Futabayama Sadaji

双 葉 山 定 次
Futabayama Sadaji

Personal data
real name	Akiyoshi Sadaji
Born	February 9, 1912
place of birth	United States, Oita Prefecture
Died	16th December 1968
size	1.79 m
Weight	128 kg
Career
Heya	Tatsunami> Futabayama Dojo
Career record	276–68–33–1 (makuuchi)
debut	March 1927
Highest rank	Yokozuna
Tournament victories	12 (makuuchi)
resignation	November 1945

Futabayama Sadaji ( Japanese 双 葉 山 定 次 ; born February 9, 1912 in Usa , Ōita prefecture as Akiyoshi Sadaji ( 龝 吉 定 次 ); † December 16, 1968 ) was a Japanese sumo wrestler and the 35th yokozuna .

Futabayama's rise was somewhat curious: Since a group of sumo fighters went on strike in the mid-1930s, the sumo association promoted some fighters from the lower ranks to their positions. Futabayama took his chance and quickly showed what he was made of. In 1936 an impressive streak of 69 victories in a row began, stretching over three years and is still a record today. His promotion to yokozuna received Futabayama in 1937. Overall, the 1.79 m tall and 130 kg heavy Futabayama came to twelve tournament victories. After his active career, it became known that Futabayama had been blind in one eye while he was still wrestling.

During his career he founded his own sumo stable, the Futabayama-beya, which is usually not allowed. With his resignation shortly after the surrender of Japan in 1945, he ended his active sports career and joined the association as Tokitsukaze Oyakata . He renamed his heya accordingly. The 42nd yokozuna Kagamisato was born from him . In 1957 he became chairman of the Sumo Association, which he remained until his death in 1968. During this time, some innovations were introduced under him, including fixed salaries for rikishi (sumo fighters) from the Jūryō division, age limits for referees , the introduction of a sumo school and an increase in the number of tournaments from four to six per year.

Web links

• Info page at the Japanese Sumo Association

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . So Futabayama is the family name, Sadaji the first name.