Fukai Takuto

Fukai Takuto - 深井拓斗 (born September 10, 1997) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hakui, Ishikawa. He made his debut in March 2020 and currently wrestles for Takasago stable. His highest rank as of 2025 is makushita 4.

Early Life[]

Takuto Fukai was born on September 10, 1997, in Hakui, Ishikawa. Fukai began sumo wrestling during his second year at Mizuho Elementary School and he participated at the National Wanpaku Sumo Tournament during his sixth year. He went on to attend Kanazawa Shiritsu Naruwa Junior High School in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, where he won both the group and individual championships at the All-Japan Junior High School Sumo Tournament during his third year. This earned him the title of Junior High School Yokozuna.^[1]

FukaiJHY — Fukai celebrates after becoming the junior high school yokozuna (c. 2012)

After graduating junior high school, he attended Kanazawa Municipal Technical High School where he continued to do well in local and national tournaments. After graduating high school, he enrolled at Toyo University and was a member of the school's sumo club.^[1]

In only his first year in university, Fukai was runner-up at the All Japan Sumo Championship where he lost to fourth-year Chuo University wrestler Yago in the final round, and thus missed out on the amateur yokozuna title and makushita tsukedashi privilege. He continued to participate at the All Japan Sumo Championships every year and made top 16 in his second year. Fukai also performed well at the National Student Sumo Championships. In his second year, he helped his school win the group championship and he also made it to the top 16 in the individual championship. In his fourth year, he finished top 8 at the individual championship which earned him sandanme tsukedashi privilege. After graduating university, Fukai decided to go pro and joined Takasago stable which was home to Asashiyu and Asanowaka who attended the same high school and university as him.^[1]

Career[]

Fukai made his professional debut in March 2020 at the bottom of the sandanme division. He was granted special dispensation due to his amateur achievements. In his second tournament in July, he won the sandanme yusho with a perfect 7-0 record and was promoted to makushita for the following September 2020 tournament. In July 2021, Fukai injured his right elbow and he contracted COVID-19 after the tournament.^[2] This caused him to lose some weight and he was demoted to the lower makushita ranks.^[3] Nevertheless, he won the makushita yusho in September 2021 and was promoted to a career-best makushita 4 in November 2021.^[4]

Fighting Style[]

Fukai is proficient in both yotsu-sumo (grappling) and oshi-sumo (pushing and thrusting) techniques. His most often used winning kimarite is oshidashi (push out), followed by uwatenage (overarm throw) and yorikiri (force out).^[5]