Kisenosato Yutaka

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稀勢の里寛
Kisenosato Yutaka
Personal information
Real name	Hagiwara Yutaka
Date of birth	July 3, 1986 (age 20)
Place of birth	Ibaraki, Japan
Height	188.0cm (6'2")
Weight	156.0kg (344lb)
Career*
Heya	Naruto
Rank	Maegashira 1
Record	201-153-0
Debut	March, 2002
Highest rank	Komusubi (July, 2006)
Yushos	1 (Makushita)
Special Prizes	Outstanding Performance (1) Fighting Spirit (1)
Gold stars	0
* Career information is correct as of March 2007.

Kisenosato Yutaka (稀勢の里寛, born July 3, 1986 as Hagiwara Yutaka (萩原寛)) is a sumo wrestler from Ibaraki, Japan. The highest rank he has reached is komusubi.

Kisenosato joined Naruto stable and fought his first bout in March 2003 under his own name. He rose quickly through the divisions, entering the second jūryō division in May 2004, aged 17 years and 9 months, the second youngest ever jūryō wrestler after Takanohana. Three tournaments later, in November 2004, he entered the top makuuchi division, again the second youngest (18 years 3 months) after Takanohana. To mark his entry into makuuchi he assumed the name Kisenosato.

Since entering makuuchi his rise has slowed significantly, his only spectacular result being 12 wins against 3 losses in the September 2005 tournament, where he was runner-up and was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted to the rank of komusubi in July 2006, which he held until March 2007 when he fell back to maegashira 1.

Kisenosato has been involved in some controversial bouts with Asashoryu. He defeated the yokozuna for the first time in September 2006, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance Prize. Shaken by this, Asashoryu responded in the next tournament by leaping to the side at the tachi-ai and employing a highly unusual leg kicking technique called ketaguri. Afterwards Asashoryu was criticised by the Yokozuna Deliberation Committee for using this rare move. In March 2007 Kisenosato slapped Asashoryu around the face during their match. Asashoryu was so riled by this that he gave Kisenosato a small kick in the back after the bout was over, which prompted much criticism from the Japanese media.

Still aged only 20, Kisenosato is regarded as one of the most promising Japanese sumo wrestlers.