Kotonowaka Masahiro
琴ノ若 傑太
Kotonowaka in January 2022
Personal information
BornKamatani Masakatsu
(1997-11-19) November 19, 1997
Matsudo, Chiba, Japan
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight170 kg (375 lb; 26 st 11 lb)
Career
StableSadogatake
Current ranksee below
DebutNovember, 2015
Highest rankSekiwake (September, 2023)
Championships1 (Jonokuchi)
Special Prizes5 (Fighting Spirit)
* Up to date as of 26 November 2023.

Kotonowaka Masahiro (Japanese: 琴ノ若 傑太, born November 19, 1997 as Masakatsu Kamatani (鎌谷 将且, Kamatani Masakatsu)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Chiba Prefecture. He made his debut in November 2015 and reached the top makuuchi division in March 2020. He wrestles for Sadogatake stable. His highest rank has been sekiwake. He is the son of former sekiwake Kotonowaka Terumasa (who is also his stablemaster) and grandson of 53rd yokozuna Kotozakura Masakatsu.[1]

Early life

Kamatani was born on November 19, 1997, the only child of then top division sumo wrestler Kotonowaka Terumasa. Kotonowaka had married the daughter of his stablemaster, former yokozuna Kotozakura. In November 2005 when Kamatani was in the second year of elementary school his father retired and took over the running of Sadogatake stable. Kamatani was in the Fukuoka International Center to witness his father's final bout, and his father told him to one day inherit the Kotonowaka name.[2] As a student, he decided to enter Saitama Sakae High School (well-known for its sumo club) where he also trained with future professional wrestlers Ōhō and Gōnoyama, both his juniors.[3] In his third year, he won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the World Junior Sumo Championships and decided to enter professional sumo at the age of 17.[4]

Early career

Kamatani made his professional sumo debut in November 2015 under the shikona Kotokamatani Masakatsu (琴鎌谷 将且).[4] He won all three of his maezumo bouts and in the following tournament in January 2016 won the jonokuchi championship with a perfect 7–0 record. He made the makushita division in September 2016, and in May 2019 a 4–3 record at makushita 2 was enough to earn promotion to the sekitori ranks for the first time. He adopted his father's shikona surname of Kotonowaka upon the promotion, with the expectation that he would eventually adopt his grandfather's shikona of Kotozakura if ever promoted to ōzeki.[5]

With four straight kachi-koshi or winning records in the jūryō division, Kotonowaka was promoted to the top makuuchi division in March 2020.[6] They were the ninth father-and-son pairing to both reach the top division.[7] Kotonowaka was ranked at maegashira 18, the first time since 1959 that maegashira had extended to an 18th rank.[7] He secured a winning record on the 14th day of the tournament, having suffered four straight losses, and finished on 9–6.[8] The next tournament to take place in July 2020 saw him pull out with a knee injury on Day 8, which he sustained the previous day in a loss to Kaisei.[9] He re-entered on Day 14 but was unable to add any more wins, finishing on 4–6–5 which saw him demoted back to jūryō. He earned immediate promotion back to makuuchi for the November 2020 tournament with a 9–6 record (although he lost his last four matches).

Makuuchi

Up-and-comer

Upon his return to makuuchi Kotonowaka only managed a 7–8 record (this time losing his last three matches) although it was enough to keep him in the top division as he fell just one place from maegashira 14 to 15. He performed better in the January 2021 tournament, scoring 10–5. He narrowly failed to get a majority of wins in the March and May 2021 tournaments, scoring 6–9 and 7–8 respectively.

In the July 2021 tournament Kotonowaka had his best career performance to date. He scored 12–3 and was awarded his first special prize, for Fighting Spirit.[10] He moved up to maegashira 3 for the September tournament. On the eighth day of the September tournament he defeated ōzeki Shōdai.[11] However, he had to withdraw from the tournament with a left knee injury on Day 10.[12]

Kotonowaka tegata (handprint and signature)

In January 2022 Kotonowaka won eleven matches from maegashira 14, and was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize for the second time.[13] In March Kotonowaka was in contention for the championship on the final day for the second straight tournament, but lost to Hōshōryū when victory would have given him a chance of a playoff with the other two contenders, Wakatakakage and Takayasu.[14] He finished in third place with 11–4, but did receive his third Fighting Spirit prize.[14] In the May 2022 tournament he reached maegashira 2.[15]

San'yaku promotion

After a 9-6 winning record at his highest rank of maegashira 1, Kotonowaka was promoted to komusubi for the January 2023 tournament. At the January tournament he secured an 8–7 record on the final day with a win over Hokutofuji. Kotonowaka lost his first four bouts of the tournament, but rallied to get a winning record which included a win over eventual championship winner ozeki Takakeishō.[16] He retained his komusubi rankings for the March tournament.[17]

In the March tournament Kotonwaka secured a 9–6 record, which included a win over eventual championship winner sekiwake Kiribayama.[18] During the July tournament of the same year, Kotonowaka scored several significant victories, including against former ōzeki Mitakeumi and Shōdai,[19][20] as well as ōzeki promotion seekers, Daieishō.[21] On Day 7, he even defeated one of the tournament leaders, maegashira Nishikigi, ending his streak of 14 straight wins.[22] On the tenth day, Kotonowaka inflicted defeat on another ōzeki title contender, sekiwake Hōshōryū. This victory was particularly significant for Kotonowaka, who had only beaten Hōshōryū once in eleven matches since the two joined the makuuchi division.[23] In a letter to the editor published in Sankei Sports, former ōzeki Musōyama commented with satisfaction on Kotonowaka's wrestling style, deeming it worthy of the rank of ōzeki.[24] For his performances during the tournament, Kotonowaka was promised a fourth sanshō award for Fighting Spirit, which was nonetheless conditional on an eleventh victory. On the final day of the tournament, Kotonowaka won his match against Ryūden and was awarded the prize.[25] Since he achieved double figures in a san'yaku rank, and was the first in this category to reach 10 wins during the July tournament, Kotonowaka commented on his satisfaction at having seriously strengthened his case for promotion to the rank of sekiwake, the highest rank held by his father and master (former sekiwake Kotonowaka Terumasa) after having stagnated at the rank of komusubi for 4 consecutive tournaments. He also commented on his ambition to be promoted to ōzeki, in order to revive and inherit the shikona, or ring name, of his maternal grandfather, former yokozuna Kotozakura, to whom he had made this promise.[26]

Kotonowaka's promotion to sekiwake was made official with the release of the September tournament rankings on 28 August 2023. He became Sadogatake stable's first sekiwake since Kotoyūki was promoted in May 2016.[27] Upon his promotion, Kotonowaka said he was honored to be at the same ranking as his father, while his father and stablemaster said that the rank was not the end, adding his hopes that someday his son would be on par with Kotozakura.[28] Since Kotonowaka has obtained a solid base to start a run towards the rank of ōzeki, it was announced before the September tournament that his matches would be sponsored by the management and entertainment company LDH.[29][30]

In the November 2023 tournament Kotonowaka defeated Meisei on Day 3 using the rare kimarite of ōsakate (backward twisting overarm throw), a technique that had not been used in the makuuchi division for 13 years.[31] He was the co-leader in the championship race after Day 11 with two losses before suffering consecutive defeats to Kirishima and Ryūden. He finished the tournament with a record of 11–4 after defeating Atamifuji and was awarded his fifth Kantō-shō (Fighting Spirit) special prize.[32] Kotonowaka finished 2023 with winning records at the san'yaku ranks in all six of his tournaments. His father Sadogatake, speaking as the head of the Sumo Association's refereeing department, said that ōzeki promotion is at stake for Kotonowaka at the tournament in January 2024.[33]

Fighting style

Kotonowaka prefers a migi-yotsu grip on his opponent's mawashi which is an left hand outside, right hand inside position. He also lists oshi (pushing) asa a favourite style in his Japan Sumo Association profile. Apart from yori-kiri and oshi-dashi (force out and push out), his most common winning kimarite include uwatenage (overarm throw), tsukiotoshi (thrust over) and uwatedashinage (pulling overam throw).[34]

Career record

Kotonowaka Masahiro[35]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2015 x x x x x (Maezumo)
2016 East Jonokuchi #20
7–0
Champion
 		 East Jonidan #10
6–1
 		 East Sandanme #49
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #24
5–2
 		 West Makushita #59
5–2
 		 East Makushita #43
3–4
 
2017 East Makushita #50
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #3
5–2
 		 East Makushita #46
4–3
 		 West Makushita #36
2–5
 		 West Makushita #53
4–3
 		 East Makushita #45
5–2
 
2018 West Makushita #27
3–4
 		 West Makushita #36
4–3
 		 East Makushita #28
4–3
 		 East Makushita #19
4–3
 		 East Makushita #15
4–3
 		 East Makushita #9
3–4
 
2019 East Makushita #14
5–2
 		 West Makushita #5
5–2
 		 East Makushita #2
4–3
 		 West Jūryō #14
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #11
9–6
 		 West Jūryō #7
10–5
 
2020 East Jūryō #2
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #18
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #13
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 West Maegashira #13
4–6–5
 		 West Jūryō #2
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #14
7–8
 
2021 West Maegashira #15
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #8
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #11
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #11
12–3
F		 West Maegashira #3
3–7–5
 		 East Maegashira #11
6–9
 
2022 East Maegashira #14
11–4
F		 West Maegashira #6
11–4
F		 West Maegashira #2
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #2
7–4–4[36]
 		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #1
9–6
 
2023 West Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
9–6
 		 East Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 East Komusubi #1
11–4
F		 East Sekiwake #2
9–6
 		 East Sekiwake #2
11–4
F
2024 East Sekiwake #1
–
 		 x x x x x
Record 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 — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References

  1. ↑ "A tale of two sumo comebacks". NHK World. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "鎌谷将且、２人の「おやじ」に背中押され角界へ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 30 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "小結・琴ノ若、埼玉栄高の後輩３人らとの申し合いに感慨「あの頃を思い出しますね」…先輩の意地で１３勝４敗". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Japanese teen gets good start on living up to sumo legacy". Asian News Network. 11 November 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "琴鎌谷改め琴ノ若、次の目標は大関で「琴桜」襲名" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Health risks in spotlight as Spring Basho nears start". Japan Times. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 "琴ノ若22歳 史上9組目の父子幕内誕生！デビューから4年"幕尻"前頭18枚目から土俵沸かす". Sponichi (in Japanese). 25 February 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Asanoyama strong favorite to become sumo's next hot star". Japan Times. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Hakuho and Asanoyama remain flawless in two-way tie at July meet". Japan Times. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Grand Champion Debutante Terunofuji Faces Challenges in Autumn Meet". Japan Forward. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Sumo: Terunofuji survives Tamawashi scare for 8th straight win". Koyodo News. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Sumo: Terunofuji overcomes tricky Ura to maintain sole lead on Day 10". Kyodo News. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Pinoy-Japanese sumo wrestler bags New Year Grand Sumo Tournament". Kyodo News. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Wakatakakage beats Takayasu in playoff to claim maiden title". Kyodo News. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "Sumo: Wakatakakage, Mitakeumi renew their battle on the east". Kyodo News. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  16. ↑ Chifuri, Hiromitsu (2023-02-20). "2023 New Year Basho Results". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  17. ↑ Chifuri, Hiromitsu (2023-02-27). "Sumo Rankings". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  18. ↑ "Sumo Haru Basho: Final day results, full bout replays and analysis". Bloody Elbow. 2023-03-11. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  19. ↑ "御嶽海、琴ノ若に敗れ３連敗　大相撲名古屋場所３日目". Chunichi Shimbun. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "大相撲名古屋場所５日目 山形ゆかりの力士の取組結果". NHK. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "大関とり挑む関脇大栄翔、琴ノ若に敗れて２敗目". Nikkan Sports. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  22. ↑ "琴ノ若　錦木を寄り切って全勝消滅　「一番いい選択肢で一番いい相撲が取れた」". Sports Nippon. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "琴ノ若、過去１勝10敗の豊昇龍を撃破「内容が悪くて負けていたわけじゃないし」苦手意識はなし". Nikkan Sports. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "【藤島親方のこの一番】琴ノ若の意地をみた…いずれ大関とりに割って入るのでは". Sankei Sports. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "名古屋場所の三賞は錦木が殊勲賞、敢闘賞は北勝富士と伯桜鵬、技能賞は伯桜鵬　千秋楽勝利の場合は豊昇龍らも敢闘賞" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "琴ノ若が大関昇進に意欲　２場所連続新大関誕生に刺激　大関昇進なら祖父の元横綱「琴桜」襲名へ" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "琴ノ若が師匠の父に並ぶ新関脇　祖父から３代関脇も　大相撲秋場所番付発表" (in Japanese). Daily Sports. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "新関脇に昇進した琴ノ若が会見「素直にうれしい。師匠と同じ番付となり光栄」と喜び" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  29. ↑ "LDH　関脇・琴ノ若らの取組に懸賞提供　10日初日大相撲秋場所" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  30. ↑ "琴ノ若が白星発進「有名すぎて」EXILEら所属LDH　JAPANからの懸賞を手に恐縮" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  31. ↑ "琴ノ若が自身初の珍手「大逆手」で３連勝　土俵際で弓なりになるも明生を裏返し大逆転" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  32. ↑ "Sumo: Kirishima beats Takakeisho, claims 2nd title with 2-win margin". Kyodo News. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  33. ↑ "琴ノ若、来場所は大関とり＝大相撲" (in Japanese). Jiji Press. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  34. ↑ "Wins of Kotonowaka". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  35. ↑ "Kotonowaka Masahiro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  36. ↑ Withdrew on Day 11 due to COVID protocols
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