Asashio Taro - 朝潮 太郎 (born December 9, 1955 - November 2, 2023) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Muroto, Kochi. He made his debut in March 1978 and wrestled for Takasago stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1978 and has 14 special prizes, 5 kinboshi and 1 top division championship. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in March 1989.
Early Life[]
Nagaoka was born in the city of Muroto in Kochi Prefecture. His father was a former fisherman and whaler. He began sumo wrestling at Kochi Ozu High School. He became a successful amateur sumo wrestler and continued his career all the way to the collegiate level at Kinki University. In 1976 and 1977, he won the All Japan Sumo Championships to become amateur yokozuna.
Career[]
Early Career[]
After graduating university, he visited Takasago stable on December 7th, 1977. He made his professional debut in March 1978 and due to his amateur accomplishments, he was granted makushita tsukedashi status which allowed him to start at the bottom of makushita. He won the makushita yusho in his very first tournament with a perfect 7-0 record and was promoted to the "promotion-range" of makushita. There he finished with a strong 6-1 record and was promoted to juryo after only two tournaments in sumo.
Juryo Career[]
Nagaoka made his juryo debut in July 1978 where he finished with a strong 10-5 record, but he missed out on the yusho after losing to Washuyama in the playoff. nevertheless, he followed with another strong 10-5 record and was promoted to makuuchi after only four tournaments in professional sumo.
Makuuchi Career[]
He made his makuuchi debut in November 1978. He won his first Fighting Spirit Prize in January 1979 after posting a strong 10-5 record. In March 1979 he was given the shikona of Asashio (or "morning tide"), which had previously been used by several past greats in Takasago stable, including his own stablemaster.
Asashio after winning a match (c. 1983)
Asashio was promoted to komusubi in May 1980 and sekiwake in July 1980. In November 1981 he lost a playoff for the tournament championship to new yokozuna Chiyonofuji. He was runner-up to Chiyonofuji once again in May 1982 and to Kotokaze in January 1983. In January 1984, he finished with an impressive 14-1 record, with his only loss coming against ozeki Kotokaze. He faced off against Kotokaze again in a playoff, but lost. He was awarded his ninth Outstanding Performance Prize and his first Technique Prize. Even though he posted a 9-6 record in the previous November 1982 as a maegashira, he was put on an official ozeki run as he had managed many strong results, including three runner-up performance and over a dozen special prizes. In March 1983, he finished with another impressive 12-3 record and was runner-up to Chiyonofuji. He was awarded his tenth Outstanding Performance Prize, a record, and had accumulated 35 wins over the past three tournaments.
Ozeki Career[]
Asashio's ozeki promotion was confirmed on March 30th, 1983. In his ozeki debut, he did not post ozeki numbers and finished with lackluster single digit kachi-koshi's. In September 1983, he suffered an injury to his right knee and pulled out of the tournament on the 8th day to finish with a 6-3-6 record. He sat out of the following tournament, but luckily did not get demoted down to sekiwake due to the public injury system (kosho seido). Having lost three top division championship playoffs in his career, he finally took his only tournament championship in March 1985 with a 13–2 record. After that he was rarely a threat in tournaments, usually posting only eight or nine wins. He retained his rank until March 1989, when after a poor start to the tournament he announced his retirement from the ring at the age of thirty-three.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Takasago oyakata with his top wrestler Asashoryu (c. 2010)
Asashio remained in the sumo world as an oyakata, or elder, and became the head coach of Wakamatsu stable in March 1990, taking over from former sekiwake Fusanishiki who resigned because of ill-health. In the 1990s he coached Asanowaka and Asanosho, both like himself former college champions, to the top division. He then had even greater success with the Mongolian star Asashoryu, coaching him all the way to yokozuna. In 2002 Wakamatsu stable merged with Takasago stable and Asashio became head coach there. From February 2000 until February 2008 he was also a Director of the Japan Sumo Association. He was in charge of the Public Relations department, but left his post after the controversy over Asashoryu's suspension in August 2007. Takasago was seemingly unable to control his most senior wrestler, often unaware of whether Asashoryu was in Japan or back in Mongolia, and this damaged his standing within the Sumo Association. In February 2009 he became head of the judging department, replacing Takanohana. In January 2010 he was severely reprimanded by the Board of Directors after Asashoryu allegedly punched an acquaintance while on a drunken night out during a honbasho. With Asashoryu retiring shortly afterwards, Takasago now had just one top division wrestler, Asasekiryu. He left the judging department after the February 2010 elections, and was demoted in the Sumo Association's hierarchy. As of 2017 he is the deputy chairman of the competition inspection committee.
In 2020 he oversaw the promotion of Asanoyama to ozeki. He stood down as head coach in November 2020, passing on control of Takasago stable to the former Asasekiryu. He swapped elder names, becoming Nishikijima Oyakata, and will stay in the Sumo Association under that name for a further five years as a consultant upon reaching 65 in December. However, he submitted his resignation in June 2021 after the Sumo Association's compliance committee, during their investigation into Asanoyama for violation of COVID protocols, found that Nishikijima himself violated those protocols by inviting Asanoyama for dinner and drinks with his family and acquaintances at a time when wrestlers were prohibited from making non-essential outings.
Death[]
On November 3, 2023 the Japan Sumo Association announced the death of Asashio IV. He died from small intestine cancer on November 2, at the age of 67.
Fighting Style[]
Asashio defeats Takanosato by oshidashi (push out)
Asashio was fond of tsuki/oshi (thrusting and pushing) techniques, winning many bouts by oshidashi (push out) and hatakikomi (slap down). However, he was also well capable of fighting on the mawashi, preferring a right hand outside, left hand inside grip (hidari-yotsu), and overall yorikiri (force out) was his most regularly used kimarite. He rarely employed throws.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 564-382-43/943 (67 basho)
- Makuuchi: 531-371-43/899 (63 basho)
- Juryo: 20-10/30 (2 basho)
- Makushita: 13-1/14 (2 basho)
Championships[]
- 1 Makuuchi Championship (March 1985)
- 1 Makushita Championship (March 1978)
Achievements[]
- Special Prizes: Outstanding Performance Prize (10), Fighting Spirit Prize (3), Technique Prize (1)
- Kinboshi: 5: (4) Kitanoumi, (1) Wajima
- Record: Tied for 4th most special prizes (14 sansho)
- Record: 8th most tournaments ranked at ozeki (36 tournaments)
Shikona History[]
- Nagaoka Suehiro (1978.03 - 1979.01)
- Asashio Taro (1979.03 - 1989.03)
Gallery[]
