Akinoumi Setsuo

Akinoumi Setsuo - 安藝ノ海 節男 (born May 30, 1914 - March 25, 1979) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture. He made his debut in February 1932 and last wrestled for Dewanoumi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1938 and 1 kinboshi and 1 top division championship. He was the 37th yokozuna and he retired in November 1946.

## **Early Life**

Setsuo Nagata was born in Hiroshima to parents who managed a grocery store. After graduating from high school, he helped with the family business. While watching the Kansai Junior High School Sumo Championships held in his city in 1931, he was recruited into Dewanoumi stable by Fujishima oyakata (31st yokozuna Tsunenohana).

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in February 1932 and was given the shikona "Akinoumi" (安藝ノ海). In October 1932, he won the jonokuchi yusho with a perfect 6-0 record. He was promoted to sandanme in January 1934 and makushita in May 1934. After three tournaments in makushita, he was promoted to juryo in January 1936.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Akinoumi finished with a 6-5 record. He followed with a lackluster 5-6 record in May 1936, but bounced back with two more winning records and was promoted to makuuchi in January 1938.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He was the man who ended Futabayama's record 69 bout winning streak in January 1939, which was his third makuuchi tournament. As he was only ranked as a maegashira at the time, it was regarded as an enormous upset. He defeated the yokozuna by sotogake, an outer leg trip. He had practiced this technique in training with Komanosato, who had been Futabayama's 69th and final defeated opponent. He was overwhelmed by his achievement, but was told by his stablemaster, "Become a rikishi not to be praised when he wins but to cause an uproar when he loses."

He followed with a 10-5 record and was promoted to sekiwake in January 1940. In May 1940, he won his first yusho as he finished with a 14-1 record, and was promoted to ozeki for the following January 1941 tournament.

### **Ozeki Career**

In January 1942, he finished runner-up to Futabayama with a 13-2 record. He was runner-up again in the following May 1942 tournament as he finished with another 13-2 record. He was promotion to yokozuna was confirmed after the tournament. He was promoted simultaneously with Terukuni.

### **Yokozuna Career**

Akinoumi was not a particularly successful yokozuna, lasting only eight tournaments at the rank and not managing to win any further championships. He is arguably better remembered for his victory over Futabayama than his exploits as a grand champion.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Akinoumi retired in November 1946, and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association with the name of Fujishima. He married the daughter of Dewanoumi Oyakata, the former yokozuna Tsunenohana, but was unfaithful to her, his geisha mistress giving birth the same day that his wife did.They were later divorced. This put an end to any hopes of becoming the head of Dewanoumi stable, and he left the sumo world in January 1955. He later remarried. He ran a chanko restaurant, and when that went out of business, a clothing store. He also appeared as a sumo commentator on broadcasts of tournaments. He celebrated his 60th birthday in 1974 but for reasons which are unclear, did not get to perform the kanreki dohyo-iri ceremony.

### **Death**

He died on March 25, 1979, at the age of 64 due to congestive heart failure.

## **Fighting Style**

Akinoumi was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a hidari-yotsu (right hand outside, left hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite was yorikiri, or force out. He was also fond of employing sotogake, or outside leg trip.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 209-101-38/309 (32 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 142-59-38/200 (18 basho)
* **Juryo:** 28-18/46 (4 basho)
* **Makushita:** 19-14/33 (3 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 5-1/6 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 6-6/12 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 9-3/12 (2 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (May 1940)
* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (October 1932)

## **Shikona History**

* Nagata Setsuo (1932.02 - 1933.01)
* Akinoumi Setsuo (1933.05 - 1946.11)

## **Gallery**

Akinoumi Setsuo - (Retrieved from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai)Akinoumi's tegata
## **Sources**

* Akinoumi Setsuo Japanese WIkipedia Article
* Akinoumi Setsuo Rikishi Information