Kaiki Nobuhide

Kaiki Nobuhide - 魁輝薫秀 (born June 12, 1952) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tenmabayashi, Aomori. He made his debut in September 1965 and last wrestled for Tomozuna stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1975 and has one special prize as well as three kinboshi. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in March 1987.

Career[]

Early Career[]

in 1965, he moved to Tokyo and joined Tomozuna stable at the age of 13, and transferred to Ryogoku Junior High School. He made his professional debut in September 1965 under his surname Nishino. At the time, he stood at only 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) and weighed just 90 kg (200 lb), so he was much smaller than his opponents and he did not reach jonidan until after a year in sumo. He was promoted to sandanme in March 1967 and makushita in November 1969. In March 1973, he changed his shikona to "Nishinishiki" (西錦) and he was promoted to juryo three tournaments later in September 1973.

Juryo Career[]

Nishinishiki was able to establish himself as a sekitori as he put up consistent, but unspectacular results. In July 1975, he changed his shikona to "Kaiki" (魁輝) and went on to produce two consecutive winning records which earned him a promotion to the makuuchi division for the November 1975 tournament.

Makuuchi Career[]

He eventually reached the top makuuchi division in November 1975, ten years after his debut but still aged only 23. He fought in the top makuuchi division for 66 tournaments in total and earned three gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He earned one sansho or special prize, which came in his debut tournament at the rank of komusubi in May 1979 when he shared the Fighting Spirit Award with Ozutsu. He was promoted to sekiwake for the following tournament in July 1979. Although he scored only three wins against twelve losses in what was to be his only tournament at sekiwake, two of those wins were against yokozuna Kitanoumi and ozeki Asahikuni. He made the san'yaku ranks twice more, in July 1980 and January 1981, but on both occasions had a make-koshi or losing record at komusubi. He fought in the maegashira ranks until November 1986 when he was demoted to the juryo division. He retired two tournaments later after the March 1987 honbasho.

Retirement from Sumo[]

Upon his retirement he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Takashima Oyakata, working as a coach. He recruited Kaio in March 1988, whom he had been aware of when he was still an active wrestler.

TomozunaOyakata — Tomozuna Oyakata (c. 2017)

He became head of the Tomozuna stable in May 1989 upon the mandatory retirement of the previous head, former juryo Ichinishiki (who was also his father-in-law). In 1993 Kaio reached the top division, and became an ozeki in 2000. In 2006 Tomozuna Oyakata became a Director on the board of the Sumo Association, initially in charge of the Education department and running the sumo school. He continued to produce top level wrestlers, with Kaisei reaching the top division in 2011. In April 2012 Tomozuna stable absorbed Oshima stable when its stablemaster retired. Kyokutenho then immediately won the top division championship in May 2012, giving Tomozuna stable another championship to go with the five won by Kaio. Moreover, Oshima stable already contained many top division wrestlers such as Kyokutaisei, Kyokushuho and Asahisho.

In an interview in 2006 Tomozuna criticized his former wrestler Sentoryu, and yokozuna Akebono, who both moved into mixed martial arts, for continuing to use their traditional ring names outside of the sumo world.

In June 2017 he passed on ownership of the Tomozuna name to the former Kyokutenho and retired from his head coach role upon reaching 65 years of age, although he was re-hired as a consultant on reduced pay for a period of five years. First working under the Oshima name, but then again exchanging kabu with Kyokutenho and becoming again Tomozuna-oyakata while the stable became Oshima stable.

In June 2022, Tomozuna had his 70th birthday, which ended his period as a consultant. Making the Tomozuna kabu becoming vacant. It was then taken on by his pupil, former sekiwake Kaisei.

Personal Life[]

His son, Kuniaki, was born in 1979 and in 1995 entered sumo himself. He was known as Kaishoryu and retired in 2010, having never achieved sekitori status. His highest rank was makushita 6.

Fighting Style[]

Ryukozan was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite was yorikiri, or force out. He also liked to employ tsuppari, a series of rapid thrusts to the chest.