Yoshibayama Junnosuke - 吉葉山 潤之輔 (born April 3, 1920 - November 26, 1977) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Atsuta, Hokkaido. He made his debut in May 1938 and wrestled for Takashima stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1947 and has three special prizes, two kinboshi and one top division championship. He was the 43rd yokozuna and he retired in January 1958.
Early Life[]
He entered sumo in a curious way. He had travelled to Tokyo on a train to attend school, but was met at the station by a sumo wrestler who was expecting a new recruit, who had in fact had second thoughts and not made the trip. The conspicuously large Ikeda was mistaken for him and taken back to Takashima stable before he even realized what was going on.
Career[]
Early Career[]
He made his professional debut in May 1938 using the shikona or ring name Hokutozan Junnosuke (北糖山 潤之輔). After suffering appendicitis he had to undergo emergency surgery and changed his ring surname to Yoshibayama in May 1939 in honour of the doctor (Shosaku Yoshiba) who had saved his life.
Yoshibayama during his time as a soldier in World War II.
He got to the verge of promotion to the juryo division in 1942 but was then drafted into the Japanese army and took part in World War II. He was seriously wounded in gunfights during his service. He was shot in the leg twice, and the second bullet permanently lodged itself in his foot. He was actually reported as dead for some time. He came back alive, but was surprisingly thin when he returned to Japan. It is generally believed among sumo scholars that if he had not been conscripted and lost several years of his career, he could have become an even stronger and longer lasting wrestler than he was.
Juryo Career[]
Upon returning to sumo in June 1947, he was ranked at juryo 4 as he won the makushita yusho at the rank of makushita 1 in the May 1942 tournament prior to getting drafted. He posted a strong 9-1 record in his first tournament as a sekitori, but he missed out on the championship after losing the playoff to Dewanishiki. Nevertheless, he was promoted to makuuchi for the following November 1947 tournament.
Makuuchi Career[]
Yoshibayama celebrates after winning his yusho (c. 1954)
In his first top division tournament, Yoshibayama posted a strong 8-3 record. In January 1950, he posted a strong 10-5 record and was awarded his first of three Outstanding Performance prizes. He replicated his performance in the following May 1950 tournament to earn his second Outstanding Performance prize and was promoted to sekiwake in September 1950. In his san'yaku debut, he produced an impressive 13-2 record, but missed out on the yusho after losing to Terukuni in the playoff. He posted a 13-2 record in the following tournament and was runner-up to Terukuni again. Nevertheless, he was promoted to ozeki for the May 1951 tournament.
Ozeki Career[]
Yoshibayama recorded an azukari, or hold, on the 12th day of September 1951 tournament. The reason is that his opponent, Azumafuji, could not stand up any more. Yoshibayama could have been awarded a win, but sportingly insisted on a draw. In May 1953 he finished with 14 wins and only one loss, but the championship went to undefeated maegashira Tokitsuyama whom Yoshibayama had not been paired against.
Yokozuna Career[]
Yoshibayama was promoted to yokozuna after winning his first championship with a perfect 15–0 record in January 1954, but did not win a single bout at the rank until the autumn tournament of that year. He was unable to win any championships in his yokozuna career and had only one runner-up result. Although he was popular with the public, he ate and drank to excess and had several internal ailments, including kidney problems. Having finally reached his physical limit, he announced his retirement during the January 1958 tournament. His old rival Kagamisato, who had been promoted to ozeki alongside him in May 1951, also decided to retire on the final day, the first time that two yokozuna had quit in the same tournament.
Retirement from Sumo[]
Miyagino Oyakata (c. 1972)
After his retirement, Yoshibayama became the 8th head coach of Miyagino stable. The previous head coach was the 24th yokozuna Otori, but Miyagino stable was closed once after his death in 1956. While still an active wrestler, he managed his own stable, a practice no longer permitted. Otori's son-in-law Fukunosato Ushinosuke belonged to his stable. He officially renamed his stable to Miyagino stable in 1960. He developed a number of top division wrestlers, such as Myobudani. He was also a judge of tournament bouts, and on the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors. He also opened a number of chankonabe restaurants that still operate today.
Future makuuchi wrestler Chikubayama also joined his stable, but could not reach the top makuuchi division by 1977 when Yoshibayama died. Chikubayama accepted future yokozuna Hakuho when he was the Miyagino stablemaster. Yoshibayama performed the yokozuna dohyo-iri (ring entering ceremony) in the shiranui style. When Hakuho was promoted to yokozuna, he succeeded Yoshibayama's style. At the Meiji Jingu shrine on June 1, 2007, Hakuho performed the ring entering ceremony wearing Yoshibayama's kesho-mawashi and used a sword (tachi) of another yokozuna, Otori.
Fighting Style[]
Yoshibayama defeats Asashio by ketaguri (pulling inside ankle sweep)
Because of the bullet in his ankle, Yoshibayama's style of fighting was erratic. It also did not help that his favourite technique was the controversial ketaguri, or leg kick, which was considered to be unacceptable at his top yokozuna rank. Scholars conceded however that Yoshibayama had had little time to master acceptable sumo techniques because of his time out of sumo due to the war.
Record[]
Division Results[]
- Total: 357-171-85-1a/521 (47 basho)
- Makuuchi: 304-151-85-1a/448 (37 basho)
- Juryo: 9-1/10 (1 basho)
- Makushita: 22-10/32 (4 basho)
- Sandanme: 7-1/8 (1 basho)
- Jonidan: 13-3/16 (2 basho)
- Jonokuchi: 2-5/7 (1 basho)
Championships[]
- 1 Makuuchi Championship (January 1954)
- 1 Makushita Championship (May 1942)
Achievements[]
- Special Prizes: Outstanding Performance Prize (3)
- Kinboshi: (2) Terukuni
Shikona History[]
- Hokutozan Junnosuke (1938.05 - 1939.01)
- Yoshibayama Junnosuke (1939.05 - 1958.01)
Gallery[]
