Mitsuneyama Keiji

Mitsuneyama Keiji - 三根山 繼司 (born February 27, 1922 - August 15, 1989) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Minamisenju, Tokyo. He made his debut in May 1937 and wrestled for Takashima stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1944 and has seven special prizes, nine kinboshi and one top division championship. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in January 1960.

## **Early Life**

Toichi Shimamura was born to greengrocers in the town of Minamisenju (modern day Arakawa), Tokyo. After graduating from Jinji Elementary School, he helped out with the family business, but disliked it. In 1936, Shimamura was recruited for professional sumo due to his large physique by a visiting Takashima stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his debut in May 1937 and was given the shikona "Mitsuneyama" (三根山). In May 1940, Mitsuneyama won the sandanme yusho with a perfect 8-0 record and was promoted to makushita in January 1941. After only three tournaments in makushita, Mitsuneyama was promoted to juryo in May 1942.

### **Juryo Career**

In his first tournament as a sekitori Mitsuneyama produced a solid 9-6 record and replicated that record in the following January 1943 tournament. In May 1943, Mitsuneyama finished with a strong 13-2 record and won the juryo yusho. Furthermore, he was promoted to makuuchi for the following January 1944 tournament.

### **Makuuchi Career**

In his first top division tournament, Mitsuneyama finished with a dominant 11-4 record. He later established himself in the san'yaku ranks, but due to the war, he lost over 40 kg due to food shortages and mandated labor. He later recovered and earned nine kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna whilst ranked as a maegashira, and seven sansho or special prizes. In 1953, at the age of 31, he was promoted to the second highest rank of ozeki, after 16 tournaments in the lower san'yaku ranks, ten at sekiwake and six at komusubi.

### **Ozeki Career**

Three tournaments after promotion to ozeki he took his only top division yusho or tournament championship, with a 12–3 record. At 32 years and one month he is the sixth oldest first time yusho winner since World War II, behind Kyokutenho, Tamawashi, Tamanoumi, Yoshibayama and Takatoriki. He lost the ozeki rank in 1955, largely due to injuries. He carried on fighting in the maegashira ranks, last under the shikona Mitsuneyama Hōkoku, until January 1960 when he retired at the age of nearly 38.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

He remained in the sumo world as a toshiyori or elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kumagatani Oyakata and founded his own Kumagatani stable. In May 1961 he acquired the Takashima elder name and changed the name of the stable to Takashima stable. He produced the top division wrestlers Daiju and Koboyama, but resigned due to ill health in 1982, the heya being absorbed into another incarnation of Kumagatani stable founded by the former Yoshinomine. He continued to work as a coach at Kumagatani before leaving the Sumo Association in January 1985.

### **Death**

During his later years, he was admitted to a hospital in Tokyo due to illnesses and injuries he acquired from his active career. He died in 1989 at the age of 67 due to a heart attack.

## **Fighting Style**

Mitsuneyama 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) followed by yoritaoshi (forntal crush down).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 479-389-35/864 (69 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 407-354-35/757 (56 basho)
* **Juryo:** 31-14/45 (3 basho)
* **Makushita:** 16-8/24 (3 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 8-0/8 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 13-10/23 (3 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 4-3/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (March 1954)
* 1 **Juryo** Champioship (May 1943)
* 1 **Sandanme** Championship (May 1940)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Outstanding Performance Prizes (7), Fighting Spirit Prizes (2)
* **Kinboshi:** 9: (3) Terukuni, (2) Kagamisato, (1) Akinoumi, (1) Maedayama, (1) Azumafuji, (1) Chiyonoyama
* **Record:** Tied for **10th** most kinboshi (9)

## **Shikona History**

* Mitsuneyama Koji (1937.05 - 1952.09)
* Mitsuneyama Keiji (1953.01 - 1959.05)
* Mitsuneyama Hokoku (1959.07 - 1960.01)

## **Gallery**

Mitsuneyama Keiji - (Retrieved from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai)
## **Sources**

* Mitsuneyama Keiji Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Mitsuneyama Keiji Rikishi Information