Yoshibayama Junnosuke
Encyclopedia
Yoshibayama Junnosuke real name Junnosuke Ikeda, was a sumo
wrestler from Atsuta
, Hokkaidō, Japan
. He was the sport's 43rd Yokozuna. He suffered a number of injuries and only one won tournament championship, but he was a popular wrestler. After his retirement he was head coach of Miyagino stable
.
on a train to attend school, but was met at the station by a sumo wrestler who was expecting a new recruit, who had in fact had second thoughts and not made the trip. The conspicuously large Ikeda was mistaken for him and taken back to Takashima stable before he even realised what was going on.
He made his professional debut in May 1938. After suffering appendicitis
he had to undergo emergency surgery and changed his shikona
from Hokutoyama to Yoshibayama in honour of the doctor (a Shosaku Yoshiba) who had saved his life. He got to the verge of promotion to the juryo division in 1942 but was then drafted into the Japanese army and took part in World War II
. He was seriously wounded during gunfights. His death was reported for a while, and he was surprisingly thin when he returned to Japan. If he hadn't been conscripted and lost several years of his career, he could have become more strong. He was shot in the leg twice, and the second bullet permanently lodged itself in his foot.
In spite of his war injury, he returned to sumo in 1947 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division in November of that year. He remained in the maegashira ranks until September 1950, but was then was promoted to ozeki in May 1951, after two successive runner-up performances of 13-2 at the rank of sekiwake. He recorded a azukari, or hold, on the 12th day of September 1951 tournament. The reason is that his opponent, Azumafuji
, couldn't stand up any more. Yoshibayama could have been awarded a win, but sportingly conceded the draw. In May 1953 he finished with 14 wins and only one loss, but the championship went to an undefeated maegashira whom Yoshibayama had not been paired against. He was promoted to yokozuna after winning his first championship with a perfect 15-0 record in January 1954.
Although he was promoted to yokozuna, the bullet remained in his ankle, so his style of fighting was a mess. Besides, his favourite technique
was ketaguri, or leg kick. A controversial move, it was considered to be unacceptable at his top yokozuna rank, but he had no time to understand sumo's techniques due to the war. He wasn't able to win any championships in his yokozuna career. Although he was popular with the public, he ate and drank to excess and had several internal ailments, including kidney
problems.
Having finally reached his physical limit, he announced his retirement during the January 1958 tournament. His old rival Kagamisato, who had been promoted to ozeki alongside him in May 1951, also decided to retire on the final day, the first time that two yokozuna had quit in the same tournament.
. The previous head coach was the 24th yokozuna Ōtori Tanigorō
, but Miyagino stable was closed once after his death in 1956. While still an active wrestler, he managed his makeshift stable. Ōtori's son-in-law Fukunosato Ushinosuke belonged to his stable. He officially renamed his stable to Miyagino stable in 1960. He developed a number of top division wrestlers, such as Myobudani
. He was also a shinpan or judge of tournament bouts, and on the Japan Sumo Association
's board of directors. He also opened a number of chankonabe
restaurants that still operate today.
Future makuuchi wrestler Chikubayama Masakuni
also joined his stable, but could not reach the top makuuchi division by 1977 when Yoshibayama died. Chikubayama accepted future yokozuna Hakuho Sho
when he was the Miyagino stablemaster. Yoshibayama performed the Yokozuna Dohyo-iri (ring entering ceremony) in the shiranui style. When Hakuho was promoted to yokozuna, he succeeded to Yoshibayama's style. At the Meiji Jingu shrine on June 1, 2007, Hakuho performed Dohyo-iri wearing Yoshibayama's kesho-mawashi and used a sword (Tachi) of another yokozuna Ōtori.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!Summer
!Autumn
|-
|1947
| no tournament held
|x
|East Maegashira #13 (8-3)
|-
|1948
| no tournament held
|East Maegashira #7 (8-3)
|East Maegashira #2 (5-6)☆
|-
|1949
|East Maegashira #3 (7-6)
|East Maegashira #3 (2-13)
|East Maegashira #10 (10-5)
|-
|1950
|East Maegashira #3 (10-5)O☆
|East Maegashira #1 (10-5)O
|East Sekiwake (13-2))O
|-
|1951
|East Sekiwake (13-2)
|West Ōzeki (10-5)
|East Ozeki (9-5-1hold)
|-
|1952
|West Ozeki (12-3)
|West Ozeki (10-5)
|West Ozeki (12-3)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!March
!May
!September
|-
|1953
|West Ozeki (6-3-6)
|West Ozeki (10-5)
|West Ozeki (14-1)
|East Ozeki (11-4)
|-
|1954
|bgcolor=#66FF00|East Ozeki (15-0)
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out due to injury
|West Yokozuna (0-1-14)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|-
|1955
|West Yokozuna (5-2-8)
|East Yokozuna (3-2-10)
|West Yokozuna (0-2-13)
|West Yokozuna (9-6)
|-
|1956
|East Yokozuna (9-6)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|East Yokozuna (8-7)
|East Yokozuna (12-3)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!March
!May
!July
!September
!November
|-
|1957
|West Yokozuna (10-5)
|East Yokozuna (3-3-9)
|West Yokozuna (5-6-4)
| no tournament held
|East Yokozuna (9-6)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|-
|1958
|West Yokozuna (3-6-6) (Retired)
|x
|x
|x
|x
|x
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
| F= Fighting Spirit Prize
| O= Outstanding Performance Prize
| T= Technique Prize
| ☆= Number of Kinboshi
.
|}
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 Atsuta
Atsuta District, Hokkaido
was a district located in Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district had an estimated population of 2,592 and a density of 8.85 persons per km². The total area was 292.84 km².-Mergers:...
, Hokkaidō, 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 43rd Yokozuna. He suffered a number of injuries and only one won tournament championship, but he was a popular wrestler. After his retirement he was head coach of 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....
.
Career
He entered sumo in a curious way. He had travelled to TokyoTokyo
, ; 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...
on a train to attend school, but was met at the station by a sumo wrestler who was expecting a new recruit, who had in fact had second thoughts and not made the trip. The conspicuously large Ikeda was mistaken for him and taken back to Takashima stable before he even realised what was going on.
He made his professional debut in May 1938. After suffering appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
he had to undergo emergency surgery and changed his 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...
from Hokutoyama to Yoshibayama in honour of the doctor (a Shosaku Yoshiba) who had saved his life. He got to the verge of promotion to the juryo division in 1942 but was then drafted into the Japanese army and took part in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was seriously wounded during gunfights. His death was reported for a while, and he was surprisingly thin when he returned to Japan. If he hadn't been conscripted and lost several years of his career, he could have become more strong. He was shot in the leg twice, and the second bullet permanently lodged itself in his foot.
In spite of his war injury, he returned to sumo in 1947 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division in November of that year. He remained in the maegashira ranks until September 1950, but was then was promoted to ozeki in May 1951, after two successive runner-up performances of 13-2 at the rank of sekiwake. He recorded a azukari, or hold, on the 12th day of September 1951 tournament. The reason is that his opponent, Azumafuji
Azumafuji Kin'ichi
was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. He was the sport's 40th Yokozuna, and later a professional wrestler.-Sumo career:He made professional debut in January 1936, joining Takasago stable. He was promoted to the top makuuchi division in May 1943...
, couldn't stand up any more. Yoshibayama could have been awarded a win, but sportingly conceded the draw. In May 1953 he finished with 14 wins and only one loss, but the championship went to an undefeated maegashira whom Yoshibayama had not been paired against. He was promoted to yokozuna after winning his first championship with a perfect 15-0 record in January 1954.
Although he was promoted to yokozuna, the bullet remained in his ankle, so his style of fighting was a mess. Besides, his favourite technique
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 ketaguri, or leg kick. A controversial move, it was considered to be unacceptable at his top yokozuna rank, but he had no time to understand sumo's techniques due to the war. He wasn't able to win any championships in his yokozuna career. Although he was popular with the public, he ate and drank to excess and had several internal ailments, including kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
problems.
Having finally reached his physical limit, he announced his retirement during the January 1958 tournament. His old rival Kagamisato, who had been promoted to ozeki alongside him in May 1951, also decided to retire on the final day, the first time that two yokozuna had quit in the same tournament.
Retirement from sumo
After his retirement, Yoshibayama became the 8th head coach of Miyagino stableMiyagino 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....
. The previous head coach was the 24th yokozuna Ōtori Tanigorō
Otori Tanigoro
Ōtori Tanigorō was a sumo wrestler from Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 24th Yokozuna.-Career:He fought out of Miyagino stable and made his debut in the jonokuchi division in May 1903...
, but Miyagino stable was closed once after his death in 1956. While still an active wrestler, he managed his makeshift stable. Ōtori's son-in-law Fukunosato Ushinosuke belonged to his stable. He officially renamed his stable to Miyagino stable in 1960. He developed a number of top division wrestlers, such as Myobudani
Kiyoshi Myobudani
is a former sumo wrestler from Akan, Hokkaido, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1954. He was a member of Miyagino stable. His highest rank was sekiwake and he twice took part in playoffs for the top makuuchi division tournament championship or yusho...
. He was also a shinpan or judge of tournament bouts, and on 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...
's board of directors. He also opened a number of chankonabe
Chankonabe
is a Japanese stew commonly eaten in vast quantity by sumo wrestlers as part of a weight-gain diet. It contains a dashi or chicken broth soup base with sake or mirin to add flavor...
restaurants that still operate today.
Future makuuchi wrestler Chikubayama Masakuni
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...
also joined his stable, but could not reach the top makuuchi division by 1977 when Yoshibayama died. Chikubayama accepted future yokozuna Hakuho Sho
Hakuho Sho
is a professional sumo wrestler 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,...
when he was the Miyagino stablemaster. Yoshibayama performed the Yokozuna Dohyo-iri (ring entering ceremony) in the shiranui style. When Hakuho was promoted to yokozuna, he succeeded to Yoshibayama's style. At the Meiji Jingu shrine on June 1, 2007, Hakuho performed Dohyo-iri wearing Yoshibayama's kesho-mawashi and used a sword (Tachi) of another yokozuna Ōtori.
Top division record
*The different tables represent a change in the tournament system over the years{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!Summer
!Autumn
|-
|1947
| no tournament held
|x
|East Maegashira #13 (8-3)
|-
|1948
| no tournament held
|East Maegashira #7 (8-3)
|East Maegashira #2 (5-6)☆
|-
|1949
|East Maegashira #3 (7-6)
|East Maegashira #3 (2-13)
|East Maegashira #10 (10-5)
|-
|1950
|East Maegashira #3 (10-5)O☆
|East Maegashira #1 (10-5)O
|East Sekiwake (13-2))O
|-
|1951
|East Sekiwake (13-2)
|West Ōzeki (10-5)
|East Ozeki (9-5-1hold)
|-
|1952
|West Ozeki (12-3)
|West Ozeki (10-5)
|West Ozeki (12-3)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!March
!May
!September
|-
|1953
|West Ozeki (6-3-6)
|West Ozeki (10-5)
|West Ozeki (14-1)
|East Ozeki (11-4)
|-
|1954
|bgcolor=#66FF00|East Ozeki (15-0)
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out due to injury
|West Yokozuna (0-1-14)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|-
|1955
|West Yokozuna (5-2-8)
|East Yokozuna (3-2-10)
|West Yokozuna (0-2-13)
|West Yokozuna (9-6)
|-
|1956
|East Yokozuna (9-6)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|East Yokozuna (8-7)
|East Yokozuna (12-3)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!New Year
!March
!May
!July
!September
!November
|-
|1957
|West Yokozuna (10-5)
|East Yokozuna (3-3-9)
|West Yokozuna (5-6-4)
| no tournament held
|East Yokozuna (9-6)
|West Yokozuna (11-4)
|-
|1958
|West Yokozuna (3-6-6) (Retired)
|x
|x
|x
|x
|x
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament.
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament (usually due to injury)
- an X signifies the wrestler had yet to reach the top division at that point in his career
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
| F= 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:...
| O= Outstanding Performance 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:...
| T= Technique 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:...
| ☆= Number of Kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
.
|}
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