Masuiyama Daishiro (born 1919)

## Masuiyama Daishiro

Masuiyama Daishiro - 増位山 大志郎 (born November 3, 1919 - October 21, 1985) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Himeji, Hyogo. He made his debut in January 1935 and wrestled for Dewanoumi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1941 and has two special prizes, two kinboshi and two top division championships. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in January 1950.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Born Kumiaki Sawaka, he joined Dewanoumi stable in 1935 and initially fought under the shikona of Hamanishiki (濱錦), before changing to Masuiyama (増位山) in 1937. He was promoted to sandanme in May 1937 and makushita in January 1938. In May 1939, he won the makushita yusho with a 7-1 record at the rank of makushita 3 and was promoted to juryo in January 1940.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Masuiyama finished with a solid 9-6 record. He followed by winning the juryo yusho with a 12-3 record in the May 1940 tournament and was subsequently promoted to makuuchi in January 1941.

### **Makuuchi Career**

In January 1942 he defeated yokozuna Haguroyama to earn his first gold star or kinboshi. He finished with a losing record but good performances over the next three tournaments took him to komusubi and then sekiwake in 1944. In the first postwar tournament held in a bomb-damaged Kokugikan in June 1945 he could manage only two wins and dropped back to the maegashira ranks, but he was runner-up to Haguroyama in November 1946 with a fine 11–2 record (alongside his stablemate Shionoumi). After earning his first sansho or special prize for Technique he returned to the san'yaku ranks, and in October 1948 he won his first top division championship. He took advantage of the poor condition of the three yokozuna and finished with a 10–1 record, defeating ozeki Azumafuji in a playoff. After the tournament Azumafuji was promoted to yokozuna and Masuiyama was elevated to ozeki.

### **Ozeki Career**

In his second tournament at ozeki rank Masuiyama took his second and final championship, defeating yokozuna Haguroyama, Azumafuji and Maedayama on three consecutive days to finish 13–2. He defeated maegashira Hajimayama, a fellow member of Dewanoumi stable, in another playoff on the final day.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

This was to be the last tourney Masuiyama was to complete. After pulling out of the next two tournaments through injury he retired in January 1950 at the age of 30, having spent only four tournaments at ozeki rank. He became head coach of the small Mihogaseki stable. After a long period without success, he eventually managed to produce some strong sekitori, including Kitanoumi who reached yokozuna in 1974, and his eldest son, Masuiyama Daishiro II, who was born in 1948, entered his father's stable in 1967 alongside Kitanoumi and reached the ozeki rank in 1980. In November 1984 Masuiyama reached the mandatory retirement age set by the Japan Sumo Association and passed on control of Mihogaseki stable to his son. He died less than one year later. Kitanoumi, his most successful wrestler, missed his own father's funeral to attend Masuiyama's.

## **Fighting Style**

Masuiyama was proficient in both yotsu-sumo (grappling) and oshi-sumo (pushing and thrusting) techniques. His favored grip on his opponent's mawashi was hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside position) and he regularly employed tsuppari (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest). His most often used winning kimarite was tsukidashi (thrust out), followed by tsukitaoshi (thrust down). He was also fond of employing uchigake (inside leg trip).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 199-126-24/322 (32 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 138-95-23/230 (20 basho)
* **Juryo:** 21-9/30 (2 basho)
* **Makushita:** 22-12-1/34 (4 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-5/12 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 2-4/6 (1 basho)
* **Shinjo:** 3-0/3 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 2 **Makuuchi** Championships
	+ 1st (October 1948)
	+ 2nd (May 1949)
* 1 **Juryo** Championship (May 1940)
* 1 **Makushita** Championship (May 1939)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Outstanding Performance Prize (1), Technique Prize (1)
* **Kinboshi:** 2: (1) Haguroyama, (1) Maedayama

## **Shikona History**

* Hamanishiki (1935.01 - 1937.01)
* Masuiyama Daishiro (1937.05 - 1950.01)

## **Gallery**

Masuiyama Daishiro - (Retrieved from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai)
## **Sources**

* Masuiyama Daishiro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Masuiyama Daishiro Rikishi Information