Kirinji Kazuharu

Kirinji Kazuharu - 麒麟児 和春 (born March 9, 1953 - March 1, 2021) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kashiwa, Chiba. He made his debut in May 1967 and last wrestled for Nishonoseki stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1974 and has eleven special prizes as well as six kinboshi. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in September 1988.

## **Early Life**

Tarusawa's father worked as a station master for Japanese National Railways. He practiced judo in elementary school, but he later aspired to be a sumo wrestler due to his big physique (he already weighed over 90 kg when starting junior high school). During his second year, he visited Ryogoku, Tokyo, and was admitted by Nishonoseki stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in May 1967 at the age of just 14 and wrestled under his surname Tarusawa. He was promoted to sandanme in May 1969 and makushita in March 1971. In September 1973, he won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7-0 record and was promoted to the rank of makushita 2 in the following November tournament. There, he won all seven matches again to win his second consecutive makushita yusho and he was promoted to juryo as well.

### **Juryo Career**

Upon promotion to juryo in January 1974, he changed his shikona to "Kirinji" (麒麟児) which had been previously used by one of his stablemates, ozeki Daikirin. In July 1974, he won the juryo yusho with a strong 12-3 record and was promoted to makuuchi in the following tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Kirinji reached the top makuuchi division in September 1974 and remained there for 84 tournaments, a record at the time second only to Takamiyama's 97. The run was not consecutive however, as he dropped to juryo briefly in November 1979 after sitting out the previous tournament through injury. He fought in 1221 top division bouts in total, the eleventh highest in history. He spent ten tournaments at komusubi rank, the first in March 1975 and the last thirteen years later in January 1988, making him one of the oldest postwar sanyaku wrestlers. He reached his highest rank of sekiwake for the first time in July 1975 and held it on seven occasions in total. He never won a top division tournament but was a runner-up on two occasions, to Kitanoumi in September 1978 and to Chiyonofuji in March 1982. He won eleven sansho, or special prizes, placing him joint tenth on the all-time list, and earned six kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna. His last kinboshi against Onokuni in May 1988 came just two tournaments before his retirement.

His spirited match with Fujizakura in May 1975 was particularly memorable and was enjoyed by the then Emperor Hirohito, a sumo fan. After fierce thrusting attacks from both sides, Kirinji eventually won the bout with an uwatenage, or outer arm throw. He was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize at the end of that tournament. The bout was later released on DVD as one of the "Best Matches in the 20th Century."

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Two days into the September 1988 tournament, where at 35 years of age he was the oldest in his division, Kirinji pulled out with a knee injury. He announced his retirement from sumo on the 14th day. He remained in the sumo world as a coach at Nishonoseki stable under the elder name Kitajin Oyakata. Although the stable closed in January 2013, the stable to which he moved, Matsugane, was re-named Nishonoseki stable in 2014. He reached the mandatory retirement age for coaches of 65 in March 2018 and left the Japan Sumo Association.

### **Death**

On 13 April 2021, the Sumo Association announced that he had died of multiple organ failure on 1 March at the age of 67.

## **Fighting Style**

Kirinji was proficient in both yotsu-sumo (grappling) and oshi-sumo (pushing and thrusting) techniques. His favored grip on his opponent's mawashi was hidari-yotsu, a right hand outside, left hand inside position. He was also fond of tsuppari, a series of rapid thrusts to the chest. His most often used winning kimarite was oshidashi (push out), followed by tsukidashi (thrust out), hatakikomi (slap down) and yorikiri (force out).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 773-792-34/1562 (129 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 580-644-34/1221 (84 basho)
* **Juryo:** 45-30/75 (5 basho)
* **Makushita:** 70-49/119 (17 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 37-33/70 (10 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 35-28/63 (9 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-8/14 (2 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Juryo** Championship (July 1974)
* 2 **Makushita** Championships
	+ 1st (September 1973)
	+ 2nd (November 1973)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (4), Outstanding Performance Prize (4), Technique Prize (3)
* **Kinboshi:** 6: (2) Mienoumi, (1) Kitanoumi, (1) Wajima, (1) Wakanohana II, (1) Onokuni
* **Record:** Tied for **12th** most special prizes (11 sansho)

## **Shikona History**

* Tarusawa Kazuharu (1967.05 - 1973.11)
* Kirinji Kazuharu (1974.01 - 1988.09)

## **Gallery**

Kirinji ensures Juryo promotion with the Makushita Yusho (c. 1973)Kirinji after promotion to Juryo (c. 1974)Kirinji celebrates Kongo's Yusho (c. 1975)Kirinji's famous match against Fujizakura (c. 1975)Kirinji defeats Fujizakura (c. 1975)Kirinji after promotion to Sekiwake (c. 1975)Kirinji poses with his kesho-mawashi (c. 1976)Kirinji defeats Yokozuna Kitanoumi (c. 1975)Kirinji defeats Yokozuna Wajima (c. 1975)Kirinji awarded multiple sansho prizes in one tournament (c. 1976)Kirinji prepares for his upcoming match (c. 1977)Kirinji prepares for his upcoming match (c. 1978)Kirinji battles Yokozuna Kitanoumi (c. 1984)Kirinji battles Yokozuna Onokuni (c. 1988)Kirinji's final sansho prize (c. 1988)Kirinji announces his retirement (c. 1988)Kirinji's retirement ceremony (c. 1989)Kirinji after retirement as Kitajin Oyakata (c. 1989)Kirinji's tegata
## **Sources**

* Kirinji Kazuharu Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Kirinji Kazuharu Rikishi Information