Hanaregoma Stable (2021)

Hanaregoma stable (放駒部屋, Hanaregoma beya), formerly known as Matsugane stable and Nishonoseki stable, is a stable of sumo wrestlers. It was founded in 1990 by Wakashimazu of the Futagoyama stable. Wakashimazu, when known as Nishonoseki-oyakata, was also the chairman of the Nishonoseki group of stables or ichimon before entering his consultancy period and then retiring from coaching due to age in 2023.

As of January 2023 it has 8 active sumo wrestlers.

## **History**

Matsugane stable was established in 1990 by former ozeki Wakashimazu, who branched off from Futagoyama stable. The stable produced their first sekitori when Wakatsutomu was promoted to juryo in 1999. The stable produced three more sekitori in 2000 when Harunoyama, Wakatoryu, and Wakakosho were promoted to juryo. After the retirement of Harunoyama in November 2006 the stable had no sekitori until Shōhōzan (then known as Matsutani) reached the jūryō division in March 2010.

In September 2010 Matsugane oyakata was demoted in the Sumo Association's hierarchy after he accepted lodgings in Osaka for the Haru tournament the previous March from a company president connected to gangsters. In addition, two of his wrestlers, Matsutani (the future Shohozan) and the sandanme ranked Wakarikido, were suspended for two tournaments for illegal betting on baseball. However, Matsugane oyakata joined the Board of Directors in 2014, and was re-elected in 2016. Also in 2016 he became head of the judging department.

In late 2014, the general consensus among those with connections to the Nishonoseki ichimon was that an ichimon so named without a Nishonoseki stable as its head was a misnomer. In accordance with this general opinion, the oyakata of Matsugane stable, which had absorbed support personnel from the defunct Nishonoseki when it closed, decided to revive the name. He switched his Matsugane elder name with the former Tamarikidō's Nishonoseki elder name, thus allowing him to rename the stable. The former Tamarikidō, now known as Matsugane-oyakata, also joined the newly renamed stable.

In December 2021 the Japan Sumo Association approved the transfer of the stable to Hanaregoma (former sekiwake Tamanoshima); the stable changed its name to Hanaregoma stable accordingly. Nishonoseki Oyakata swapped elder names with the ex-yokozuna Kisenosato, and became Araiso Oyakata.

## **Ring Name Conventions**

Some wrestlers at this stable take ring names or shikona that begin with the character 若 (read: waka), meaning young, in deference to their coach and the stable's owner, the former Wakashimazu.

## **Owners**

* 2021-present: 18th Hanaregoma Arata (iin, former sekiwake Tamanoshima)
* 1990-2021: 9th Matsugane/12th Nishonoseki Mutsuo (former ozeki Wakashimazu)

## **Coaches**

* Matsugane Hideki (iin, former maegashira Tamarikido)
* Minatogawa Tadamitsu (sanyo, former komusubi Daitetsu)

## **Notable Active Wrestlers**

* Ichiyamamoto (best rank maegashira)
* Shimazuumi (best rank maegashira)

## **Notable Former Wrestlers**

* Shohozan (former komusubi)
* Harunoyama (former maegashira)
* Wakatsutomu (former maegashira)
* Wakakosho (former maegashira)
* Wakatoryu (former juryo)
* Wakayashima (former makushita)
* Wakarikido (former makushita)
* Kinryuzan (former sandanme)
* Arikawa (former sandanme)

## **Referee**

* Shikimori Kindayu (makuuchi gyoji) - Transferred from Nishonoseki stable
* Shikimori Shinnosuke (juryo gyoji) - Transferred from Kataonami stable

## **Usher**

* Matsuo (juryo yobidashi)
* Satoru (juryo yobidashi)