to 13-0, with no else scoring better than ten. He became the first wrestler ranked below ozeki to win the championship by Day 13 since the introduction of 15 day tournaments. Although he was beaten by Takahanada on Day 14, he defeated Akebono
on the final day to finish with an outstanding 14-1 record, two wins clear of runner-up Konishiki on 12-3. Both yokozuna, Asahifuji and Hokutoumi had poor tournaments, turning in scores of 8-7 and 9-6, the worst ever for a tournament with two yokozuna. Kotofuji received his second Fighting Spirit prize as well as the Emperor's Cup. He was as surprised as anyone else at his win, telling an interviewer for Channel 4
that he had just wanted the tournament to be over as soon as possible as he felt sure he wouldn't make it.
Kotofuji never approached anything like those heights again. He scored only 4-11 at komusubi in the following tournament and never made sanyaku again. After a series of poor results he was demoted to the second jūryō division in 1994 and announced his retirement from sumo in September 1995. He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association
, under the name of Kumegawa Oyakata, but he had to leave the sumo world in July 1999 when his toshiyori
name was needed by his retiring former stablemate Kotoinazuma. Kotofuji then launched a new career as a television personality.
During the short stay of Canadian wrestler Kototenzan
at Sadogatake stable
, Kotofuji was one of the few wrestlers who attempted to communicate with him in English.
. His most common winning kimarite
was yori-kiri, a straightforward force out, which accounted for half his victories at sekitori
level, but he was also fond of using his right hand grip to win by uwatenage, or 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 Chiba City
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
, 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 sekiwake. In 1991 he won a 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 championship from the maegashira ranks.
Career
Kotofuji made his professional debut in March 1980. He had a long apprenticeship in the junior ranks, not breaking through to the jūryō division until November 1986. He had an awkward build for sumo, as his long legs meant his hips were high and therefore his centre of gravity was much higher than the ideal.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 September 1988, scoring 11 wins in his top division debut and receiving a share of the Fighting Spirit prize
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:...
. He made his sanyaku debut at sekiwake in July 1990 but held the rank for only one tournament. He earned his first gold star
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
in January 1991 with a win over Onokuni.
Kotofuji is best remembered for his extraordinary performance in the Nagoya
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 ....
tournament of July 1991, where he became the first maegashira to win the tournament championship in nearly six years. After a poor 5-10 record at maegashira 7 the previous tournament he was ranked at maegashira 13, and fought only his fellow maegashira for the first nine days. Winning all those bouts, he was paired against ozeki Kirishima
Kirishima Kazuhiro
Kirishima Kazuhiro is a former sumo wrestler from Makizono, Kagoshima, Japan, who held the second highest rank of ōzeki from 1990 to 1992 and won one top division tournament championship...
, yokozuna Asahifuji and ozeki Konishiki on days 10 to 12 - and won all of those matches too. It was the first time he had defeated either Asahifuji or Konishiki. His yusho was confirmed the following day when he defeated Takatoriki to go to 13-0, with no else scoring better than ten. He became the first wrestler ranked below ozeki to win the championship by Day 13 since the introduction of 15 day tournaments. Although he was beaten by Takahanada on Day 14, he defeated Akebono
Akebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
on the final day to finish with an outstanding 14-1 record, two wins clear of runner-up Konishiki on 12-3. Both yokozuna, Asahifuji and Hokutoumi had poor tournaments, turning in scores of 8-7 and 9-6, the worst ever for a tournament with two yokozuna. Kotofuji received his second Fighting Spirit prize as well as the Emperor's Cup. He was as surprised as anyone else at his win, telling an interviewer for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
that he had just wanted the tournament to be over as soon as possible as he felt sure he wouldn't make it.
Kotofuji never approached anything like those heights again. He scored only 4-11 at komusubi in the following tournament and never made sanyaku again. After a series of poor results he was demoted to the second jūryō division in 1994 and announced his retirement from sumo in September 1995. He became an elder 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...
, under the name of Kumegawa Oyakata, but he had to leave the sumo world in July 1999 when 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 was needed by his retiring former stablemate Kotoinazuma. Kotofuji then launched a new career as a television personality.
During the short stay of Canadian wrestler Kototenzan
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
at Sadogatake stable
Sadogatake stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. In its modern form it dates from September 1955, when it was set up by former komusubi Kotonishiki Noboru. Former yokozuna Kotozakura took over the running of the stable in 1974 following Kotonishiki's death. Over the next...
, Kotofuji was one of the few wrestlers who attempted to communicate with him in English.
Fighting style
Kotofuji was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring a hidari-yotsu, (right hand outside, left hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashiMawashi
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:...
. His most common winning 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...
was yori-kiri, a straightforward force out, which accounted for half his victories at 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...
level, but he was also fond of using his right hand grip to win by uwatenage, or 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