Tokitsuumi Masahiro

Tokitsuumi Masahiro - 時津海 正博 (born November 8, 1973) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Fukue, Nagasaki. He made his debut in March 1996 and wrestled for Tokitsukaze stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1998 and has four special prizes. His highest rank was maegashira 3 and he retired in September 2007.

## **Early Life**

With influence from his father, Tokitsuumi participated in sumo competitions from the age of three, and after a stint with judo in junior high school, he began practicing sumo again in high school and university. He did very well in sumo at Tokyo University of Agriculture, but after graduating, he passed an entrance test to begin working at a printing company and was planning to have a career with them. But, his father, after seeing his continued success in amateur sumo, suggested he try his hand at professional sumo. Soon afterwards, he was recruited by the former ozeki Yutakayama, a fellow Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate, and joined his Tokitsukaze stable. He made his debut in March 1996 at the age of 22.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Due to his amateur accomplishments, Tokitsuumi was granted makushita tsukedashi status which allowed him to start at the bottom of makushita. In his first tournament he produced a strong 6-1 record. He followed with six consecutive winning records and was promoted to juryo in March 1997. At the time of promotion, he had not produced a single losing record.

### **Juryo Career**

He won the juryo division championship at his first attempt with a 12-3 record, but then fell flat with a 5-10 mark in the next tournament. In July 1998 he produced a 10-5 score at the rank of juryo 2 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division for September.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Tokitsuumi had a long career in the top makuuchi division. His four special prizes for Technique were evidence of his ability, but he always struggled when promoted above the mid-level maegashira ranks. He never reached a san'yaku rank, his highest rank being maegashira 3. A poor result in 2005 took him down to juryo but he immediately recovered his position in top division by winning the juryo championship for the second time in July 2005. His best score in the top division was a 12-3 result in January 2006. Just two tournaments later he suffered an injury which took him down to juryo once again, and it took him three tournaments to get back. However he showed few signs of slowing down, comfortably holding his own in the lower maegashira ranks in 2007.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

On October 9, 2007, he suddenly retired from being an active sumo wrestler and became head coach of Tokitsukaze stable, after the previous head coach (former komusubi Futatsuryu) was dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association for his involvement in a 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.

In a highly unusual move, the banzuke (or ranking sheet) for the November 2007 tournament contained a blank space in the rank where Tokitsuumi's name ought to have appeared (West maegashira 11). Ordinarily, when a wrestler retires he does not succeed immediately as a head coach and owner of a stable. In this case, due to the unusual nature of the dismissal of the previous Tokitsukaze stablemaster, he acquired both the stable and toshiyori-kabu (coaching license) for the Tokitsukaze name immediately on retirement. Had his name remained on the banzuke he would therefore have been listed twice. The blank space was left to avoid the confusion in the rankings that would otherwise result. The last time a comparable situation occurred was in 1873, when two wrestlers were expelled from professional sumo as agitators. They formed a new organization (the modern Takasago stable). On that occasion, their names were blotted out of the banzuke with ink.

His official retirement ceremony, or danpatsu-shiki, took place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on October 5, 2008.

In June 2010 he faced censure for his involvement in the gambling scandal rocking the sumo world, after it was revealed that he had illegally bet on baseball while still an active wrestler. On July 4 he was demoted to the lowest toshiyori level on the elder hierarchy, with no opportunity for re-promotion for at least five years.

Tokitsukaze has produced the top division wrestlers Tosayutaka, Shodai and Yutakayama.

Tokitsuumi was told not to leave his house and prevented from attending the September 2020 tournament after he breached the Sumo Association's COVID-19 guidelines by travelling to another prefecture. In the same month he was unable to take part in the ceremony marking Shodai's promotion to ozeki, despite having been given permission to do so, due to an acute illness. He was demoted from iin level to toshiyori by the Sumo Association on October 1. During his trip he had engaged in several non-essential activities such as eating out, playing golf and visiting his home town of Goto, Nagasaki.

In January 2021 the Sumo Association said it was again investigating Tokitsuumi for possible COVID-19 safety protocol violations, after he was reported to have visited a mahjong parlor. The Sumo Association formally requested Tokitsuumi's retirement on 22 February, which he accepted.

## **Fighting Style**

Tokitsuumi was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who preferred fighting on the mawashi to pushing or thrusting. His favoured grip was migi-yotsu, with his left hand outside and right hand inside his opponent's arms. He won over 40 per cent of his matches by yorikiri, or force out. He was also fond of shitatenage, or underarm throw.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 466-485-43/948 (70 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 322-385-43/704 (50 basho)
* **Juryo:** 111-84/195 (13 basho)
* **Makushita:** 33-16/49 (7 basho)

### **Championships**

* 2 **Juryo** Championships
	+ 1st (May 1997)
	+ 2nd (July 2005)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Technique Prize (4)

## **Shikona History**

* Tokitsuumi Masahiro (1996.03 - 2007.09)

## **Gallery**

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

Tokitsuumi Masahiro - 1999 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tokitsuumi Masahiro - 1998 (Retrieved from the JSA)Tokitsuumi's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Tokitsuumi in Juryo (c. 1997)Tokitsuumi defeats Tamarikido to win the Juryo Yusho (c. 1997)Tokitsuumi celebrates his Juryo Yusho in his hometown (c. 1997)Tokitsuumi after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 1998)Tokitsuumi battles his opponent (c. 1998)Tokitsuumi throws Oginishiki (c. 2001)Tokitsuui with one of his many technique prizes (c. 2006)Tokitsuumi apologizes to Tokitaizan's family (c. 2007)Tokitsuumi retires to take over Tokitsukaze stable (c. 2007)Tokitsuumi's blank slot on the banzuke (c. 2007)Tokitsuumi's retirement ceremony (c. 2008)Tokitsukaze after retirement as Tokitsukaze OyakataTokitsukaze caught breaking COVID-19 safety regulations
## **Sources**

* Tokitsuumi Masahiro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Tokitsuumi Masahiro Rikishi Information