Takasago stable
Takasago stable (髙砂部屋 or 高砂部屋, Takasago-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋".
History
The stable was established by former maegashira Takasago Uragorō as Takasago Kaisei-Gumi (高砂改正組) in 1873 and joined the Tokyo Sumo Association in 1878. Takasago stable has produced many successful wrestlers, including six yokozuna and the first non-Japanese ōzeki, American Konishiki, as well as the 33rd Kimura Shōnosuke, the tate-gyōji or chief referee.
In February 2002, the stable merged with Wakamatsu stable, with Wakamatsu's coach, former ōzeki Asashio, taking over.[1] Future yokozuna Asashōryū was among the wrestlers transferring over. The demotion of Asasekiryū to the makushita division for the January 2017 tournament saw the stable without any sekitori for the first time since 1878.[2] However, at the end of that tournament Asanoyama earned promotion to the jūryō division, ensuring sekitori representation once again from March. As of January 2021, it had 22 wrestlers. The former Asasekiryū took over from the former Asashio as head coach of the stable in November 2020.
People
Ring name conventions
Most wrestlers since the mid 1990s and all since 2003 at this stable have quickly taken ring names or shikona that begin with the character 朝 (read: asa), meaning morning, in deference to their head coach, the former Asashio, as well as many of his predecessors who had the same shikona in their active years. For example, the wrestler formerly known as Tamaki changed his shikona to Asagyokusei when he was promoted to jūryō in July 2019.
Owners
- 2020-present: 8th Takasago (former sekiwake Asasekiryu)
- 2002-2020: 7th Takasago (former ōzeki Asashio Tarō IV)
- 1988-2002: 6th Takasago (former komusubi Fujinishiki Takemitsu)
- 1971-1988: 5th Takasago (the 46th yokozuna Asashio Tarō III)
- 1942-1971: 4th Takasago (the 39th yokozuna Maedayama Eigorō)
- 1915-1941: 3rd Takasago (former ōzeki Asashio Tarō II)
- 1900-1914: 2nd Takasago (former sekiwake Takamiyama)
- 1871-1900: 1st Takasago (former maegashira Takasago)
Notable active wrestlers
- Asanoyama (best rank ozeki)
- Asabenkei (best rank jūryō)
- Asagyokusei (best rank jūryō)
Coaches
- Wakamatsu Takehito (iin, former maegashira Asanowaka)
- Nishikijima Taro (shunin, former ōzeki Asashio Taro IV)
Assistant
- Fusanobori (sewanin, former makushita, real name Kōichi Fukumoto)
- Iyozakura (wakaimonogashira, former jūryō, real name Masayuki Ichiki)
Notable former members
- Nishinoumi Kajirō I (the 16th yokozuna)
- Konishiki Yasokichi I (the 17th yokozuna)
- Maedayama Eigorō (the 39th yokozuna)
- Azumafuji Kin'ichi (the 40th yokozuna)
- Asashio Tarō III (the 46th yokozuna)
- Asashōryū Akinori (the 68th yokozuna)
- Maenoyama Tarō (former ozeki)
- Asashio Tarō II (former ōzeki)
- Asashio Tarō IV (former ōzeki)
- Konishiki Yasokichi (former ōzeki)
- Tachihikari Denemon (former ōzeki)
- Takamiyama Daigorō (former sekiwake)
- Asasekiryū (former sekiwake)
- Mitoizumi (former sekiwake)
- Fujizakura (former sekiwake)
- 33rd Kimura Shōnosuke (given name Yōichi Nozawa - former chief referee)
Referees
- Kimura Asanosuke (jūryō gyōji, real name Katsuya Ishida)
- Kimura Satoshi (makushita gyōji, real name Satoshi Maeda)
Ushers
- Rikinojō (jūryō yobidashi, real name Riki Tsuchida)
- Kunio (jūryō yobidashi, real name Kunio Maekawa)
Hairdressers
- Tokoyumi (1st class tokoyama)
Location and access
Tokyo, Sumida ward, Honjo 3-5-4
10 minute walk from Honjo-azumabashi Station on the Toei Asakusa Line
References
- Newton, Clyde (2002-03-10). "Two Ozeki aiming to boost promotion hopes in Osaka". Japan Times. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
- "Banzuke Topics - Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page". Japan Sumo Association. January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.