Takanowaka Yuki
Encyclopedia
Takanowaka Yūki is a former sumo
wrestler from Ikitsuki
, Nagasaki
, Japan
. His highest rank was sekiwake.
player. In his youth he played not only baseball but also basketball
, for which he was offered several scholarships. He tried sumo at the suggestion of his school's sumo club manager, who had connections with Naruto stable
. Takanowaka joined the stable in March 1992, making his debut alongside future sekiwake Wakanosato. As is common, he initially fought under his own surname, soon switching to "Takaozaki" before adopting the fighting name
of Takanowaka in 1998. Initially weighing only 80 kg (176.4 lb), it took him several years to work his way through the lower ranks. He was promoted to the second highest jūryō division in May 1999 and reached the top makuuchi
division just three tournaments later in November 1999.
Takanowaka was ranked in the top division for 34 tournaments in total, with a win-loss rate of 229-242, with 39 absences. He earned one kinboshi
, or gold star, by defeating yokozuna Musashimaru in May 2001, and three special prizes
. His best performance was probably in November 2002 when produced a strong 11-4 record at komusubi rank and won his third Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to sekiwake in January 2003 and held his rank with a good 9-6 score but missed the whole of the March 2003 tournament with an injury. As a result, he fell to the maegashira ranks and he never managed to return to the titled sanyaku ranks again. After suffering from torn cartilage in his knees his results took a downward turn. He was demoted to jūryō in January 2006 and the unsalaried makushita division in July 2007.
. He is not staying with the Sumo Association as an elder, and has left the sumo world completely.
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 Ikitsuki
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki
is a former town on the island of the same name located in Kitamatsuura District, Nagasaki, Japan.On October 1, 2005 Ikitsuki, along with the town of Tabira, and the village of Ōshima, both from Kitamatsuura District, was merged into the expanded city of Hirado....
, Nagasaki
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...
. His highest rank was sekiwake.
Career
Takanowaka was born as Yūki Ozaki, the son of a professional baseballJapanese baseball
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning Professional Baseball. Outside of Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball." The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in 1934 and the...
player. In his youth he played not only baseball but also 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...
, for which he was offered several scholarships. He tried sumo at the suggestion of his school's sumo club manager, who had connections with Naruto stable
Naruto stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables.The stable was established on 1 February 1989 by former yokozuna Takanosato Toshihide. The stable's first sekitori was Rikio in 1994. Three more, Wakanosato, Takanowaka and Kisenosato, have reached sekiwake rank...
. Takanowaka joined the stable in March 1992, making his debut alongside future sekiwake Wakanosato. As is common, he initially fought under his own surname, soon switching to "Takaozaki" before adopting the fighting name
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 Takanowaka in 1998. Initially weighing only 80 kg (176.4 lb), it took him several years to work his way through the lower ranks. He was promoted to the second highest jūryō division in May 1999 and 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 just three tournaments later in November 1999.
Takanowaka was ranked in the top division for 34 tournaments in total, with a win-loss rate of 229-242, with 39 absences. He earned one kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
, or gold star, by defeating yokozuna Musashimaru in May 2001, and three 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:...
. His best performance was probably in November 2002 when produced a strong 11-4 record at komusubi rank and won his third Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to sekiwake in January 2003 and held his rank with a good 9-6 score but missed the whole of the March 2003 tournament with an injury. As a result, he fell to the maegashira ranks and he never managed to return to the titled sanyaku ranks again. After suffering from torn cartilage in his knees his results took a downward turn. He was demoted to jūryō in January 2006 and the unsalaried makushita division in July 2007.
Retirement from sumo
On 22 September 2007 Takanowaka announced his retirement from sumo, after withdrawing from the September tournament with four losses at the rank of makushita 2. His official retirement ceremony took place on 16 February 2008 at the Ryogoku KokugikanRyogoku 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...
. He is not staying with the Sumo Association as an elder, and has left the sumo world completely.
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