Haguroyama Sojo

Haguroyama Sojo - 羽黒山 礎丞 (born February 23, 1934 - February 8, 2021) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Shimokawa, Hokkaido. He made his debut in January 1950 and last wrestled for Tatsunami stable. He reached the makuuchi division in May 1954 and has four special prizes, ten kinboshi and one top division championship. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in March 1965.

## **Early Life**

Annen Osamu was born in Shimokawa, Hokkaido, as the fifth son of a farmer. After graduating from Shimokawa Choritsu Shimokawa Junior High School, he engaged with the family business. In the summer of 1949 he was recruited into sumo by a sewanin belonging to Tatsunami stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in January 1950 and initially wrestled under his surname Annen before changing it to "Annenyama" (安念山). Due to his weak frame, he struggled and lost all eight matches in maezumo (pre-sumo), however, he as he progressed up the ranks he began to increase both his skill and size. In May 1953, he won the makushita yusho at the rank of makushita 5 and was promoted to juryo for the following September 1953 tournament.

### **Juryo Career**

At the time of his juryo promotion, Annenyama was only 19 years old and the youngest sekitori in both divisions. In his first tournament as a sekitori, he could only manage a 7-8 record, but bounced back with two winning records and was promoted to makuuchi in May 1954.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Haguroyama was ranked in the top division for a total of 59 tournaments. In his komusubi debut in May 1957, he won the makuuchi yusho with a strong 13-2 record. He was promoted to sekiwake for the following September tournament and was expected to reach ozeki, however, he never managed to reach the second highest rank. He was ranked at the san'yaku level for a total of 21 tournaments and regularly defeated top ranked wrestlers. He earned ten kinboshi throughout his career for defeating yokozuna, however, he also lost all of 21 bouts against Taiho Koki. In November 1959 he finished with a 12-3 runner-up performance at the rank of sekiwake, but again was unable to capitalize on an ozeki promotion. Later in his career he was granted the sumo name Haguroyama, in honour of his father-in-law and stable boss, the 36th Yokozuna Haguroyama Masaji.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

After retiring in 1965 he remained in the sumo world as an elder under the name Oitekaze. He became head coach of Tatsunami stable in 1969 upon Haguroyama Masaji's death and adopted the name Tatsunami Oyakata. He inherited a number of strong wrestlers such as future ozeki Asahikuni. He coached Koji Kitao to the top division in 1984, who became the 60th Yokozuna Futahaguro in 1986. However, after the two had a heated argument in December 1987 Futahaguro struck Tatsunami's wife and stormed out of the stable. Futahaguro was forced to resign by the Japan Sumo Association and Tatsunami filled out the yokozuna's retirement papers, the first time this had ever been done to a wrestler with elite sekitori status. Tatsunami was punished by a salary cut and told to stay away from all Sumo Association functions for three months. He later produced a number of other top division wrestlers such as Daishoho and Daishoyama.

In February 1999 he reached the mandatory retirement age and passed on control of the stable to former komusubi Asahiyutaka, who had become his son-in-law and adopted son in April 1995. After their relationship soured and Asahiyutaka was divorced, he was ordered by the Tokyo District Court in February 2003 to pay Annen 175 million yen, the sum he would have had to pay for the right to the Tatsunami elder stock had he not been married to Annen's daughter. This was the first time a price had been revealed for elder stock, as the sums are normally kept secret. However, the Tokyo High Court in January 2004 overturned the original verdict.

### **Death**

Haguroyama passed away in a hospital in Tokyo on 8 February 2021. His death was formally announced by the Japan Sumo Association that December.

## **Fighting Style**

Haguroyama 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 (force out). He was also fond of employing uwatenage (overarm throw), shitatenage (underarm throw), and tsukiotoshi (thrust down).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 544-506-30-1d/1047 (74 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 428-427-29-1d/852 (59 basho)
* **Juryo:** 26-19/45 (3 basho)
* **Makushita:** 45-31/76 (6 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 19-11/30 (2 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 19-11/30 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 7-7-1/14 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (May 1957)
* 1 **Makushita** Championship (May 1953)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Outstanding Performance Prize (3), Fighting Spirit Prize (1)
* **Kinboshi:** 10: (4) Tochinishiki, (3) Chiyonoyama, (2) Wakanohana I, (1) Asashio
* **Record:** Tied for **5th** most gold stars (10 kinboshi)

## **Shikona History**

* Annen Osamu (1950.01 - 1951.01)
* Annenyama Osamu (1951.05 - 1960.03)
* Annenyama Hiroshi (1960.05 - 1961.03)
* Annenyama Osamu (1961.05 - 1961.05)
* Haguroyama Hiroshi (1961.07 - 1963.01)
* Haguroyama Noboru (1963.03 - 1964.03)
* Haguroyama Sojo (1964.05 - 1965.03)

## **Gallery**

Annenyama's early career (c. 1953)Annenyama prepares for his upcoming matchAnnenyama with his Tokitsukaze stablematesAnnenyama wins his first and only Yusho (c. 1957)Annenyama's first and only Yusho parade (c. 1957)Annenyama with his kesho-mawashiAnnenyama around the time of his change to Haguroyama (c. 1961)Haguroyama battles Yokozuna Tochinoumi (c. 1964)Annenyama after retirement as Tatsunami Oyakata (c. 1986)Anneyama's Yusho portraitAnnenyama's tegata
## **Sources**

* Haguroyama Sojo Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Haguroyama Sojo Rikishi Information