Atamifuji Sakutarō

Atamifuji Sakutarō (熱海富士 朔太郎), born 3 September 2002 as Sakutarō Takei (武井 朔太郎, Takei Sakutarō) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. He wrestles for the Isegahama stable and made his debut in November 2020. He won the championships in the two lowest divisions of jonokuchi and jonidan in early 2021. In November 2022 he was promoted to makuuchi, becoming one of the fastest in the history of professional sumo to reach the top division.[1] His highest rank has been maegashira 15.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Atamifuji.
Atamifuji Sakutarō
熱海富士 朔太郎
Personal information
BornSakutarō Takei
(2002-09-03) 3 September 2002
Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture
Japan Japan
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight166 kg (366 lb)
Career
StableIsegahama
Current rankSee below
DebutNovember 2020
Highest rankMaegashira 15 (November 2022)
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Jonidan)
1 (Jonokuchi)
Special Prizes1 (Fighting Spirit)
* Up to date as of 28 August 2023.

Early life and sumo beginnings

Born in Chiba prefecture, Sakutarō Takei grew up in a single-parent household.[2] He moved to Atami in Shizuoka prefecture in his second year of elementary school. He joined a sumo club in the nearby city of Mishima at the age of six.[3] He joined Nihon University Mishima Junior High School where he was a part of the judo club, before turning to the sumo club during his second year of junior high school.[4] During his high school years, he supported his family by cooking lunch boxes and doing part-time work as a dishwasher.[2] Sakutarō then transferred to Atami Shiritsu Atami Junior High School before finally transferring to Hiryū High School in Numazu where he was an active member of their well known sumo club. During his years at Hiryū High, he finished fourth in the 2019 National Athletic Meets. Although he failed to win the tournament, he credited his defeat with giving him the courage to turn pro as he could now compete at the national level.[5] Although anticipating the National High School tournament in the summer of 2020, the tournament was cancelled due to the spread of the covid epidemic, and Sakutarō decided to turn pro upon graduating from high school in November 2020.[6] He joined Isegahama stable because two graduates of Hiryū High School were already wrestling there (including Midorifuji) and the stable offered many advantages in terms of training facilities.[7]

Career

Sakutarō 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 maezumō, Atamifuji won all three of his matches and entered the January 2021 tournament at the rank of jonokuchi 25.[6] 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.[8] It took only four tournaments in makushita to Atamifuji to be promoted to the jūryō division.

At the time of his jūryō promotion, Atamifuji had not produced a single losing record and was also the seventh-fastest promotion to jūryō in sumo history (excluding makushita tsukedashi) since 1958, when the six-tournament per-year system was introduced.[9] His promotion also makes him the only sekitori from Atami.[10] At the time of his promotion to sekitori, Atamifuji also received a keshō-mawashi from Hiryū High School.[11]

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 tournament 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.[1] However, following poor results in the top division, Atamifuji was demoted to the jūryō 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.[12]
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 jūryō 8.[13] At the May 2023 tournament, Atamifuji was runner-up for the entire competition, beaten on score only by Ochiai and Gōnoyama, the winner of the jūryō tournament. Atamifuji finished the tournament with a score of 13–2 and inflicted his only defeat on Gōnoyama on Day 10.[14] At the July tournament, Atamifuji, then ranked jūryō 1, won an eighth victory over Hakuyōzan, 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 jūryō tournaments where, after securing seven victories, he would often collapse only to complete a barely achieved kachi-koshi.[15] Atamifuji then went on to win the jūryō tournament, after a playoff victory over Daiamami.[16]

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 Tsurugishō.[17] From the tenth day, he became the only leader of the competition having defeated his co-leader and former ōzeki by oshitaoshi.[18] However, Atamifuji lost his lead in the title race by recording two consecutive defeats against sekiwake Daieishō and ōzeki Takakeishō, on days twelve and thirteen respectively.[19][20]

During the latter part of the tournament, however, Atamifuji maintained a winning lead over three other wrestlers (Takakeishō, Daieishō and Hokuseihō).[21] In his final match, he faced former ōzeki 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 Takakeishō.[22] Atamifuji also lost the playoff and missed out on the championship.[23] For leading the championship for most of the tournament, however, Atamifuji received the Fighting Spirit award.[24]

Fighting style

Atamifuji is a wrestler specialized in yotsu-sumo grappling techniques. His preferred grip on his opponent's mawashi, or belt, is migi-yotsu, a right (migi) hand inside grip.[12]

Personal life

Atamifuji is the eldest of two siblings. His younger sister, Hina Takei, is the current captain of the Hiryū 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.[25]

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).[26] 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.[27]

Career record
Atamifuji Sakutaro[28]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2020 x x x x x (Maezumo)
2021 East Jonokuchi #25
6–1–PP
Champion
 		 West Jonidan #48
7–0
Champion
 		 East Sandanme #48
6–1
 		 West Makushita #55
6–1
 		 West Makushita #24
5–2
 		 West Makushita #14
6–1
 
2022 West Makushita #1
4–3
 		 West Jūryō #12
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #12
10–5
 		 East Jūryō #6
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #3
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #15
4–11
 
2023 East Jūryō #3
3–8–4
 		 West Jūryō #8
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #8
13–2
 		 West Jūryō #1
11–4–P
Champion
 		 East Maegashira #15
11–4–P
F		 x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References
  1. "Sumo: Ageless September champ Tamawashi rejoins elite ranks". Kyodo News. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  2. "デビュー2年の熱海富士、九州場所で新入幕　「自分信じて」「凱旋期待」　恩師らゆかりの人々がエール" (in Japanese). Tokyo Shimbun. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. 新弟子前相撲の武井、熱海富士の四股名で白星デビュー　一番出世に王手 熱海ネット新聞2020年11月11日
  4. 武井　朔太郎 日大三島柔道部
  5. "飛龍高卒業式…熱海富士「２場所連続優勝」夢の横綱へ精進" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  6. "飛龍高３年・熱海富士が序ノ口Ｖ　ともえ戦、豪快に制す" (in Japanese). Chunichi Sports. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  7. "飛龍高・武井、永田が大相撲入り　部屋から高い評価" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  8. "熱海富士、故郷勇気づける２連勝「行方不明の方もいっぱいいるので…」" (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  9. "熱海富士　十両昇進確実に　郷里・熱海の「希望の光」に　母・武井奈緒さん「これからがスタート」" (in Japanese). Tokyo Shimbun. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  10. "熱海富士　４勝目を挙げ勝ち越し、十両昇進をほぼ確実に" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 23 January 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  11. "熱海富士、新十両確実　母校「よっしゃー」歓喜の声　大相撲初場所" (in Japanese). Shizuoka Shimbun. 23 January 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  12. "新入幕・熱海富士が半泣きで64番の猛稽古　師匠や照ノ富士の厳しい指導に「できない自分が情けない」" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  13. "大相撲初場所 十両 熱海富士 インフルエンザできょうから休場" (in Japanese). NHK. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
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  15. "西十両筆頭の熱海富士が"鬼門"突破で勝ち越し「ようやく気持ちが軽く」5場所ぶり再入幕へ大前進" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  16. "十両は熱海富士が優勝　４敗で並んだ大奄美を決定戦で制す" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  17. "好調・熱海富士、中日を先頭ターンも平常心「残りがまだあるので」…１敗で元大関・高安と並走" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  18. "熱海富士"1敗直接対決"で元大関・高安撃破！　21歳初賜杯へ5連勝で単独首位" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  19. "大栄翔「自分の相撲取れた」平幕Ｖ目指す熱海富士の壁に　４敗守って逆転Ｖの可能性も浮上" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  20. "貴景勝５連勝で優勝争いトップ並ぶ　単独トップだった熱海富士との直接対決に勝ち４度目Ｖへ期待" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  21. "貴景勝が豊昇龍に敗れ痛恨４敗「負けなのでそれが全て」逆転Ｖは千秋楽の大栄翔戦勝利が絶対条件" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  22. "熱海富士が本割で朝乃山に敗れて４敗目　史上３度目26年ぶり４人による優勝決定戦の可能性浮上" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  23. "優勝の貴景勝　熱海富士との決定戦のはたき「右差し徹底して封じようと。ああいう形になるとは」" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  24. "熱海富士が初三賞の敢闘賞受賞　貴景勝Ｖで殊勲賞受賞者なし、技能賞も候補者なく受賞者なし" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  25. "名門の高校相撲部に初の女子主将　あの期待の若手力士の妹、武井陽奈さん　「将来はオリンピック競技にしたい」" (in Japanese). Tokyo Shinbun. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
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  27. "照ノ富士は３日に腰を治療　露払い務めた熱海富士には愛称募集「角界のプリン」が候補？" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
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