Asahikuni Masuo

Asahikuni Masuo
Personal information
Born Takeo Ōta
April 25, 1947 (1947-04-25) (age 64)
Hokkaidō, Japan
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Weight 121 kg (270 lb)
Career
Heya Tatsunami
Record 635-479-72
Debut July, 1963
Highest rank Ozeki (May, 1976)
Retired September, 1979
Yūshō 1 (Juryo)
1 (Makushita)
Sanshō Fighting Spirit (1)
Technique(6)
Kinboshi 2
* Career information is correct as of July 2007.

Asahikuni Masuo (旭國斗雄 , born April 25, 1947 as Takeo Ōta ( 太田武雄?)?) is a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki. He is now the head coach of Ōshima stable.

Contents

Career

Born in Aibetsu, Kamikawa District, Asahikuni made his professional debut in July 1963, joining Tatsunami stable. He reached the second highest juryo division in March 1969 and the top makuuchi division just two tournaments after that. In 1970 he dropped to juryo once again but he returned to the top division in 1972, reaching sekiwake in November. He was an extremely skilful wrestler, earning the nickname "the PhD of sumo",[1] such was his knowledge of a wide variety of techniques. He won the prestigious Ginosho, or Technique prize, on six occasions. He achieved this despite the fact that he suffered regularly from pancreatitis and was known even to commute to tournaments from hospital.[1]

At the beginning of 1976 Asahikuni put together two strong records of 12-3 and 13-2, finishing as runner-up in both tournaments, and this earned him promotion to the rank of ozeki. In July 1977 he lost just one bout but finished as runner-up to Kitanoumi who won with a perfect record. Asahikuni was never able to win a top division championship. He retired in September 1979 after 21 tournaments as an ozeki. His retirement was enforced, as he had broken his shoulder in a bout with Mienoumi.[2] The two wrestlers had been friends as well as rivals, having made their professional debuts in the same month, and their friendship survived the incident.[2]

Retirement from sumo

Asahikuni stayed in the sumo world as an elder under the name of Oshima Oyakata. In 1980 he established Oshima stable, despite strong opposition from his old stable boss Tatsunami.[1] Oshima stable has produced yokozuna Asahifuji and more recently the Mongolians Kyokushuzan and Kyokutenho. Oshima intends to pass over ownership of the stable to Kyokutenho once he reaches the mandatory retirement age of sixty five. He has also worked as a shinpan or judge of tournament bouts and was on the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors until 2010 when he lost an election to Takanohana.

Top division record

Asahikuni Masuo[3]
year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1969 x x x East Maegashira #11
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #12
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #6
6–9
 
1970 West Maegashira #11
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #9
6–7–2
 		 East Maegashira #13
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #6
4–11
 		 (Juryo) (Juryo)
1971 (Juryo) (Juryo) (Juryo) (Juryo) (Juryo) East Maegashira #10
8–7
 
1972 West Maegashira #4
0–1–14
 		 (Juryo) West Maegashira #10
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #7
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #3
10–5
T		 West Sekiwake
4–11
 
1973 East Maegashira #5
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #1
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #1
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #3
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake
0–3–12
 		 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 
1974 West Maegashira #2
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #9
11–4
T		 West Maegashira #1
9–6
★		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
★		 West Komusubi
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #1
7–8
 
1975 West Maegashira #2
10–5
 		 West Komusubi
4–2–9
 		 East Maegashira #4
11–4
T		 East Komusubi
11–4
T		 West Sekiwake
9–6
T		 West Sekiwake
8–7
 
1976 East Sekiwake
12–3
F		 East Sekiwake
13–2–P
T		 East Ōzeki
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki
10–5
 		 West Ōzeki
10–5
 
1977 East Ōzeki
0–3–12
 		 East Ōzeki
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki
14–1
 		 East Ōzeki
8–7
 
1978 West Ōzeki
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki
10–5
 		 West Ōzeki
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki
3–12
 		 West Ōzeki
9–6
 
1979 West Ōzeki
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki
3–6–6
 		 West Ōzeki
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki
Retired
4–4–0		 x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s) P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X. 
  2. ^ a b Kuroda, Joe (October 2008). "Rikishi of Old". Sumo Fan Magazine. http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_21/Rikishi_of_Old.pdf. Retrieved 12 February 2008. 
  3. ^ "Asahikuni Masuo Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. http://sumodb.sumogames.com/Rikishi.aspx?r=4061. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 

External links