Yoshinohana Masanori

Yoshinohana Masanori - 義ノ花 成典 (born September 4, 1943) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Taito, Tokyo. He made his debut in May 1959 and wrestled for Dewanoumi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 1964 and has 1 special prize as well as 1 kinboshi. His highest rank was maegashira 1 and he retired in July 1973.

## **Early Life**

He began sumo wrestling at a dojo operated by the former maegashira Katsuragawa. He continued practicing sumo at his junior high school's sumo club where he won many local tournaments in Tokyo. After finishing junior high school, he already weighed 150 kg (331 Ib) and was recruited into Dewanoumi stable by the 41st yokozuna Chiyonoyama.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his debut in May 1959 and was given the shikona "Yoshinohana" (義ノ花). In his first professional tournament he won the jonokuchi yusho with a perfect 8-0 record. He was promoted to sandanme in November 1960 and he won the sandanme yusho with a perfect 7-0 record in September 1962 and was promoted to makushita in November 1962 where he followed with another perfect 7-0 record and the makushita yusho. He subsequently produced three more winning records and was promoted to juryo in July 1963.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Yoshinohana finished with a 9-6 record and was able to establish himself in the juryo division. After a little of a year in juryo, Yoshinohana won the juryo yusho in September 1964 with a 12-3 record while ranked at the top of juryo and was promoted to makuuchi for the following November 1964 tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Yoshinohana was ranked in makuuchi for a total of 36 tournaments, however, he never managed to reach the san'yaku level due to a knee injury with his highest rank being maegashira 1 which he achieved on three different occasions. In November 1966 he defeated yokozuna Tochinoumi to earn his first and only career kinboshi. In July 1971 he finished with a strong 10-5 record and was awarded his first and only special prize (Fighting Spirit prize). He announced his retirement after the July 1973 tournament to avoid an inevitable demotion back down to the unsalaried makushita division.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Inagawa and he worked as a coach at Dewanoumi Stable. He reached the Sumo Association's mandatory retirement age in September 2008.

## **Fighting Style**

Yoshinohana was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite was yorikiri, or force out. He was one of the tallest rikishi of his time, standing at 6 ft 2.5 in (1.89 m), and also the heaviest, peaking at 177 kg (390 Ib).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 527-533-26/1057 (86 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 234-298-8/530 (36 basho)
* **Juryo:** 202-169/370 (25 basho)
* **Makushita:** 21-8/29 (4 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 39-27-18/66 (12 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 23-31/54 (7 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 8-0/8 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 2 **Juryo** Championships
	+ 1st (September 1964)
	+ 2nd (May 1968)
* 1 **Makushita** Championship (November 1962)
* 1 **Sandanme** Championship (September 1962)
* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (July 1959)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (1)
* **Kinboshi:** (1) Tochinoumi

## **Shikona History**

* Yoshinohana Masanori (1959.05 - 1970.07)
* Yoshinohana Masaki (1970.09 - 1973.07)

## **Gallery**

Yoshinohana wins the Jonokuchi Yusho (c. 1959)Yoshinohana retires Yokozuna Tochinoumi (c. 1966)Yoshinohana poses with his kesho-mawashi (c. 1967)Yoshinohana with his only sansho prize (c. 1971)Yoshinohana after retirement as Inagawa Oyakata (c. 1976)Yoshinohana's tegata
## **Sources**

* Yoshinohana Masanori Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Yoshinohana Masanori Rikishi Information