Kobo Kenichi

Kobo Kenichi - 光法 賢一 (born August 18, 1973 - July 2, 2021) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Minamitane, Kagoshima. He made his debut in March 1989 and last wrestled for Miyagino stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 2001. His highest rank was maegashira 9 and he retired in January 2008.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Upon graduation from junior high school, Mineyama joined Miyagino stable in March 1989 at the age of 15. In his first professional tournament he won the jonokuchi yusho with a perfect 7-0 record. He was promoted to sandanme in July 1990 and makushita in September 1991. Unlike the previous divisions, Mineyama found makushita to be much harder and he rose up the ranks much slower. In September 1993 he was ranked at makushita 3 and even fought against two juryo-ranked wrestlers, however, he finished with a 3-4 and could not break through the sekitori wall. In November 1996 he changed his shikona from his family name to "Kobo" (光法). In November 1998 he produced a 5-2 record at the rank of makushita 2 and was promoted to juryo for the January 1999 tournament.

### **Juryo Career**

Kobo produced a solid 9-6 record in his juryo debut and followed it with an 8-7 record. However, he fell back down to makushita in May 2000, but returned to juryo in November 2000. In his return, he posted a strong 10-5 record, but followed it with a poor 5-10 record. After four consecutive 8-7 records, Kobo was promoted to makuuchi for the November 2001 tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

In his makuuchi debut, Kobo produced a winning record of 8-7 (his only winning record in the top division) and was promoted to a career-best maegashira 9 for the January 2002 tournament. In this tournament, Kobo only managed three wins and was demoted back down to juryo. He returned in January 2003, but could only produce five wins in this tournament and was demoted back down to juryo. His last appearance in makuuchi was in May 2004 where he produced another 5-10 record and was emoted back down to juryo.

### **Later Career**

Kono remained in juryo for the majority of his later career. In July 2007, he fell to the unsalaried makushita division for the first time since September 2000, and he announced his retirement in December of that year.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Kobo remained with the Japan Sumo Association as an elder under the name Ajigawa-oyakata, and initially worked as a coach at his old stable. In May 2008, he had his danpatsu-shiki, or official retirement ceremony, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. In February 2010 he admitted that, against the wishes of the Tatsunami ichimon, he voted for independent candidate Takanohana instead of the approved candidate Oshima in the elections to the Sumo Association's board. He offered his resignation, but was persuaded to stay. Following the controversy he moved to the Takanohana stable where he coached under the name Nishiiwa-oyakata, which was owned by the active wrestler Wakanosato. In July 2015, with Wakanosato likely to retire, he switched to the Otowayama name formerly owned by the late Takanonami and subsequently controlled by Takanohana Oyakata. He left the Sumo Association in January 2018 after the Otowayama kabu was needed by ex-maegashira Daido (formerly Onogawa Oyakata).

After leaving the Japan Sumo Association, he was employed at former ozeki Kotomitsuki's yakitori restaurant.

### **Death**

He died on July 2, 2021, due to COVID-19 at the age of 47.

## **Personal Life**

* Kobo was yokozuna Hakuho's stablemate and was his senior stablemate for around four years before Hakuho was promoted to Makuuchi. Kobo served as a mentor and noticed his talent from the early stages. When Hakuho won his first yusho in May 2006, Kobo served as his first flag bearer.
* Kobo is known for his bright personality and is said to be a very "good-natured person". His hobbies are watching western movies and listening to music.

## **Fighting Style**

Kobo's favored kimarite or techniques were hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashi), shitatenage (underarm throw), and yorikiri (force out).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 582-572-14/1153 (113 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 21-39/60 (4 basho)
* **Juryo:** 318-335-7/652 (44 basho)
* **Makushita:** 185-158-7/343 (50 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 28-21/49 (7 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 23-19/42 (6 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (May 1989)

## **Shikona History**

* Mineyama Kenichi (1989.03 - 1996.09)
* Kobo Kenichi (1996.11 - 2008.01)

## **Gallery**

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

Kobo Kenichi - 2002 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kobo Kenichi - 2001 (Retrieved from the JSA)Kobo's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Kobo (right) gets the Jonokuchi Yusho (c. 1989)Kobo interviewed after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2001)Kobo prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2004)Kobo serves as Hakuho's flag bearer (c. 2006)Kobo serves as Yokozuna Hakuho's sword bearer (c. 2007)Kobo's retirement ceremony (c. 2008)Kobo after retirement as Ajigawa Oyakata (c. 2016)
## **Sources**

* Kobo Kenichi Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Kobo Kenichi Rikishi Information