Myobudani Kiyoshi

Myobudani Kiyoshi - 明歩谷清 (born April 29, 1937 - March 10, 2024) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Akan, Hokkaido. He made his debut in March 1954 and wrestled for Miyagino stable. He reached the makuuchi division in July 1959 and has 8 special prizes as well as 3 kinboshi. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in November 1969.

Early Life[]

Myobudani was born the third son of farmers in Akan, Hokkaido, and is speculated to be of Ainu descent. Already 1.76 m (5 ft 9 ¹⁄₂ in) tall by the sixth grade of elementary school he was strong enough to help with the family business, but he had ambitions to become a sumo wrestler. In 1953 the yokozuna Haguroyama and Yoshibayama visited the area, and he decided to join Yoshibayama's Takashima stable.

Career[]

Early Career[]

He made his professional debut in March 1954 and in March 1955 he won the jonidan yusho with a perfect 8-0 record. He was promoted to sandanme in May 1955 and makushita in March 1956. He posted seven consecutive winning records from his first makushita tournament and was promoted to juryo in November 1957.

Juryo Career[]

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Myobudani finished with an 8-7 record. In May 1958, he finished with an 11-4 record, but missed out on the juryo yusho after losing to Tamahibiki in the playoff. In May 1959, he posted a 10-5 record at the rank of juryo 3 and was promoted to makuuchi for the July 1959 tournament.

Makuuchi Career[]

He initially struggled at this level, being demoted back to juryo a couple of times and not making a kachi-koshi or majority of wins against losses in makuuchi until November 1960, when he made an effort to be more aggressive on the dohyo.

MyobudaniWaits — Myobudani waits for his upcoming bout

In September 1961 he was a runner-up in a top division tournament for the first time, taking part in an unusual three-way playoff for the yusho or championship against Kashiwado and Taiho, with Taiho emerging as the winner. After this tournament he was promoted to the sanyaku ranks for the first time at komusubi, although he was unable to maintain the rank. His fighting name or shikona had always been his own surname in combination with a variety of given names, but he changed it to Yoshibanada in January 1963 in honour of his stablemaster Yoshibayama. The change proved unsuccessful and he reverted to Myobudani after only four tournaments. He earned his first kinboshi or win over a yokozuna as a maegashira in May 1964, and reached sekiwake in November 1964. After winning a sansho or special prize in four consecutive tournaments from July 1964 to January 1965 there was speculation that he could reach ozeki, but it was not to be. Nonetheless he was runner-up in May 1965, and took part in another playoff, against Kashiwado in September 1965. He made his last sanyaku appearance in July 1967, and was a runner-up for the fourth and final time in September 1968. His overall top division record was 414 wins against 450 losses with 6 absences, a winning percentage of 48%.

Retirement from Sumo[]

He retired in November 1969, and became a toshiyori or elder of the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Nakamura. He worked as a coach at Miyagino stable and invited members of the Clark Hatch Fitness Center, where he had trained as an active wrestler, to take part in training sessions at Miyagino. He was also a judge of tournament bouts. He left the Sumo Association in 1977. In the same year, influenced by his wife he became a Jehovah's Witness, whose teachings forbid the practice of martial arts. He moved to Funabashi, Chiba and conducted missionary work while also employed at a building cleaning service. His biography can be found in the magazine Awake!, 8 June 1983.

Death[]

Myōbudani died on March 10, 2024, at the age of 86. His family, who had announced the news, wished to hold the funeral within the strict family circle.

Fighting Style[]

Although Myobudani was of relatively light weight for a sumo wrestler, he was tall and powerful, his speciality being tsuridashi or lift out. He used this kimarite more than any other, followed by yorikiri (force out) and utchari (ring edge throw). His slim, muscular build meant he was popular with female fans.