Kotokaze Kōki (born 26 April 1957 as Koichi Nakayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsu, Mie, Japan. Beginning his career in 1971, he reached the top makuuchi division in 1977 but after a serious injury in 1979 he fell greatly in rank before staging a comeback. His highest rank was ōzeki, which he reached in 1981. He won two tournament championships and was a runner-up in two others. He won six special prizes and six gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He retired in 1985 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and the head coach of Oguruma stable.
Kotokaze Kōki
琴風 豪規
Kotokaze in May 2017
Personal information
Born
Koichi Nakayama (1957-04-26) 26 April 1957 (age 65) Mie, Japan
Scouted by the 53rd YokozunaKotozakura, he joined Sadogatake stable in July 1971. He was only 14 years old and still at junior high school, and in his early days in the jonidan division he was excused from fighting some matches to attend school, not travelling to the regional tournaments and fighting only on Sunday in the Tokyo ones. He reached the sekitori level in November 1975 upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division and in January 1977 he made his debut in the top makuuchi division. He got as far as sekiwake before suffering a severe injury to his left knee joint which forced him to miss several tournaments and plunge all the way down to the unsalaried makushita division. He made his way back to the top division in just one year. By March 1981 he had returned to sekiwake and in September 1981 he captured his first tournament championship with a 12–3 record, finishing one win ahead of yokozunaWakanohana II. He was immediately promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki. For a brief period in January 1982 he was the only ōzeki on the banzuke, a rare occurrence not seen again until 2020.[1] He took his second championship in January 1983 with a 14–1 score, beating Asashio in a playoff. In September 1984 he defeated a newcomer to the division who was in contention for the tournament title, the gigantic Konishiki, in a mammoth two-minute struggle on the final day. Kotokaze later recalled this bout as his most memorable ever. In May 1985 he suffered another serious injury, this time to his right knee, and he decided to retire in November 1985 at the age of twenty eight.
After retirement
Kotokaze became an elder of the Sumo Association under the name Oguruma-oyakata. In 1987 he left Sadogatake to set up his own Oguruma stable. He gives all of his new recruits shikona with the suffix "kaze" (wind), taken from his own fighting name. The first wrestler from the stable to achieve sekitori status was Tomikaze in July 2000. As of March 2019, Oguruma stable has produced six wrestlers with top division experience, Takekaze, Yoshikaze, Kimikaze, Amakaze, Yago and Tomokaze. Another, Wakakirin, (who originally came from a different stable) was dismissed from the Sumo Association because of cannabis use in February 2009. Oguruma was demoted from his post in the Sumo Association as a result. In despair he briefly considered closing his stable, but was told by Yoshikaze that he would retire if Oguruma was no longer his stablemaster.[2] In September 2010, two men were arrested for attempting to blackmail Kotokaze, sending him a letter threatening to reveal his connections to a "violent criminal gang" (usually a euphemism for yakuza) in his younger years.[3] In April 2011 he was hit with another demotion after a jūryō division wrestler from his stable, Hoshikaze, was forced to retire after a match-fixing scandal.[4] However, in February 2012 he was elected to the Sumo Association board of directors.[5] In April 2012 he was hospitalized after injuring his cervical spine in a fall at Obama, Fukui.[2] In 2019 he instructed wrestlers that they would no longer be allowed to grow five o'clock shadows during tournaments for superstitious reasons, in order to maintain a suitable appearance on the dohyō.[6] As head of the Sumo Association's legal compliance committee, he announced the one-year suspension for Asanoyama in June 2021 for breaking COVID-19 protocols.[7] Earlier in the same year he had warned that tournaments could be cancelled due to rising COVID-19 infections.[8]
Kotokaze is also a regular commentator on NHK's sumo tournament broadcasts.
Kotokaze announced on 25 December 2021 that his stable would close following the January 2022 sumo tournament.[9]
Fighting style
Kotokaze's most common winning kimarite or technique was overwhelmingly a straightforward yori-kiri or force out, which accounted for over half his wins at sekitori level. He favoured hidari-yotsu, or a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi. He very rarely employed throwing moves.
^"Expecting the unexpected at the 2020 New Year Tournament". NHK World. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^ ab"【尾車親方・特別寄稿】引退・嘉風、小さな体で頭から立ち向かう相撲 自慢の弟子一番のファン". Hochi. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"尾車親方に「あの時の金返せ」脅迫容疑で男ら逮捕". テレ朝News. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
^"Two more wrestlers forced to quit sumo". Japan Times. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
^"Harumafuji's Resignation Is Just the Latest in a Long Line of Sumo Scandals". Tokyo Weekender. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"Wrestlers must shave beards to prevent audience discomfort". Asahi Shimbun. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"Asanoyama gets 1-year ban for breaking COVID-19 rules". Asashi Shimbun. 12 June 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"Further sumo infections could mean tournament cancellation". Kyodo News. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"尾車親方が１月初場所後に部屋閉鎖を表明 「悔いはない。やりきったと」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
^"Kotokaze Koki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
External links
February 06, 2023
kotokaze, kōki, born, april, 1957, koichi, nakayama, former, sumo, wrestler, from, japan, beginning, career, 1971, reached, makuuchi, division, 1977, after, serious, injury, 1979, fell, greatly, rank, before, staging, comeback, highest, rank, ōzeki, which, rea. Kotokaze Kōki born 26 April 1957 as Koichi Nakayama is a former sumo wrestler from Tsu Mie Japan Beginning his career in 1971 he reached the top makuuchi division in 1977 but after a serious injury in 1979 he fell greatly in rank before staging a comeback His highest rank was ōzeki which he reached in 1981 He won two tournament championships and was a runner up in two others He won six special prizes and six gold stars for defeating yokozuna He retired in 1985 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and the head coach of Oguruma stable Kotokaze Kōki琴風 豪規Kotokaze in May 2017Personal informationBornKoichi Nakayama 1957 04 26 26 April 1957 age 65 Mie JapanHeight1 84 m 6 ft 1 2 in Weight173 kg 381 lb CareerStableSadogatakeRecord561 352 102DebutJuly 1971Highest rankŌzeki November 1981 RetiredNovember 1985Elder nameŌgurumaChampionships2 Makuuchi 1 Juryō 1 Makushita Special PrizesOutstanding Performance 3 Fighting Spirit 2 Technique 1 Gold Stars6Kitanoumi 3 MienoumiWajimaWakanohana II Up to date as of August 2012 Contents 1 Career 2 After retirement 3 Fighting style 4 Career record 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksCareer EditScouted by the 53rd Yokozuna Kotozakura he joined Sadogatake stable in July 1971 He was only 14 years old and still at junior high school and in his early days in the jonidan division he was excused from fighting some matches to attend school not travelling to the regional tournaments and fighting only on Sunday in the Tokyo ones He reached the sekitori level in November 1975 upon promotion to the second highest juryō division and in January 1977 he made his debut in the top makuuchi division He got as far as sekiwake before suffering a severe injury to his left knee joint which forced him to miss several tournaments and plunge all the way down to the unsalaried makushita division He made his way back to the top division in just one year By March 1981 he had returned to sekiwake and in September 1981 he captured his first tournament championship with a 12 3 record finishing one win ahead of yokozuna Wakanohana II He was immediately promoted to sumo s second highest rank of ōzeki For a brief period in January 1982 he was the only ōzeki on the banzuke a rare occurrence not seen again until 2020 1 He took his second championship in January 1983 with a 14 1 score beating Asashio in a playoff In September 1984 he defeated a newcomer to the division who was in contention for the tournament title the gigantic Konishiki in a mammoth two minute struggle on the final day Kotokaze later recalled this bout as his most memorable ever In May 1985 he suffered another serious injury this time to his right knee and he decided to retire in November 1985 at the age of twenty eight After retirement EditKotokaze became an elder of the Sumo Association under the name Oguruma oyakata In 1987 he left Sadogatake to set up his own Oguruma stable He gives all of his new recruits shikona with the suffix kaze wind taken from his own fighting name The first wrestler from the stable to achieve sekitori status was Tomikaze in July 2000 As of March 2019 Oguruma stable has produced six wrestlers with top division experience Takekaze Yoshikaze Kimikaze Amakaze Yago and Tomokaze Another Wakakirin who originally came from a different stable was dismissed from the Sumo Association because of cannabis use in February 2009 Oguruma was demoted from his post in the Sumo Association as a result In despair he briefly considered closing his stable but was told by Yoshikaze that he would retire if Oguruma was no longer his stablemaster 2 In September 2010 two men were arrested for attempting to blackmail Kotokaze sending him a letter threatening to reveal his connections to a violent criminal gang usually a euphemism for yakuza in his younger years 3 In April 2011 he was hit with another demotion after a juryō division wrestler from his stable Hoshikaze was forced to retire after a match fixing scandal 4 However in February 2012 he was elected to the Sumo Association board of directors 5 In April 2012 he was hospitalized after injuring his cervical spine in a fall at Obama Fukui 2 In 2019 he instructed wrestlers that they would no longer be allowed to grow five o clock shadows during tournaments for superstitious reasons in order to maintain a suitable appearance on the dohyō 6 As head of the Sumo Association s legal compliance committee he announced the one year suspension for Asanoyama in June 2021 for breaking COVID 19 protocols 7 Earlier in the same year he had warned that tournaments could be cancelled due to rising COVID 19 infections 8 Kotokaze is also a regular commentator on NHK s sumo tournament broadcasts Kotokaze announced on 25 December 2021 that his stable would close following the January 2022 sumo tournament 9 Fighting style EditKotokaze s most common winning kimarite or technique was overwhelmingly a straightforward yori kiri or force out which accounted for over half his wins at sekitori level He favoured hidari yotsu or a right hand outside left hand inside grip on his opponent s mawashi He very rarely employed throwing moves Career record EditKotokaze Koki 10 Year in sumo JanuaryHatsu basho Tokyo MarchHaru basho Osaka MayNatsu basho Tokyo JulyNagoya basho Nagoya SeptemberAki basho Tokyo NovemberKyushu basho Fukuoka1971 x x x Maezumo West Jonokuchi 9 3 4 East Jonidan 97 3 1 1972 West Jonidan 59 1 2 West Jonidan 77 West Jonidan 77 2 1 East Jonidan 47 East Jonidan 46 1 2 East Jonidan 54 1973 East Jonidan 54 3 0 West Jonidan 19 3 4 East Jonidan 32 6 1 East Sandanme 69 4 3 West Sandanme 52 5 2 East Sandanme 24 5 2 1974 East Sandanme 1 3 4 East Sandanme 10 4 3 East Makushita 57 3 4 West Sandanme 8 3 4 East Sandanme 18 5 2 East Makushita 54 5 2 1975 West Makushita 31 4 3 East Makushita 25 6 1 West Makushita 8 5 2 West Makushita 2 4 3 West Makushita 1 5 2 West Juryō 12 8 7 1976 East Juryō 9 8 7 West Juryō 7 9 6 West Juryō 2 5 10 West Juryō 7 8 7 East Juryō 7 9 6 East Juryō 1 9 6 1977 West Maegashira 11 8 7 East Maegashira 6 9 6 East Maegashira 1 5 10 West Maegashira 7 8 7 West Maegashira 5 8 7 East Maegashira 1 10 5 O 1978 West Sekiwake 1 5 10 East Maegashira 3 6 9 West Maegashira 6 12 3 O West Sekiwake 1 7 8 West Komusubi 1 7 8 West Maegashira 1 0 3 12 1979 East Maegashira 13 3 2 10 West Juryō 7 Sat out due to injury0 0 15 West Makushita 5 Sat out due to injury0 0 7 West Makushita 30 6 1 West Makushita 8 7 0 PChampion West Juryō 11 14 1Champion 1980 West Maegashira 14 12 3 F East Maegashira 1 10 5 F West Sekiwake 1 10 5 O East Sekiwake 1 6 4 5 West Maegashira 2 Sat out due to injury0 0 15 West Maegashira 2 7 8 1981 West Maegashira 3 10 5 West Sekiwake 1 9 6 West Komusubi 1 9 6 East Sekiwake 1 10 5 East Sekiwake 1 12 3 T East Ōzeki 11 4 1982 East Ōzeki 1 10 5 East Ōzeki 1 9 6 West Ōzeki 1 9 6 West Ōzeki 1 11 4 East Ōzeki 1 9 6 West Ōzeki 1 10 5 1983 West Ōzeki 1 14 1 P East Ōzeki 1 11 4 West Ōzeki 1 11 4 West Ōzeki 2 12 3 East Ōzeki 1 11 4 West Ōzeki 1 11 4 1984 West Ōzeki 1 11 4 West Ōzeki 1 9 6 East Ōzeki 2 9 6 West Ōzeki 2 8 7 West Ōzeki 2 10 5 East Ōzeki 2 10 5 1985 East Ōzeki 2 8 7 West Ōzeki 2 5 10 West Ōzeki 2 3 4 8 West Sekiwake 2 Sat out due to injury0 0 15 East Sekiwake 2 Sat out due to injury0 0 15 East Maegashira 10 Retired0 4Record given as win loss absent Top Division Champion Top Division Runner up Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key F Fighting spirit O Outstanding performance T Technique Also shown Kinboshi P Playoff s Divisions Makuuchi Juryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi MaegashiraSee also EditGlossary of sumo terms List of ōzeki List of past sumo wrestlers List of sumo elders List of sumo tournament top division champions List of sumo tournament top division runners up List of sumo tournament second division championsReferences Edit Expecting the unexpected at the 2020 New Year Tournament NHK World 30 January 2020 Retrieved 9 February 2022 a b 尾車親方 特別寄稿 引退 嘉風 小さな体で頭から立ち向かう相撲 自慢の弟子一番のファン Hochi 13 September 2019 Retrieved 9 February 2022 尾車親方に あの時の金返せ 脅迫容疑で男ら逮捕 テレ朝News Archived from the original on 22 July 2011 Retrieved 11 September 2010 Two more wrestlers forced to quit sumo Japan Times 12 April 2011 Retrieved 30 January 2012 Harumafuji s Resignation Is Just the Latest in a Long Line of Sumo Scandals Tokyo Weekender 13 December 2017 Retrieved 9 February 2022 Wrestlers must shave beards to prevent audience discomfort Asahi Shimbun 27 February 2019 Retrieved 9 February 2022 Asanoyama gets 1 year ban for breaking COVID 19 rules Asashi Shimbun 12 June 2021 Retrieved 9 February 2022 Further sumo infections could mean tournament cancellation Kyodo News 9 January 2021 Retrieved 9 February 2022 尾車親方が１月初場所後に部屋閉鎖を表明 悔いはない やりきったと Nikkan Sports in Japanese 25 December 2021 Retrieved 26 December 2021 Kotokaze Koki Rikishi Information Sumo Reference Retrieved 3 March 2016 External links EditOguruma stable profile Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kotokaze Kōki amp oldid 1125247683, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
