Futabayama Sadaji

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 双葉山 定次 Futabayama Sadaji


realname = Akiyoshi Sadaji
dateofbirth = birth date|1912|2|9
placeofbirth = Usa, Oita, Japan
dateofdeath = death date and age|1968|12|16|1912|2|9
height = height|m=1.79
weight = convert|128|kg|lb st|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Tatsunami
rank =
record =345-113-33 (1 draw)
debut = March 1927
highestrank = Yokozuna (May 1937)
retireddate = November 1945
yushos = 12 (Makuuchi)
goldstars = 1
update = December 1968

Futabayama Sadaji (双葉山 定次; February 9, 1912 - December 16, 1968), born as Akiyoshi Sadaji (龝吉 定次) in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945. He won twelve top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with the public.cite book|author=Newton, Clyde|title=Dynamic Sumo|publisher=Kodansha|year=1994|id=ISBN 4-7700-1802-9] After his retirement he was head coach of Tokitsukaze stable and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.

Career

Born in Usa, he worked on fishing boats as young boy.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x] He joined professional sumo in March 1927 at the age of 15, recruited by Tatsunami stable. He entered the top "makuuchi" division at the beginning of 1932. He was promoted from the middle of the second "juryo" division to "maegashira" 4, as many top division wrestlers had just gone on strike (the so called "Shunjuen Incident"), and the Japan Sumo Association needed to fill the gaps in the ranks. However, he soon proved himself worthy of the promotion, finishing as runner-up in his second top division tournament.

Futabayama is particularly remembered for achieving the longest run of consecutive victories in sumo bouts, with 69, a record that still stands today. This represents an unbeaten run which stretched over three years. In a sport where matches often last a few seconds, and a brief lapse in concentration can lead to a loss this is an exceptional achievement. It began in May 1936 at the rank of "sekiwake". During this run he was promoted to "ozeki" and then "yokozuna". It generated such excitement among the public that the Sumo Association extended the number of days per tournament from 11 to 13, and then to 15. He was finally defeated in January 1939 by "maegashira" Akinoumi (later a "yokozuna" himself).Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x] He lost more to illness than to a superior opponent, as he was suffering from amoebic dysentery at the time.

Futabayama won a total of twelve tournament championships, during a period in which there were only two tournaments held each year. His total remained a record until the number of tournaments was increased to six a year in the 1950s. He would probably have won over thirty championships if this system had been in place during his career.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

Futabayama was noted for being exceptionally good at the initial phase of a sumo match, the "tachi-ai". He is believed to have never made a false start.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x] Although he was not particularly large, he had excellent balance. One of his most feared techniques was "uwatenage", [ [http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/323.html Futabayama, Sadaji | Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures ] ] or outer arm throw (also a favourite of another great "yokozuna", Chiyonofuji).

After his retirement Futabayama revealed he was actually blind in one eye, due to an injury suffered in his youth, making his achievements even more remarkable.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

He was one of the first top wrestlers to break away from the tradition of marrying his stablemaster's daughter, instead choosing a young heiress from a rich Kansai family. Their reception was held in April 1939 at the Tokyo Kaikan. [cite book|author=Schilling, Mark|title=Sumo: A Fan's Guide|publisher=Japan Times|year=1994|pages=76|id=ISBN 4-7890-0725-1] (His coach's daughter married Haguroyama instead.)

Retirement from sumo

The June 1945 tournament was held in a bomb-damaged Kokigikan with barely any spectators, and Futabayama dropped out after the first day. He did not take part in the November 1945 tournament and announced his retirement during it, claiming that he objected to the newly enlarged "dohyo" that the Sumo Association had introduced at the behest of the American occupying authorities. However, he had actually made a decision to retire a year earlier, having suffered a loss to Azumafuji, another future "yokozuna".

Futabayama had become head of his own stable, Futabayama Dojo, in 1941 whilst still an active wrestler, and upon his retirement he adopted the Tokitsukaze elder name and renamed his "heya" Tokitsukaze stable. It grew to become one of sumo's largest stables by the 1950s, and Futabayama produced several strong wrestlers including "yokozuna" Kagamisato and "ozeki" Kitabayama and Yutakayama. He remained in charge of the stable until his death in 1968. From 1957 he was also head of the Japan Sumo Association. In his time as chairman he introduced a number of important reforms, such as giving monthly salaries to wrestlers ranked in the top two divisions, and enforcing a mandatory retirement age of 65 for elders and referees.

Top division record

"*Two tables represent a change in the tournament system over the years"

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo tournament winners
*List of yokozuna

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_yokozuna/futabayama.html Futabayama Sadaji]
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