Naminohana Kazutaka

Naminohana Kazutaka - 浪之花 教隆 (born March 19, 1969) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Namioka, Aomori. He made his debut in May 1984 and wrestled for Futagoyama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1992 and has one special prize. His highest rank was komusubi and he retired in March 1997.

## **Early Life**

He was born in Namioka, Aomori, the third son of a farmer. He won a sumo competition at Namioka Tachi Nozawa Elementary School and fought for the fourth grade sumo club even when still in the third grade. At junior high he moved away from sumo and was thinking of becoming a physical education teacher. However he was recruited by the former yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji and joined his Futagoyama stable upon graduation from junior high school.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Initially fighting under his own surname of Kudo, he made his professional debut in May 1984. Weighing less than 100 kilograms (220 lb) early in his career he rose rather slowly up the ranks, but he compensated for his lack of physique by hard training. He was promoted to sandanme in September 1985 and makushita in July 1987. In January 1989 he changed his shikona to "Naminohana" (浪之花). He was promoted to juryo in September 1990 after posting a 5-2 record at the rank of juryo 3.

### **Juryo Career**

In his juryo debut, Naminohana produced a strong 10-5 record but followed with two losing records. He was demoted back down to makushita in November 1991, but immediately returned to juryo. Upon his return, he produced solid results and was promoted to makuuchi in September 1992.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He could not establish himself in Makushita and fell back down to juryo multiple times. After falling back to juryo in 1994 he won two yusho or tournament championships in that division. Upon his return to makuuchi in November 1994 he scored 10–5 and won his first and only sansho, for Fighting Spirit. He was nominated for the prize on the condition that he win on the final day, and had he failed to do so, there would have been no sansho at all awarded in a tournament for the first time since they were introduced in 1947. His highest rank was komusubi, which he held for one tournament in March 1995 after a 9–6 record at maegashira 7 in the previous tournament saw him somewhat fortuitously promoted to the sanyaku ranks. He scored only 6–9 and never made komusubi again. He injured his elbow in a match with Kaio in March 1996, which restricted his performances and led to six consecutive losing records and demotion to the makushita division.

He is the only wrestler in modern sumo to reach a sanyaku rank but never defeat any yokozuna or ozeki in his career. He was only eligible to face Akebono and Musashimaru during his 18 tournament stay in the top division as the other yokozuna and ozeki were all fellow members of Futagoyama stable, and sumo rules prevent wrestlers from the same stable meeting in competition.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

He retired in March 1997 at the age of 28. He had no elder stock in the Japan Sumo Association and so was unable to stay in sumo. He ran a chankonabe restaurant in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo and has appeared on J Sports ESPN's *Genshiko Ozumu* sumo program.

## **Fighting Style**

Naminohana was an oshi-sumo specialist who preferred to push and thrust rather than go for a grip on the mawashi or belt. His most common winning kimarite or techniques were oshidashi (push out), yorikiri (force out), hatakikomi (slap down) and tsukiotoshi (thrust over). He was known for trying to tempt his opponent to begin the bout early, a practice known as jikanmae.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 423-402-10/825 (78 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 117-153/270 (18 basho)
* **Juryo:** 149-136/285 (19 basho)
* **Makushita:** 68-48-10/116 (18 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 50-41/91 (13 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 27-15/42 (6 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 12-9/21 (3 basho)

### **Championships**

* 2 **Juryo** Championships
	+ 1st (January 1994)
	+ 2nd (September 1994)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (1)

## **Shikona History**

* Kudo Kazuhiro (1984.05 - 1988.11)
* Naminohana Kazuhiro (1989.01 - 1994.01)
* Naminohana Kazutaka (1994.03 - 1997.03)

## **Gallery**

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

Naminohana Kazutaka - 1997 (Retrieved from the JSA)Naminohana's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Naminohana's first tournament in Juryo (c. 1990)Naminohana (c. 1993)Naminohana with his sansho prize (c. 1994)Naminohana after promotion to Komusubi (c. 1995)Naminohana presented with his kesho mawashi (c. 1996)Naminohana announces his retirement (c. 1997)Naminohana's retirement ceremony (c. 1997)
## **Sources**

* Naminohana Kazutaka Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Naminohana Kazutaka Rikishi Information