Hokutenyu Katsuhiko - 北天佑 勝彦 (born August 8, 1960 - June 23, 2006) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Muroran, Hokkaido. He made his debut in March 1976 and wrestled for Mihogaseki stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1980 and has seven special prizes, three kinboshi and two top division championships. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in September 1990.
Early Life[]
Hokutenyu was scouted at the age of nine by former ozeki Masuiyama Daishiro I of Mihogaseki stable, and given 3,000 yen to ensure his commitment. After graduating from Muroran Shiritsu Motomuroran Junior High School, he joined Mihogaseki stable in March 1976 at the age of fifteen.
Career[]
Early Career[]
He served as a tsukebito or personal attendant to the great yokozuna Kitanoumi, another Hokkaido native who belonged to the same stable. In his early career he fought under his own surname of Chiba, but in 1978 he was given the shikona of Hokutenyu, or "heavenly gift from the north", a reference to his birthplace. He was the first wrestler to have a fighting name including the "tenyu" character, which has since been used in a number of other shikona. In March 1980, he won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7-0 record at the rank of makushita 2 and was promoted to juryo in the following May 1980 tournament at the age of 19.
Juryo Career[]
Hokutenyu produced a strong 10-5 record in his first tournament as a sekitori, but missed out on the yusho after losing to future ozeki Wakashimazu in the playoff. He followed with a 9-6 and a 10-5 record and was promoted to makuuchi in November 1980 after three tournaments in juryo.
Makuuchi Career[]
Hokutenyu posted an 8-7 record in his first top division tournament. In March 1981, he defeated yokozuna Wakanohana on the third day by shitatenage (underarm throw) on the third day to claim his first kinboshi. In the following tournament, he finished with a 9-6 record and was awarded his first Fighting Spirit Prize. He was promoted to the rank of komusubi in the following July 1981 tournament where he continued to put up winning records. It was not until November 1981 where Hokutenyu finished with a 6-9 record and cut his 13 tournament kachi-koshi streak.
Hokutenyu celebrates after winning his first yusho (c. 1983)
At the beginning of 1983 Hokutenyu was promoted to sekiwake for the first time, and produced a strong 11–4 record. In March 1983 he shared second place with a 12–3 score, and in May he swept the rest of the field aside, losing only to Takanosato and winning his first tournament championship with a superb 14–1 record. After that tournament he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki.
Ozeki Career[]
Hokutenyu had accumulated 37 wins over the course of the previous three tournaments, and it was seen as only a matter of time before he joined his stablemate Kitanoumi at the rank of yokozuna. He had been picked out as a potential yokozuna since he was first discovered and recruited by his stablemaster. He had a perfect physique for sumo, but he suffered from diabetes, and his fighting spirit was also sometimes questioned. His first two tournaments at ozeki ended with scores of 9–6 and 8–7. He did finish as runner-up in March 1984, and took a second championship in July 1985, but he never made a sustained challenge for yokozuna promotion. After finishing runner-up for the fourth time in November 1985, he was rarely in contention for the title in subsequent tournaments, and he was also restricted by a serious knee injury suffered in a match against Konishiki in March 1987. Nonetheless, he fought as an ozeki for 44 tournaments, which places him fifth on the all-time list, behind Chiyotaikai, Kaio, Takanohana I and Kotooshu.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Hokutenyu withdrew from the September 1990 tournament after suffering four losses in a row and announced his retirement from sumo at the age of 30. He opened up his own training stable, Hatachiyama-beya in 1993. The first sekitori he produced was Hakurozan in 2004. He also served as a judge in tournament matches.
Death[]
After suffering a stroke in March 2006, he was hospitalized. He died of cancer of the kidney in June 2006 at age 45. This left the stable or heya without a master, and all eleven of his wrestlers transferred to the Kitanoumi stable.
Personal Life[]
- He had a long rivalry with yokozuna Chiyonofuji, whom he defeated 14 times in competition. There was a personal edge to their matches because of Hokutenyu's younger brother, who was a low ranking member of Chiyonofuji's Kokonoe stable, but quit sumo after a training incident in 1979 for which Hokutenyu blamed his rival.
- He was particularly popular among female sumo fans.
- Hokutenyu's hobbies were golf and ink wash painting.
Fighting Style[]
Hokutenyu defeats Konishiki by shitatenage (underarm throw)
Hokutenyu was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring grappling to pushing techniques. His favorite grip on his opponent's mawashi was migi-yotsu, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms. His most common winning kimarite was yorikiri, the force out. He also regularly employed both uwatenage (the overarm throw) and shitatenage (the underarm throw, which he listed as his preferred throw), as well as tsuridashi, the lift out.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 645-413-55/1055 (88 basho)
- Makuuchi: 513-335-52/845 (60 basho)
- Juryo: 29-16/45 (3 basho)
- Makushita: 63-39-3/102 (15 basho)
- Sandanme: 21-14/35 (5 basho)
- Jonidan: 14-7/21 (3 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 5-2/7 (1 basho)
Championships[]
- 2 Makuuchi Championships
- 1st (May 1983)
- 2nd (July 1985)
- 1 Makushita Championship (March 1980)
Achievements[]
- Special Prizes: Fighting Spirit Prize (4), Outstanding Performance Prize (2), Technique Prize (1)
- Kinboshi: 3: (2) Wakanohana, (1) Chiyonofuji
- Record: 5th most tournaments ranked at ozeki (44 tournaments)
Shikona History[]
- Chiba Katsuhiko (1976.03 - 1978.01)
- Hokutenyu Katsuhiko (1978.03 - 1990.09)
Gallery[]
