Tokitsuumi Masahiro
Encyclopedia
Tokitsuumi Masahiro is a former professional sumo
wrestler from Fukue
, Nagasaki
, Japan
. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996. His highest rank was maegashira 3. He became the head coach of Tokitsukaze stable
in 2007
following the dismissal of the previous stablemaster.
in junior high school, he began practicing sumo again in high school and university. He did very well in sumo at Tokyo University of Agriculture
, but after graduating, he passed an entrance test to began working at a printing company and was planning to have a career with them. But, his father, after seeing his continued success in amateur sumo, suggested he try his hand at professional sumo. Soon afterwards, he was recruited by the former ozeki Yutakayama
, a fellow Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate, and joined his Tokitsukaze stable. He made his debut in March 1996 at the age of 22.
ranks, making the second highest jūryō division in May 1997. He won the jūryō division championship at his first attempt with a 12-3 record, but then fell flat with a 5-10 mark in the next tournament. In July 1998 he produced a 10-5 score at the rank of Jūryō 2 and was promoted to the top makuuchi
division for September.
Tokitsuumi had a long career in the top makuuchi
division. His four special prizes
for Technique were evidence of his ability, but he always struggled when promoted above the mid-level maegashira ranks. He never reached a sanyaku rank, his highest rank being maegashira 3. A poor result in 2005 took him down to jūryō but he immediately recovered his position in makuuchi by winning the jūryō championship for the second time in July 2005. His best score in the top division was a 12-3 result in January 2006. Just two tournaments later he suffered an injury which took him down to jūryō once again, and it took him three tournaments to get back. However he showed few signs of slowing down, comfortably holding his own in the lower maegashira ranks in 2007.
, after the previous head coach (former komusubi Futatsuryu) was dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association
for his involvement in a hazing scandal. He was initially reluctant to do so, having not yet reached sanyaku, but was persuaded by the former Yutakayama, who had always regarded him as his preferred successor. He was a popular choice among his fellow wrestlers.
In a highly unusual move, the banzuke for the November 2007 honbasho ("Kyūshū basho") contained a blank space in the rank where Tokitsuumi's shikona ought to have appeared (West maegashira #11). Ordinarily, when a wrestler retires he does not succeed immediately as a heya-mochi no oyakata, or head coach and owner of a heya
. In this case, due to the unusual nature of the dismissal of the previous Tokitsukaze-oyakata, he acquired both the heya and toshiyori-kabu (coaching license) for the Tokitsukaze name immediately on retirement. Had his shikona remained on the banzuke he would therefore have been listed twice. The blank space was left to avoid the confusion in the rankings that would otherwise result. The last time a comparable situation occurred was in 1873, when two wrestlers were expelled from professional sumo as agitators. They formed a new organization (modern Takasago stable
). On that occasion, their names were blotted out of the banzuke with ink.
His official retirement ceremony, or danpatsu-shiki, took place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
on October 5, 2008.
In June 2010 he faced censure for his involvement in the gambling scandal rocking the sumo world, after it was revealed that he had illegally bet on baseball
while still an active wrestler. On July 4 he was demoted to the lowest toshiyori level on the elder hierarchy, and will not be re-promoted for at least five years.
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 Fukue
Fukue, Nagasaki
was a city located in the Gotō Islands of Nagasaki, Japan. It was the largest city on the Gotō Islands.As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 26,886 and the density of 170.01 persons per km²...
, 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...
. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996. His highest rank was maegashira 3. He became the head coach of Tokitsukaze stable
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...
in 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...
following the dismissal of the previous stablemaster.
Early life
With influence from his father, Tokitsuumi participated in sumo competitions from the age of three, and after a stint with judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
in junior high school, he began practicing sumo again in high school and university. He did very well in sumo at Tokyo University of Agriculture
Tokyo University of Agriculture
The , abbreviated as Nodai or Tokyo nodai , is a private university which treats agriculture in Japan.The campus is in three places, Setagaya, Atsugi, and Okhotsk .- Outline :...
, but after graduating, he passed an entrance test to began working at a printing company and was planning to have a career with them. But, his father, after seeing his continued success in amateur sumo, suggested he try his hand at professional sumo. Soon afterwards, he was recruited by the 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...
, a fellow Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate, and joined his Tokitsukaze stable. He made his debut in March 1996 at the age of 22.
Career
After joining at the bottom of the third makushita division, Tokitsuumi took just over a year to reach the elite 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...
ranks, making the second highest jūryō division in May 1997. He won the jūryō division championship at his first attempt with a 12-3 record, but then fell flat with a 5-10 mark in the next tournament. In July 1998 he produced a 10-5 score at the rank of Jūryō 2 and was promoted to 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 for September.
Tokitsuumi had a long career in 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. His four 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 were evidence of his ability, but he always struggled when promoted above the mid-level maegashira ranks. He never reached a sanyaku rank, his highest rank being maegashira 3. A poor result in 2005 took him down to jūryō but he immediately recovered his position in makuuchi by winning the jūryō championship for the second time in July 2005. His best score in the top division was a 12-3 result in January 2006. Just two tournaments later he suffered an injury which took him down to jūryō once again, and it took him three tournaments to get back. However he showed few signs of slowing down, comfortably holding his own in the lower maegashira ranks in 2007.
Retirement
On October 9, 2007, he suddenly retired from being an active sumo wrestler and became shishō (head coach) of Tokitsukaze stableTokitsukaze 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...
, after the previous head coach (former komusubi Futatsuryu) was dismissed 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...
for his involvement in a hazing scandal. He was initially reluctant to do so, having not yet reached sanyaku, but was persuaded by the former Yutakayama, who had always regarded him as his preferred successor. He was a popular choice among his fellow wrestlers.
In a highly unusual move, the banzuke for the November 2007 honbasho ("Kyūshū basho") contained a blank space in the rank where Tokitsuumi's shikona ought to have appeared (West maegashira #11). Ordinarily, when a wrestler retires he does not succeed immediately as a heya-mochi no oyakata, or head coach and owner of a 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...
. In this case, due to the unusual nature of the dismissal of the previous Tokitsukaze-oyakata, he acquired both the heya and toshiyori-kabu (coaching license) for the Tokitsukaze name immediately on retirement. Had his shikona remained on the banzuke he would therefore have been listed twice. The blank space was left to avoid the confusion in the rankings that would otherwise result. The last time a comparable situation occurred was in 1873, when two wrestlers were expelled from professional sumo as agitators. They formed a new organization (modern Takasago stable
Takasago stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
). On that occasion, their names were blotted out of the banzuke with ink.
His official retirement ceremony, or danpatsu-shiki, took place at the 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...
on October 5, 2008.
In June 2010 he faced censure for his involvement in the gambling scandal rocking the sumo world, after it was revealed that he had illegally bet on baseball
Professional baseball in Japan
Professional baseball in Japan first started in the 1920s, but it was not until the was established in 1934 that the modern professional game had continued success.-History:...
while still an active wrestler. On July 4 he was demoted to the lowest toshiyori level on the elder hierarchy, and will not be re-promoted for at least five years.
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