Akinoshima Katsumi

Akinoshima Katsumi - 安芸乃島勝巳 (born March 16, 1967) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Akitsu, Hiroshima. He made his debut in March 1982 and last wrestled for Futagoyama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in March 1988 and has 19 special prizes as well as 16 kinboshi. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in May 2003.

Early Life[]

Though he practiced judo in his junior high school years, Yamanaka had dreamed from a very young age of becoming a sumo wrestler, and eventually was able to enter a sumo competition while still in junior high school. Sometime later, he had a chance meeting with then ozeki Takanohana I on one of the ozeki's visits to Hiroshima. Yamanaka was invited to join Takanohana's stable, Futagoyama-beya (then known as Fujishima-beya).

Career[]

Early Career[]

Yamanaka made his debut in March 1982 and in his first tournament, he finished with a 6-1 record, but missed out on the jonokuchi yusho after losing to Satoyama in the playoff. He bounced back with a perfect 7-0 record in the following May tournament and won the jonidan yusho. He was immediately promoted to sandanme in September 1982 and he was promoted to makushita in March 1985. He changed his shikona to "Akinoshima" (安芸乃島) in January 1987. In May 1987, Akinoshima won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7-0 record at the rank of makushita 14 which earned him a direct promotion to juryo in July 1987.

Juryo Career[]

Akinoshima produced an 8-7 record in his debut and followed with an 8-7 and a 9-6 record. In his fourth juryo tournament, Akinoshima won the juryo yusho with a strong 12-3 record and was promoted to makuuchi in March 1988.

Makuuchi Career[]

Akinoshima posted a losing record in his top division debut and was demoted back down to juryo. He returned back to makuuchi in July 1988. Akinoshima received his first kinboshi on his defeat of the yokozuna Onokuni in September 1988. He went on to receive at least one kinboshi from every yokozuna he faced. He won 14 of his 16 kinboshi in a period of just four years from 1988 to 1992, and he would earn only two more in the last 11 years of his top division career. It is notable that due to sumo rules, Akinoshima never faced his stablemates, Wakanohana and Takanohana in the sumo ring. Had he had this chance, he may have attained even more kinboshi than his already unrivaled record. His record of 16 kinboshi is four clear of his nearest rival. He also had a remarkable hold over the ozeki Konishiki, whom he defeated in every one of their first seven meetings, and he had a 25-10 overall career advantage over him.

He had an ongoing rivalry with another maegashira star Kotonishiki, and managed to chalk up only a 9-39 win/loss record against him during their respective top division careers. Only three wrestlers in the history of sumo have ever lost more times to another than Akinoshima did against Kotonishiki. He won his last bout against Kotonishiki in March 2000, but injured his elbow in the win. Ironically, this injury would be one factor that led to his eventual retirement in May 2003. After losing to Iwakiyama on the 14th day of the tournament he faced certain demotion to juryo and announced his retirement with immediate effect, not appearing on the final day. He was the last top division wrestler from the Showa era to retire.

He competed in the top division for 91 tournaments, which at the time of his retirement was the third highest in history, after Takamiyama and Terao. He never won a top division tournament title, his best result being 12-3 in March 1992 when he finished runner-up to Konishiki. He was ranked in the titled san'yaku ranks for 27 tournaments, 15 at komusubi and 12 at sekiwake. However, he was never consistent enough to earn promotion to ozeki, often dropping matches to less talented opponents.

He won his nineteenth sansho or special prize in 1999, breaking the record of eighteen held by his rival Kotonishiki. The last two came in September 1999, a tournament in which he was also runner-up for the second time. His last san'yaku appearance was in September 2000.

Retirement from Sumo[]

20200425s00005000317000p view — Takadagawa Oyakata (c. 2019)

Upon retirement, Akinoshima became a coach (oyakata) at his stable under the name Fujishima. But disagreements with stablemaster Takanohana II over how to run the stable would eventually lead to Akinoshima moving to coach at Takadagawa stable instead, a fairly rare occurrence in the world of sumo. He became Sendagawa-oyakata. He took over the running of Takadagawa stable from former ozeki Maenoyama in August 2009. In September 2012 he oversaw the promotion of Ryuden to juryo, the stable′s first sekitori since Dairaido in 2006. In January 2016 Kagayaki reached the top division, joined by Ryuden in January 2018 and Shonannoumi in July 2023.

Personal Life[]

Akinoshima was known for often avoiding interviews after big wins even though an interview immediately after a big win is a long time sumo tradition. Akinoshima would refuse saying that it was disrespectful to the defeated wrestler.
He is a big fan of The Rolling Stones and was appointed their "ambassador" by Warner Music Japan. He invited The Rolling Stones to his retirement ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in January 2004, but they were unable to attend.
Unusually for someone in the sumo world, he does not drink alcohol.
The Sumo Association announced on 25 April 2020 that Akinoshima and five other wrestlers, including a juryo wrestler in Takadagawa stable, were being hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus.
He was an extremely diligent trainer, setting himself the target of one hundred practice bouts every day. He suffered a severe shoulder injury in 1995, which required surgery.

Fighting Style[]

Akinoshima favoured yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques, preferring to fight at close quarters rather than thrust to the chest. His favorite grip on the mawashi was hidari-yotsu, with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. His most common winning kimarite was yorikiri or force out, but he also regularly used throws, both overarm (uwatenage) and underarm (shitatenage). He was known for his excellent balance, and for his ability to bury his head into his opponent's body, making him almost impossible to shake off.

When he first entered the top division in 1988 his weight was around 130 kg (290 lb), below average, but this gradually increased, and peaked at 158 kg (348 lb) towards the end of his career.

Record[]

Division Results[]

Total: 822-757-78/1575 (128 basho)
Makuuchi: 647-640-78/1283 (91 basho)
Juryo: 47-28/75 (5 basho)
Makushita: 60-38/98 (14 basho)
Sandanme: 50-48/98 (14 basho)
Jonidan: 12-2/14 (2 basho)
Jonokuchi: 6-1/7 (1 basho)

Championships[]

1 Juryo Championship (January 1988)
1 Makushita Championship (May 1987)
1 Jonidan Championship (July 1982)

Achievements[]

Special Prizes: Fighting Spirit Prize (8), Outstanding Performance Prize (7), Technique Prize (4)
Kinboshi: 16: (4) Chiyonofuji, (4) Hokutoumi, (4) Asahifuji, (2) Onokuni, (1) Musashimaru, (1) Akebono
Record: 1st most special prizes (19 special prizes)
Record: 1st most gold stars (16 kinboshi)
Record: Tied for 6th most tournaments ranked in junior san'yaku - komusubi and sekiwake ranks (27)
Record: 7th most top division bouts (1283 bouts)
Record: Tied for 7th most tournaments ranked in the top division (91 tournaments)
Record: 10th most career bouts (1575 bouts)