Hitoshi Tochihana (栃乃花 仁, Tochinohana Hitoshi, born 28 February 1973) is a former Japanese sumo wrestler from Yamagata, Iwate. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1995, reaching the top makuuchi division in 2000. His highest rank was komusubi. He retired in 2008 and is now a sumo coach.

Tochinohana Hitoshi
栃乃花 仁
Personal information
BornHitoshi Yachi
(1973-02-28) 28 February 1973 (age 51)
Yamagata, Iwate, Japan
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight138 kg (304 lb)
Career
StableKasugano
Record449-439-32
DebutMarch 1995
Highest rankKomusubi (November 2000)
RetiredJanuary 2008
Elder nameHatachiyama
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Jonokuchi)
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (2)
Technique (2)
* Up to date as of January 2008.

Career

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Tochinohana practised amateur sumo at Meiji University, but unlike many former amateur wrestlers, he still began his professional career at the very bottom of the rankings.[1] He joined Kasugano stable in March 1995 at the age of 22. Initially fighting under his own surname, Yachi, it took him four years to become a sekitori.[1] Upon reaching the second highest jūryō division in January 1999 he adopted the shikona Tochinohana.

After capturing the jūryō yūshō or tournament championship with a 13-2 record, he made his debut in the top makuuchi division in May 2000. There he defeated ozeki Chiyotaikai and Takanonami, finished in equal third place with 12 wins against three losses and received two special prizes for Fighting Spirit and Technique.[2] In the September 2000 tournament he defeated another ozeki and was awarded his second Technique prize. He was promoted to komusubi in the next tournament in November, but could only manage a 3-12 record. This was to be his only tournament in the titled sanyaku ranks.

Over the next couple of years Tochinohana struggled to maintain his makuuchi position, and a serious back injury forced him all the way down to the unsalaried makushita division in 2004. However, he fought his way back to makuuchi in November 2005, where he finished runner-up to yokozuna Asashoryu, scoring eleven wins and receiving the Fighting Spirit Award. In an interview, Tochinohana's father said he regarded this as the most memorable achievement of his son's career.[3] He remained in the top division until May 2007, when he could only win only four bouts at maegashira 13 and was demoted back to jūryō.

Retirement from sumo

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After a disastrous 2-13 record in November 2007 Tochinohana fell to Jūryō 14 West, making him the lowest ranking sekitori. In January 2008, after losing nine of his first twelve bouts, he announced his retirement. He has stayed with the Sumo Association as an toshiyori, or elder, under the name Hatachiyama, and is working as a coach at Kasugano stable. His danpatsu-shiki, or official retirement ceremony, was held jointly with his stablemate Tochisakae at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in January 2009.

Fighting style

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Tochinohana's most common winning kimarite was a straightforward yori-kiri, or force out, and he preferred a migi yotsu, or left hand outside, right hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi. He also regularly won with oshi-dashi, or push out.

Career record

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Tochinohana Hitoshi[4]
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
1995 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #23
7–0–P
Champion

 
West Jonidan #39
6–1
 
West Sandanme #80
6–1
 
East Sandanme #28
6–1
 
1996 West Makushita #50
3–4
 
West Sandanme #5
6–1
 
East Makushita #34
4–3
 
Makushita #23
4–3
 
West Makushita #17
3–4
 
West Makushita #25
3–4
 
1997 East Makushita #33
4–3
 
West Makushita #23
4–3
 
East Makushita #18
2–5
 
East Makushita #34
5–2
 
West Makushita #20
4–3
 
West Makushita #15
4–3
 
1998 East Makushita #11
3–4
 
West Makushita #19
4–3
 
East Makushita #16
5–2
 
West Makushita #8
4–3
 
East Makushita #6
5–2
 
East Makushita #3
5–2
 
1999 West Jūryō #12
8–7
 
East Jūryō #11
7–8
 
East Jūryō #13
6–9
 
West Makushita #1
6–1
 
West Jūryō #11
8–7
 
West Jūryō #9
7–8
 
2000 East Jūryō #11
9–6
 
West Jūryō #6
13–2–P
Champion

 
East Maegashira #12
12–3
FT
West Maegashira #1
5–10
 
East Maegashira #7
10–5
T
East Komusubi #1
3–12
 
2001 East Maegashira #6
4–11
 
West Maegashira #11
6–9
 
West Maegashira #13
9–6
 
East Maegashira #8
7–8
 
East Maegashira #10
0–4–11
 
East Jūryō #6
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
2002 East Jūryō #6
9–6
 
East Jūryō #1
8–7
 
West Maegashira #13
6–9
 
East Jūryō #1
8–7
 
East Maegashira #14
8–7
 
East Maegashira #12
6–9
 
2003 West Maegashira #14
7–8
 
East Maegashira #15
5–10
 
West Jūryō #4
9–6
 
West Jūryō #1
4–11
 
West Jūryō #7
5–10
 
East Jūryō #11
8–7
 
2004 East Jūryō #6
1–8–6
 
East Makushita #4
1–6
 
West Makushita #23
3–4
 
East Makushita #30
6–1
 
West Makushita #12
6–1
 
East Makushita #4
4–3
 
2005 West Makushita #1
4–3
 
West Jūryō #13
10–5
 
West Jūryō #8
11–4
 
West Jūryō #2
7–8
 
West Jūryō #3
10–5
 
East Maegashira #14
11–4
F
2006 West Maegashira #3
4–11
 
East Maegashira #10
7–8
 
West Maegashira #10
5–10
 
East Maegashira #15
8–7
 
West Maegashira #13
7–8
 
West Maegashira #13
8–7
 
2007 West Maegashira #11
5–10
 
West Maegashira #15
8–7
 
West Maegashira #13
4–11
 
West Jūryō #2
6–9
 
West Jūryō #4
8–7
 
East Jūryō #3
2–13
 
2008 West Jūryō #14
Retired
3–9
x x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absences    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: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Active University/College Grad Rikishi:Tochinohana". Sumo Fan Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  2. ^ Kattoulas, Velisarios (22 May 2000). "Cutback in Beer Ration Helps a Lowly Wrestler : A Dry Spell That Paid Off". New York Times. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  3. ^ Hardy, James (22 February 2009). "The final cut:Looking at the ceremony that ends a sumo wrestler's career". Daily Yomiuri Online. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Tochinohana Hitoshi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
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