Fujinishiki Akira

Fujinishiki Akira - 富士錦 章 (born March 18, 1937 - December 17, 2003) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kofu, Yamanashi. He made his debut in March 1953 and last wrestled for Takasago stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1959 and has seven special prizes, seven kinboshi and one top division championship. His highest rank was komusubi and he retired in November 1968.

## **Early Life**

In elementary school, Watanabe started sumo wrestling and when he was in junior high school he won the prefectural tournament and participated in the National Sports Festival of Japan in his first year of high school. In the summer of 1952, Takasago Ichimon (group of stables) was on tour and Watanabe was directly recruited into Takasago stable by Takasago Oyakata (the 39th Yokozuna Maedayama).

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Making his debut in 1953, he wrestled for Takasago stable, home of then yokozuna Azumafuji to whom the "Fuji" part of his shikona referred. Fujinishiki was promoted to sandanme in March 1954 and makushita in January 1956. In September 1956 he won the makushita yusho with a 7-1 record after defeating two wrestlers in a four-way playoff. In January 1958, he posted a 6-2 record at the rank of makushita 4 and was promoted to juryo for the March 1958 tournament.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Fujinishiki finished with an 8-7 record. In the following May 1958 tournament, he finished with a strong 11-4 record, but missed out on the yusho after losing the playoff to future Yokozuna Kashiwado. Nevertheless, he followed with three more winning records and was promoted to makuuchi in January 1959.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He first entered the top makuuchi division in 1959 and was runner-up in two tournaments that year, winning a special prize for Fighting Spirit in each. His highest rank was komusubi, which he first reached in 1960. He spent a total of ten tournaments at that rank, the last coming in 1967, but never managed to earn promotion to sekiwake. He never managed to win more than eight bouts as a komusubi but was somewhat unlucky not be promoted after two consecutive 8–7 records at the rank in 1961, and he was regarded as certainly being of sekiwake level in ability. He holds the modern record for most tournaments at komusubi without reaching sekiwake.

The highlight of his career came in July 1964 when he took the top division championship or yusho with a 14–1 record. He was ranked as a maegashira at the time and did not meet any ozeki or yokozuna during the tournament. He defeated sekiwake Kitanofuji on the final day, avoiding the need for a playoff with ozeki Yutakayama. He was perhaps fortunate that yokozuna Taiho, who won four championships in that year alone, dropped out after five days.

Fujinishiki also constantly served as a challenge for the top wrestlers and holds seven kinboshi (three against Tochinoumi, two against Kashiwado, one against Wakanohana I, and one against Sadanoyama). His tsukebito or personal attendant was Hawaiian born Takamiyama, later to become the first foreigner to win a championship, and Fujinishiki was one of the wrestlers who helped introduce him to sumo and Japanese culture. His mentorship of Takamiyama continued as a coach after his retirement from the ring.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Following his retirement as an active wrestler in November 1968 he stayed at Takasago stable as a coach under the elder name of Nishiiwa. In 1988 he became head of the stable, following the death of former yokozuna Asashio Taro III. He coached Konishiki, Mitoizumi and Senshuyama amongst others. He also served on the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors. However, after his wrestler Toki was involved in a car accident that killed a pedestrian in December 2000, he was punished by a demotion and a reduction in salary. In February 2002, in failing health, he passed on ownership of the stable to former ozeki Asashio Taro IV, who merged his Wakamatsu stable with Takasago's. He let his former wrestler Mitoizumi use the old Takasago premises to launch Nishikido stable. He remained as a coach under the Wakamatsu name until his retirement the following month upon reaching 65, and continued to attend training sessions after that.

### **Death**

He died of liver disease on December 17, 2003, at the age of 66. Yokozuna Asashoryu was criticized for not returning from Mongolia to attend his funeral.

## **Personal Life**

His eldest son Shoichi Ichimiya, born in 1969, is a professional wrestler. His second eldest son Akihiro was once the personal manager of yokozuna Asashoryu (who was criticized for failing to attend Fujinishiki's funeral). It was Akihiro who was initially reported to have been punched by Asashoryu in a drunken brawl at a dance club in January 2010, although it soon emerged it was the manager of the club and this led to the yokozuna's enforced retirement.

He was seen in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice, fighting in a bout against Kotozakura.

## **Fighting Style**

Fujinishiki was a tsuki/oshi specialist, who prefers pushing and thrusting at his opponents rather than fighting on the mawashi or belt. His most common winning kimarite or technique was oshidashi or a straightforward push out. He was also known for his strong tachi-ai, or initial start.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 574-559-5/1132 (86 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 414-466-5/879 (59 basho)
* **Juryo:** 61-29/90 (6 basho)
* **Makushita:** 51-29/80 (10 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 31-25/56 (7 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 14-10/24 (3 basho)
* **Shinjo:** 3-0/3 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (July 1964)
* 1 **Makushita** Championship (September 1956)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (4), Outstanding Performance Prize (2), Technique Prize (1)
* **Kinboshi:** 7: (3) Tochinoumi, (2) Kashiwado, (1) Wakanohana I, (1) Sadanoyama

## **Shikona History**

* Watanabe Akira (1953.03 - 1953.03)
* Fujinishiki Akira (1953.05 - 1959.03)
* Fujinishiki Noboru (1959.05 - 1959.05)
* Fujinishiki Akira (1959.07 - 1968.11)

## **Gallery**

Fujinishiki pushes out his opponentFujinishiki with a young Takamiyama (c. 1964)Fujinishiki wins his first and only Yusho (c. 1964)Fujinishiki celebrates his first and only Yusho (c. 1964)Fujinishiki's first and only Yusho parade (c. 1964)Fujinishiki pushes out his opponentFujinishiki pushes out his opponent Myobudani (c. 1966)Fujinishiki poses with his kesho-mawashi (c. 1967)Fujinishiki after retirement as Takasago Oyakata (c. 1985)Fujinishiki's kesho-mawashi and akeni box on displayFujinishiki's Yusho portrait on displayFujinishiki's tegata
## **Sources**

* Fujinishiki Akira Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Fujinishiki Akira Rikishi Information