Wakachichibu Komei

Wakachichibu Komei - 若秩父高明 (born March 16, 1939 - September 17, 2014) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Chichibu, Saitama. He made his debut in May 1954 and last wrestled for Hanakago stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1958 and has two special prizes as well as three kinboshi. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in November 1968.

Early Life[]

Komei Kato was born the eldest son of an Imperial Japanese Army soldier in Kankyo-hoku Prefecture (currently North Hamgyong Province, North Korea) in Korea under Japanese rule. He later moved to the village of Takashino (later absorbed into Chichibu city) in Saitama prefecture. He attended Chichibu Shiritsu Takashino Junior High School and played an active part in the local district sumo tournament. He went on to attend Saitama Kenritsu Chichibunokokagakukoto School, but dropped out after he was recruited into Hanakago stable.

Career[]

Early Career[]

He made his professional debut in May 1954 and was given the shikona "Wakachichibu" (若秩父) where the Chichibu is derived from his hometown. He won the jonidan yusho with a perfect 8-0 record in September 1955 and was promoted to makushita in May 1956. In September 1957 he won the makushita yusho with a 7-1 record after defeating Sugiyama in the playoff. He followed with a 5-3 record and was promoted to juryo in January 1958.

Juryo Career[]

At the time of his juryo promotion he was only 18 years and 8 months old and was the youngest sekitori in both divisions. He produced four consecutive 11-4 records, including a yusho in May 1958, and he was promoted to makuuchi in September 1958.

Makuuchi Career[]

In his first makuuchi tournament, he was runner-up to yokozuna Wakanohana I with a strong 12-3 record and earned the Fighting Spirit prize. Two tournaments later in January 1959 he posted a 10-5 record and achieved his first kinboshi against yokozuna Chiyonoyama and earned his second Fighting Spirit prize. In addition, he was promoted to komusubi in March 1959, but he finished with a disastrous 2-13 record in that tournament. In May 1960, he was runner-up to Wakamisugi with a 13-2 record.

He was seen as a future ozeki as he posted multiple strong results before he was 21 years old, however, due to diabetes he was demoted back down to juryo in May 1961. He returned to makuuchi in September 1961 after he won the juryo yusho. In May 1963 he produced a strong 11-4 record at the rank of komusubi and was promoted to sekiwake for the following July 1963 tournament. He managed a solid 8-7 record in his sekiwake debut, but followed with a poor 5-10 record and was demoted. He never managed to return to the san'yaku rank and remained in the maegashira ranks for the majority of his later career.

Retirement from Sumo[]

Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Tokiwayama and in 1998 he became the deputy director. He reached the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age in March 2004.

Death[]

He died of liver failure in Mitaka, Tokyo, on September 17, 2014, at the age of 75.

Fighting Style[]

Wakachichibu 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, or force out. He was also fond of employing tsuridashi, or lift out.