Asashio Taro (born 1929)

## Asashio Taro

Asashio Taro - 朝潮 太郎 (born November 13, 1929 - October 23, 1988) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kobe, Hyogo. He made his debut in October 1948 and last wrestled for Takasago stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1951 and has four special prizes, seven kinboshi and four top division championships. He was the 46th yokozuna and he retired in January 1962.

## **Early Life**

He was born Fumitoshi Yonekawa (米川 文敏) on Tokunoshima in the Amami Islands. Due to the Amami Islands being occupied by America, in 1948 he stowed away on a cargo ship and was supported by a relative in Hyogo Prefecture and subsequently joined Takasago stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Making his professional debut in October 1948, he at first fought under his real name. He was billed in sumo as being from Kobe in Hyogo until America returned the Anami Islands to Japan in 1953, and was thereafter billed as being from Kagoshima Prefecture. He dominated the lower divisions and was promoted to juryo in September 1950 after only five tournaments in the unsalaried ranks. In September 1950 he reached the second highest juryo division and won the championship with a 14–1 record. This earned him immediate promotion to the top makuuchi division in January 1951.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He adopted the shikona or ring name of Asashio Taro in 1952. His first strong tournament came in September 1952 where he posted a 10-5 record and was awarded his first of many Outstanding Performance prizes. He was then promoted to sekiwake and would remain in the san'yaku ranks for eight consecutive tournaments. In his early career he earned seven kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna, three of them coming in one tournament in January 1955 when he beat Yoshibayama on Day 5 and then Chiyonoyama and Tochinishiki on Days 8 and 9. In January 1956 he changed the spelling of his ring name to 朝汐 太郎, but changed it back in July 1960. In March 1956, he won his first yusho after defeating Wakanohana and Wakahaguro in a three playoff. Four tournaments later, he won his second yusho with a strong 13-2 record and was promoted to ozeki in the following May 1957 tournament.

### **Ozeki Career**

In his ozeki debut, Asashio finished with a 9-6 record. He won his third championship in March 1958 with a 13-2 record after defeating Kotogahama in a playoff. However, he suffered an injury in the following tournament and could not capitalize on a yokozuna promotion. He won his fourth yusho in November 1958 with a superb 14-1 record. He followed with two runner-up performance and was promoted to yokozuna in May 1959.

### **Yokozuna Career**

His time at sumo's highest rank was difficult as he missed many bouts through injury. He had to sit out the three tournaments following his yokozuna debut and was only able to win one further tournament, in March 1961. He did not take part in the January 1962 tournament and announced his retirement at the age of 32.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Asashio remained in the sumo world as an elder under the name of Furiwake, and became head coach of Takasago stable in 1971 after the death of the previous stablemaster, former yokozuna Maedayama. As Takasago-oyakata he coached Asashio Taro IV and Konishiki to the rank of ozeki. He predicted that Konishiki would reach the rank of yokozuna before his 25th birthday, but it did not happen. He also oversaw the makuuchi promotions of sekiwake Mitoizumi and Fujizakura. He also recruited the Samoan wrestler Nankairyu but after a heated argument with Takasago, Nankairyu ran away from the stable in September 1988. Takasago died of a stroke a few weeks later.

## **Personal Life**

Asashio was known for his thick chest hair and eyebrows. In 1959, he appeared on the cover of the first issue of Weekly Shonen Magazine and in Hiroshi Inagaki's film The Three Treasures.

After his death, his wife and her family ran a chanko restaurant called "Sumo Teahouse Yonekawa" (相撲茶屋 よねかわ) in Chino, Nagano. His son went on to work as a Fuji TV producer.

## **Fighting Style**

Asashio 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, and oshidashi, or push out.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 501-270-101/766 (59 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 431-248-101/674 (52 basho)
* **Juryo:** 14-1/15 (1 basho)
* **Makushita:** 21-9/30 (2 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 22-8/30 (2 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 9-3/12 (1 basho)
* **Shinjo:** 4-1/5 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 5 **Makuuchi** Championships
	+ 1st (March 1956)
	+ 2nd (March 1957)
	+ 3rd (March 1958)
	+ 4th (November 1958)
	+ 5th (March 1961)
* 1 **Juryo** Championship (September 1950)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Outstanding Performance Prize (4)
* **Kinboshi:** 7: (3) Chiyonoyama. (1) Tochinishiki, (1) Haguroyama, (1) Kagamisato, (1) Yoshibayama

## **Shikona History**

* Yonekawa Fumitoshi (1948.10 - 1952.01)
* Asashio Taro (1952.05 - 1962.01)

## **Gallery**

Asashio Taro - (Retrieved from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai)Yonekawa's tegataAsashio's tegataAsashio during his time as Yonekawa (c. 1951)
## **Sources**

* Asashio Taro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Asashio Taro Rikishi Information