Kotokasuga Keigo

Kotokasuga Keigo - 琴春日 桂吾 (born August 25, 1977) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kasuga, Fukuoka. He made his debut in March 1993 and wrestled for Sadogatake stable. He reached the makuuchi division in May 2008. His highest rank was maegashira 7 and he retired in May 2011.

## **Early Life**

Yamada played softball at Kasuga Shiritsu Sugu Elementary School and excelled at baseball in Kasuga Junior High School. Upon graduation from junior high school, he joined Sadogatake stable in March 1993 and was given the shikona "Kotonoyama" (琴ノ山).

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

His rise through the lower ranks was very gradual. After two years in jonidan he was promoted to sandanme in September 1995. He was promoted to makushita in March 1997. However, he could not establish himself in the division and spent the next five years bouncing between the makushita and sandanme division. He changed his shikona from to "Kotokasuga" (琴春日) in May 1999. In March 2002, he was able to establish himself in makushita and in November 2003 he was promoted to makushita 8. In May 2004 he was promoted to the top of makushita, but lost his last match to juryo wrestler Wakakosho to finish with a losing record of 3-4. He was promoted to juryo in November 2004 after a 4-3 record at the rank of makushita 1.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first juryo tournament Kotokasuga's record was 7-3 by the end of the tenth day, but he lost his last five matches to finish with a losing record of 7-8. As a result he was demoted back down to makushita. After two tournaments in makushita he was promoted back to juryo, but he could only remain in the division for three tournaments before falling back down to makushita in November 2005. After one tournament in makushita he was promoted once again back to makushita, but fell immediately after a 5-10 record. After injuries to both his elbows he considered retiring, but he won promotion back to juryo in September 2007 at the age of 30, and then four consecutive kachi-koshi or winning records saw him promoted to the top makuuchi division in May 2008.

### **Makuuchi Career**

It had taken him 91 tournaments from his professional debut to get there, the second slowest ever at the time. He could only manage a 4–11 record in his top division debut and dropped back to juryo. However, he made a return to makuuchi in September 2010, and on this occasion came through with a winning score of 9–6. This saw him promoted to his highest rank of maegashira 7 for the November 2010 tournament.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

In April 2011, along with 19 other wrestlers and coaches, he was ordered to retire by the Sumo Association after an investigation found he arranged the result of matches. He submitted retirement papers on 4 April. His danpatsu-shiki or retirement ceremony was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in June 2011.

He now runs a yakiniku restaurant in Fukuoka city.

## **Personal Life**

* Kotokasuga announced upon his promotion to the top division in May 2008 that he was marrying an old classmate who he became re-acquainted with after the March tournament of 2006 and who he began dating in May of that year. Kotokasuga pointed out that he had not had a *make-koshi* or losing record since they got together. He had first proposed to her in November 2009, but her father had insisted that Kotokasuga reach *makuuchi* first.
* Kotokasuga's shikona is derived from his hometown of Kasuga, Fukuoka.
* His hobby is playing video games.

## **Fighting Style**

Kotokasuga was an oshi-sumo specialist who preferred pushing and thrusting to fighting on the mawashi. His most common winning kimarite was oshidashi (push out), closely followed by yorikiri (force out). Together these two techniques accounted for half his career victories.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 491-457-9/947 (108 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 26-34/60 (4 basho)
* **Juryo:** 159-170-1/328 (22 basho)
* **Makushita:** 142-145-7/287 (42 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 104-64/168 (24 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 56-41-1/97 (14 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 4-3/7 (1 basho)

### **Achievements**

* **Record:** **4th** Slowest progress to top division (91 tournaments)

## **Shikona History**

* Kotonoyama Keigo (1993.03 - 1999.03)
* Kotokasuga Keigo (1999.05 - 2011.05)

## **Gallery**

### **JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata**

Kotokasuga Keigo - 2007 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kotokasuga Keigo - 2004 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kotokasuga's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Kotokasuga after promotion to Juryo (c. 2004)Kotokasuga makes his way to the Ryogoku KokugikanKotokasuga proposes after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2008)Kotokasuga (c. 2011)Kotokasuga after being found guilty of match-fixing (c. 2011)Kotokasuga's retirement ceremony (c. 2011)
## **Sources**

* Kotokasuga Keigo Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Kotokasuga Keigo Rikishi Information