Ikazuchi stable (雷部屋, Ikazuchi-beya), formerly known as Irumagawa stable from 1993 to 2023, is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in January 1993 by former sekiwake Tochitsukasa, who branched off from Kasugano stable. The first sekitori produced by the stable was Oyamato (also known as Shirasaki) in January 1994. As of February 2023 it had seven wrestlers.
History
editOn 26 January 2023 it was announced that Irumagawa, in anticipation of his mandatory retirement in April, would give control of his stable to coach Ikazuchi (former komusubi Kakizoe) without him inheriting the Irumagawa elder name.[1] The stable name change took effect six days later on 1 February, creating the first incarnation of the Ikazuchi stable in 62 years.[2] In addition, the board meeting of the Japan Sumo Association approved the transfer of coach Wakafuji (former Ōtsukasa) to Kise stable the following month.[1]
In 2020, the stable recruited Ukrainian Serhii Sokolovskyi who made his debut during the March tournament under the name Shishi. This professional debut made Ukraine the 24th foreign country or territory to have a wrestler join professional sumo.[3][4] In May 2023, Shishi reached sumo's second highest division, jūryō, hence being the only sekitori in his stable and the first Ukrainian to do so.[5] Shishi became the present stable's first top-division wrestler upon his promotion to maegashira in November 2024.[6]
Ring name conventions
editMany wrestlers at this stable take ring names or shikona that end with the character 司 (read: tsukasa), meaning boss, in deference to former coach and stable owner, the former Tochitsukasa.
Owner
edit- 2023-present: 17th Ikazuchi Tōru (iin, former komusubi Kakizoe)
- 1993-2023: 16th Irumagawa Tetsuo (yakuin taigu iin, former sekiwake Tochitsukasa)
Notable active wrestlers
edit- Shishi (best rank maegashira)
Coach
edit- Irumagawa Tetsuo (sanyo, former sekiwake Tochitsukasa)
Notable former wrestlers
edit- Masatsukasa (former maegashira)
- Ōtsukasa (former maegashira)
- Sagatsukasa (former maegashira)
- Yōtsukasa (former maegashira)
Referee
editHairdresser
edit- Tokokuwa (second class tokoyama)
Location
editHachiouji 3-32-12, Saitama City, Saitama
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Ikazuchi oyakata (former Kakizoe) inherits the Irumagawa stable, changes the name to "Ikazuchi stable" and revives it for the first time in 62 years. Irumagawa Oyakata retires in April". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ^ "62年ぶりに雷部屋が復活 入間川部屋を継承した元小結垣添の雷親方が力士７人で新生活スタート". Nikkan Sports. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Reviewing last year, previewing 2020 in sumo". Japan Times. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "Shishi - Rikishi Profile". Japan Sumo Association. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "戦火のウクライナから初の関取が誕生 新十両昇進を決めた獅司「もっと頑張って両親を助けたい」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "獅司「うれししです」と持ちネタ連発、「ママに連絡します」ウクライナ出身初の関取" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.