Akinoshima Katsumi

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Akinoshima Katsumi

安芸乃島 勝巳
 Personal information

Born Katsumi Yamanaka

16 March 1967 (age 57)

Hiroshima, Japan

Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)

Weight 158 kg (348 lb)

Career

Stable Futagoyama

Record 822-757-78

Debut March, 1982

Highest rank Sekiwake (May, 1989)

Retired May, 2003

Elder name Takadagawa

Championships 1 (Jūryō)

1 (Makushita)

1 (Jonidan)

Special Prizes Outstanding Performance (7)

Fighting Spirit (8)

Technique (4)
 Gold Stars 16

Chiyonofuji (4)

Hokutoumi (4)

Asahifuji (4)

Ōnokuni (2)

Akebono

Musashimaru

* Up to date as of July 2007.

Akinoshima Katsumi (born 16 March 1967 as Katsumi Yamanaka) is a

former sumo wrestler from Akitsu, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He made his
professional debut in 1982, and after reaching the top division in 1988 he remained
there for 15 years. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was known as the "giant killer"
having defeated more yokozuna than any other untitled wrestler (maegashira) in the
history of sumo, earning himself 16 gold stars or kinboshi over his career, four more
than his nearest kinboshi earning rivals, Takamiyama and Tochinonada. He also has
received 19 performance prizes (sanshō), another record in sumo history.
Akinoshima was a member of Futagoyama stable and was a stablemate of the wrestling
brothers Takanohana II and Wakanohana III during their rise in sumo and
subsequent yokozuna reigns. Akinoshima was a wrestler always capable of surprise
wins, but lacked consistency, spending most of his career as a maegashira. After his
retirement in 2003 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and in 2009 he
became head coach of the Takadagawa stable.
Early years[edit]
Though he practiced judo in his junior high school years, Yamanaka had dreamed from
a very young age of becoming a sumo wrestler, and eventually was able to enter a
sumo competition while still in junior high school. Sometime later, he had a chance
meeting with then ōzeki Takanohana I on one of the ōzeki's visits to Hiroshima.
Yamanaka was invited to join Takanohana's stable, Futagoyama-beya (then known as
Fujishima-beya). Making his professional debut in March 1982, he reached the third
highest makushita division in March 1985. After winning the makushita championship
with a perfect 7-0 record in May 1987 he made his second division jūryō debut that July,
and entered the top division makuuchi in March 1988, just days shy of his 20th birthday.
Career[edit]

Akinoshima's tegata

Akinoshima received his first kinboshi on his defeat of the yokozuna Ōnokuni in
September 1988. He went on to receive at least one kinboshi from every yokozuna he
faced. He won 14 of his 16 kinboshi in a period of just four years from 1988 to 1992,
and he would earn only two more in the last 11 years of his top division career. It is
notable that due to sumo rules, Akinoshima never faced his stablemates, Wakanohana
and Takanohana in the sumo ring.[1] Had he had this chance, he may have attained
even more kinboshi than his already unrivaled record. His record of 16 kinboshi is four
clear of his nearest rival.[1] He also had a remarkable hold over the ōzeki Konishiki,
whom he defeated in every one of their first seven meetings, and he had a 25-10 overall
career advantage over him.
He had an ongoing rivalry with another maegashira star Kotonishiki, and managed to
chalk up only a 9–39 win–loss record against him during their respective top division
careers. Only three wrestlers in the history of sumo have ever lost more times to
another than Akinoshima did against Kotonishiki.[2] He won his last bout against
Kotonishiki in March 2000, but injured his elbow in the win. Ironically, this injury would
be one factor that led to his eventual retirement in May 2003. After losing
to Iwakiyama on the 14th day of the tournament he faced certain demotion to jūryō and
announced his retirement with immediate effect, not appearing on the final day. He was
the last top division wrestler from the Shōwa era to retire.
He competed in the top division for 91 tournaments, which at the time of his retirement
was the third highest in history, after Takamiyama and Terao.[3] He never won a top
division tournament title, his best result being 12-3 in March 1992 when he finished
runner-up to Konishiki. He was ranked in the titled san'yaku ranks for 27 tournaments,
15 at komusubi and 12 at sekiwake. However, he was never consistent enough to earn
promotion to ōzeki, often dropping matches to less talented opponents.
He won his nineteenth sanshō or special prize in 1999, breaking the record of eighteen
held by his rival Kotonishiki.[1] The last two came in September 1999, a tournament in
which he was also runner-up for the second time.
He was an extremely diligent trainer, setting himself the target of one hundred practice
bouts every day.[4] He suffered a severe shoulder injury in 1995, which required surgery.
Fighting style[edit]
Akinoshima favoured yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques, preferring to fight at close
quarters rather than thrust to the chest. His favourite grip on the mawashi was hidari-
yotsu, with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. His most
common winning kimarite was yori-kiri or force out, but he also regularly used throws,
both overarm (uwatenage) and underarm (shitatenage). He was known for his excellent
balance, and for his ability to bury his head into his opponent's body, making him almost
impossible to shake off.
When he first entered the top division in 1988 his weight was around 130 kg (290 lb),
below average, but this gradually increased, and peaked at 158 kg (348 lb) towards the
end of his career.
Retirement[edit]
Upon retirement, Akinoshima became a coach (oyakata) at his stable under the name
Fujishima.[1] But disagreements with stablemaster Takanohana II over how to run the
stable would eventually lead to Akinoshima moving to coach at Takadagawa
stable instead,[1] a fairly rare occurrence in the world of sumo. He became Sendagawa-
oyakata. He took over the running of Takadagawa stable from
former ōzeki Maenoyama in August 2009.[5] In September 2012 he oversaw the
promotion of Ryūden to jūryō, the stable′s first sekitori since Dairaidō in 2006. In
January 2016 Kagayaki reached the top division, joined by Ryūden in January 2018.
In March 2024, he was elected director of the Japan Sumo Association for the first time,
his term of office to run until 2026.[6]
Personal life[edit]
Akinoshima was known for often avoiding interviews after big wins even though an
interview immediately after a big win is a long time sumo tradition. Akinoshima would
refuse saying that it was disrespectful to the defeated wrestler.
He is a big fan of The Rolling Stones and was appointed their "ambassador" by Warner
Music Japan.[7] He invited The Rolling Stones to his retirement ceremony at the Ryōgoku
Kokugikan in January 2004, but they were unable to attend.
Unusually for someone in the sumo world, he does not drink alcohol.[8]
The Sumo Association announced on 25 April 2020 that Akinoshima and five other
wrestlers, including a jūryō wrestler in Takadagawa stable, were being hospitalized after
testing positive for COVID-19.[9]
Career record[edit]
Akinoshima Katsumi[10]

January March May July November

September
Year Hatsu Haru Natsu Nagoya Kyūshū
Aki basho, Tokyo
basho, Tokyo basho, Osaka basho, Tokyo basho, Nagoya basho, Fukuoka

West Jonokuchi East Jonidan #82 West Sandanme

West Jonidan #1
#17 7–0–P #73
1982 x (Maezumo) 5–2
6–1–P Champion 3–4

East Sandanme East Sandanme East Sandanme East Sandanme East Sandanme
East Sandanme #1
#55 #43 #72 #85 #27
1983 1–6
4–3 2–5 3–4 6–1 5–2

East Sandanme East Sandanme West Sandanme West Sandanme East Sandanme West Sandanme
#32 #20 #36 #4 #39 #23
1984 4–3 3–4 5–2 1–6 4–3 3–4

West Sandanme East Makushita East Makushita West Makushita West Makushita East Makushita
#40 #56 #34 #21 #11 #20
1985 6–1 5–2 5–2 5–2 3–4 3–4
 West Makushita West Makushita East Makushita East Makushita West Makushita
West Makushita #7
#29 #15 #33 #15 #25
1986 2–5
5–2 2–5 6–1 3–4 6–1

West Makushita
East Makushita East Makushita
#14 East Jūryō #12 West Jūryō #10 West Jūryō #6
#20 #9
1987 7–0 8–7 8–7 9–6
5–2 3–4
Champion

East Jūryō #4 East Maegashira East Maegashira

East Jūryō #1 West Maegashira West Komusubi #1
12–3 #12 #2
1988 10–5 #10 7–8
Champion 7–8 8–7
11–4
F O★

East Maegashira West Maegashira West Sekiwake East Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira
#1 #1 #1 #1 #2 #2
1989 7–8 6–9 7–8 7–8 5–10
8–7
★ F ★★ ★★

West Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira

East Sekiwake #1 East Sekiwake #1
#6 #2 #1 #1
1990 9–6 6–9
8–7 8–7 10–5 10–5
F
O★★ OT★ O★★

East Komusubi West Maegashira East Maegashira

East Komusubi #1 East Komusubi #1 West Sekiwake #1
#1 #3 #1
1991 8–7 9–6 4–11
5–10 8–7 9–6
★ F★

East Maegashira West Maegashira

East Komusubi #1 East Sekiwake #1 East Sekiwake #1 East Sekiwake #2
#5 #2
1992 9–6 10–5 8–7 7–8
8–7 12–3
★ FO

East Maegashira
East Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira
West Sekiwake #1 #10 West Komusubi #1
#1 #10 #2
1993 0–2–13 Sat out due to 6–9
9–6 9–6 9–6
injury
O★
0–0–15

East Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira West Maegashira
#2 #10 #3 #14 #13 #4
1994 4–11 9–6 3–12 8–7 11–4 10–5
 West Maegashira
East Komusubi West Maegashira
West Sekiwake #1 East Sekiwake #1 East Komusubi #1 #7
#1 #7
1995 11–4 7–8 1–2–12 Sat out due to
11–4 8–7
F injury
F
0–0–15

East Maegashira West Komusubi East Maegashira West Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira
#4 #1 #2 #5 #1 #2
1996 9–6 6–9 5–10 10–5 7–8 9–6

West Komusubi East Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira
West Komusubi #1
#1 #2 #2 #3 #5
1997 7–8
6–9 7–8 7–8 6–9 8–7

West Maegashira
West Maegashira West Maegashira West Komusubi West Maegashira
East Sekiwake #1 #5
#1 #2 #1 #5
1998 3–4–8 Sat out due to
6–9 9–6 10–5 8–7
injury
T
0–0–15

East Maegashira West Maegashira West Maegashira

East Komusubi #2 East Sekiwake #1 West Komusubi #1
#3 #1 #3
1999 11–4 6–9 3–12
11–4 6–9 11–4
O
T ★ FT

West Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira
East Komusubi #1
#4 #5 #7 #1 #1
2000 7–8
7–8 5–10 10–5 8–7 5–10

East Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira West Maegashira
#4 #5 #9 #6 #11 #6
2001 7–8 5–10 8–7 4–11 9–6 8–7

West Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira West Maegashira East Maegashira East Maegashira
#1 #4 #5 #11 #13 #14
2002 6–9 7–8 3–12 6–9 7–8 9–6

West Maegashira West Maegashira West Maegashira

#9 #12 #15
2003 6–9 6–9 Retired x x x
6–9

Record given as wins–losses–absencies Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation
 Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi
Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also[edit]
 Glossary of sumo terms
 List of sumo record holders
 List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
 List of sumo tournament second division champions
 List of past sumo wrestlers
 List of sumo elders
 List of sekiwake
References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Gunning, John (18 March 2020). "Akinoshima had decorated career as part of
sumo's dominant stable". Japan Times. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
2. ^ "Bout query result". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
3. ^ Since his retirement Akinoshima's 91 top division tournaments has also been surpassed
by Kaio, Kyokutenho and Aminishiki.
4. ^ Yukikaze (June 2003). ""Giant Killer" Calls It A Career". Sumo Shimpo. Archived from the
original on 8 July 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2008.
5. ^ "Sendagawa gets Takadagawa beya". Sumo Forum. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 10
January 2009.
6. ^ "日本相撲協会の八角理事長が続投決定、実質５期目 暴力問題の撲滅などを誓う" (in Japanese).
Nikkan Sports. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
7. ^ "Four Flicks DVD out in Japan today". Rolling Stones Fan Club of Europe. 10 December 2003.
Retrieved 6 July 2007.
8. ^ Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
9. ^ "Sumo stablemaster, 5 wrestlers contract new coronavirus". english.kyodonews.net. Kyodo. 25 April
2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
10. ^ "Akinoshima Katsumi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2012.