Takamisugi Takakatsu

Takamisugi Takakatsu
隆三杉 太一
Personal information
BornTakashi Kanao
(1961-03-01) 1 March 1961 (age 63)
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10+12 in)
Weight150 kg (330 lb; 24 st)
Career
StableFutagoyama
Record720–753–57
DebutMarch, 1976
Highest rankKomusubi (January, 1991)
RetiredNovember, 1995
Elder nameTokiwayama
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Jonidan)
Gold Stars1 (Ōnokuni)
* Up to date as of Nov 27 2020.

Takamisugi Takakatsu (born 1 March 1961 as Takashi Kanao) is a former sumo wrestler from Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now the head coach of Tokiwayama stable, renamed from Chiganoura stable.

Career

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Kanao practised judo in elementary and junior school, where he also excelled at painting and artwork.[1] Because of his large size he also took part in team sumo competitions at school and regularly placed the team in the top three.[1] Upon his graduation he joined Futagoyama stable in March 1976. It was a prestigious heya to join, as it was run by former yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I and contained a number of top division stars including popular ōzeki Takanohana Kenshi.

Initially fighting under his own surname, Kanao adopted the shikona of Futagonishiki in 1977 but switched to Takamisugi two years later. In January 1981, after five years in the unsalaried divisions, he reached sekitori level upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division, and he made the top makuuchi division just three tournaments later in July 1981. He initially struggled with injuries and after a number of setbacks, including a short spell back in the third makushita division, he made a top division kachi-koshi at the third attempt in January 1984, and established himself in makuuchi. He dropped back to jūryō in January 1987 but was re-promoted after winning the jūryō championship or yūshō in March with a 13–2 record. In November 1987 he defeated Ōnokuni in the latter's debut tournament as a yokozuna to earn his only kinboshi or gold star.

Takamisugi remained a rank-and file maegashira for nearly all his top division career. Although he reached komusubi twice, in January 1991 and January 1993, he recorded a losing score on both occasions. He holds the record for the most top division tournaments without ever winning a special prize, at 71. In 1993 his stable merged with Fujishima stable and he became a stablemate of ōzeki (later yokozuna) Takanohana Kōji, whom he had fought eight times previously without beating. In November 1995 he fell into jūryō once more and announced his retirement at the age of 34 after losing his first three matches.

Retirement from sumo

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As a ringside judge in 2017

He remained in sumo as a coach at Futagoyama stable (later renamed Takanohana stable). Unable to purchase toshiyori kabu or elder stock, he borrowed elder names instead. He was known as Fujishima (until the retirement of stablemate Wakanohana Masaru), then Otowayama (until the retirement of Takanonami) and then Tokiwayama Oyakata. Along with five other oyakata (Magaki, Ōnomatsu, Otowayama, Ōtake and Futagoyama), he was forced to leave the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in January 2010 after declaring his support for his former stablemate Takanohana's unsanctioned bid to be elected to the board of directors of the Sumo Association.[2] In April 2016 he took over the running of the Chiganoura stable upon the retirement of the previous head, ex-sekiwake Masudayama. In October 2018 he became the head coach of Takakeishō and other wrestlers formerly of the defunct Takanohana stable. Takakeishō won the tournament championship in November 2018 and was promoted to ōzeki the following year, although he had to pull out of his ōzeki debut tournament in May 2019 with an injury. Chiganoura apologized to the Sumo Association for Takakeishō's decision to re-enter the tournament only to have to withdraw once again, and made sure Takakeishō did not appear at the stable's end of tournament party.[3] In November 2020, as former Chiganoura owner Masudayama's retirement approached, as part of a previous agreement, former Takamisugi and former Masudayama swapped back their elder names, and former Takamisugi changed the name of the stable to his original elder name, Tokiwayama.[4]

In July 2021 he was demoted to the lowest rung in the Sumo Association's hierarchy of toshiyori after his wrestler Takagenji was dismissed from sumo for cannabis use.[5]

Personal life

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He is often called upon to sing at sumo functions.[1] His nickname when active was Doraemon because of his facial resemblance to the popular manga/anime character.[1] His wife is a former disc jockey.[1]

Fighting style

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Takamisugi liked a solid frontal pushing attack, and relied almost exclusively on oshisumo and tsuppari (thrusting). The push out or oshidashi was the winning kimarite in nearly half his sekitori matches. He usually lost if his opponents were able to grab hold of his mawashi or belt. He very rarely employed throwing moves; his most common throw was the beltless kotenage, or armlock throw.

Career record

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Takamisugi Takakatsu[6]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1976 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #16
4–3
 
East Jonidan #91
2–5
 
East Jonidan #112
6–1
 
West Jonidan #45
4–3
 
1977 West Jonidan #21
4–3
 
West Sandanme #84
2–5
 
West Jonidan #16
3–4
 
West Jonidan #28
5–2
 
West Sandanme #89
4–3
 
East Sandanme #69
1–6
 
1978 East Jonidan #9
5–2
 
East Sandanme #62
5–2
 
West Sandanme #28
2–5
 
East Sandanme #52
3–4
 
West Sandanme #66
1–1–5
 
East Jonidan #11
6–1–PPPP
Champion

 
1979 East Sandanme #47
5–2
 
East Sandanme #20
5–2
 
East Makushita #59
4–3
 
West Makushita #48
3–4
 
West Makushita #59
4–3
 
West Makushita #47
5–2
 
1980 West Makushita #26
5–2
 
East Makushita #17
5–2
 
West Makushita #6
4–3
 
West Makushita #4
3–4
 
East Makushita #9
5–2
 
East Makushita #4
5–2
 
1981 West Jūryō #13
10–5
 
West Jūryō #4
8–7
 
West Jūryō #1
8–7
 
West Maegashira #12
6–9
 
West Jūryō #1
8–7
 
East Maegashira #10
0–4–11
 
1982 West Jūryō #7
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
West Jūryō #7
7–8
 
West Jūryō #10
9–6
 
East Jūryō #4
10–5
 
West Maegashira #12
5–10
 
West Jūryō #4
6–9
 
1983 East Jūryō #9
5–10
 
East Makushita #4
4–3
 
West Makushita #2
6–1
 
West Jūryō #10
9–6
 
West Jūryō #6
9–6
 
West Jūryō #3
10–5
 
1984 West Maegashira #13
8–7
 
East Maegashira #10
8–7
 
East Maegashira #5
5–10
 
East Maegashira #12
9–6
 
West Maegashira #5
4–11
 
West Maegashira #13
8–7
 
1985 East Maegashira #11
8–7
 
West Maegashira #8
8–7
 
East Maegashira #4
5–10
 
East Maegashira #10
8–7
 
East Maegashira #5
5–10
 
East Maegashira #12
8–7
 
1986 West Maegashira #8
8–7
 
East Maegashira #5
6–9
 
West Maegashira #10
8–7
 
West Maegashira #6
9–6
 
East Maegashira #1
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
East Maegashira #14
7–8
 
1987 East Jūryō #2
6–9
 
East Jūryō #7
13–2
Champion

 
West Jūryō #1
8–7
 
West Maegashira #13
9–6
 
East Maegashira #7
8–7
 
East Maegashira #1
3–12
1988 West Maegashira #12
9–6
 
West Maegashira #5
8–7
 
East Maegashira #2
3–12
 
West Maegashira #11
10–5
 
East Maegashira #3
5–10
 
East Maegashira #8
8–7
 
1989 West Maegashira #3
6–9
 
West Maegashira #6
6–9
 
East Maegashira #9
8–7
 
West Maegashira #6
5–10
 
West Maegashira #12
8–7
 
West Maegashira #8
5–10
 
1990 West Maegashira #12
9–6
 
West Maegashira #7
6–9
 
East Maegashira #10
8–7
 
West Maegashira #6
8–7
 
East Maegashira #2
6–9
 
East Maegashira #6
9–6
 
1991 West Komusubi #1
2–13
 
West Maegashira #11
9–6
 
East Maegashira #5
5–10
 
West Maegashira #11
9–6
 
West Maegashira #7
8–7
 
West Maegashira #4
5–10
 
1992 West Maegashira #12
8–7
 
East Maegashira #7
7–8
 
West Maegashira #8
8–7
 
West Maegashira #5
7–8
 
East Maegashira #7
9–6
 
West Maegashira #1
8–7
 
1993 West Komusubi #1
4–11
 
East Maegashira #6
8–7
 
West Maegashira #2
5–10
 
East Maegashira #7
7–8
 
West Maegashira #8
8–7
 
West Maegashira #3
4–11
 
1994 West Maegashira #10
7–8
 
West Maegashira #4
5–10
 
West Maegashira #10
7–8
 
West Maegashira #12
9–6
 
East Maegashira #6
6–9
 
East Maegashira #11
6–9
 
1995 West Maegashira #15
8–7
 
East Maegashira #14
10–5
 
West Maegashira #2
4–11
 
East Maegashira #9
6–9
 
West Maegashira #12
2–13
 
West Jūryō #7
Retired
0–4
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. p. 216. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. ^ "Takanohana speaks out after six supporters kicked out of sumo faction". Mainichi Daily News. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. ^ "貴景勝の師匠、千賀ノ浦親方が理事長らに謝罪/夏場所" (in Japanese). Sanspo. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  4. ^ "2020 Nov 27 tweet from head of heya".
  5. ^ "大麻使用の十両・貴源治は懲戒解雇 師匠の常盤山親方は委員から年寄への2階級降格". Hochi. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Takamisugi Takakatsu Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
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