Kataonami Stable

Kataonami stable (片男波部屋, Kataonami-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables. It was founded in 1961 by former sekiwake Tamanoumi Daitaro, who branched off from Nishonoseki stable. Former sekiwake Tamanofuji took over the running of the stable upon Tamanoumi's death in 1987. In February 2010 he passed control over to another former sekiwake, Tamakasuga, remaining in the stable under the elder name Tateyama.

As of January 2023 it has 4 active sumo wrestlers.

## **History**

Kataonami stable was founded in 1961 by former sekiwake Tamanoumi, who branched off from Nishonoseki stable. The stable produced their first rikishi in 1962, when Tamaarashi, who transferred from Nishonoseki stable, was promoted to juryo. Their most successful rikishi would be promoted to juryo one year later in 1963. That rikishi would go on to be the 51st yokozuna, Tamanoumi. Tamanoumi earned promotion to yokozuna in 1970, however he would die suddenly after a delayed appendectomy. The stable wouldn't get another makuuchi yusho winner for another 48 years.

Former sekiwake Tamanofuji took over the running of the stable upon Tamanoumi's death in 1987. In February 2010 he passed control over to another former sekiwake, Tamakasuga, remaining in the stable under the elder name Tateyama.

Kataonami stable's first experiment with foreigners turned out to be a total failure. In 1988, Kataonami Oyakata went on a scouting trip in the Philippines and scouted three young Filipinos, Tamahinada, Tamahiryu, and Tamahikuni. All three Filipinos would run away in 1989. Kataonami stable wouldn't recruit another foreigner for 16 years until, Tamawashi joined the stable. Tamawashi reached the makuuchi division in 2008 and captured the makuuchi yusho in 2019. The first sekitori from Kataonami stable to do so since 1971. In 2020, Mongolian Kyokusoten transferred to Kataonami stable from Nakagawa stable and changed his Shikona to Tamashoho to fit the ring name conventions.

## **Ring Name Conventions**

Almost all wrestlers at this stable for the last forty years take the ring names or shikona that begin with the character 玉 (read: tama), meaning ball or sphere, in deference to the line of owners who have used this character in their own shikona.

## **Owners**

* 2010-present: 14th Kataonami Ryoji (iin, former sekiwake Tamakasuga)
* 1987-2010: 13th Kataonami Daizo (former sekiwake Tamanofuji)
* 1961-1987: 12th Kataonami Taketaro (former sekiwake Tamanoumi)

## **Coaches**

* Kumagatani Daisuke (iin, former maegashira Tamaasuka)

## **Notable Active Wrestlers**

* Tamawashi (best rank sekiwake)
* Tamashoho (best rank juryo)

## **Notable Former Wrestlers**

### **Sekiwake**

* Tamakasuga (former sekiwake)
* Tamanoshima (former sekiwake)
* Tamanofuji (former sekiwake)

### **Komusubi**

* Tamaryu (former komusubi)
* Tamakiyama (former komusubi)

### **Maegashira**

* Tamahibiki (former maegashira) - *transferred from Nishonoseki stable*
* Tamaarashi (former maegashira)
* Tamakirido (former maegashira)
* Tamakairiki (former maegashira)
* Tamaasuka (former maegashira)

### **Juryo**

* Tamanokuni (former juryo)
* Naniwaryu (former juryo)

### **Lower Divisions**

* Tamadaiki (former makushita)
* Tamaryoma (former makushita)
* Tamaasahi (former makushita)
* Tamakongo (former makushita)
* Tamahinada (former jonidan)
* Tamahiryu (former jonokuchi)
* Tamahikuni (former jonokuchi)

## **Usher**

* Kohei (makushita yobidashi) - *transferred from Nakagawa stable*