Takanosato Toshihide

Takanosato Toshihide (Jap.隆の里 俊英, Toshihide Takaya prop ,高 谷 俊英; born September 29, 1952 in Namioka (now Aomori ), Aomori Prefecture, † November 7, 2011 in Fukuoka ) was a Japanese sumo wrestler and the 59th yokozuna.

Life and career

Takanosato was as a teenager, already a keen football player and judoka. He comes from the same area as the later yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji II and was brought together with this by then Futagoyama Oyakata, the former yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I, after Tokyo. Takanosato was one of the first wrestler ever, exercised the strength training with weights.

As a rikishi ( sumo wrestler ), he debuted his name for the first time on the ranking of the Makuuchi Division in July 1968. 1975, however, he was repeatedly downgraded again. Mostly he remained maegashira in the middle ranks and fell through no particular successes on. It was not until mid- 1980, he improved so that he advanced in the sanyaku ranks.

In addition to the approximately same age Wakanohana fought at the same time also very strong wrestler like Chiyonofuji and Kitanoumi at the top of the division. Stable mate Wakanohana had long since yokozuna, as Takanosato was appointed with almost 30 years to ozeki in 1982. Shortly before his birthday Takanosato came with the victory in the September tournament Aki- basho a coup. He does not conceding a single defeat. He held his form in the subsequent tournaments, and his tournament victory in July 1983 convinced the leaders to grant him the title of yokozuna.

On the last day of struggle the following Aki- Basho, his first basho as yokozuna met Takanosato, who had hitherto remained undefeated on in this tournament until then also undefeated Chiyonofuji - and prevailed. For the first time was able to win on his first official tournament with zensho - Yusho a yokozuna. In January 1984, he won the Emperor's Cup for the last time. Because of injuries, he was able throughout 1985 barely participate in tournaments and finally announced his retirement.

The former yokozuna opened after the wrestler career as Stable Master Naruto Toshihide his own Ringer stable, the Naruto Beya, which has since produced some well-known rikishi, such as the former sekiwake Wakanosato Shinobu.

Takanosato suffered from diabetes. This circumstance, however, he kept secret for years. Later he wrote a guidebook for sufferers, how to deal after his experiences with the disease.