Featured rikishi - Wakanosato

[Rijicho 6]

Wakanosato!

[Zentoryu 154]

3. "His problem is his mind, he's not aggressive, he doesn't want to hurt his opponents..." That's what Naruto Oyakata told me when I was leaving on the last day of the training camp there.

He's tried for a long time now to force Wakanosato to do a strong harizashi - hit an opponent hard in the face at the tachiai, then get a hold of the mawashi - to really hurt the opponent and then destroy him, but he doesn't wanna do it. He just doesn't have the heart.

"If he'd have a different mindset, if he'd be aggressive like Asashouryuu, he'd already be a Yokodzuna by now." He's got the power, and immense strength. But he's not aggressive. So it's uncertain whether he'll make Oozeki.

That certainly explains a lot about his inability to advance beyond Sekiwake.

Thanks for this insightful post ShiroiKuma.

[sekihiryu 51]

In current sumou I think there's only two rikishi of this super-strength class, Wakanosato and Kaiou.

Wakanosato in terms of stength is almost super human, I just can't describe how strong he is. With the other Sekitori I can fight like a man, with him I feel like a little kid, not being able to do anything.

Sorry to go off topic, but what about Roho? I am only speculating about his strength but he "looks" phenomenally strong, I stood next to him at the Osaka Basho and he really impressed me with his prescence, and his thighs! they look like they could squat 300kg.

[sekihiryu 51]

This is his winning ratio chart of the past 90 bouts - 51 wins and the most common winning technique by a long way Yorikiri.

Yorikiri 20

Sukuinage 6

Oshidashi 5

Hatakikomi 4

Shitatenage 4

Tsukiotoshi 3

Yoritaoshi 3

Tsuridashi 2

Katasukashi 1

Makuuchi Division Career Record : 285-221-49

Juryo Division Championships : 3

Makushita Division Championships : 1

Jonokuchi Division Championships : 1

Outstandeng Performance Award : 4

Fighting Spirit Prize : 4

Technique Prize : 1

Kinboshi : 1 (1998 Wakanohana)

Favorite Grip/Techniques : migi-yotsu/tsuki, yori

Trivia - has never beaten Hayateumi, Otsukasa or Tochinohana(all 0-2)

Kokkai ( 0 - 1).

He had a big problem with Takanohana never beating him in 9 attempts. He is doing well with Asashoryu though (7 - 12) did well with Musashimaru (5-10) and Akebono (1-1) Wakanohana (1-1)

I wonder what is was with Takanohana? similiar styles and Takanohana was just more proficient on the belt? intimidated? interesting how he could compete with the Yokozuna, all of them except Takanohana

98 Aki 10 Lost Uwatenage

98 Kyushu 10 Lost Yorikiri

99 Nagoya 1 Lost Yorikiri

00 Kyushu 4 Lost Yoritaoshi

01 Hatsu 8 Lost Yorikiri

01 Haru 8 Lost Hatakikomi

01 Natsu 5 Lost Oshitaoshi

02 Aki 8 Lost Yorikiri

03 Hatsu 1 Lost Kotenage

He owned another Taka though - Takanonami 13-3 post 2000

00 Kyushu 8 Won Yoritaoshi

01 Hatsu 4 Won Yorikiri

01 Haru 1 Won Yorikiri

01 Natsu 7 Won Yorikiri

01 Aki 13 Won Sukuinage

01 Kyushu 13 Won Yorikiri

02 Hatsu 13 Lost Hatakikomi

02 Haru 9 Lost Kotenage

02 Nagoya 13 Won Sukuinage

02 Aki 5 Won Yorikiri

02 Kyushu 2 Lost Kimedashi

03 Hatsu 9 Won Yorikiri

03 Haru 13 Won Yorikiri

03 Natsu 1 Won Sukuinage

03 Nagoya 1 Won Sukuinage

03 Aki 6 Won Oshidashi

More trivia - he is my sumo twin brother - we both have the a birthmark in the same place - top of the hamstring left leg

and we are the same age - year of the dragon

(Showing respect...)

Its not what you think, just a random photo of a flu injection, he hates needles - more random trivia.

This was Joshua Reyers (big sato fan) opinion of him in Jan 2001

in recent times. He can throw an opponent from any yotsu-mi, and it seems

like he nearly did this basho. He dumped Dejima easily with an uwate-nage.

Kaio got an uwate-grip on him, so he dumped Kaio with a shitate-nage.

Akinoshima got a hidari-yotsu hold on him and kept him from getting an uwate

grip, so Wakanosato dumped him with a sukui-nage. Mickey got morozashi on

him, so Wakanosato dumped him with a kote-nage. Musashimaru got his

dangerous right arm underneath Wakanosato's left, so Waka dumped him with a

kubinage (although the kimarite was the new sokubiotoshi). And then, to top

it off, he put away another rikishi (I forget who) with tsuppari for a

tsuki-dashi win. It's amazing. There's no yotsu-mi where he's at a

disadvantage, and it's even dangerous to try going at him with tsuki-oshi.

I think the only thing keeping him from 13+ wins is a little fine tuning on

his already fine tachiai.

Josh Reyer

No I think the fine tuning is needed on his killer instinct which Shiroikuma pointed out to us earlier in the thread

Edited October 15, 2004 by sekihiryu

[Zuikakuyama 1]

In another take on his strength, Musashimaru commented about 3 bashos ago after he retired that he thought Wakanosato was not strong at all, in response to a direct question from the commentator that Wakanosato is commonly thought of as one of the strongest rikishi.

This comment really surprised me, and in view that he went 5-10 against Musashimaru, I dont think you could be physically weak and beat Musashimaru. I would be interested to know what techniques Wakanosato won by in those matches.

Of course the moose also said that he lacked fighting spirit, so maybe that would tend to cloud his judgment of Wakanosato.

[Jonosuke 28]

Wakanosato Shinobu - Naruto Beya

---------------------------------

Born: July 10, 1976

Place: Hirosaki-shi Aomori Prefecture

School : Shinwa Elementary School

Hirosaki No.2 Middle School

Dohyo Debut: March 1992

Juryo Debut: November 1997

Makuuchi Debut: May 1998

Yusho: Jonokuchi(1), Makushita(1), Juryo(1)

Wakanosato Story as told by his father and mother

--------------------------------------------------

- From Sumo Magazine, October 1999

When he was born, he weighed 3,800 grams. Our eldest son was 4,200 grams so we didn't think he was particularly big.　But then he just ate so much. By the time he entered a kindergarten, he was already so much bigger than other　kids. When he was in Grade 3 or 4, we couldn't fit him any children's clothes and we needed to make his clothes custom-made.

He loved to eat meat. He could eat one kilo easy. He used to eat all our leftovers so we used to call him a vacuum cleaner (laughs). His brother was eight years older than him and whenever they had a fight it was over food. Like　who had more servings or who got more plates etc...they used to argue all the time. Since his older brother was a big boy too, 182 cm tall and weighed around 100 kg, you　should have seen those two eat, it was really a sight to behold.

Shinobu is the youngest with an older brother and older sister, so he was a bit more spoiled and used to follow around his mother a lot. But then he had a rather cheerful

personality and very outgoing. He could make friends easily and was a very popular child through kindergarten and elementary school.

He never caused any mischief nor troubled us at all. He used to help out a lot at the orchard (his father owns an apple orchard). As he was already big and strong, he could do the job of a full adult worker. He was an enormously helpful member for us. Often the other people told us the work must have been done by a grown man. We really can't say enough about the amount of work he did for us back then.

As he was huge, he didn't run quickly but he loved sports and just about tried every kind of sports there is. He especially loved skiing. We used to drop him at the slopes

in the morning and he would be skiing by himself all day long until we picked him t the evening.

The first time he tried sumo was when he was in Grade 3. Because he was a big kid, he was invited to participate in a sumo tournament for those Grade 4 and older kids. Then what do you know, he placed in the third place and brought home a trophy. It was pretty small one but for a kid it must have meant so much. He started sumo soon after but initially we thought he kept at it because he was so

looking forward to get more trophies and certificates.

In kids sumo at the time no special techniques were required so big kids usually won. So Shinobu who was pretty big kid won many tournaments. We still have many trophies and certificates from those days at home.

Whenever there was a tournament we used to go and cheer for him. We were really into it. We could hardly watch the last bout of his, you know. But then that's still the same today. (laughs)

Once he started a middle school, he started going to a sumo dojo. He had the practice every single day. In those days he was totally into sumo. There was no such thing as a summer nor winter vacation for us. We don't recall taking any family trip to anywhere in those days. Once we noticed the skins got torn off from his feet and got him a pair of tabi socks. It was just too painful to see. But he never once said he wanted to take a rest nor quit. He didn't even take a time out when he broke his shoulder bones.

When he was in middle school (Grade 9), there was an Ozumo Jyungyo tour at Hirosaki City and he got Takahanada (then Komusubi, later Yokozuna Takanohana) to lend him the chest. We missed the tour day but we saw it on the Jyungyo

coverage program shown on a local TV station. Takahanada must have been his idol at the time as he came back home all smiling and happy with his autograph. It must have been the best memory of his young life as he must still have the next day's newspaper clipping with him.

When he graduated from the middle school, he received an invitation from four or five heyas but it was Shinobu who decided to join Naruto Beya all on his own. At the time it was relatively new so we were bit worried. "If I go to a larger heya, I may finish my life carrying around other people's clothings," Shinobu explained.

Actually while he was still in the school, he visited the heya in Tokyo and probably made up his mind. Apparently a heya's supporter took a liking to him and he told us on the New Year's Eve, he would be going to Tokyo. It was totally unexpected so we were really surprised but then we never imagined he was thinking of joining Ozumo at the time. Like we figured he just wanted to go for a visit because he loved sumo so much.

After he came back home, he never talked about it and we didn't ask. Until his graduation in March, there were several oyakatas came to see us but he just sat there and never uttered a word. So we figured he would go on to a high school (note: he actually was admitted to Hirosaki Jitsugyo High School, among its graduates Takamisakari and Iwakiyama).

At the graduation when Naruto oyakata came to visit us, he appeared to have already made up his mind to join the heya. As he looked to be very determined, we decided to respect his decision.

We were sure the life must have been tough at the beginning but he never said a word to us. It was really a shock to read in a magazine article of a comment made by him that, "there were often times he wet his pillow because Keiko has been so hard". But as he got stronger, we believe he must be feeling he has made the right choice by entering in the sumo world.

These days he only comes back home about once a year. He won't call home unless there is something really important. when he has been going well, he sometimes called but when he was doing badly, then not at all... Of course it's rather difficult for us to call him in a time like that too.

He has never been a talkative person. He won't make an initiative to start a conversation. When someone asks him. then he will answer. So for us, it's no news is good news. Right now watching our son's sumo is half fun and half concern. It's been almost a year since his right knee injury (Day 13 Kyushu Basho, 1998) but it doesn't look like he has fully recovered from it.

An injury is something we most fear. We are sure that it's the hardest thing when he cannot compete. So just no injuries... we think as parents, that is our sole wish, nothing else.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A trivia for you: Wakanosato was a Tachimochi for Wakanohana III Yokozuna Dohyo -iri.

[sekihiryu 51]

This comment really surprised me, and in view that he went 5-10 against Musashimaru, I dont think you could be physically weak and beat Musashimaru.

Edited October 15, 2004 by sekihiryu

[sekihiryu 51]

He loved to eat meat. He could eat one kilo easy. He used to eat all our leftovers so we used to call him a vacuum cleaner (laughs).

Hah! he is my sumo twin! aswell as the being born at the same time, same birthmark, we were both called vacuum cleaners!

I eat a lot and my dad called me Vaxman - after Vax a famous brand of vacuum cleaner - I hoovered the family pantry clean on a daily basis

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

1. He's phenomenally strong. His level of physical strength is unbelievable

And what catches the eye in Wakanosato's sumo are his sukuinage-attempts even from completely tatic position. He is the only rikishi I have seen going for successful sukuinage without any leverage, just sort of muscling his foe to the side with sukuinage grip and trying to down him. Doesn't usually work fully as he is not *that* strong but it does make his foes move and then other approaches can be used. I am sure Shiroikuma has experienced that sukuinage personally (Showing respect...)

In another take on his strength, Musashimaru commented about 3 bashos ago after he retired that he thought Wakanosato was not strong at all, in response to a direct question from the commentator that Wakanosato is commonly thought of as one of the strongest rikishi.

Maybe Musashimaru referred to relative concepts here. Maybe Wakanosato's weakness is some bouts made him feel "weak" to Maru and as all rikishi know he is not weak, it can cause a phenomenon Maru refers to: Very strong "keiko rikishi" but not always showing his kairiki on the dohyo in honbasho. It might be that Wakanosato has some trouble putting his enormous strength in use in all bouts and maybe that is because of his lack of aggressiveness. Certainly he has had some utterly bizarre losses even when he has been in a position to exert all his power from his favourite stances.

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

It always needs to be mentioned that Wakanosato is one of the prime examples of how effective and career promoting a successful ACL-reconstructive surgery can be also in sumo where attitudes against surgeries still appear to be prominent. Doesn't seem to have any problems with his operated knee. In general too, Wakanosato never has any bracings or supports around any joints and doesn't show any discomfort in any vital body parts. Very healthy rikishi. In the group of highest ranked rikishi, Wakanosato must be least injured for some time now. All ozeki have their well-documented injury problems and Shoryu has some smaller nagging injuries in his elbow at least, Kotomitsuki has his elbow problems and Miyabiyama's shoulder is not good. Of course it is possible that Wakanosato suffers his share of health problems in silence but doesn't show on the dohyo and he never skips any jungyo or so.

[Manekineko 200]

I remember the first time I saw 'Sato on Eurosport, he had that huge bandage on his knee and Hoare mentioned that he spent some basho in juryo and is now back in makuuchi. At that time, from his face, I figured him to be a grizzly veteran, someone like Takatoriki for example. (Showing respect...) Imagine my surprise when I found out he was more or less of age with bright and brilliant Takanowaka (gone now, that brilliantness :'-( ). That, and Josh "Hananotaka" Reyer's endless faith in him finally put him on my "to watch" list.

I like him. He really has quality sumo, good yotsu, and it's nice to have a fixture in san'yaku ranks which seem filled with yo-yos these days. (Applauding...) I believe he'll manage a psychological breakthrough and become ozeki one day, just like weak-strong sekiwake KaioU did...

[Elenrian 0]

And if you want to know his record by opponend (not grammatically correct, sorry (Showing respect...) )

Akebono 1-1

Akinoshima 4-2

Akinoshu 1-0

Aminishiki 6-0

Aogiyama 0-2

Asahiyutaka 3-0

Asanosho 4-1

Asanowaka 1-3

Asasekiryu 2-2

Asashoryu 7-12

Chiyotaikai 4-16

Chiyotenzan 2-2

Dejima 12-6

Ganyu 3-1

Gojoro 1-0

Hamanoshima 6-0

Hayateumi 0-2

Higonoumi 5-2

Hokutoriki 5-2

Iwakiyama 4-0

Kaiho 8-3

Kaio 11-11

Kakizoe 2-1

Kinkaiyama 0-1

Kitakachidoki 1-0

Kokkai 0-1

Kotoinazuma 1-0

Kotomitsuki 11-8

Kotonishiki 1-0

Kotonowaka 7-10

Kotoryu 8-2

Kyokushuzan 10-7

Kyokutenho 12-5

Mainoumi 1-0

Minatofuji 2-3

Mitoizumi 2-1

Miyabiyama 7-10

Musashimaru 5-10

Musoyama 7-17

Oginishiki 1-1

Ohinode 1-0

Otsukasa 0-2

Shikishima 2-1

Shimotori 4-1

Takamisakari 8-4

Takanohana 0-9

Takanonami 13-5

Takatoriki 3-1

Tamakasuga 5-1

Tamanoshima 6-5

Terao 2-2

Tochiazuma 8-11

Tochinohana 0-2

Tochinonada 14-8

Tochinowaka 1-0

Tochisakae 4-0

Toki 8-8

Tokitsuumi 7-2

Tosanoumi 13-6

Wakanohana III. 1-1

Wakanojo 3-0

Wakanoyama 3-1

[Jonosuke 28]

Akebono 1-1

Asashoryu 7-12

Chiyotaikai 4-16

Kaio 11-11

Musashimaru 5-10

Musoyama 7-17

Takanohana 0-9

Tochiazuma 8-11

Wakanohana III. 1-1

This list illustrates the reason he has been a perennial Sanyaku and not an Ozeki yet despite his strength, power, execution and experience (I did not include former Ozekis Dejima, Miyabiyama and Takanonami in the list).

A sekiwake needs 33 wins or more usually in three previous months to earn the promotion. They need to beat an Ozeki or two consistently to get over 12 wins even though the average they need is only 11 and unfortunately Wakanosato can come very close and in all aspects he should be already an ozeki but he seems to lack that killer instinct when everything is on the line.

I guess you must have been pretty awe of Yokozuna Takanohana.

[Gernobono 467]

..........but he seems to lack that killer instinct when everything is on the line.

i guess best illustrated is the lack of killerinstinct by the result on day 15 of kyushu 2003 when he lost to a 8-6 musoyama himself on 7-7 ....i could not believe he lost that one....

wakanosato is THE sekiwake these days and sekiwake is exactly where he belongs to ...

[Tenkashoryu 0]

ShiroiKuma, I love your description of Sato as a

super-human strong gentle teddy bear

:-(

Oh man, I just admire this guy and have high respect for him (Poking the other guy...)

Hope he is gonna make it to ozeki one day...

[Naganoyama 5,948]

He looks like a kind chap. I think his sumo suffers from his kind nature. If he wins an awesome bout where he uses amazing aggression and fighting spirit, he looks somehow a bit sheepish as he acknowledges his win, as if to say 'My shisho told me I had to do that. I didn't really want to'.

[Hananotaka 8]

A long, long time ago, I said...

I think the only thing keeping him from 13+ wins is a little fine tuning on

his already fine tachiai.

Josh Reyer

No I think the fine tuning is needed on his killer instinct which Shiroikuma pointed out to us earlier in the thread

No, it's definitely his tachiai, and except for last basho it was even worse than when I made my original post. Sumo experts all agree. Wakanosato's problem is he has a "receiving" tachiai. That is, instead of stepping foward with power, taking initiative, and putting his opponent on the defensive from the get-go, Waka has a tendency to simply stand and receive his opponent's tachiai. From here he uses his strength to win over weaker rikishi, but he has difficulty defeating higher quality opponents like Kaio and Asashoryu (his recent wins vs Asa both coming via hikiotoshi; not a good thing). Which is not to say that his (relatively) weak tachiai and his killer instinct aren't related.

Waka's success this past basho was entirely due to a more pro-active tachiai, with good fumbari. If he keeps doing this kind of sumo, a promotion to Ozeki is not out of the question at all.

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

...Sumo experts all agree...

(Poking the other guy...) (Blinking...) :-( :-S (W00t, w00t, w00t...) (Shaking head...) (In a state of confusion...)

[Hananotaka 8]

...Sumo experts all agree...

B-) (Blinking...) (In a state of confusion...) :-S (In a state of confusion...) (Shaking head...) (In a state of confusion...)

Tsubota Atsuo

Hara Kazuo

Kyousu Toshiharu

Kitabayama Hidetoshi

Wakachichibu Koumei

Tochinoumi Teruyoshi

I could go on. It''s a recurring theme in post-basho roundtables in Ozumo magazine from last issue going back to when I wrote that post in 2001.

Edited October 16, 2004 by Hananotaka

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

I just can't imagine "experts" agreeing about much of anything...sumo, or any other subject B-). Not that I disagree with you... (In a state of confusion...)

[Hananotaka 8]

I just can't imagine "experts" agreeing about much of anything...sumo, or any other subject B-). Not that I disagree with you... (In a state of confusion...)

Well, then let's say nine out of ten sumo experts agree. Wakanosato's problem is his tachiai.

[Guest anaqern]

i agree that wakanosato problem is his tachiai. i think for him to make a move to ozeki he need to plow into his opponent instead of waiting for his opponent. strong as he is, defensive tachiai would allow his opponent to initiate attacking moves.

i think that is why he usually lose to taikai. a kotomitski or dejimai-like tachiai (during their prime) would definitely make him the man.

i couldn't wait to see him make ozeki. he is the reason why i wake up at 3 in the morning to watch sumo (repeat telecast as the live telecast was aired during office hours).

[hoshidango 0]

Like someone said, I wish he had his legs 10cm longer with same muscle. Then he could have better "fumbari", perhaps? 195cm, 170kg Wakanosato with long legs- sounds Yokozuma to me..(CORRECTED grammartical error)

Edited October 17, 2004 by hoshidango

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Update 19.4.2006

This thread has shrunk quite a bit since Shiroikuma decided to delete half of his hundreds of posts and wipe the other half clean in a true rampage before riding into the sunset. There was quite a lot of interesting Naruto-beya impressions in this thread but now only some quotations as leftovers of the Czech's existence.

In Kyushu 2004 Wakanosato was even in yusho race but lost his two last bouts against KaioU and Taikai. With a 11-4 at Sekiwake, he was awarded with technique prize. As of now Wakanosato has 4 fighting spirit prize, 4 outstanding performance prizes and 2 technique prizes. Unfortunatly in his ozeki hunt basho in Hatsu 2005 he simply collapsed with a 6-9 and was even demoted from sanyaku for the first time in 3 years. He had two more bad basho in Haru (8-7) and Natsu (6-9) before getting back on track with a nice 11-4 at M2 in Nagoya basho.

Then in Aki basho he got his first bad injury since his knee operation many many years ago. In a bout against Hakuho, he made a split and tore his right thigh flexor and went kyujo. He couldn't return in Kyushu basho either so started his 2006 in an unusual rank at M16 where he faced a number of opponents he had never faced before. He did ok and got a nice promotion with 10-5 record. In Haru basho he looked even better and went 11-4 at M11.

He is married with a very small woman who cooks well. Nowadays does (Wakanosato) a lot of keiko with Kisenosato while the other two sekitori of late at Naruto-beya are no longer strong keiko foes.

Wakanosato has lived for almost 11000 days which means he has spoken Japanese on at least 10 000 days so no wonder he speaks it well. He has been in ozumo for about 14 years so has had at least 4000 keiko days probably.

[Susanoo 389]

I thought that Wakanosato tackled sumo desperately for the first time in the previous basho.

He sent out all the capability in his present condition.

When he ignores surrounding evaluation and adheres to the result for himself, some of his sumo are certainly set as the object of criticism.

Unreasonable nage and hiki made them say that he is not growing.

I think that several of his head-butt at tachiai more than compensated for his bad hait.

It was a torikumi against Tochinohana on the 2nd that I looked at a moment like such a miracle first.

I could't believe my ears when I hear comfortable sound by the crash of the head and the head at the tachiai.

I had not heard till then that he made this sound.

Just this lacked in him and was also symbolizes his noncommittal.

Supposing Wakanosato performs usual tachiai which stretches a breast on the day, he cannot employ a left arm efficiently by Tochi's strong ottsuke.

And I can imagine easily that he finally cannot but depend on hiki or nage in desperation.

In actual sumo, he did not necessarily get a victory by hit of tachiai, and forcing nage which is one of his bad habit brought him the victory.

However, it is a fact that his hit made each other situation equal after tachiai which he was not able to be expected otherwise.

Moreover, I was sure that the victory depended on his volition.

Also in the match which was the greatest climax for him against Hakuho, he showed volition.

It seems that he considered that that was accidental although he was a natural enemy of Hakuho on statistics.

I agree with the judgment and action completely.

However, having disappointed me a little was that he did not desire a power sumo to the last.

He feared Hakuho's left uwate and did the side step to the left immediately after tachiai.

I was not disappointed at his side step itself but his judgment which tried to find out a chance of victory by motion.

The mistake of judgement on the strategy in torikumi in a higher rank is fatal.

In this case, I thought that he had the chance of victory only by the morozashi or nonstop attack from gappuri-yotsu.

If it is a uniquely effective means, I also permit his henka.

Although I encourage his pathetic decision purely, I do not necessarily hold expectations for promotion like former instantly from him in desperation in the previous basho.

However, if he continues such a sumo which a fan and Kyokai desire, he will never be forsaken.

I think that the right appeal acts very effectively in sumo world. (Laughing...)

Edited April 25, 2006 by Susanoo