Wakanohana Kanji II.
| Personal data | |
|---|---|
| real name | Shimoyama Katsunori |
| Born | April 3, 1953 |
| place of birth | Owani |
| size | 1.86 m |
| Weight | 130 kg |
| Career | |
| Heya | Futagoyama |
| Career record | 512–234–70 (makuuchi) |
| debut | July 1968 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna |
| Tournament victories | 4th |
| resignation | January 1983 |
Wakanohana Kanji (II.) , Japanese 若 乃 花 幹 士 (2 代) , proper Shimoyama Katsunori , Japanese 勝 則 下山 , (born April 3, 1953 in Owani , Aomori Prefecture ) is a former Japanese sumo wrestler . He was the 56th yokozuna .
Wakanohana, who is not related to the other two well-known wrestlers of this name , began his sporting career in July 1968 as a trainee of the Futagano-beya wrestling team, using the fighting name ( Shikona ) "Wakamisugi Kanji", which he used until after his promotion to maintained the Makuuchi Division in November 1973. At 1.86 m tall, Wakanohana was not small, but at under 130 kg he was one of the less heavy sumo wrestlers. His strengths lay in speed and technique.
In July 1974 he called himself "Wakamisugi Toshihito". He only accepted his final Shikona after his doctorate as a yokozuna, he took it over from his stable master Futagoyama Oyakata , the former 45th yokozuna, with whose daughter he was temporarily married and whose designated successor he was then.
In January 1975 Wakanohana reached the top ranks of the league for the first time, and in March 1977 he was promoted to the master's rank Ōzeki . He then won the Natsu basho following in May with 13-2. Although in the following years he finished several tournaments with the same or even a better result, he could not record a tournament win ( yusho ) for the time being , because Yokozuna Kitanoumi always ranked a little better. Nevertheless, Wakanohana was named yokozuna after a result of 40 wins in three tournaments without another tournament win.
In November of that year he achieved his second tournament victory without suffering a defeat. However, he remained in the shadow of Kitanoumi and was only able to fight for a yusho in 1979 and 1980, which does not meet the expectations of a yokozuna. When Chiyonofuji followed in Kitanoumi's footsteps in 1981/1982 and Wakanohana was no longer successful, he resigned in January 1983 at the age of 29 and a makuuchi record of 512 victories, 234 defeats and 70 uncontested fights (total career 656-323 -85).
After his career as a wrestler, Wakanohana founded the Magaki-beya wrestling team.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wakanohana, Kanji |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Shimoyama Katsunori; Wakamisugi Kanji; Wakamisugi Toshihito; Magaki Oyakata |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Japanese sumo wrestler and 56th yokozuna |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 3, 1953 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Owani , Aomori Prefecture |