Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

Sadanoyama Shinmatsu (Japanese: 佐田の山 晋松, born Shinmatsu Sasada (佐々田 晋松), February 18, 1938 – April 27, 2017) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Sadanoyama.
Sadanoyama Shinmatsu
Sadanoyama celebrates his first tournament victory in May 1961
Personal information
BornShinmatsu Sasada
(1938-02-18)February 18, 1938
Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
DiedApril 27, 2017(2017-04-27) (aged 79)
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight129 kg (284 lb)
Career
StableDewanoumi
Record591-251-61
DebutJanuary, 1956
Highest rankYokozuna (January, 1965)
RetiredMarch, 1968
Elder nameSakaigawa
Championships6 (Makuuchi)
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (1)
Outstanding Performance (1)
Technique (1)
Gold Stars2 (Wakanohana I, Azumafuji)
* Up to date as of June 2020.

Career

Born in Arikawa, Minamimatsuura District, he made his professional debut in January 1956, and reached sekitori status four years later upon promotion to the jūryō division in March 1960. He made his top makuuchi division debut in January 1961. Sadanoyama won his first tournament title in only his third tournament in the top division, from the rank of maegashira 13. The achievement of winning a tournament from the maegashira ranks is sometimes seen as a jinx on subsequent success in sumo,[1] but Sadanoyama disproved that theory by going on to reach ōzeki in March 1962 after winning his second title, and then yokozuna in January 1965 after capturing his third championship.

Sadanoyama's handprint on a Ryōgoku monument

He made a cameo appearance in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice, as himself.[2] Although more attention was focused on yokozuna Taihō and Kashiwado, with their rivalry referred to as the Hakuho era after a combination of their shikona,[3] Sadanoyama in fact ended up winning more tournament championships than Kashiwado.[1]

Sadanoyama announced his retirement suddenly in March 1968, despite having won the previous two tournaments, two days after a surprise loss to a new maegashira, the Hawaiian born Takamiyama.[1] It has been suggested that the shock of losing to a foreigner may have prompted a premature retirement.[1]

Retirement from sumo

Sadanoyama remained in the sumo world after his retirement, as an elder. Having married the daughter of the previous stable boss, former maegashira Dewanohana Kuniichi, he became head coach of the Dewanoumi stable. One of the most powerful heya in sumo, he produced a string of top division wrestlers, including Mienoumi, Dewanohana Yoshitaka, Washūyama, Ōnishiki, Ryōgoku, Oginishiki and Mainoumi. In February 1992 he became head of the Japan Sumo Association. He was chosen ahead of his contemporaries Taihō and Kashiwado partly because he was in better health than either of them.[1] He changed his toshiyori name to Sakaigawa in 1996, handing over the Dewanoumi name and the day-to-day running of his stable to the former Washūyama. He did not run for re-election in 1998, after it became clear he lacked enough support, and was replaced by former ōzeki Yutakayama from the rival Tokitsukaze faction. He subsequently became head of the judging department, an unusual move for a former head of the Sumo Association.[4] He stood down as an elder in 2003 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five.[4]

Death

He died in a Tokyo hospital of pneumonia on April 27, 2017 at the age of 79.[4]

Fighting style

Sadanoyama was known for employing pushing and thrusting techniques such as tsuppari (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest) and regularly won by such kimarite as oshi dashi (push out) and tsuki dashi (thrust out). However he was also good on the mawashi where he preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip, and often won by yori kiri (force out) and uwatenage (overarm throw).

Career record
  • The Kyushu tournament was first held in 1957, and the Nagoya tournament in 1958.
Sadanoyama Shinmatsu[5]
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
1956 (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #10
5–3
 		 East Jonidan #88
6–2
 		 Not held West Jonidan #34
7–1
 		 Not held
1957 East Sandanme #85
4–4
 		 East Sandanme #82
4–4
 		 East Sandanme #72
5–3
 		 Not held West Sandanme #42
7–1
 		 East Sandanme #13
5–3
 
1958 West Sandanme #3
5–3
 		 West Makushita #72
5–3
 		 East Makushita #66
5–3
 		 East Makushita #56
6–2
 		 East Makushita #43
5–3
 		 West Makushita #32
4–4
 
1959 West Makushita #31
5–3
 		 East Makushita #28
5–3
 		 West Makushita #23
6–2
 		 West Makushita #10
5–3
 		 East Makushita #9
4–4
 		 West Makushita #6
5–3
 
1960 West Makushita #4
6–2
 		 East Jūryō #16
11–4
 		 West Jūryō #9
10–5
 		 West Jūryō #3
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #4
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #2
11–4
 
1961 East Maegashira #12
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #4
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Maegashira #13
12–3
F		 East Maegashira #2
11–4
O★★		 East Sekiwake #2
8–7
 		 East Sekiwake #2
8–7
 
1962 West Sekiwake #1
9–6
 		 East Sekiwake #2
13–2–P
T		 West Ōzeki #1
13–2
 		 East Ōzeki #1
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki #2
13–2–P
 		 East Ōzeki #1
11–4
 
1963 East Ōzeki #1
12–3
 		 East Ōzeki #1
0–5–10
 		 East Ōzeki #3
11–4
 		 West Ōzeki #1
13–2–P
 		 East Ōzeki #1
10–5
 		 East Ōzeki #2
8–7
 
1964 East Ōzeki #2
9–3–3
 		 East Ōzeki #1
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki #2
11–4
 		 West Ōzeki #1
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki #2
13–2
 		 East Ōzeki #1
13–2
 
1965 East Ōzeki #1
13–2
 		 West Yokozuna #1
12–3
 		 West Yokozuna #1
14–1
 		 East Yokozuna #1
12–3
 		 West Yokozuna #1
12–3–P
 		 East Yokozuna #1
11–4
 
1966 West Yokozuna #1
5–6–4
 		 West Yokozuna #1
5–5–5
 		 West Yokozuna #2
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Yokozuna #2
11–4
 		 East Yokozuna #2
12–3
 		 East Yokozuna #2
10–5
 
1967 East Yokozuna #2
14–1
 		 West Yokozuna #1
9–6
 		 East Yokozuna #2
12–3
 		 East Yokozuna #2
10–5
 		 West Yokozuna #1
12–3
 		 West Yokozuna #1
12–3
 
1968 East Yokozuna #1
13–2
 		 East Yokozuna #1
Retired
2–4
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(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

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

See also

References
  1. Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. pp. 51, 52, 96, 154. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. "You Only Live Twice". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  3. "Haku" is an alternative reading of the "Kashi" kanji.
  4. "Former yokozuna Sadanoyama dies at 79". Japan Times. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  5. "Sadanoyama Shinmatsu Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
Preceded by
Tochinoumi Teruyoshi		 50th Yokozuna
1965–1968		 Succeeded by
Tamanoumi Masahiro
Yokozuna is not a successive rank, and more than one wrestler can hold the title at once
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Wakanohana Kanji I		 Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association
1992–1998		 Succeeded by
Yutakayama Katsuo
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