Kitanofuji Katsuaki

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In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Kitanofuji.
Kitanofuji Katsuaki
北の富士 勝昭
Personal information
BornTakezawa Katsuaki
(1942-03-28) March 28, 1942 (age 82)
Hokkaidō, Japan
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight135 kg (298 lb)
Career
StableDewanoumi → Kokonoe
Record784–426–69
DebutJanuary, 1957
Highest rankYokozuna (January, 1970)
RetiredJuly, 1974
Elder nameIzutsu → Kokonoe → Jinmaku
Championships10 (Makuuchi)
1 (Jūryō)
Special PrizesOutstanding Performance (2)
Fighting Spirit (1)
Technique (3)
Gold Stars1 (Taihō)
* Up to date as of June 2020.

Kitanofuji Katsuaki (

Hokkaidō. He made his professional debut in 1957, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1964. He was the sport's 52nd yokozuna, a rank he attained in 1970. He won ten tournament championships and was known for his rivalry with Tamanoumi. He retired in 1974 and was the head coach of Kokonoe stable from 1977 to 1992. He left the Japan Sumo Association
in 1998 but is still prominent in the sumo world as a commentator as of 2021.

Career

Kitanofuji began his professional career in January 1957 at the age of just 14, joining

sekiwake. He reached ōzeki rank in July 1966. Although he had won only 28 bouts in the previous three tournaments (at least 33 are normally needed), Yutakayama
was the only ōzeki at the time, and he was promoted largely because of his potential.

In January 1967 he followed the coach who had scouted him, former yokozuna

Tamanoumi.[2]
His first title as a yokozuna came in May 1970. After a run of relatively mediocre 11–4 marks he won in May 1971 with a perfect record and he took two other championships that year.

However, Tamanoumi's sudden death in October 1971 shook Kitanofuji badly and affected his performance in the ring. Now the sole yokozuna in sumo, he went into a slump. After poor performances in the first two tournaments of 1972, he pulled out of the May 1972 tourney because of

Kotozakura
.

After several more absences Kitanofuji announced his retirement at the age of 32 three days into the July 1974 tournament, acknowledging that there was now a new era being led by

Futabayama
's 12 and Taiho's 32.

Retirement from sumo

Kitanofuji's handprint displayed on a monument in Ryōgoku, Tokyo

Kitanofuji remained in the Japan Sumo Association after his retirement, initially under the name of Izutsu. Shortly after retiring he branched out and set up his own Izutsu stable. In 1977, however, he became head of the

ichimon or group of stables, he decided to leave the organisation several years before the mandatory retirement age.[4] However, he still often appears on television as a sumo analyst for NHK.[3] In 2002, he performed his kanreki dohyō-iri or '60th year ring entrance ceremony' to commemorate his years as yokozuna. In January 2017 he took a break from sumo commentary in order to recuperate from heart surgery.[5] In 2023, Kitanofuji continued to work as a commentator, at the age of 80, remaining in the public eye despite being outside of the Sumo Association for many years.[6] However, he took a leave of absence from his commentary duties in March for health reasons. In September, his former student Hakkaku (former yokozuna Hokutoumi) reported at his own kanreki dohyō-iri that Kitanofuji had been hospitalized on September 2.[7]

Fighting style

Kitanofuji's favoured grip were hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi), and his favoured techniques were yori. His most common kimarite (winning techniques) were yorikiri (force out), sotogake (outer leg trip), uwatenage (overarm throw), and hatakikomi (slap down).

Career record

  • The Nagoya tournament was first held in 1958.
Kitanofuji Katsuaki[8]
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
1957 (Maezumo) Shinjo
2–1
 		 East Jonidan #131
3–5
 		 Not held East Jonidan #123
4–4
 		 West Jonidan #104
4–4
 
1958 East Jonidan #91
6–2
 		 West Jonidan #58
1–7
 		 West Jonidan #76
6–2
 		 East Jonidan #39
3–5
 		 West Jonidan #46
2–6
 		 West Jonidan #61
5–3
 
1959 East Jonidan #48
6–2
 		 East Jonidan #16
6–2
 		 East Sandanme #93
6–2
 		 East Sandanme #65
2–6
 		 West Sandanme #78
3–5
 		 West Sandanme #83
3–5
 
1960 West Sandanme #94
7–1–P
 		 West Sandanme #51
4–4
 		 West Sandanme #48
4–4
 		 East Sandanme #47
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #67
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Sandanme #102
6–1
 
1961 East Sandanme #62
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #27
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #14
5–2
 		 West Makushita #81
6–1
 		 West Makushita #54
2–5
 		 East Makushita #70
5–2
 
1962 West Makushita #45
5–2
 		 West Makushita #32
4–3
 		 West Makushita #29
6–1
 		 East Makushita #11
3–4
 		 West Makushita #12
3–4
 		 West Makushita #15
6–1
 
1963 West Makushita #4
6–1
 		 West Jūryō #18
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #11
10–5
 		 East Jūryō #6
4–11
 		 East Jūryō #17
11–4
 		 West Jūryō #5
15–0
Champion
 
1964 East Maegashira #10
13–2
F		 East Komusubi #1
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #5
9–6
T		 West Sekiwake #1
9–6
 		 East Sekiwake #1
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #1
10–5
T
1965 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #3
8–7
★		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 East Komusubi #1
10–5
 		 East Sekiwake #1
9–6
 
1966 East Sekiwake #1
10–5
O		 East Sekiwake #1
8–7
O		 East Sekiwake #1
10–5
T		 East Sekiwake #1
10–5
 		 West Ōzeki #1
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #1
10–5
 
1967 East Ōzeki #1
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #1
14–1
 		 East Ōzeki #1
5–10
 		 West Ōzeki #1
7–8
 		 West Ōzeki #2
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #1
8–7
 
1968 East Ōzeki #2
10–5
 		 West Ōzeki #1
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki #2
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #2
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #2
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki #1
11–4
 
1969 West Ōzeki #1
11–4
 		 West Ōzeki #1
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki #2
9–6
 		 West Ōzeki #1
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki #2
12–3
 		 West Ōzeki #1
13–2
 
1970 East Ōzeki #1
13–2–P
 		 East Yokozuna #1
13–2
 		 West Yokozuna #1
14–1
 		 East Yokozuna #1
13–2–P
 		 East Yokozuna #1
11–4
 		 East Yokozuna #2
11–4
 
1971 East Yokozuna #2
11–4
 		 East Yokozuna #2
11–4
 		 East Yokozuna #2
15–0
 		 East Yokozuna #1
8–7
 		 West Yokozuna #1
15–0
 		 East Yokozuna #1
13–2
 
1972 East Yokozuna #1
7–7–1
 		 East Yokozuna #1
9–6
 		 East Yokozuna #1
3–6–6
 		 East Yokozuna #1
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 East Yokozuna #1
15–0
 		 East Yokozuna #1
10–5
 
1973 East Yokozuna #1
10–5
 		 West Yokozuna #1
14–1
 		 East Yokozuna #1
9–6
 		 East Yokozuna #2
14–1–P
 		 West Yokozuna #1
8–3–4
 		 East Yokozuna #1
10–5
 
1974 East Yokozuna #2
3–6–6
 		 East Yokozuna #2
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 East Yokozuna #2
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 East Yokozuna #2
Retired
0–3		 x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Playoff
(s)
Divisions:
Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: 
Maegashira

See also

References

  1. ^ Buckton, Mark (2006-03-28). "Haru Happenings – Something for everyone". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  2. ^ Newton, Clyde (2002-03-10). "Two Ozeki aiming to boost promotion hopes in Osaka". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  3. ^ a b Buckton, Mark (2007-08-14). "Close the door on the way out Asashoryu". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  4. ^ Gunning, John (12 September 2019). "Sumo 101: Kitanofuji". Japan Times. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Former yokozuna Kitanofuji resting following heart surgery". Japan Times. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  6. ^ Gunning, John (1 February 2023). "Hakuho positions himself to dominate sumo once again". Japan Times. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  7. ^ "元横綱北の富士さんの解説は「今場所も休場です」とNHK　春場所から４場所連続" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Kitanofuji Katsuaki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-07-27.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kitanofuji Katsuaki.


Preceded by 52nd Yokozuna
1970–1974 		Succeeded by
Yokozuna
 is not a successive rank, and more than one wrestler can hold the title at once
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