Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (千代の富士貢, June 1, 1955-) is a former champion sumo wrestler, the 58th Yokozuna of the sport. He was born in Hokkaidō, Japan. June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sumo ) is a competition contact sport where two wrestlers or rikishi face off in a circular area. ... Yokozuna Asashoryu (center) performing the ring-entering ceremony while flanked by a sword bearer on the left and dew sweeper on the right. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ...

Chiyonofuji was one of the greatest yokozuna of recent times, winning 31 tournament championships, second only to Taihō. He was particularly remarkable for his longevity in sumo's top rank. He won more tournaments in his thirties than any other wrestler and retired in his late thirties, in contrast to most recent yokozuna who have tended to retire around 30. He is the only professional sumo wrestler to have scored more than 1000 wins over his professional career, with over 800 of them coming in Makuuchi, sumo's top division. Statue of Yokozuna Taiho Taihō Koki (大鵬幸喜, born May 29, 1940 as Naya Koki). ... The Makuuchi, or Makunouchi, is the top division in professional Sumo wrestling in Japan. ...

In a sport where weight is often regarded as vital, Chiyonofuji was quite light at around 120 kg. He relied on a superior technique and muscle to defeat opponents. His nickname was "The Wolf" due to the piercing stare he gave his opponents in the pre-bout rituals. This nickname also seems to capture his character in his day to day life- many have spoken of him as a man most comfortable in times of solitude.

His name (千代の富士貢), was given to him by his stable master and is an ode to his determination. As a young wrestler, Chiyonofuji was plagued by shoulder injuries. He was remarkable in his willingness to go the extra mile and train relentlessly beyond the level of his peers. Literally translated, 千代富士 means in English '10,000 generations of Fuji'. '10,000 generations' is an idiom for 'forever', and Fuji (Mount Fuji) is a national symbol sometimes associated with heriosm. Hence, his master asked him to take the moniker as a challenge and a request- Chiyonofuji may be translated as 'Please, always be our hero'.

Chiyonofuji began his career in 1970 at the age of 15. He reached the second highest (Juryo) division in November 1974 and was promoted to Makucchi in September 1975. However he lasted only one tournament before being demoted again and subsequent injuries led to him falling all the way back to the unsalaried ranks. He finally won promotion back to the top division in January 1978. He won the Kantosho, or fighting spirit prize in the May 1978 tournament and was promoted to sumo's fourth highest rank of komusubi. Another injury in 1979 led to him briefly falling back to Juryo but he had fully recovered by 1980 and won the prestigious Ginosho, or technique award, in three successive tournaments. In January 1981 he captured his first yusho (tournament championship), defeating Yokosuna Kitanoumi, who had dominated sumo since the mid 1970s, in a play off. This earned him promotion to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki. His second title in July of that year saw him promoted to Yokozuna. Juryo (十両) is the second highest division in professional sumo wrestling in Japan. ... Komusubi (小結) literally means the little knot, the knot referring to the match up between two wrestlers. ... Kitanoumi Toshimitsu (北の湖敏満 May 16, 1953 - , as Kobata Toshimitsu , Japanese:小畑 敏満) was the dominant Yokozuna in Sumo during the 1970s. ...

Kitanoumi went into a long slump and Chiyonofuji dominated Sumo in 1982, winning four of the six tournaments. He didn't have everything his own way over the next two years however, as the emergence of Yokozuna Takanosato and his own injuries restricted him to just three yusho. But Kitanoumi retired in January 1985, with the ageing Takanosato following a year later, and Chiyonofuji resumed his dominance. Despite being older, and lighter, than nearly all his opponents, his strength, skill and phenomenal will to win meant he was almost unbeatable. In 1988 he went on a winning streak of 53 bouts, a post war record, in 1989 he surpassed Oshio's record of 964 career wins and by 1990 he was closing in on Taiho's record of 32 yusho.

However, Chiyonofuji was undoubtably slowing down, and his victory in the Kyushu tournament of November 1990 proved to be his last (he won this particular basho eight years in a row from 1981-1988, another record). In the opening tournament of 1991 he surpassed Kitanoumi's record of 804 top division wins but injured himself on the second day and had to withdraw. He returned in May but after losing to the 18 year old rising star Takahanada (later Yokozuna Takanohana) it was clear the game was up. He retired two days later at the age of 36. Kyushu region, Japan Kyushu (九州 kyÅ«shÅ«) is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. ... Basho can refer to one of the following: Basho, a contest in sumo wrestling, especially one of the honbasho. ... Takanohana III Koji (貴乃花 光司, born August 12, 1972 as Hanada Koji) is the younger son of Futagoyama oyakata, formerly Ozeki Takanohana II. He entered sumo in March 1988, at the same time as his elder brother Wakanohana Masaru, and also Akebono Taro. ...

After his retirement, he assumed the position of head (oyakata) of the Kokonoe-beya, which is a heya ("stable") of wrestlers. His name is now Kokonoe-oyakata. Under his direction, the Kokonoe-beya has produced some fine wrestlers, including Chiyotaikai, who has been ranked as ozeki for 47 tournaments, second on the all time list, and former komusubi Chiyotenzan. Chiyotaikai Ryuji (千代大海 龍二), born Hiroshima Ryuji (April 29, 1976) is a japanese sumo wrestler. ...

External links

• Chiyonofuji