Kirinji Kazuharu
Kirinji Kazuharu | |
---|---|
麒麟児 和春 | |
Personal information | |
Born |
Kazuharu Tarusawa March 9, 1953 Chiba, Japan |
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) |
Weight | 144 kg (317 lb) |
Career | |
Stable | Nishonoseki |
Record | 773-792-34 |
Debut | May, 1967 |
Highest rank | Sekiwake (July, 1975) |
Retired | September, 1988 |
Championships |
1 (Jūryō) 2 (Makushita) |
Special Prizes |
Outstanding Performance(4) Fighting Spirit (4) Technique (3) |
Gold Stars |
6 Mienoumi (2) Wajima Kitanoumi Wakanohana II Ōnokuni |
* Up to date as of August 2012. |
Kirinji Kazuharu (born 9 March 1953 as Kazuharu Tarusawa) is a former sumo wrestler from Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. During his long career he won several awards and set a number of longevity records. He is now a sumo coach.
Career
He made his professional debut in May 1967 at the age of just 14, joining Nishonoseki stable. At first he fought under his own surname of Tarusawa, before adopting the shikona of Kirinji in January 1974 upon promotion to the second highest jūryō division. The shikona had previously been used by one of his stablemates, ozeki Daikirin.
Kirinji reached the top makuuchi division in September 1974 and remained there for 84 tournaments, a record at the time second only to Takamiyama's 97. The run was not consecutive however, as he dropped to jūryō briefly in November 1979 after sitting out the previous tournament through injury. He fought in 1221 top division bouts in total, the fifth highest in history. He spent ten tournaments at komusubi rank, the first in March 1975 and the last thirteen years later in January 1988, making him one of the oldest postwar sanyaku wrestlers. He reached his highest rank of sekiwake for the first time in July 1975 and held it on seven occasions in total. He never won a top division tournament but was a runner-up on two occasions, to Kitanoumi in September 1978 and to Chiyonofuji in March 1982. He won eleven sanshō, or special prizes, placing him joint tenth on the all-time list, and earned six kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna. His last kinboshi against Onokuni in May 1988 came just two tournaments before his retirement.
His spirited match with Fujizakura in May 1975 was particularly memorable and was enjoyed by the then Emperor Hirohito, a sumo fan.[1] After fierce thrusting attacks from both sides, Kirinji eventually won the bout with an uwatenage, or outer arm throw. He was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize at the end of that tournament. The bout was later released on DVD as one of the "Best Matches in the 20th Century."[2]
Retirement from sumo
Two days into the September 1988 tournament, where at 35 years of age he was the oldest in his division, Kirinji pulled out with a knee injury. He announced his retirement from sumo on the 14th day. He has remained in the sumo world as a coach at Nishonoseki stable, and is now known as Kitajin Oyakata.[3]
Career record
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | x | x | (Maezumo) | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #14
3–4 |
East Jonokuchi #5
3–4 |
1968 | West Jonidan #125
4–3 |
East Jonidan #85
2–5 |
East Jonidan #98
5–2 |
West Jonidan #55
3–4 |
West Jonidan #62
3–4 |
West Jonidan #66
3–4 |
1969 | East Jonidan #70
6–1 |
West Jonidan #15
4–3 |
West Sandanme #95
3–4 |
West Sandanme #99
3–4 |
East Jonidan #10
5–2 |
East Sandanme #78
6–1 |
1970 | West Sandanme #36
1–6 |
East Sandanme #64
3–4 |
West Sandanme #69
4–3 |
East Sandanme #46
6–1 |
East Sandanme #14
2–5 |
East Sandanme #32
5–2 |
1971 | East Sandanme #3
4–3 |
West Makushita #52
6–1 |
East Makushita #24
4–3 |
West Makushita #18
4–3 |
East Makushita #16
2–5 |
East Makushita #31
5–2 |
1972 | East Makushita #17
5–2 |
East Makushita #7
3–4 |
East Makushita #12
4–3 |
East Makushita #8
2–5 |
West Makushita #21
3–4 |
East Makushita #28
5–2 |
1973 | East Makushita #14
4–3 |
West Makushita #11
3–4 |
West Makushita #15
3–4 |
East Makushita #21
3–4 |
West Makushita #30
7–0 Champion |
East Makushita #2
7–0 Champion |
1974 | East Jūryō #9
8–7 |
East Jūryō #7
6–9 |
West Jūryō #10
9–6 |
West Jūryō #2
12–3 Champion |
East Maegashira #9
9–6 |
East Maegashira #5
8–7 |
1975 | East Maegashira #1
10–5 F★ |
East Komusubi #1
8–7 T |
East Komusubi #1
9–6 F |
West Sekiwake #1
8–7 |
West Sekiwake #2
8–7 O |
East Sekiwake #2
7–8 |
1976 | West Maegashira #1
4–11 |
East Maegashira #8
6–9 |
East Maegashira #11
10–5 |
West Maegashira #4
11–4 TO★★ |
East Sekiwake #1
8–7 O |
East Sekiwake #2
5–10 |
1977 | West Maegashira #3
6–9 |
West Maegashira #6
8–7 |
East Maegashira #3
4–7–4 |
West Maegashira #9
9–6 |
East Maegashira #4
8–7 |
West Komusubi #1
3–12 |
1978 | East Maegashira #8
9–6 |
West Maegashira #2
4–11 |
East Maegashira #10
11–4 |
West Maegashira #1
5–10 |
West Maegashira #5
12–3 T |
East Komusubi #1
8–7 O |
1979 | West Sekiwake #1
8–7 |
West Sekiwake #1
5–6–4 |
West Maegashira #3
3–12 |
West Maegashira #12
9–6 |
East Maegashira #4
Sat out due to injury 0–0–15 |
East Jūryō #2
10–5 |
1980 | East Maegashira #13
8–7 |
East Maegashira #10
11–4 |
West Maegashira #1
5–10 ★ |
East Maegashira #4
8–7 ★ |
West Komusubi #1
7–8 |
West Maegashira #1
6–9 |
1981 | West Maegashira #4
5–10 |
West Maegashira #9
9–6 |
East Maegashira #4
8–7 |
East Maegashira #1
9–6 |
East Komusubi #2
4–11 |
West Maegashira #6
9–6 |
1982 | East Maegashira #2
6–9 |
East Maegashira #5
11–4 F |
East Komusubi #1
2–13 |
West Maegashira #9
9–6 |
West Maegashira #4
4–11 |
East Maegashira #12
11–4 |
1983 | East Maegashira #2
3–12 |
East Maegashira #10
10–5 |
West Komusubi #1
2–13 |
West Maegashira #9
10–5 |
West Maegashira #1
3–12 |
East Maegashira #10
10–5 |
1984 | East Maegashira #1
4–11 |
East Maegashira #9
11–4 |
East Komusubi #1
5–10 |
East Maegashira #5
8–7 |
East Maegashira #2
3–12 |
West Maegashira #12
8–7 |
1985 | East Maegashira #9
9–6 |
East Maegashira #4
4–11 |
East Maegashira #12
9–6 |
West Maegashira #6
6–9 |
East Maegashira #11
9–6 |
East Maegashira #2
5–10 |
1986 | Maegashira #8
5–10 |
West Maegashira #3
6–9 |
West Maegashira #8
8–7 |
East Maegashira #5
7–8 |
West Maegashira #6
6–9 |
East Maegashira #10
10–5 |
1987 | East Maegashira #2
4–11 |
East Maegashira #10
9–6 |
West Maegashira #2
3–12 |
East Maegashira #9
9–6 |
East Maegashira #1
5–10 |
East Maegashira #7
9–6 |
1988 | West Komusubi #1
2–13 |
West Maegashira #7
10–5 F |
East Maegashira #1
6–9 ★ |
East Maegashira #4
3–12 |
East Maegashira #13
Retired 0–2–0 |
x |
Record given as win-loss-absent Top Division Champion Retired Lower Divisions Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s) |
See also
- Glossary of sumo terms
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament second division champions
- List of sumo record holders
References
- ↑ "Education comes first at Nakamura stable". Japan Times. 2005-03-24. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ↑ Re: SUMO DVD: "Best Matches in 20th Century", "Wakanohana"
- ↑ "Sumo Beya Guide". Japan Sumo Association. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ↑ "Kirinji Kazuharu Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-08-17.