Wikipedia

Mitoizumi Masayuki

Mitoizumi Masayuki(born 2 September 1962 asMasato Koizumi) is a formersumowrestler fromMito, Ibaraki,Japan.His professional career spanned 22 years, from 1978 until 2000. The highest rank he reached wassekiwake.He won over 800 career bouts and took theyūshōor championship in the topmakuuchidivision in 1992. Mitoizumi was nicknamed the "Salt Shaker", due to his habit of throwing enormous quantities of purifyingsaltonto the ring (dohyō) during the pre-match preliminaries.[1]He is now a coach, and is known as Nishikido Oyakata.

Mitoizumi Masayuki
Thủy hộ tuyền chân hạnh
Personal information
BornMasato Koizumi
(1962-09-02)2 September 1962(age 62)
Mito, Ibaraki
Height1.94 m (6 ft4+1⁄2in)
Weight183 kg (403 lb)
Career
StableTakasago
Record807-766-162
DebutMarch, 1978
Highest rankSekiwake (September, 1986)
RetiredSeptember, 2000
Elder nameNishikido
Championships1 (Makuuchi)
1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
Special PrizesOutstanding Performance (1)
Fighting Spirit (6)
* Up to date as of August 2007.

Career

edit

Mitoizumi was discovered byTakamiyama,a famous Hawaiian born sumo wrestler, who met the 16-year-old and his brother at a department store where Takamiyama was making a personal appearance. He was persuaded to joinTakasago stableand made his professional debut in March 1978. Initially fighting under his own surname of Koizumi, he switched to theshikonaof Mitoizumi (reference to his birthplace) in 1981. He was troubled early in his career by illness and in 1982 he seriously injured his knee and was hospitalised for four months, causing him to miss tournaments and plunge down the rankings.[2]This was just one of many injuries he would have to battle with over the course of his long career.

He made the breakthrough to the salariedsekitoriranks in May 1984 when he reached thejūryōdivision, in the same tournament in which Takamiyama announced his retirement. Mitoizumi was promoted to the topmakuuchidivision just two tournaments later in September 1984. However, he was to suffer more misfortune. Just before the May 1985 tournament he was involved in a motor accident, receiving cuts to his face; and was forced to sit out part of the tournament. After the next tournament, he was demoted back tojūryō.In September 1986, after he had managed to return to the top division and reach a new highest rank ofsekiwake,he injured his knee again in a bout withōzekiŌnokuni[3]and returned to the second division once more. It took him until January 1988 to fight his way back to the top division, but this time he was to remain there for the next eleven years.

Mitoizumi was ranked atsekiwakeon several more occasions and won sevenspecial prizes,but the highlight of his career came in July 1992, when he took the top division tournament championship for the only time. Ranked atmaegashira1, he took advantage of the absence of the top ranked wrestler at the time,ōzekiAkebono,and clinched the championship on the 14th day with a win overTakanonami.He finished on 13-2, two wins ahead of his nearest challengersKirishimaandMusashimaru.

Mitoizumi was never able to reach those heights again, but after his final appearance in thesan'yakuranks in November 1992 he remained in the top division until March 1999. He carried on fighting in thejūryōdivision until September 2000, when he finally announced his retirement at the age of 38,[4]rather than be demoted to the thirdmakushitadivision. He had been an active wrestler for more than 22 years. His tally of 807 career wins is the twelfth highest in sumo history. He never earned anykinboshi,as all his victories overyokozunacame when he was fighting atkomusubiorsekiwakerank.

Mitoizumi's nickname of the "Salt Shaker" was given to him by British sumo fans who followed his matches onChannel 4and in the exhibition at theRoyal Albert Hallin 1991.[5]It referred to his habit during the pre-match rituals (but only on the final throw) of grabbing a huge handful of purifying salt and flinging it high into the air. After his retirement his routine was taken up bymaegashiraKitazakura.[6]

Retirement from sumo

edit

Mitoizumi's official retirement ceremony (danpatsu-shiki) took place on 9 June 2001, with a record 470 patrons, wrestlers and coaches taking part in the hair-cutting ritual.[7]He remained in the sumo world as a coach at Takasago stable under theeldername Nishikido Oyakata and he effectively led it during the illness of its head, formerkomusubiFujinishiki.However, he lost out on the chance to succeed him, due to personal problems with his fiancée from whom he eventually split. Instead, control of Takasago stable passed to formerōzekiAsashiowho merged it with Wakamatsu stable. As a result, in December 2002 Mitoizumi instead opened up his own training stable, orheya,Nishikido stable.The stable did not produce asekitoriuntil November 2017 whenMitoryūwas promoted tojūryō.Unusually for the head of a stable, he remained single for many years, before marrying asoprano,Yukiko Ono, in February 2016. Nishikido also works as ajudgeof tournament bouts.

Fighting style

edit

Mitoizumi was not noted as a technician, and never won a Technique prize. His most common winningkimaritewas overwhelminglyyori-kiri,a straightforward force out, which accounted for over half of his victories atsekitorilevel. However, due to his height and strength he also regularly employedkimedashi,or arm barring force out, a technique seldom seen today.

Personal life

edit

Mitoizumi's younger brother, Umenosato, was also a sumo wrestler at Takasago stable. He fought for 21 years from 1980 to 2001 but only made thejūryōdivision on one occasion in July 1993.[3]He now works at Nishikido stable as a manager.

Mitoizumi is also known for his passion for painting, a hobby he has nurtured since an early age. Having first begun practicing by copying works byOsamu Tezuka,Tetsuya ChibaandAkio Chiba,he had initially envisaged a career as amangaka.Having finally decided to become a professional wrestler, he was nevertheless introduced tooil paintingby the wife of the then-master Takasago (formerkomusubiFujinishiki).[8]

Career record

edit
Mitoizumi Masayuki[9]
Year January
Hatsu basho,Tokyo		 March
Haru basho,Osaka		 May
Natsu basho,Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho,Nagoya		 September
Aki basho,Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho,Fukuoka
1978 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #32
5–1–1
 East Jonidan #74
4–3
 East Jonidan #55
3–4
 West Jonidan #63
4–3
1979 West Jonidan #46
4–3
 East Jonidan #24
4–3
 West Jonidan #10
2–5
 East Jonidan #35
5–2
 East Sandanme #88
5–2
 West Sandanme #57
4–3
1980 West Sandanme #43
5–2
 East Sandanme #11
1–1–5
 West Sandanme #41
3–4
 West Sandanme #53
5–2
 West Sandanme #21
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #60
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
1981 West Jonidan #14
5–2
 West Sandanme #70
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Jonidan #31
6–1
 West Sandanme #61
4–3
 West Sandanme #47
7–0–P
 East Makushita #43
4–3
1982 East Makushita #29
6–1
 West Makushita #5
4–3
 West Makushita #2
2–5
 West Makushita #12
3–4
 West Makushita #23
3–4
 East Makushita #32
5–1–1
1983 East Makushita #18
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 East Makushita #53
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 East Sandanme #34
6–1
 East Makushita #51
7–0–P
 West Makushita #4
3–4
 East Makushita #12
5–2
1984 East Makushita #5
4–3
 East Makushita #1
7–0
Champion
 West Jūryō #8
9–6
 East Jūryō #3
11–4
 West Maegashira #11
7–8
 East Maegashira #13
8–7
1985 East Maegashira #10
11–4
F		 West Maegashira #1
7–8
 East Maegashira #2
2–5–8
 West Maegashira #14
3–12
 West Jūryō #8
8–4–3
 West Jūryō #6
8–7
1986 East Jūryō #4
11–4–P
Champion
 West Maegashira #12
12–3
F		 West Maegashira #1
6–9
 East Maegashira #6
10–5
F		 West Sekiwake #1
1–3–11
 West Maegashira #7
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
1987 West Maegashira #7
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Jūryō #3
6–9
 West Jūryō #6
8–7
 West Jūryō #5
5–10
 East Jūryō #11
10–5
 West Jūryō #4
9–6
1988 West Jūryō #2
10–5
 East Maegashira #13
9–6
 East Maegashira #8
9–6
F		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 West Komusubi #1
10–5
O		 East Komusubi #1
0–2–13
1989 West Maegashira #8
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Maegashira #8
9–6
 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 West Komusubi #1
7–8
 West Maegashira #1
9–6
 East Komusubi #1
11–4
F
1990 East Sekiwake #1
7–8
 East Komusubi #1
2–9–4
 East Maegashira #7
8–7
 West Maegashira #3
6–9
 East Maegashira #7
5–10
 East Maegashira #14
8–7
1991 East Maegashira #11
7–8
 West Maegashira #13
8–7
 West Maegashira #12
8–7
 East Maegashira #9
10–5
 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 East Maegashira #2
8–7
1992 East Maegashira #1
8–7
 West Komusubi #2
8–7
 West Komusubi #1
7–8
 West Maegashira #1
13–2
F		 West Sekiwake #2
8–7
 West Sekiwake #2
1–12–2
1993 West Maegashira #10
8–7
 West Maegashira #7
4–11
 East Maegashira #14
10–5
 West Maegashira #5
9–6
 West Maegashira #1
4–10–1
 East Maegashira #11
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
1994 East Maegashira #11
8–7
 West Maegashira #6
4–11
 East Maegashira #14
8–7
 East Maegashira #13
8–7
 West Maegashira #11
7–8
 West Maegashira #14
8–7
1995 East Maegashira #13
7–8
 West Maegashira #15
9–6
 East Maegashira #7
5–10
 East Maegashira #13
8–7
 East Maegashira #9
8–7
 West Maegashira #2
8–7
1996 West Maegashira #1
3–12
 East Maegashira #8
7–8
 East Maegashira #10
9–6
 West Maegashira #3
4–11
 East Maegashira #8
8–7
 West Maegashira #2
4–11
1997 East Maegashira #8
7–8
 East Maegashira #10
8–7
 East Maegashira #5
4–11
 East Maegashira #10
8–7
 East Maegashira #6
5–10
 East Maegashira #11
8–7
1998 East Maegashira #10
6–9
 West Maegashira #14
9–6
 East Maegashira #10
6–9
 East Maegashira #13
8–7
 East Maegashira #8
5–10
 West Maegashira #14
8–7
1999 West Maegashira #11
8–7
 East Maegashira #10
5–10
 East Jūryō #1
5–10
 East Jūryō #7
9–6
 East Jūryō #4
6–9
 West Jūryō #6
8–7
2000 East Jūryō #4
8–7
 West Jūryō #3
5–9–1
 West Jūryō #7
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Jūryō #7
5–8–2
 West Jūryō #11
Retired
1–12		 x
Record given aswins–losses–absencesTop division championTop division runner-upRetiredLower divisionsNon-participation

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

Makuuchiranks:Yokozuna—Ōzeki—Sekiwake—Komusubi—Maegashira

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^"My Superstition".The Observer.3 September 2000.Retrieved10 June2007.
  2. ^Patmore, Angela (1990).The Giants of Sumo.MacDonald & Co.ISBN0-356-18120-0.
  3. ^abLewin, Brian (December 2005)."Brothers In Sumo".sumofanmag.com.Retrieved10 June2007.
  4. ^"Musashimaru stays on top".BBC News.18 September 2000.Retrieved10 June2007.
  5. ^"Former sekiwake Mitoizumi retires".Japan Times. 16 September 2000.Retrieved10 September2009.
  6. ^Gunning, John (27 February 2019)."Terutsuyoshi adds flair to makuuchi division".Japan Times.Retrieved3 July2019.
  7. ^"Mitoizumi has topknot removed".Japan Times. 10 June 2001.Retrieved10 September2009.
  8. ^"Nguyên quan hiếp thủy hộ tuyền の cẩm hộ thân phương は “Hội を miêu くこと” cạnh わず tự phân なりに lặc しめることが mị lực ／ thân phương chúng の dũ やし "(in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 8 September 2023.Retrieved11 September2023.
  9. ^"Mitoizumi Masayuki Rikishi Information".Sumo Reference.Retrieved30 July2012.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mitoizumi_Masayuki&oldid=1236178605"