Takasago stable

Takasago stable (髙砂部屋 or 高砂部屋, Takasago-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋".

The entrance to Takasago stable in 2014
A nobori (right) supporting Takasago stable

History

The stable was established by former maegashira Takasago Uragorō as Takasago Kaisei-Gumi (高砂改正組) in 1873 and joined the Tokyo Sumo Association in 1878. Takasago stable has produced many successful wrestlers, including six yokozuna and the first non-Japanese ōzeki, American Konishiki, as well as the 33rd Kimura Shōnosuke, the tate-gyōji or chief referee.

In February 2002, the stable merged with Wakamatsu stable, with Wakamatsu's coach, former ōzeki Asashio, taking over.[1] Future yokozuna Asashōryū was among the wrestlers transferring over. The demotion of Asasekiryū to the makushita division for the January 2017 tournament saw the stable without any sekitori for the first time since 1878.[2] However, at the end of that tournament Asanoyama earned promotion to the jūryō division, ensuring sekitori representation once again from March. As of January 2023, it had 25 wrestlers. The former Asasekiryū took over from the former Asashio as head coach of the stable in November 2020.

In June 2021, ōzeki Asanoyama was handed a one-year (six tournament) suspension for violating sumo protocols related to COVID-19.[3] The following month, Takasago Oyakata, Asanoyama and six lower-ranked rikishi in the stable all tested positive for COVID-19.[4]

People

Ring name conventions

Most wrestlers since the mid 1990s and all since 2003 at this stable have quickly taken ring names or shikona that begin with the character 朝 (read: asa), meaning morning, in deference to their head coach, the former Asashio, as well as many of his predecessors who had the same shikona in their active years. For example, the wrestler formerly known as Tamaki changed his shikona to Asagyokusei when he was promoted to jūryō in July 2019.

Owners

Notable active wrestlers
See also: sekitori
  • Asanoyama (best rank ōzeki)
  • Asabenkei (best rank jūryō)
  • Asagyokusei (best rank jūryō)
  • Asashiyu (best rank jūryō)
  • Asanowaka (best rank jūryō)
  • Asakōryū (best rank jūryō)

Coaches

Assistant

Notable former members

Referees
  • Kimura Asanosuke (makuuchi gyōji, real name Katsuya Ishida)
  • Kimura Satoshi (makushita gyōji, real name Satoshi Maeda)

Ushers
  • Rikinojō (makuuchi yobidashi, real name Riki Tsuchida)
  • Kunio (jūryō yobidashi, real name Kunio Maekawa)

Hairdressers

Location and access

The stable is located in Tokyo, Sumida ward, Honjo 3-5-4. It is a 10 minute walk from Honjo-azumabashi Station on the Toei Asakusa Line.

See also

References
  1. Newton, Clyde (2002-03-10). "Two Ozeki aiming to boost promotion hopes in Osaka". Japan Times. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  2. "Banzuke Topics - Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page". Japan Sumo Association. January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  3. "Sumo: Ozeki Asanoyama gets 1-year ban for breaking coronavirus rules". Kyodo News. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  4. "大関朝乃山ら５人感染の高砂部屋で新たに１人、他部屋で１人感染". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

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