Satonofuji Hisashi

Satonofuji Hisashi (Japanese: 聡ノ富士 久志, born 15 April 1977 as Hisashi Matsuoka (松岡 久志, Matsuoka Hisashi)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Gunma Prefecture. He wrestles for Isegahama stable, and made his debut in 1996 at the age of eighteen. His highest rank has been makushita 55.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Satonofuji.
Satonofuji Hisashi
聡ノ富士 久志
Satonofuji performing the yumitori-shiki in May 2014
Personal information
BornHisashi Matsuoka
(1977-04-15) 15 April 1977
Yoshioka, Gunma, Japan
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Weight95.1 kg (210 lb)
Career
StableIsegahama
Current ranksee below
DebutJanuary, 1996
Highest rankMakushita 55
* Up to date as of September 2023.

Satonofuji is noted for being one of the performers of the yumitori-shiki, or bow-twirling ceremony, which is presented following the final top division match of every Grand Sumo Tournament day.[1][2][3] He is the oldest sumo wrestler to perform the ceremony since the Shōwa era.[2]

Career

Born in the town of Yoshioka, Gunma, Satonofuji debuted in January 1996 under the ring name Asatofuji (安聡富士). He was promoted to the third-highest makushita division in September 2005, but then dropped down to the sandanme and jonidan divisions where he has competed until his demotion to the lowest rank of jonokuchi in September 2023. In March 2008 he changed his ring name to Satonofuji.

Satonofuji began to perform the yumitori-shiki in January 2013, which is typically performed by a lower-division wrestler in the same stable as a yokozuna.[3] At that time, stablemate Harumafuji–seven years his junior–had recently been promoted to the top rank. Satonofuji stopped performing the ceremony a few tournaments after Harumafuji retired, but resumed in September 2021. Although his return coincided with the promotion of fellow Isegahama wrestler Terunofuji to the yokozuna rank, Satonofuji had stepped in with little notice after another lower-division wrestler scheduled to perform the ceremony injured his shoulder in a match.[1] Upon his return to the role, Satonofuji was quoted as saying that he was too old to show his body.[4] At the age of 44, he became the oldest performer of the ceremony since the Shōwa era.[2]

In a November 2022 interview, Satonofuji said in regard to the yumitori-shiki that "every single gesture has a meaning, so I put my heart into it."[5]

During the July 2023 tournament Satonofuji withdrew from competition, and so the yumitori-shiki duties temporarily went to then-sandanme wrestler Yuki from the same stable as ōzeki Kirishima.[6] In September 2023 Satonofuji, demoted to jonokuchi for the first time since his debut in 1996, performed the yumitori-shiki for the first two days of the tournament until Yuki took over the duties permanently.[7]

Career record
Satonofuji Hisashi
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
1996 (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #50
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #159
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #178
6–1
 		 East Jonidan #82
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #114
5–2
 
1997 East Jonidan #67
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #44
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #21
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #1
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #82
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #99
0–7
 
1998 East Jonidan #44
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #17
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #99
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #76
1–1–5
 		 West Jonidan #9
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #20
3–4
 
1999 West Jonidan #39
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #18
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #47
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #8
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #74
1–4–2
 		 West Jonidan #1
4–3
 
2000 West Sandanme #83
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #66
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #92
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #56
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #30
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #15
3–4
 
2001 West Sandanme #27
1–6
 		 West Sandanme #58
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #71
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #37
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #54
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #43
2–5
 
2002 East Sandanme #68
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #54
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #38
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #61
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #46
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #69
0–2–5
 
2003 West Jonidan #14
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #80
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #1
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #32
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #68
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #84
3–4
 
2004 West Sandanme #98
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #80
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #64
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #47
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #65
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #86
4–3
 
2005 West Sandanme #67
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #39
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #27
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #40
6–1
 		 East Makushita #55
1–6
 		 West Sandanme #26
2–5
 
2006 East Sandanme #52
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #37
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #23
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #48
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #32
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #45
3–4
 
2007 West Sandanme #60
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #77
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #94
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #3
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #72
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #51
2–5
 
2008 East Sandanme #73
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #52
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #66
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #80
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #61
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #73
4–3
 
2009 East Sandanme #55
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #81
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #97
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #77
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #61
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #74
4–3
 
2010 East Sandanme #59
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 West Jonidan #19
6–1
 		 East Sandanme #57
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #72
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #53
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #26
2–5
 
2011 West Sandanme #54
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #81
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 West Sandanme #81
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #53
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #78
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #95
3–4
 
2012 West Jonidan #15
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #50
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #73
7–0
 		 East Sandanme #73
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #56
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #40
3–4
 
2013 West Sandanme #55
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #73
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #7
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #27
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #8
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #77
3–4
 
2014 East Sandanme #92
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #4
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #27
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #49
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #25
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #4
3–4
 
2015 East Jonidan #26
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #44
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #8
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #88
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #13
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #78
2–5
 
2016 East Jonidan #5
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #85
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #4
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #25
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #88
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #5
3–4
 
2017 West Jonidan #26
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #3
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #83
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #16
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #53
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #25
4–3
 
2018 East Jonidan #3
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #25
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #50
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #73
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #100
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #54
3–4
 
2019 East Jonidan #77
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #31
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #66
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #37
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #79
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #44
2–5
 
2020 East Jonidan #87
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #39
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #82
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 West Jonidan #82
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #92
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #45
2–5
 
2021 West Jonidan #86
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #39
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #70
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #78
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #45
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #77
4–3
 
2022 West Jonidan #43
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #71
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #91
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #56
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #78
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #89
3–4
 
2023 West Jonidan #91
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #57
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #85
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #102
1–4–2
 		 East Jonokuchi #8
4–3
 		 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. "弓取り力士の担当力士が急きょ交代、将豊竜が初日取組で肩負傷のため" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  2. "弓取り式で急きょ代役　新横綱の兄弟子、44歳ベテランが「再登板」" (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  3. "弓取りのベテラン力士・聡ノ富士、弟弟子・照ノ富士Vにしみじみ" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. 26 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  4. "44歳聡ノ富士　２人の弟弟子の横綱が現役の時に弓取り式「最後まで」" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  5. "［知る国技］弓取り式" (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  6. "弓取り式で三段目の勇輝が"緊急登板"「手汗すごくて、80点くらいです」本来の聡ノ富士が休場" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  7. "急きょ弓取り式に登場　大相撲の幕下・勇輝は多忙な「四刀流」" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.