Atamifuji Sakutaro

Atamifuji Sakutaro - 熱海富士 朔太郎 (born September 3, 2002) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Atami, Shizuoka. He made his debut in November 2020 and currently wrestles for Isegahama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in November 2022 and has 2 special prize. His highest rank as of 2024 is maegashira 1.

## **Early Life**

Sakutaro Takei was born in Chiba prefecture, but moved to Atami, Shizuoka, in his second year of elementary school. He joined a sumo club at the nearby city of Mishima at the age of six. He also practiced judo and was a member of the judo club during his time at Nihon University Mishima Junior High School before devoting himself to sumo during his second year of junior high school. He later transferred to Atami Shiritsu Atami Junior High School in Atami, Shizuoka. He went on to attend Hiryu High School in Numazu, Shizuoka where he was an active member of the sumo club. Upon graduating high school, he joined Isegahama stable in November 2020.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

Takei was given the shikona, or ring name, Atamifuji (熱海富士), a combination of "Atami" (熱海) coming from his hometown and "Fuji" (富士) from his stablemaster's ring name Asahifuji (旭富士). While in maezumo (pre-sumo), Atamifuji won all three of his matches and entered the January 2021 tournament at the Jonokuchi 25 rank. In his professional debut, he won the jonokuchi championship in a playoff. In the following tournament in March he won the jonidan championship with a perfect 7–0 record. He continued to post strong winning records in the lower divisions, breezing through sandanme and reaching the makushita division for the July 2021 tournament. During his first tournament in that division, his hometown of Atami was hit by a massive landslide, making it a particularly emotional tournament for him as he continued to receive messages of support from stricken residents. It took only 4 tournaments in makushita to Atamifuji to be promoted to the juryo division.

### **Juryo Career**

At the time of his juryo promotion, Atamifuji had not produced a single losing record and was also the seventh-fastest promotion to juryo in sumo history (excluding makushita tsukedashi) since 1958, when the six-tournament per-year system was introduced. His promotion also makes him the only sekitori from Atami. At the time of his promotion to sekitoriship, Atamifuji also received a kesho-mawashi from Hiryu High School.

After suffering his first losing record in his debut tournament as a sekitori in March 2022, Atamifuji would post three straight winning records. In September 2022, Atamifuji earned a promotion to makuuchi, sumo's top division, for the November 2022 basho with an eighth victory on Day 14 over Tochimusashi. It took only 12 tournaments to Atamifuji to reach the top division, which ties him in eighth place for the record of fastest progress to the top division since 1958.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Atamifuji finished with a poor 4-11 record in his top division debut and was demoted to the juryo division for the January 2023 tournament. At the time of his demotion he received harsh comments from his master and his senior Terunofuji who commented that he "had not yet taken shape" because "he has only risen to the makuuchi ranks on the basis of his qualities alone" and not because of his technique.

During the next tournament, in January 2023, Atamifuji had to leave the tournament on Day 11 due to a case of influenza. As his absence was not related to a case of covid, his rank was not protected and Atamifuji was demoted to the rank of juryo 8. At the May 2023 tournament, Atamifuji was runner-up for the entire competition, beaten on score only by Ochiai and Gonoyama, the winner of the juryo tournament. Atamifuji finished the tournament with a score of 13–2 and inflicted his only defeat on Gonoyama on Day 10. At the July tournament, Atamifuji, then ranked juryo 1, won an eighth victory over Hakuyozan, reinforcing the hypothesis of a repromotion to the makuuchi division. On the subject of this repromotion, he congratulated himself on maintaining his efforts and step through his kimon ('devil's gate'), to secure an eighth victory early in the tournament, in contrast to his previous juryo tournaments where, after securing seven victories, he would often collapse only to complete a barely achieved kachi-koshi. Atamifuji then went on to win the juryo tournament, after a playoff victory over Daiamami.

On his return to sumo's top division, Atamifuji, then the division's youngest active competitor at 21, maintained a leading position along Takayasu in the first half of the tournament, obtaining his first kachi-koshi in the top division on day nine, losing only on day five to Tsurugisho. From the tenth day, he became the only leader of the competition having defeated his co-leader and former ozeki by oshitaoshi. However, Atamifuji lost his lead in the title race by recording two consecutive defeats against sekiwake Daieisho and ozeki Takakeisho, on days twelve and thirteen respectively. During the latter part of the tournament, however, Atamifuji maintained a winning lead over three other wrestlers (Takakeisho, Daieisho and Hokuseiho). In his final match, he faced former ozeki Asanoyama, needing to win the match to win the tournament outright and avoid a playoff situation with the other wrestlers having reached 11–4. However, Atamifuji lost the match by yorikiri, eventually taking him into a playoff against Takakeisho. Atamifuji also lost the playoff and missed out on the championship. For leading the championship for most of the tournament, however, Atamifuji received the Fighting Spirit award.

During the November 2023 tournament Atamifuji also found himself in the group of wrestlers leading the tournament, recording five consecutive victories since the first day of the tournament. However, he lost his lead after suffering back to back defeats at the hands of Sakaigawa stablemates Sadanoumi and Hiradoumi, on Day 6 and 7 respectively. Atamifuji bounced back, however, and recorded six consecutive wins from day eight onwards, including a victory over ozeki Hoshoryu on the twelfth day of the tournament. With eleven victories to his name, Atamifuji remained at the top of the standings, being equalled on day thirteen only by ozeki Kirishima, with the championship victory to be decided on day fourteen, in the match between these two competitors; Atamifuji also competing for the fastest championship win in the history of the sport if he managed to achieve a yūsho in 18 tournaments since his debut. The ozeki won the match by yorikiri, securing a lead over Atamifuji, who now had to win on the final day and bank on a Kirishima defeat to force a playoff. On the final day, Atamifuji lost his match against Kotonowaka, ending his playoff hopes. For his efforts, however, it was announced that Atamifuji would be the recipient of the sansho for Fighting Spirit.

## **Personal Life**

* Atamifuji is the eldest of two siblings. His younger sister, Hina Takei, is the current captain of the Hiryu High School sumo team. Hina is the first female captain of a club that produced sekitori and is particularly committed to the development of women's sumo.
* Atamifuji is known for his demonstrative attitude, frequently smiling in the hanamichi when he wins and showing a sad face when he loses, which makes him popular with fans. On this subject, his coach Tateyama calls him "The Takamisakari of the Reiwa era" (令和の高見盛). During an interview at Okinoumi's retirement ceremony, his senior Terunofuji also dubbed him Kakukai no pudding (角界のプリン), meaning "Kakukai's pudding" referring to "Atami Pudding", a brand that recently sponsored Atamifuji.

## **Fighting Style**

Atamifuji is a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favors a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). His most common kimarite is yorikiri, or force out.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 134-76-4/209 (19 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 26-19/45 (3 basho)
* **Juryo:** 68-48-4/115 (8 basho)
* **Makushita:** 21-7/28 (4 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-0/7 (1 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Juryo** Championship (July 2023)
* 1 **Jonidan** Championship (March 2021)
* 1 **Jonokuchi** Championship (January 2021)

### **Achievements**

* **Special Prizes:** Fighting Spirit Prize (2)

## **Gallery**

### **JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata**

Atamifuji Sakutaro - 2023 (Retrieved from the JSA)Atamifuji Sakutaro - 2022 (Retrieved from the JSA)Atamifuji Sakutaro - 2022 (Retrieved from the JSA)Atamifuji Sakutaro - 2022 (Retrieved from the JSA)Atamifuji's Tegata
### **Career Overview**

Atamifuji gets measured upon joining sumo (c. 2020)Atamifuji wins the Jonidan Yusho (c. 2021)Atamifuji ensures promotion to Juryo (c. 2022)Atamifuji after promotion to Juryo (c. 2022)Atamifuji returns to his hometown (c. 2022)Atamifuji defeats Hakuyozan (c. 2022)Atamifuji after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 2022)Atamifuji prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2023)Atamifuji defeats Daiamami to win the Juryo Yusho (c. 2023)Atamifuji wins his first Juryo Yusho (c. 2023)Atamifuji loses the Yusho playoff match to Takakeisho (c. 2023)Atamifuji after losing the Yusho playoff match (c. 2023)Atamifuji with his first of many sansho prize (c. 2023)Atamifuji serves as Terunofuji’s swordbearer (c. 2024)
## **Sources**

* Atamifuji Sakutaro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Atamifuji Sakutaro Rikishi Information