Churanoumi Yoshihisa

Churanoumi Yoshihisa - 美ノ海 義久 (born May 6, 1993) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Uruma, Okinawa. He made his debut in March 2016 and currently wrestles for Kise stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 2023. His highest rank as of 2024 is maegashira 13.

## **Early Life**

Kizaki was born in Okinawa, Japan, the third son of five siblings. His eldest brother, Daisuke, was a member of the Tottori Johoku High School sumo club and went on to do university sumo at Nihon University. He is currently the co-captain of the Kyushu Electric Power Sumo Club. His second brother sadly passed away at the age of six due to an illness.

Kizaki started sumo wrestling in his first year at Misato Elementary School. In his fifth year at elementary school, he was awarded by the Okinawa City Board of Education for contributing to the development of the city's cultural promotion through sports.

He later attended Uruma Municipal Gushikawa Junior High School and made top 16 during his second year. At the same time, he was also training at Chubu Norin High School and was planning to go there; however, after a training camp at Tottori Johoku High School, he switched his mind and decided to go there. In his third year of junior high school he transferred to Tottori City Nishi Junior High School, so after he could transfer to Tottori Johoku High School.

He was teammates with the future Ichinojo in high school and in his third year of high school, he won the group championship tournament and the individual championship tournament. Upon graduation, he entered Nihon University's Department of Economics. He served as captain in his final year at Nihon University and in total won four individual championships during his tenure with Nihon University. Kizaki announced his intention to go professional and joined Kise stable, because the stablemaster, former maegashira Higonoumi, was also a Nihon University graduate. However he couldn't qualify for makushita tsukedashi, because he didn't meet the requirements.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Kizaki made his debut on March 2016 and produced a 6-1 record in his jonokuchi debut. The following tournaments, Kizaki took both jonidan and sandanme championships which earned him a direct promotion to makushita. He defeated Ikegawa (first time in college and pro sumo) in a playoff for the jonidan yusho.

In his makushita debut, he finished with a 4-3 record. The following two tournaments he produced 4 consecutive kachi-koshi which earned him a promotion to makushita 3. He defeated juryo wrestler Kitaharima on the 7th day, but finished with a 3-4 record; his first make-koshi of his career. The following tournament he produced another 3-4 record, but bounced back with three consecutive 4-3 records which earned him a promotion to the juryo division.

### **Juryo Career**

Upon promotion to juryo, he changed his shikona to "Churanoumi". His first juryo run was short-lived as he finished with a 5-10 record and was demoted back down to makushita. He suffered another two losing record, but on the March 2019 tournament he produced a flawless 7-0 record and took the makushita championship. This earned him a re-promotion to juryo.

However his second juryo run was equivalent to his first run as he finished with a 5-10 record. After three tournaments in the unsalaried makushita division he was promoted back to juryo. In his first tournament back he finished with an 8-7 record. This earned him a promotion to a career high juryo 7 for the March 2020 tournament. He finished with a 6-9 record and was demoted back down to juryo 9. The following tournament he produced with an 8-7 record which promoted him back to juryo 7. He produced another 8-7 record in the following tournament to earn promotion to juryo 6 for the November 2020 tournament. In the January 2021 tournament he was ranked at juryo 3 and was performing consistently, but suffered a concussion on the 13th day in a match against Takagenji and pulled out of the tournament to finish with a 7-7-1 record.

In May 2021, he posted a disastrous 3-12 record and was demoted back down to makushita in July 2021. He managed to return to juryo in September 2021.

### **Makuuchi Career**

After a strong 10-5 record at the rank of Juryo 5 in September 2023, Churanoumi was promoted to the top division for the November 2023 tournament. Becoming the first Okinawan to do so since Ryuho in 2006. In his top division debut Churanoumi finished with a 9-6 kachi-koshi record and is the first Okinawan to achieve this in his top division debut since Wakanojo 26 years prior.

## **Personal Life**

* Churanoumi's younger brother, Kizakiumi, was also a professional sumo wrestler. He also wrestled at Nihon University and joined him at Kise stable. His highest rank was juryo 3 and he retired from sumo in 2020 due to chronic neck pains.
* Churanoumi's hobbies include fishing, watching movies, going on walks, and drinking liquor.

## **Fighting Style**

Churanoumi is an oshi-zumo specialist, which means he prefers thrusting and pushing techniques rather than fighting on the mawashi. The most common kimarite that he employs is oshidashi (force-out).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 263-243-1/505 (46 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 9-6/15 (1 basho)
* **Juryo:** 159-185-1/343 (23 basho)
* **Makushita:** 75-51/126 (18 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonokuchi**: 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makushita** Championship (March 2019)
* 1 **Sandanme** Championship (September 2016)
* 1 **Jonidan** Championship (July 2016)

## **Shikona History**

* Kizaki Shinji (2016.03 - 2018.05)
* Churanoumi Yoshihisa (2018.07 - )

## **Gallery**

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

Churanoumi Yoshihisa - 2022 (Retrieved from the JSA)Churanoumi Yoshihisa - 2018 (Retrieved from the JSA)Churanoumi's Tegata
### **Career Overview**

Kizaki during his time in Maezumo (c. 2016)Kizaki wins the Sandanme Yusho (c. 2016)Kizaki reveals his new shikona, Churanoumi (c. 2018)Churanoumi after promotion to Juryo (c. 2018)Churanoumi presented with his kesho-mawashi (c. 2018)Churanoumi defeats Tobizaru (c. 2018)Churanoumi wins the Makushita Yusho (c. 2019)Churanoumi with his brother Kizakiumi (c. 2019)Churanoumi defeats Nishikifuji (c. 2020)Churanoumi defeats Sadanoumi (c. 2021)Churanoumi injures himself after a hard fall (c. 2021)Churanoumi defeats Bushozan (c. 2022)Churanoumi prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2022)Churanoumi defeats Enho (c. 2023)Churanoumi is promoted to Makuuchi (c. 2023)
## **Sources**

* Churanoumi Yoshihisa Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Churanoumi Yoshihisa Rikishi Information