Midorifuji Kazunari

Japanese professional sumo wrestler
1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)Weight115 kg (254 lb; 18.1 st)CareerStableIsegahamaUniversityKindai UniversityCurrent ranksee belowDebutSeptember, 2016Highest rankMaegashira 1 (September, 2022)Championships1 (Juryo)Special Prizes1 (Technique)* Up to date as of 24 September 2023.

Midorifuji Kazunari (翠富士 一成, born Kazunari Ihara (庵原 一成, Ihara Kazunari) on August 30, 1996) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Yaizu, Shizuoka. Known for being a katasukashi specialist,[1] he debuted in sumo wrestling in September 2016 and made his makuuchi debut in January 2021. His highest rank has been maegashira 1. He wrestles for Isegahama stable.

Early life

Born in Yaizu, Shizuoka, Kazunari grew up in a single-mother household.[2] He began participating in sumo from elementary school and notably wrestled at the Wanpaku National Championship.[3] After this initial experience he stopped practising sumo before entering his third year in junior high school at Yaizu Junior High School, where he placed in the national team top 8 at the National Junior High School Sumo Championships. In his second year at Hiryū Senior High School, he defeated future Takakeishō of the Saitama Sakae High School team at the All-Japan High School Sumo Tournament, preventing Saitama Sakae from winning a fourth consecutive title and winning the first medal (third-place) of Hiryū High School in a sumo team tournament.[3] Individually, he also won the All-Japan Junior Weight Classification Championships in the under-80kg category and the National Championships in the under-100kg category, respectively.[3] He attended Kindai University, where in his first year he won the National Student Sumo Individual Weight-class Championship in the under 100 kg category. He however left during his second year, and eventually he returned to his hometown.[4] It was during a visit there by the head coach of Isegahama stable, the former yokozuna Asahifuji, that he was persuaded to join professional sumo. Midorifuji turned pro at the same time as Nishikifuji, his former classmate from Kindai University, the two being in a friendly rivalry ever since.[5]

Career

Early career

Initially wrestling under his real surname Ihara (庵原), Midorifuji began his first real tournament in jonokuchi in November 2016. At the end of the 7 official days of competition, he and his stablemate Nishikifuji (then named Ogasawara) were both unbeaten and tied for the championship. Nishikifuji nevertheless won the championship by yoritaoshi.[6][7] For the January 2017 tournament, Midorifuji received his current shikona, or ring name, to evoke, with the kanji 翠 (meaning green), jade, a stone that shines brighter when polished, in the same way that a wrestler becomes better through practice.[8] During this tournament, Midorifuji and Nishikifuji faced off again in the championship playoff. Although Midorifuji prepared his fight with his senior, and then ōzeki, Terunofuji, he lost again to Nishikifuji.[9] In January 2020 ranked at makushita 2 he earned promotion to the sekitori ranks for the first time with a 5-2 record.[4] This promotion made him the first sumo wrestler from Shizuoka Prefecture to become a new jūryō since Tochihiryū [ja] in the March tournament of 2013,[4] and the second sekitori from Yaizu, after Katayama in 2004.[2] However, he still weighed barely 100 kg (220 lb) and turned in a losing 7-8 record in his jūryō division debut. He managed to remain in the division, and in September 2020 he produced an 11-4 record. In the following November 2020 tournament, Midorifuji notably scored a victory over Jōkōryū on Day 13 using the rare kimarite (winning technique) zubuneri ("head pivot throw"), a first at this level of competition since Kyokushūzan used it in January 1996.[10] In total, Midorifuji also used the katasukashi kimarite ("under-shoulder swing down") 4 times during the tournament.[11] Midorifuji ended with a 10-5 score, enough to earn him his first career championship (yūshō) after a playoff win over Kyokushūhō.[12] This championship victory also saw him promoted to sumo's top division, makuuchi, for the next tournament in January 2021.[11]

Makuuchi career

Midorifuji was the fifth top division wrestler from Shizuoka Prefecture since World War II and the first since Sagatsukasa in 2010.[13] Ahead of his debut he said he hoped to emulate fellow small wrestlers Enhō and Terutsuyoshi.[14] In his top division debut in January 2021 Midorifuji scored nine wins against six losses and won the ginō-shō or Technique prize, with a win over Tobizaru on Day 15.[15] Midorifuji is only the seventh wrestler to receive this award in his makuuchi debut and the first since Tochinohana in May 2000.[16] Five of his nine wins were by the kimarite of katasukashi, or under-shoulder swing down.[17] On the subject of the use of this kimarite, many commentators have begun to refer to this technique as Midorifuji's speciality, referring to it in particular as Denkanohōtō (伝家の宝刀), meaning 'family heirloom' or 'family tradition', since it was also used extensively by Midorifuji's master, Isegahama (former yokozuna Asahifuji), and by Midorifuji's senior in his stable, Aminishiki, who is also described as a technical genius.[1] Midorifuji said he was happy to have received the award, but regretted that he had not managed ten wins.[18]

This performance saw him promoted to the rank of maegasahira 10 for the March 2021 tournament, where he produced a 5–10 record. He withdrew from the May 2021 tournament due to a herniated disc in his back, requiring two months of treatment.[19] Upon his comeback in July 2021, ranked in the jūryō division, he could only manage a 6-9 record. In March 2022 a 12–3 score saw him promoted back to the top division for the May tournament.[20]
During the March 2023 tournament, Midorifuji first achieved his best performance in makuuchi by winning five bouts in a row.[21] He then went to lead the honbasho, recording ten wins in ten matches and securing a comfortable lead against Daieishō, the wrestler closest to his score, with two wins ahead of the former.[22] However, he fell on the eleventh day with a defeat against Wakamotoharu, and then on the twelfth day against Wakatakakage.[23] On the fourteenth day, Daieishō handed him his fourth consecutive defeat, which took Midorifuji out of the title race.[24] Midorifuji was listed as a potential recipient of a Fighting Spirit award on Day 15, but it was contingent on an eleventh win. Midorifuji lost to Shōdai and did not receive the award.[25] Commenting on his performance at the tournament, Midorifuji expressed his joy at having made it this far in the title race and considered the tournament a good experience.[24]

At the July tournament, Midorifuji won against the new ōzeki Kirishima, in a demanding match of about two minutes, marked by a rare "mawashi matta" (まわし待った), or mawashi break, a pause during which the gyōji reattaches a wrestler's mawashi.[26]

During the preparations for the September 2023 tournament, Midorifuji was ranked as the lightest makuuchi wrestler, and was also the lightest wrestler ranked as sekitori, ex-æquo with Kihō.[27]

During the November 2023 tournament, Midorifuji had a notable match with Hokuseihō on day seven; the match being between the lightest and tallest wrestler in the division. The match also received attention after lasting a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds, and being marked by a very rare mizu-iri (water break), an event that had not happened in makuuchi for 8 years, since day fourteen of the March 2015 tournament during the match between Terunofuji and Ichinojō.[28]

Fighting style

Midorifuji's Japan Sumo Association profile lists his favourite techniques as oshi (pushing) and katasukashi (under shoulder swing down). He has won 25 percent of his career matches to date with the latter technique, compared to an average among other wrestlers of just one percent.[29] In November 2020 he beat Jōkōryū with the rare technique of zubuneri, or head pivot throw, which had not been seen at sekitori level in 22 years.

Personal life

During the January 2024 tournament Midorifuji announced that he had gotten married and his wedding ceremony (held the following month, on Valentine's Day) took place at Tokyo's Tomioka Hachiman Shrine; the same shrine where both his stablemaster and his stablemates Terunofuji and Nishikifuji were married.[30][31] He and his wife, whom he met because she is the daughter of one of his stable's patrons, have a daughter born in autumn 2023.[31]

Career record

Midorifuji Kazunari[32]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2016 x x x x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #21
7–0–P
 
2017 West Jonidan #10
7–0–P
 		 West Sandanme #19
5–2
 		 West Makushita #57
4–3
 		 West Makushita #46
3–4
 		 East Makushita #57
4–3
 		 East Makushita #46
4–3
 
2018 East Makushita #39
3–4
 		 West Makushita #48
6–1
 		 West Makushita #20
2–5
 		 East Makushita #36
5–2
 		 East Makushita #23
3–4
 		 West Makushita #32
4–3
 
2019 West Makushita #26
4–3
 		 East Makushita #19
4–3
 		 East Makushita #13
4–3
 		 West Makushita #11
5–2
 		 East Makushita #4
2–5
 		 East Makushita #12
6–1
 
2020 East Makushita #2
5–2
 		 West Jūryō #11
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #12
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Jūryō #12
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #10
11–4
 		 Jūryō #2
10–5–P
Champion
 
2021 West Maegashira #14
9–6
T		 East Maegashira #10
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #15
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Jūryō #9
6–9
 		 West Jūryō #11
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #8
7–8
 
2022 West Jūryō #8
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #6
12–3
 		 West Maegashira #16
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #11
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #1
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #3
8–7
 
2023 West Maegashira #3
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #5
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #1
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #3
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #9
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #5
9–6
 
2024 East Maegashira #2
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #5
7–8
 		 x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

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. ^ a b "新入幕の業師・翠富士が快進撃 親方譲りの「必殺技」秘訣は？". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 13 January 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "翠富士が新十両、努力の小兵高みへ 静岡県内、恩師や家族喜び". 29 January 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "近大相撲部出身の力士一覧！現役から過去の名力士まで". Sumo Guide Database. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "小兵の翠富士が新十両、炎鵬＆照強のいいとこ取りを". Nikkan Sports. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  5. ^ "第２の地元で翠富士と錦富士が５連勝 ともに26歳のライバル、近大中退→伊勢ケ浜部屋". Nikkan Sports. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  6. ^ "序ノ口優勝争いは小笠原と庵原の同部屋Ｖ決定戦へ". Nikkan Sports. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  7. ^ "小笠原が序の口優勝、庵原との同門優勝決定戦を制す". Nikkan Sports. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  8. ^ "花の新十両データバンク". 相撲 (雑誌) (2020年3月号). ベースボール・マガジン社: 23.
  9. ^ "同部屋の翠富士と錦富士がまたも序二段優勝決定戦". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 20 January 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  10. ^ "十両２４年ぶりの珍手「ずぶねり」翠富士が決めた". Sports Hochi. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b "新入幕の翠富士 目指すは「炎鵬さんと照強さんの間くらい」【大相撲】". Chunichi Shimbun. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  12. ^ "翠富士が十両初優勝 沼津の飛龍高校出身 恩師「子どもらに夢と力を」". Tokyo Shimbun. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  13. ^ "2021 January Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics". Japan Sumo Association. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  14. ^ "新入幕 翠富士が抱負「押しながら ちょっと技も入れる相撲を」". NHK (in Japanese). 24 December 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  15. ^ "翠富士５度目肩すかしで９勝「うれしい」初の技能賞". Nikkan Sports. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Query result: Technique prize awarded on makuuchi debut". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Midorifuji results by basho (Hatsu 2021)". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  18. ^ "翠富士５度目肩すかしで９勝「うれしい」初の技能賞". Nikkan Sports. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  19. ^ "碧山は急性腰痛症で２週間安静加療、翠富士は腰椎ヘルニア手術で全治２カ月". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Sumo: Wakatakakage, Mitakeumi renew their battle on the east". Kyodo News. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  21. ^ "翠富士が幕内自己最高の５連勝「仲がいい分、負けられない」同じく５連勝の同級生錦富士から刺激". Nikkan Sports. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  22. ^ "翠富士が珍手「割り出し」で無傷10連勝「こんなに勝てるとは」静岡出身初の幕内Ｖ日ごと現実味". Nikkan Sports. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  23. ^ "翠富士２連敗で単独トップ陥落も明るい笑顔絶やさず「自分から攻めていきたい」残り３日へ気合". Nikkan Sports. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  24. ^ a b "幕内最小兵の翠富士４連敗でＶ可能性消滅「優勝争いなんてなかったんでいい経験になった」". Nikkan Sports. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  25. ^ "翠富士は三賞獲得ならず 一時は優勝争いも終盤5連敗「勝ち越した気分じゃない」【大相撲春場所】". Chunichi Shimbun. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  26. ^ "霧島の「まわし待った」で珍事 行司と呼び出しが２人がかりで 最後は翠富士の下手投げで連敗／名古屋場所". Sankei Sports. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  27. ^ "関取衆の最新の身長体重発表…最重量は201キロ水戸龍 最軽量、最長身、最短身は？". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  28. ^ "最長身・北青鵬と小兵・翠富士の"３０センチ差対決"は幕内８年ぶりの水入りに…計６分４０秒の大接戦を北青鵬が制す". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Wins oF Midorifuji". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  30. ^ "関取最軽量の翠富士が大関霧島から銀星　私生活の"金星"結婚＆バレンタインデー挙式も判明" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  31. ^ a b "幕内・翠富士が２３歳の千尋さんとバレンタインデー結婚式　昨秋に長女誕生　交際３か月でプロポーズのスピード相撲" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Midorifuji Kazunari Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference.

External links

  • Midorifuji Kazunari's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage
  • v
  • t
  • e
Active Makuuchi Rikishi[1]
Maegashira #1Maegashira #2Maegashira #3Maegashira #4Maegashira #5

Japan Midorifuji
Japan Ōnosato

Maegashira #6Maegashira #7Maegashira #8Maegashira #9Maegashira #10
Maegashira #11Maegashira #12Maegashira #13Maegashira #14Maegashira #15Maegashira #16Maegashira #17
  1. ^ Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke