Breaking News - Kotozakura

[Jonosuke 28]

Former Sadogatake oyakata, Kotozakura, Norio Kamatani passed away today. He was the father in law of the current Sadogateke oyakata.

He was 66 years old.

The details of funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.

[Tony 16]

Former Sadogatake oyakata, Kotozakura, Norio Kamatani passed away today. He was the father in law of the current Sadogateke oyakata.

He was 66 years old.

The details of funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.

Terrible news!

I saw him last year just before haru basho. He didn't seem in good shape. He was in wheelchair for several months. Very sad news!

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

He must have died a happy man...his "hometown" deshi just made ozeki, his son-in-law is at the helm of Sadogatake beya, he has cute grandkids :)

[Kintamayama 47,222]

Geez, a year ago he was in great spirits here, swimming in the pool and looking happy. He didn't seem the least bit ill.

[Fay 1,677]

Very sad news, I really liked him a lot.

[Kintamayama 47,222]

what was the cause do you know?

He was known to have diabetes.Before he was hospitalized he took a sudden turn for the worst. Today he underwent surgery, but after it, he died.

[Jakusotsu 6,392]

(Laughing...)

[Sashohitowa 6]

Sad news, indeed

(Laughing...)

[Chisaiyama 11]

It is sad indeed. I am glad he lived long enough to see Kotomitsuki's promotion to Ozeki. He was a solid powerful Ozeki who pulled himself together during one of Ozumo's trying times (although does Ozumo ever have anything but trying times?). In the waning days of Kitanofuji's reign and just before Wajima's ascendancy he was able to put together a successful tsuna-tori and take some of the pressures off of the aging Yokozuna.

His career as Sadogataker-oyakata was equally great, improving the heya to one of true greatness. He will be missed by all of us who had the pleasure of watching him on the dohy0 and watching his deshi he has raised so highly.

[madorosumaru 7]

The cause of death as released by the hospital was "blood poisoning and resultant multiple organ failure." The former Kotozakura was a sick guy for quite a while with diabetes that necessitated amputation of part of his foot/leg. He also had heart surgery in June of this year.

He had been feeling poorly recently and entered the hospital on the 9th. He had complained of a pain in his abdomen and underwent surgery in the morning of the 14th. His condition deteriorated after the operation and he passed away at 6:19 that evening.

[Manekineko 200]

Damn. This has been a rotten summer.

Too bad he didn't get to enjoy his retirement, his grandchild and success of his deshi longer. May he rest in peace.

[Jonosuke 28]

With Asashoryu gone for two basho and likely not in the best shape at Hatsu, Kotomitsuki has as good of chance as any to realize his and his former shisho's dream of becoming a yokozuna.

If he can repeat what he's shown us the last basho, he can certainly go for the yusho at Aki and Kyushu. He probably needs just a yusho and equivalent to get the promotion.

[Shakuyaku 0]

Rest in peace, oyakata-sama.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotozakura_Masakatsu

[Jonosuke 28]

The below is from Jiji press. The dates may differ somewhat from that of Mado san but I believe his may be more accurate.

Sadogatake oyakata heard the death of his father-in-law, former yokzouna Kotozakura in a taxi cab while on the way to Yamagata where there was a Jyungyo tour being held.

According to the oyakata, his father-in-law complained of stomach ache and was quickly taken to a hospital on August 13, where he had an emergency surgery. His condition became stable on August 14 so he felt a relief and decided to head to the Jyungyo.

The oyakata said his father-in-law was doing well last week, calling Kotomitsuki and Kotooshu on phone at their Jyungyo stop to tell them to do their best.

"It happended so suddenly so I was really surprised. I felt he was going to get better as his condition was improving. I never expected it would turn out to be fatal. He kept saying he would make Kotomitsuki an ozeki for sure so he may have lost all that intensity (after his promotion). My most memorable occasion was when I got promoted to Juryo, he was so happy he was crying for me. He was a man who lived solely for sumo," Sadogatake said.

[madorosumaru 7]

Jo-san is correct that the timeline, as presented by the press, is a bit confusing. In fact, earlier Jiji Press reported that the operation was on the morning of the 14th, as had Nikkansports, from which I got my information, and sanspo.

時事通信 - 2007/8/14 21:33

　大相撲の元横綱琴桜で、先代佐渡ケ嶽親方の鎌谷紀雄（かまたに・のりお＝元日本相撲協会理事）氏が14日午後6時19分、敗血症による多臓器不全のため千葉県松戸市の病院で死去した。66歳だった。告別式などは未定。

　病院によると、鎌谷氏は最近になって体調を崩し、9日に入院。腹部の痛みを訴えたため14日午前中に手術を受け、無事終わったが、その後に容体が悪化し . . .

Even the date of hospitalization is unclear--some saying the 9th and other reports having it as the 13th.

What is undisputed is that the former Kotozakura had been feeling poorly since last week. However, he was well enough on the 13th to complete his meal and watch some Koshien baseball on TV. Later on the 13th, he got really sick and surgery was performed during the morning of the 14th. His condition stabilized after the operation but deteriorated subsequently and he passed away at 6:19 p.m.

[Kintamayama 47,222]

The funeral will be held on the 21st. As for the Kotozakura name, he said a few days ago he hoped his grandson would take it, so I think Kotomitsuki won't be changing his soon. The reason for the postponement to the 21st seems to be that Kotomitsuki is at the jungyo, and the jungyo ends on the 20th. "I can't say anything at the moment", was his response when asked about his shisho's death.

Edited August 15, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Jonosuke 28]

A day after his former shisho's passing, at the Sakata Jyngyo stop in Yamagata prefecture on August 15, new ozeki Kotomitsuki came out on the dohyo solely focused on his training sessions and overwhelmed his opponents by winning 14 bouts out of 15.

On the previous day at the Akita Jyungyo stop, he looked shellshocked after hearing his old shisho's death, only saying he had nothing to comment. But today as if he was trying to blow away the shock, his spirited performance won the hearts of the spectators numbering 3,200.

On the day of his ozeki promotion, the old oyakata told him to become a yokzouna he would need to train far more than he has been doing.

Ozeki Kotooshu looked as if he was also sharing the pain as he mostly kept his eyes closed and was lying down, trying not to be overcomed by emotion. However he showed as much intensity in his bout against Kotomitsuki as he pushed out Kotomitsuki powerfully. However their heya mate Kotoshogiku was hit hard by the news as he kept his head down thoroughout.

Former yokozuna Kotozakura dedicated his whole being, his whole life to sumo. He was the essence of perseverance as he finally achieved his yokozuna promotion at the age of 32 years and 2 months, the oldest to become a yokozuna since the installation of six basho per year.

The old Sadogatake oyakata left a great legacy for Kotomitsuki who finally realized his dream of becoming an ozeki at 31 years old. But Ozeki shouldn't be his final goal. He will need to express his gratitude to the old shisho by becoming a yokozuna.

"The best way to pray for his soul is to train harder. There is nothing more to please the old oyakata than getting a banzuke ranking one higher than previously," Sadogatake oyakata said.

The funeral will be held on August 21, when the heya's rikishi return from the Jyungyo tour. Meanwhile Isenoumi oyakata said they would welcome Asashoryu to attend the funeral. "It will be great if he could come out. It should be good for him to come outside. I am sure the old oyakata would be pleased to have him come to the funeral," Isenoumi oyakata said.

The old Sadogatake oyakata used to praise Asashoryu for coming to his heya to do training sessions. "It's great to have a yokozuna who will come out all this way to do training sessions with us. I really appreciate and am pleased to see him visiting our heya," the oyakata commented.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Jonosuke

[Kintamayama 47,222]

A day after his former shisho's passing, at the Sakata Jyngyo stop in Yamagata prefecture on August 15, new ozeki Kotomitsuki came out on the dohyo solely focused on his training sessions and overwhelmed his opponents by winning 14 bouts out of 15.

[Hananotaka 8]

I'll just paraphrase myself upon his retirement:

"Sumo has lost one of its all time great shishous. 23 sekitori, three Ozeki, one near Ozeki (Kotonishiki), and some fine makuuchi rikishi such as Kotogaume, Kotonowaka, and Kotoryuu. He knew how to pick 'em, and he knew how to train 'em. Even if you don't take into account Kotowaka and Kotokaze (because they began under the previous Sadogatake), *every* basho since March 1985 has had a Kotozakura-raised rikishi in makuuchi. Often as many as three. 20 years of excellence."

Even for someone who really came into sumo fairly recently (March 1998), Kotozakura has been a constant presence. I remember first watching the sumo basho, and seeing him as the Shimpan Bucho, and also appearing on Sumo Digest to break down the day's bouts.

ご冥福をお祈り申し上げます。

[fmjs 0]

What a bittersweet season it's been. -_-;;

I hope Kotozakura will have a smooth journey to the next world. He was a real spark as a wrestler and a real father figure as a stablemaster. May his fighting ki be gifted to his stable sons, and may Sadogatake-beya take strength from this loss.

[ilovesumo 12]

Seems to have been universally respected and loved.

Yes.

[Jonosuke 28]

I am not in tooting in my own horn in any way but just for those who may be interested more about this man, I did cover him for SumoFanMag back in the issue 3.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Jonosuke

[Saburo 18]

Kotozakura was the dominant rikishi in sumo when I first got interested in the sport, 1972-73, when I was still in grade school. His image was one of awesome strength and was probably the only yokozuna I've ever seen whose sumo style really matched that of the Shiranui-gata.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends...

[Tikozan 4]

(Shaking head...) very bad news.

[Fujisan 535]

So,so sorry....

Nothing else can be said....