Hidenokuni Hajime

Hidenokuni Hajime - 英ノ国 一 (born August 23, 1971) is a former English professional sumo wrestler from Herne Bay, Kent. He made his debut in September 1989 and wrestled for Azumazeki stable. His highest rank was jonidan 89 and he retired in May 1990.

## **Early Life**

A former photographic printer from Herne Bay, he was inspired to join sumo after seeing broadcasts on Channel 4. After months of training in martial arts techniques with Syd Hoare of the British Sumo Association, he went to Japan and joined the Azumazeki stable run by former sekiwake Takamiyama, who had already taken on a number of foreign recruits from Hawaii. Strange had written a number of letters to Azumazeki Oyakata asking to join.

## **Career**

The name Hidenokuni was chosen to acknowledge his pioneering status as the first ever rikishi from the United Kingdom: the first and last characters of Hidenokuni together mean England.  Hajime is a common given name in Japan, and can be taken to mean start or beginning. He found it difficult to adjust to the sumo diet of chankonabe and instead of gaining weight, he lost 22 kilograms (49 lb) in his first two months in Japan.

Hidenokuni's sumo career was short. After coming though maezumo (pre-sumo) in September 1989, he fought his first tournament in the bottom jonokuchi division in November 1989. In his second ever bout he fought future Yokozuna Musashimaru, who had joined sumo at the same time as him. Recording a 5-2 score, Hidenokuni had performed sufficiently well to be promoted to jonidan for the January 1990 tournament. He celebrated by going out to a disco with ozeki Konishiki, who had just won the top division title. He again achieved kachi-koshi in January, meaning he had won 12 of his first 18 bouts.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

He had gained quite a lot of attention due to his status as the first ever European in sumo, and even started to receive fan mail. However, he also received very harsh treatment in training from his stablemates, who were not pleased at the attention he was getting, and this influenced his decision to return to England. He quit immediately after the March 1990 tournament, although he remained on the banzuke for the next tournament in May.

He appeared on a BBC documentary *I Love the 1980s* and was part of the episode *I Love 1988* where he recalled the rise in popularity of sumo in the United Kingdom due to the broadcasts on Channel 4.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 9-5-14/14 (5 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 4-3-7/7 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 5-2-7/7 (2 basho)

### **Achievements**

* **1st** European in professional sumo
* **1st** British professional sumo wrestler

## **Gallery**

Hidenokuni trains for professional sumo (c. 1989)Nathan Strange becomes the first European rikishi (c. 1989)Hidenokuni in maezumo (c. 1989)Hidenokuni with future yokozuna Musashimaru (c. 1989)Hidenokuni as a tsukebito (c. 1989)Hidenokuni towards the end of his career (c. 1990)

## **Sources**

* Hidenokuni Hajime Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Hidenokuni Hajime English Wikipedia Article
* Hidenokuni Hajime Rikishi Information
* The Independent, *The Sumotori from Kent* by Nicolas Soames