Tokitsukaze Stable

The Tokitsukaze stable (時津風部屋, Tokitsukaze-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers in Japan, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an active wrestler at the time. After a hazing scandal which resulted in the death of a rikishi, Tokitsukaze oyakata was sentenced to six years in prison. This compelled Tokitsuumi, a long time top division wrestler from the stable, to retire from active sumo and take over as the new head of the stable.

As of January 2023 it has 17 active sumo wrestlers.

## **History**

In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an active wrestler at the time. It was known as Futabayama Dojo until it was re-named Tokitsukaze stable in November 1945 when Futabayama retired. (The stable has the names of both Futabayama and Tokitsukaze at its entrance.)

Tokitsukaze's most successful rikishi was yokozuna Kagamisato who captured four makuuchi championships. Upon Futabayama's death in 1968 the former Kagamisato took charge for a short time, but Futabayama's widow wanted Yutakayama Katsuo to take over, which he did upon his retirement in 1969. He in turn passed control of the stable on to his successor Futatsuryū in August 2002.

On June 26, 2007, when Takashi Saito, a seventeen-year-old junior sumo wrestler who fought under the shikona of Tokitaizan, collapsed and died after a training session at Tokitsukaze stable's lodgings in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It emerged that he was beaten with a beer bottle and a metal baseball bat at the direction of his trainer. Saito's cause of death had been reported as heart failure, but his father insisted on an autopsy, which revealed the abuse.

Saito's stable master, Futatsuryu, admitted to beating the 17-year-old novice, who had only been in sumo for three months, and ordering other sumo wrestlers to beat him, due to Saito's "vague attitude" towards the sport. It was also reported that Saito had run away from the stable on a number of occasions. Yamamoto was expelled by the Japan Sumo Association. Yamamoto and three wrestlers from the stable were arrested in February 2008 and were charged with manslaughter. In May 2009 Yamamoto was sentenced to six years in prison. The incident brought substantial political pressure to the governance of the sport in Japan. In the wake of the scandal the Sumo Association sent a survey to all 53 training stables or heya, and more than 90 percent reported that baseball bats or similar equipment were used on their wrestlers, with around a third saying bullying had occurred during training.

On October 9, 2007, Tokitsuumi suddenly retired from being an active sumo wrestler and became head coach of Tokitsukaze stable after the hazing scandal. He was initially reluctant to do so, having not yet reached san'yaku, but was persuaded by the former Yutakayama, who had always regarded him as his preferred successor. He was a popular choice among his fellow wrestlers.

Tokitsukaze has since produced the top division wrestlers Tosayutaka, Yutakayama and Shodai, with the latter reaching ozeki in 2020.

Tokitsuumi was asked by the Japan Sumo Association to retire in February 2021 after twice violating COVID-19 safety protocols. Tokitsukaze stable was taken over by former maegashira Tosayutaka.

## **Ring Name Conventions**

Many wrestlers at this stable have taken ring names or shikona that begin with the character 時 (read: toki), meaning time, which is the first character in the stable's name, such as Tokitsunada, Tokibayama and Tokitenku. However this has fallen out of favour in recent years with Tokisakae being the only active wrestler using this kanji as of 2019. A number of wrestlers have also included the character 豊 (read: yutaka) in their shikona in deference to the last ōzeki produced by the stable, Yutakayama Katsuo, and the successor to his shikona, Yutakayama Hiromitsu. Examples include Yutakafuji, Tosayutaka and the active wrestler Yutakayama Ryota.

## **Owners**

* 2021-present: 17th Tokitsukaze Yuya (iin, former maegashira Tosayutaka)
* 2007–2021: 16th Tokitsukaze Masahiro (former maegashira Tokitsuumi)
* 2002–2007: 15th Tokitsukaze Junichi (former komusubi Futatsuryu)
* 1969–2002: 14th Tokitsukaze Katsuo (former ozeki Yutakayama)
* 1968–1969: 13th Tokitsukaze Kiyoji (former the 42nd yokozuna Kagamisato)
* 1941–1968: 12th Tokitsukaze Sadaji (former the 35th yokozuna Futabayama)

## **Coaches**

* Edagawa Hideki (iin, former maegashira Aogiyama)
* Nakagawa Kenji (toshiyori, former maegashira Asahisato)

## **Notable Active Wrestlers**

* Shodai (best rank ozeki)
* Tokihayate (best rank juryo)
* Yoshii (best rank makushita)
* Shohoryu (best rank makushita)
* Tokisoma (best rank makushita)
* Ohata (best rank makushita)
* Tokinohira (best rank makushita)
* Kenho (best rank makushita)
* Hakuomaru (best rank sandanme)
* Arise (best rank sandanme)

## **Notable Former Wrestlers**

### **Ozeki**

* Kitabayama (former ozeki)
* Yutakayama (former ozeki)

### **Sekiwake**

* Tsurugamine (former sekiwake) - *transferred to Izutsu stable before sekitori status*
* Toyonoshima (former sekiwake)
* Aonosato (former sekiwake)
* Kurama (former sekiwake)
* Fudoiwa (former sekiwake)

### **Komusubi**

* Yutakayama (former komusubi)
* Toyokuni (former komusubi)
* Oshio (former komusubi)
* Wakabayama (former komusubi)
* Sawahikari (former komusubi)
* Shimotori (former komusubi)
* Shionishiki (former komusubi)
* Tokitenku (former komusubi)
* Tokinishiki (former komusubi)
* Futatsuryu (former komusubi)
* Oyutaka (former komusubi)

### **Maegashira**

* Yutakayama (former maegashira)
* Aogiyama (former maegashira)
* Amanoyama (former maegashira)
* Wakasugiyama (former maegashira)
* Futatsuryu (former maegashira)
* Tosayutaka (former maegashira)
* Tokibayama (former maegashira)
* Tsurugamine (former maegashira) - *transferred from Izutsu stable*
* Tokitsuumi (former maegashira)
* Komatsuyama (former maegashira) - *transferred from Izutsu stable*
* Amatsukaze (former maegashira)
* Tokitsunada (former maegashira)
* Aranami (former maegashira)
* Taniarashi (former maegashira)
* Ogiyama (former maegashira)
* Okanoyama (former maegashira)
* Futagoiwa (former maegashira)
* Izuminada (former maegashira)
* Kiryugawa (former maegashira)
* Arakiyama (former maegashira)
* Hitachiumi (former maegashira)
* Makimoto (former maegashira)
* Yoshidagawa (former maegashira)
* Hakuryuyama (former maegashira)
* Maruyama (former maegashira)
* Sotairyu (former maegashira)
* Toyonoumi (former maegashira)

### **Juryo**

* Daigaku (former juryo)
* Tokitsunami (former juryo)
* Wakabayama (former juryo)
* Yutakafuji (former juryo)
* Ichinowatari (former juryo)
* Daisharin (former juryo)
* Kaio (former juryo)
* Ryugahama (former juryo)
* Akinokuni (former juryo)
* Toyonokuni (former juryo)
* Hachiryu (former juryo)
* Kainishiki (former juryo)
* Mitakayama (former juryo)

### **Makushita**

* Tsuchihashi (former makushita)
* Tokitairyu (former makushita)
* Matsuryuyama (former makushita)
* Kamiyutaka (former makushita)
* Kawamura (former sandanme)

## **Website**

* Tokitsukaze stable's website [1]
* Tokitsukaze stable's Facebook [2]
* Tokitsukaze stable's Twitter [3]
* Tokitsukaze stable's Instagram [4]