Fukunoumi Nanao

Fukunoumi Nanao - 福ノ海 七男 (born April 28, 1930 - July 20, 1995) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Fukui, Fukui Prefecture. He made his debut in October 1949 and last wrestled for Asahiyama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in September 1956. His highest rank was maegashira 10 and he retired in July 1962.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Born in Fukui, Ota joined Asahiyama stable and made his professional debut in October 1949. Initially wrestling under the shikona "Asanobori" (朝昇), he won the jonokuchi yusho with a 12-3 record in his first professional tournament (back then all divisions wrestled the full fifteen days). He was promoted to sandanme in January 1951 and makushita in September 1951. In September 1954 he changed his shikona to "Fukunoumi" (福ノ海) and in May 1955, he won the makushita yusho at the rank of makushita 3 and was promoted to juryo for the following September 1955 tournament.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori, he finished with a strong 11-4 record. He followed with two 8-7 records and was promoted to the top of juryo in May 1956 where he posted another 11-4 record and was promoted to makuuchi in September 1956.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Fukunoumi was ranked in makuuchi for a total of nine tournaments, reaching as high as maegashira 10 in January 1958. His last top division appearance was in July 1958 and he remained in juryo for another four years. After falling down to makushita in May 1962, he retired from sumo in the following July 1962 tournament.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Upon retirement from active competition, he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association, under the name Kitajin. He subsequently changed his elder name on five separate occasions as he was borrowing the stock. Unusually, he reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in April 1995 even though he had been borrowing elder names for the entirety of his post-sumo career.

### **Death**

After leaving the sumo world, he died shortly after at a hospital in Koshigaya, Saitama, due to a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 65.

## **Fighting Style**

Fukunoumi 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:** 397-369-18/765 (59 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 61-74/135 (9 basho)
* **Juryo:** 203-191-11/393 (27 basho)
* **Makushita:** 85-77-7/162 (17 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 21-9/30 (2 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 15-15/30 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 12-3/15 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makushita** Championship (May 1955)
* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (January 1950)

## **Shikona History**

* Asanobori Nanao (1949.10 - 1954.05)
* Fukunoumi Nanao (1954.09 - 1962.07)

## **Gallery**

A Fukui-based newspaper article about FukunoumiFukunoumi with his kesho-mawashiFukunoumi's danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony (c. 1962)Fukunoumi after retirement as Kitajin Oyakata (c. 1972)Fukunoumi's kesho-mawashi displayed at a gymnasium in Fukui
## **Sources**

* Fukunoumi Nanao Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Fukunoumi Nanao Rikishi Information