Yutakayama Onikichi

Yutakayama Onikichi - 豊山 鬼吉 (born September 29, 1925 - March 8, 2011) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ugo, Akita. He made his debut in November 1946 and last wrestled for Isenoumi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in March 1953. His highest rank was maegashira 17 and he retired in September 1954.

## **Early Life**

Born in Ugo, Akita, he attended elementary school in South Sakhalin. After graduating, he became an airplane operator after working at the Sendai Aircraft Crew Training Center. Although he was drafted and assigned to Okinawa as a member of the Japanese Special Attack Units, the war ended before the sortie. After the end of the Second World War, he moved back to his hometown, but was unable to find a job. He was subsequently recruited into Nishikijima stable by Nishikijima Oyakata (former maegashira Orochiyama) who also came from Ugo, Akita.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in November 1946 and was given the shikona "Arauma" (荒馬). After winning the jonidan yusho in May 1948 with a perfect 6-0 record, he was promoted to sandanme in October 1948 and makushita in January 1949. In May 1949, he transferred to the recently established Isenoumi stable. In May 1950, he changed his shikona to "Yutakayama" (豊山) and simultaneously won the makushita yusho to earn a promotion to juryo in September 1950.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Yutakayama finished with an 8-7 record. In January 1953, he finished with a 9-6 record at the rank of juryo 2 and was promoted to makuuchi for the following March 1953 tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Yutakayama struggled in top division debut and posted a 5-10 record. He was demoted back down to juryo and he never managed to return to makuuchi. After a bad showing in juryo, he was demoted back down to makushita in May 1954 and he retired from sumo in the following September 1954 tournament.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Upon retiring from sumo in September 1954, he worked for the Kushiro Factory General Affairs Division of Honshu Paper Co., Ltd. (currently Oji Paper Company). He later worked for a construction company in Sapporo before transitioning into politics.

### **Political Career**

After working for a construction company in Sapporo, he was brought into politics in 1969 due to his cordial personality. He ran for the Kushiro City Assembly election and was elected. He served a total of four terms and retired in 1985.

### **Death**

He died on March 8, 2011, at a hospital in Kushiro, Hokkaido, due to a heart attack. He was 85 years old.

## **Fighting Style**

Yutakayama 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.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 149-157/306 (25 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 5-10/15 (1 basho)
* **Juryo:** 80-100/180 (12 basho)
* **Makushita:** 48-40/88 (7 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 4-2/6 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 9-3/12 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 3-2/5 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makushita** Championship (May 1950)
* 1 **Jonidan** Championship (May 1948)

## **Shikona History**

* Arauma Onikichi (1946.11 - 1950.01)
* Yutakayama Tadaharu (1950.05 - 1953.01)
* Yutakayama Onikichi (1953.03 - 1953.05)
* Arauma Onikichi (1953.09 - 1954.09)

## **Gallery**

Yutakayama with his kesho-mawashiYutakayama became a politician in Kushiro (c. 2008)
## **Sources**

* Yutakayama Onikichi Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Yutakayama Onikichi Rikishi Information