Tosayutaka Yuya

Tosayutaka Yuya - 土佐豊 祐哉 (born March 10, 1985) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tosa, Kochi. He made his debut in March 2007 and wrestled for Tokitsukaze stable. He reached the makuuchi division in July 2009. His highest rank was maegashira 1 and he retired in January 2016.

## **Early Life**

Yuya Morishita went to high school in his home prefecture, Kochi. While attending the Kochi Prefecture Industrial High school he took the high school sumo championship.

Upon entering Tokyo University of Agriculture, he was very active in sumo, but never achieved one of the four amateur titles that would have allowed him makushita tsukedashi status, which lets experienced wrestlers start professional sumo at a higher division than other wrestlers. The shikona that he eventually settled on takes the two Chinese characters used for the city of his birth Tosa City and the third kanji was taken from one of the characters from his father's dharma name. There are other wrestlers in the past from the same Tokitsukaze stable that used this character in their ring names but this is coincidental.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

In his May, 2007 jonokuchi division debut tournament, he posted an impressive 6-1 record. In the next three tournaments he would go on to win three consecutive championships in each successive division. His third consecutive championship, which he achieved at his makushita debut ranked at #33, was not enough to promote him directly to the next juryo division, but his 5-2 record ranked at makushita #4 in the following January 2008 tournament was more than enough to grant him a juryo promotion.

In the achievement of this feat, he logged 30 consecutive wins, a record for a wrestler in makushita and below. During this span, after his defeat on the 6th day of the May 2007 tournament he did not lose again until his bout with Aran on the 11th day of the January 2008 tournament. He had made juryo in just six tournaments from his professional debut, tying the long-standing record held by Itai.

### **Juryo Career**

His fortunes would change somewhat for his juryo debut in the following tournament. Possibly due to stress from the then ongoing investigation into the hazing scandal at his stable, as well as an injury to his toe on the 12th day, Tosayutaka only managed an uncharacteristic 6-9 record. His first demotion dropped him to the top makushita slot, but a convincing 4-3 record put him straight back in juryo for the July 2008 tournament in Nagoya.

In his return, he posted a 9-6 record which was followed by an impressive 11-4 record. However, he suffered a 7-8 record in the following tournament, but would bounce back with three winning records which earned him a promotion to the top makuuchi division.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He was promoted to the top makuuchi division in September 2009, and came through with a winning record. After a 6-9 in November, he had two kachi-koshi performances of 8-7 and 10-5 in his next two makuuchi appearances, which saw him promoted to the upper maegashira ranks for the first time. He defeated ozeki Kotooshu but could win only two other bouts. After a quiet year or so in the mid-maegashira ranks, he was promoted to his highest rank to date of maegashira 1 following a 10-5 score in the May 2011 Technical Examination Tournament. In the July tournament he injured his knee on Day 3 against Kotooshu and had to withdraw for the first time in his career. He could manage only a 4-11 record on his return in September, and was demoted to juryo. Although he made an immediate return to makuuchi for the January tournament, he was unable to re–establish himself in the top division and recorded another 4–11 score.

### **Later Career**

He was unable to compete after pulling out of the July 2012 tournament due to a knee injury at the rank of juryo 8 and dropped to the fourth sandanme division after missing three tournaments in a row. However, he had made a complete recovery upon his return and achieved a perfect record and the sandanme championship after a playoff win. After six tournaments in makushita with all but one winning tournament, one of which was the championship in the division in November 2013, Tosayutaka finally earned promotion back to the salaried ranks for the May 2014 tournament. After a series of steady scores in juryo, a 9-6 performance at the rank of Juryo 5 was, somewhat unusually, good enough to earn promotion to the top division as there were four openings and only three men above him had kachi-koshi scores. He returned to makuuchi in January 2015, a comeback from the rank of sandanme 84 in March 2013 - the lowest any top division wrestler earning promotion back has fallen. The same fate would befall him again, however, when just two days into his makuuchi comeback he suffered a medial collateral ligament injury. In July 2015 he underwent surgery and again dropped down to the sandanme ranks due to his repeated absences.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

In January 2016 Tosayutaka finally made the decision to retire. He has stayed in sumo as a coach at his stable, initially under the elder name of Ajigawa Oyakata (stock borrowed from the active wrestler Aminishiki) From October 2016 he was Sanoyama Oyakata (owned by Chiyootori), but in April 2018 he switched to Magaki. His danpatsu-shiki or official retirement ceremony was held in a hotel at the same time as his wedding reception in October 2016.

Tosayutaka became the stablemaster of Tokitsukaze stable in February 2021 after the Sumo Association asked the previous stablemaster, former maegashira Tokitsuumi, to retire for violating COVID-19 safety protocols. His appointment continues the association of the head of the stable with the Tokyo University of Agriculture, which Tokitsuumi and Yutakayama Katsuo also attended.

## **Personal Life**

* Tosayutaka announced at a press conference in February 2016 that he would be marrying TV talento Eri Koizumi. They have been in a relationship since 2009. Tosayutaka remarked that he would have retired much earlier than he did were it not for her support. The marriage was registered in March and the wedding reception was held in October 2016. He currently has two daughters; they were born in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
* Many fans think that his face resembles a gorilla, so his kesho-mawashi has a face of a gorilla embroidered on it.
* In March 2012, Tosayutaka suffered an egg-related allergy which led him to have rashes all over his body.
* Tosayutaka is one day older than yokozuna Hakuho. He was born on March 10, 1985, and Hakuho was born on March 11, 1985.
* Tosayutaka's hobby is visiting public baths.

## **Fighting Style**

Tosayutaka listed his favorite techniques as migi-yotsu, a left hand outside and right hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashi, and nage or throws. His most common winning kimarite was yorikiri (force out), which accounted for nearly half his victories in his career. His most employed throw is uwatenage (overarm throw).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 294-255-71/543 (53 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 90-111-24/199 (15 basho)
* **Juryo:** 130-116-9/244 (17 basho)
* **Makushita:** 45-22-31/66 (14 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 16-5-7/20 (4 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 2 **Makushita** Championships
	+ 1st (November 2007)
	+ 2nd (November 2013)
* 2 **Sandanme** Championships
	+ 1st (September 2007)
	+ 2nd (March 2013)
* 1 **Jonidan** Championship (July 2007)

### **Achievements**

* **Record:** Tied for **1st** fastest rise to Juryo (6)

## **Shikona History**

* Morishita Yuya (2007.03 - 2007.03)
* Tosayutaka Yuya (2007.05 - 2016.05)

## **Gallery**

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

Tosayutaka Yuya - 2015 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tosayutaka Yuya - 2012 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tosayutaka Yuya - 2012 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tosayutaka Yuya - 2009 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tosayutaka Yuya - 2008 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tosayutaka's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Tosayutaka joins Tokistukaze stable (c. 2007)Tosayutaka gets measured upon joining sumo (c. 2007)Tosayutaka defeats Kaonishiki (c. 2008)Tosayutaka ensures promotion to Juryo (c. 2007)Tosayutaka defeats Hokutoriki for 30 straight wins (c. 2008)Tosayutaka after promotion to Juryo (c. 2008)Tosayutaka battles Yamamotoyama (c. 2009)Tosayutaka after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2009)Tosayutaka throws and defeats Toyohibiki (c. 2010)Tosayutaka defeats Kotoyuki (c. 2011)Tosayutaka makes his way to the Kokugikan (c. 2012)Tosayutaka falls to the unsalaried ranks after knee injury (c. 2013)Tosayutaka wins his second Sandanme Yusho (c. 2013)Tosayutaka congratulated on his second Makushita Yusho (c. 2013)Tosayutaka returns to Juryo after a 10 basho absence (c. 2014)Tosayutaka after re-promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2014)Tosayutaka defeats Tenkaiho (c. 2015)Tosayutaka prepare for his upcoming match (c. 2015)Tosayutaka announces his retirement (c. 2016)Tosayutaka's retirement ceremony (c. 2016)Tosayutaka after retirement as Tokitsukaze Oyakata (c. 2021)
## **Sources**

* Tosayutaka Yuya Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Tosayutaka Yuya Rikishi Information