Tochiazuma Daisuke

Tochiazuma Daisuke - 栃東大裕 (born November 9, 1976) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Adachi, Tokyo. He made his debut in November 1994 and wrestled for Tamanoi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1996 and has 12 special prizes, 4 kinboshi and 3 top division championships. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in May 2007.

Early Life[]

Daisuke Shiga was born in Sumida, Tokyo, but he later moved to Adachi, Tokyo. He is the youngest son of former sekiwake and January 1972 tournament winner Tochiazuma Tomoyori, who was the first bearer of the Tochiazuma shikona (fighting name). After his career, Daisuke's father became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association with the name Tamanoi Tomoyori and began his own sumo stable, of which his son was a member. He participated in baseball and swimming during elementary school before switching to sumo in junior high school.

Career[]

Early Career[]

Shiga joined his father's Tamanoi stable in November 1994 and initially wrestled under his birth-name. He had a remarkably rapid rise, winning his first 26 matches (equalling Itai's record) and he won a championship in every lower division (jonokuchi, jonidan, sandanme, makushita). He was promoted to juryo in May 1996.

Juryo Career[]

Upon promotion to juryo, he adopted his father's shikona. He posted a strong 10-5 record in his juryo debut and followed with another 10-5 record. In his third juryo tournament he won the juryo yusho with a strong 12-3 record which earned him a promotion to makuuchi.

Makuuchi Career[]

He broke into the top makuuchi division at the end of that year and won the Fighting Spirit prize in his first tournament. In July 1997, Tochiazuma was promoted to the prestigious san'yaku ranks and was a sekiwake for much of the time during the following years, although he bounced back and forth a few times due to injuries. He earned 12 sansho prizes, including seven for Technique.

Ozeki Career[]

Tochiazuma wins his third yusho (c. 2006)

After three double figure scores and two consecutive runner-up performances Tochiazuma was promoted to ozeki for the first time in January 2002, and instantly won the tournament – exactly 30 years after his father's own championship. He was the first ozeki since Kiyokuni in 1969 to win the championship on his ozeki debut. He also became the first wrestler since Haguroyama in 1941 to win the tournament championship in all six professional sumo divisions.

Tochiazuma's other top division championship victories occurred in November 2003 and January 2006. However, he never won two consecutive tournaments, nor could he achieve an "equivalent performance" over three tournaments, which is needed for promotion to the top yokozuna rank. His January 2006 success brought Asashoryu's record run of seven consecutive tournament victories to an end, but Tochiazuma could manage only third place in the following tournament. It also proved to be the last top division championship won by a Japanese born wrestler for ten years.

Tochiazuma holds the record for the number of times a wrestler has achieved promotion to the ozeki rank after being demoted. He lost his ozeki rank twice following injuries, but both times he came back by scoring at least ten wins in the next tournament. He is the only wrestler who has succeeded in doing so since the introduction of the current rules on ozeki promotion and demotion in 1969. His final promotion to ozeki in 2005 was especially spectacular, as even his own stable had suggested that the scapula injury he suffered in November 2004 could have meant the end of his career.

He had great strength as well as technical skill, and was one of the few wrestlers to regularly trouble Asashoryu when he was at his peak as a yokozuna, defeating him six times between 2003 and 2006.

Retirement from Sumo[]

202010300000357-w1300 0 — Tamanoi Oyakata (c. 2020)

At the end of 2006, Tochiazuma underwent knee surgery, leaving him with little time to prepare for the 2007 New Year tournament. He managed only five wins there, but preserved his ozeki status with eight wins in March. However, he pulled out of that tournament on the 12th day and was admitted to hospital, complaining of headaches and dizziness. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure and a brain scan revealed he had also suffered a mild stroke. On May 7, 2007, Tochiazuma announced his retirement from sumo. He kept his ring name as he made the transition into his role as oyakata, as ozeki are permitted to do so for three years.

Tochiazuma's danpatsu-shiki, or official retirement ceremony, took place on 2 February 2008 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, with around 10,000 people in attendance. Coming from Tokyo, he naturally had a huge supporters network in the capital, and the event was a sell-out. He had lost a noticeable amount of weight since his retirement.

Upon his father's retirement in September 2009 he became Tamanoi-oyakata and took over the running of Tamanoi stable. In July 2011 he produced his first top division wrestler, Fujiazuma, and veteran Yoshiazuma also won promotion in the following tournament. In 2013 the Mongolian-born Azumaryu reached the top division and also oversaw the promotion of sandanme-tsukedashi Tohakuryu to the top two divisions. Tamanoi-oyakata is also a Deputy Director of the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for the running of the regional tours or jungyo.

Personal Life[]

He was married in December 2008 to a 31-year-old former office worker and the reception was held in February 2009. Their first child, a daughter, was born in February 2012.

Fighting Style[]

Tochiazuma had an all-round style, equally adept at yotsu (grappling) techniques, and tsuki/oshi (thrusting and pushing) techniques. Early in his career he was regarded as an oshi-sumo specialist, and oshi-dashi (push out) was the kimarite he used most often overall, but he also won many bouts by yorikiri or force out. His favorite grip on the mawashi was hidari-yotsu (right hand outside, left hand inside), and he was fond of using uwatenage (overarm throw) and uwatedashinage (pulling outer arm throw).

Record[]

Division Results[]

Total: 560-317-169/867 (75 basho)
Makuuchi: 483-296-166/769 (63 basho)
Juryo: 32-13/45 (3 basho)
Makushita: 20-8/28 (4 basho)
Sandanme: 7-0/7 (1 basho)
Jonidan: 7-0/7 (1 basho)
Jonokuchi: 11-0-3/11 (2 basho)

Championships[]

3 Makuuchi Championship
- 1st (January 2002)
- 2nd (November 2003)
- 3rd (January 2006)
1 Juryo Championship (September 1996)
1 Makushita Championship (November 1995)
1 Sandanme Championship (July 1995)
1 Jonidan Championship (May 1995)
1 Jonokuchi Championship (March 1995)

Achievements[]

Special Prizes: Technique Prize (7), Outstanding Performance Prize (3), Fighting Spirit Prize (2)
Kinboshi: 4: (2) Takanohana, (1) Musashimaru, (1) Akebono
Record: Tied for 2nd most consecutive wins from entry into sumo (26 wins)
Record: Tied for 8th fastest progress to top division (12 tournaments)
Record: Tied for 10th most special prizes