Haguroyama Masaji - 羽黒山 政司 (born November 18, 1914 - October 14, 1969) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Matsunaga, Niigata. He made his debut in January 1934 and wrestled for Tatsunami stable. He reached the makuuchi division in May 1937 and has seven top division championships. He was the 36th yokozuna and he retired in September 1953.
Early Life[]
Masaji Kobayashi was born the third son of bathhouse owners in the village of Matsunaga in Niigata prefecture. He aspired to follow in the foot steps of his family and operate his own bathhouse, so at the age of 14, he travelled to Ryogoku to visit his aunt's bathhouse which was situated near Nishikijima stable.
A young Haguroyama
Still a teenager but already tall for his age and noticeably muscular, Kobayashi was immediately spotted by Nishikijima Oyakata, but he rejected the offer. Without his knowledge, news of presence spread quickly among the sumo world and he was constantly met with coaches offering him a spot in their stable. Among them, Tatsunami Oyakata (former komusubi Midorishima) proved the most persistent as was visiting daily.
Wanting nothing to do with sumo, Kobayashi ran off to his uncle's bathhouse in a different part of Tokyo, but was tracked down by Tatsunami Oyakata. By this time, Kobayashi had already began considering sumo and decided to take part in it to support his family. He officially joined the stable in January 1934 and was given the shikona "Haguroyama" (羽黒山).
Career[]
Early Career[]
In his 1934 May debut, Haguroyama easily won all of his five bouts, followed by the jonokuchi yusho at the 1935 January Basho with a 5-1 record, the jonidan yusho at the 1935 May tournament (6-0 record), the sandanme yusho in January, 1936, again with a perfect 6-0 record, and the makushita yusho at the following May Basho with a 10-1 record.
Juryo Career[]
Haguroyama defeats his opponent during his pre-ozeki career
Haguroyama's rise to sekitori was extremely quick as he only spent one tournament in the lower division and he took the championship in each tournament. He continued his dominance into the juryo division, winning the juryo yusho with a 9-2 record and was promoted directly to makuuchi in May 1937.
Makuuchi Career[]
He posted a 9-4 record in his top division debut and followed with a strong 10-3 record which earned him a promotion to komusubi in May 1938. After two tournaments ranked as a komusubi, he was promoted to sekiwake in May 1939. In this tournament, he produced an 11-4 record and was promoted to ozeki in January 1940.
Ozeki Career[]
Living up to his high expectations, Haguroyama finished with a solid 11-4 record in his ozeki debut. In his third ozeki tournament in January 1941, he produced a near-perfect 14-1 record, and finished runner-up to his stablemate Futabayama. In the following tournament, he produced another 14-1 record and this time claimed the yusho. His promotion to yokozuna was confirmed after the tournament.
Yokozuna Career[]
Haguroyama was the first yokozuna from Niigata prefecture as well as the first born in the Taisho period (1912-1926). In only his second tournament, Haguroyama suffered from gastroenteritis and had to pull out of the tournament after the sixth day.
Haguroyama performs the yokozuna dohyo-iri
He returned in January 1943 and posted a strong 13-2 record. He followed with a 14-1 record, but was unable to capture the yusho as his stablemate Futabayama finished with a perfect 15-0 record. In May 1944, he captured his second yusho with a perfect 10-0 record.
In November 1945, Haguroyama's stablemate Futabayama announced his retirement. Haguroyama who has been mostly under Futabayama's shadow reportedly said “with this, my time has arrived.” Immediately after, he won four consecutive championships, including a 32 match win streak. However, during a jungyo tour prior to the May 1948 tournament, he ruptured his achilles tendon during a match with Terukuni and was forced to miss out on the tournament. Not wanting to tarnish the rank of yokozuna, he rejected the doctor's advice and went on to participate in the May 1948 tournament. Whilst performing the dohyo-iri, or ring entering ceremony, he ruptured his achilles tendon again and had to sit out for 18 months.
Upon returning, Haguroyama was not the same and he was unable to win any championships for around three years. Then in the January 1952 tournament, Haguroyama went on to win all 15 bouts and claimed his seventh and final yusho at the age of 37. This proved to be his last dominant showing and he retired from sumo in September 1953, when he was nearing 39 years of age.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Tatsunami Oyakata converses with his pupil Wakanami
Having married the daughter of his stablemaster, he was guaranteed a spot in the Japan Sumo Association and he immediately inherited Tatsunami stable. He produced many top division wrestlers including komusubi Wakanami, sekiwake Kitanonada and Annenyama, and ozeki Wakahaguro. Three of them all won top division championships during Tatsunami Oyakata's time as head coach. He also served as a director of the Sumo Association. Annenyama later married his daughter and went on to inherit the stable after Tatsunami Oyakata's death.
Death[]
Haguroyama suffered from kidney failure on October 14, 1969, and died at Keio University Medical Hospital in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. He was 54 years old.
Personal Life[]
He was known for his hard training and his great strength, and was said to be "made of steel."
Following the January 1940 tournament, he married his stablemaster's daughter Kinuyo. However, she died at the age of 31 due to a heart attack in November 1945. Shortly after, Haguroyama's eldest son Masayasu contracted measles and died on May 13, 1946. He remarried in January 1950.
Fighting Style[]
Haguroyama defeats Terukuni by tsuridashi (lift out)
Haguroyama was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a hidari-yotsu (right hand outside, left hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite was yorikiri (force out) followed by tsuridashi (lift out) and uwatenage (overarm throw).
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 359-99-117-1d/452 (46 basho)
- Makuuchi: 321-94-117-1d/409 (39 basho)
- Juryo: 9-2/11 (1 basho)
- Makushita: 10-1/11 (1 basho)
- Sandanme: 6-0/6 (1 basho)
- Jonidan: 6-0/6 (1 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 5-1/6 (1 basho)
- Shinjo: 2-1/3 (1 basho)
Championships[]
- 7 Makuuchi Championships
- 1st (May 1941)
- 2nd (May 1944)
- 3rd (November 1945)
- 4th (November 1946)
- 5th (June 1947)
- 6th (November 1947)
- 7th (January 1952)
- 1 Juryo Championship (January 1937)
- 1 Makushita Championship (May 1936)
- 1 Sandanme Championship (January 1936)
- 1 Jonidan Championship (May 1935)
- 1 Jonokuchi Championship (January 1935)
Achievements[]
- Records: 4th best top division win ratios of the modern era (77.3%)
- Records: Tied for 9th most undefeated championships (4 undefeated championships)
Shikona History[]
- Haguroyama Masagoro (1934.01 - 1939.05)
- Haguroyama Masaji (1940.01 - 1953.09)
Gallery[]
