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Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu

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Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu - 千代嵐 慶喜 (born July 12, 1991) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kisarazu, Chiba. He made his debut in March 2007 and wrestled for Kokonoe stable. He reached the juryo division in September 2011. His highest rank was juryo 10 and he retired in January 2024.

Early Life[]

Watanabe began practicing sumo with his father in kindergarten. In his sixth year of elementary school, he won the Kanto Sumo Tournament. In 2006, Watanabe finished top 8 at the National Junior High School Sumo Championship. Ever since a young age, he wanted to join Kokonoe stable and would train his body to impress them. During his amateur career he faced off against future maegashira Tsurugisho multiple times. After graduating junior high school, he entered Kokonoe stable and made his professional debut in March 2007.[1]

Career[]

Early Career[]

Watanabe made his professional debut under his family name in March 2007. He was promoted to the sandanme division in May 2008 and at the time had only posted one make-koshi in his professional career. Upon promotion to sandanme, he was given the shikona "Chiyoarashi" (千代嵐). He gradually moved his way through sandanme and was promoted to makushita in July 2009, shortly before his 18th birthday.[2]

Chiyoarashi went winless in the January 2010 tournament and was demoted back down to sandanme but returned to makushita two tournaments later in July 2010. Chiyoarashi remained in the mid-makushita ranks for around a year. In the January 2011 tournament, Chiyoarashi produced a 6-1 record and was promoted to a then career-best rank of makushita 17 for the May 2011 tournament. He produced a 5-2 record in this tournament and because of the 2011 match-fixing scandal which left many available slots to be filled due to the retirements of several sekitori; he was promoted to makushita 3 for the July 2011 tournament. In this tournament, he finished with another 5-2 record, which included a win over juryo-ranked Hitenryu, and secured promotion to juryo for the following September 2011 tournament. He was promoted alongside Kokonoe stablemate Chiyozakura.[2]

Juryo Career[]

Chiyoarashi made his juryo debut in the September 2011 and produced an 8-7 record. In the following November 2011 tournament, he pulled out on the tenth day after fracturing his right ankle.[3] He subsequently finished with a 4-6-5 record and was demoted back down to makushita for the January 2012 tournament. He also sat out the January 2012 tournament and was demoted to the rank of makushita 43 for the March 2012 tournament.[2]

Chiyoarashi returned to action in March 2012 and went on a strong run. He achieved seven consecutive winning records and was re-promoted to the juryo division for the May 2013 tournament. In his first tournament back he produced a 7-8 record but was able to maintain his rank in the salaried juryo division. In the following July 2013 tournament, Chiyoarashi withdrew on the 14th day due to a left knee ligament injury.[4]

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Chiyoarashi during the juryo dohyo-iri (c. 2011)

Due to his left knee ligament injury, he sat out the next three tournaments and was demoted to the rank of sandanme 87 in March 2014. In the March 2014 tournament, he finished with a perfect 7-0 record and defeated Takakasuga in a playoff to claim the sandanme yusho. Chiyoarashi gradually made his way back to the upper levels of makushita. After a 6-1 record at makushita 9 in March 2015, he was promoted to makushita 2 for the May 2015 tournament. In this tournament, Chiyoarashi was unable to capitalize on a juryo promotion as he pulled out on the sixth day, after losing a match to juryo wrestler Nishikigi. He sat out for another 3 consecutive tournaments due to an injury and was demoted down to the second lowest jonidan division for the January 2016 tournament. In his return in January 2016, Chiyoarashi won all seven of his matches, but missed out on the jonidan yusho after losing to Kaito in a playoff.[2]

He made his way back to the makushita division in July 2016 and wrestled mainly in the mid-makushita ranks for around four years. Chiyoarashi was forced to sit out of the January 2021 after a wrestler in his stable tested positive for COVID-19.[5] He was promoted back to the top of makushita in September 2021, but missed out on a juryo re-promotion after losing to Tohakuryu to finish with a 3-4 record. Nevertheless, he bounced back with a 5-2 record in November 2021 and secured a re-promotion to juryo for the January 2022 tournament. The 49 tournament break as a sekitori is the longest, surpassing Hamanishiki's 38 tournaments.[6] Upon his return to juryo, Chiyoarashi finished with a 6-9 record and was demoted back down to makushita for the March 2022 tournament. He return to juryo a tournament later in May 2022, but posted a 4-11 record and was relegated back down to makushita in July 2022.[2]

Retirement from Sumo[]

After demotion back to the unsalaried level, Chiyoarashi remained in makushita for a year and a half, and was even in contention for the makushita yusho in the September 2023 tournament, but he lost in the playoffs to Kayo. Despite still being ranked in upper makushita, His retirement was announced on day 7 of the January 2024 tournament after he had already lost his first four matches. His danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony, was held at the stable's senshuraku party on January 28, 2024.[7]

Personal Life[]

  • Chiyoarashi got married in February 2023 and is the father of one child.[8]
  • Chiyoarashi's favorite singer is Mr. Children, his favorite food is meat, his hobby is sleeping, and his favorite manga is One Piece.[9]
  • Chiyoarashi is also noted for his singing ability and enjoys singing karaoke during his spare time. His singing is so good that singer Nobuteru Maeda once asked him, "Why are you doing sumo?".[10]

Fighting Style[]

Chiyoarashi's Fighting Style 2

Chiyoarashi defeats Tokushinho by oshidashi (push out)

Chiyoarashi is an oshi-sumo specialist, which means he prefers thrusting and pushing techniques rather than fighting on the mawashi. The most common kimarite that he employs is oshidashi (push out), yorikiri (force out) and tsukiotoshi (thrust down).[11]

Record[]

Division Results[]

  • Total: 370-298-71/666 (100 basho)
  • Juryo: 33-51-6/82 (6 basho)
  • Makushita: 232-198-44/430 (68 basho)
  • Sandanme: 70-35-21/105 (18 basho)
  • Jonidan: 30-12/42 (6 basho)
  • Jonokuchi: 5-2/7 (1 basho)

Championships[]

  • 1 Sandanme Championship (March 2014)

Shikona History[]

  • Watanabe Yoshinobu (2007.03 - 2008.03)
  • Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu (2008.05 - 2024.01)

Gallery[]

JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata[]

Career Overview[]

External Links[]

References[]

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