Wakanohana Kanji I.

Wakanohana Kanji (I.) (Japanese若 乃 花 干 士(初 代), born March 16, 1928 in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture; † 1 September 2010 in Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture ), actually Hanada Katsuji (花田 胜 治), was a Japanese sumo wrestler and the 45th yokozuna. He is considered the founder of the famous wrestler Dynasty Hanada.

Youth

Wakanohanas family moved to Muroran on Hokkaido on after the typhoon Muroko had destroyed the apple trees of fruit growers in September 1934. Because his father was harmed psychologically and physically through participation in the war, took the young Wakanohana, then called Hanada Katsuji, early a responsible role in the family. At 14 he began working in a steel mill.

Sporting career

As talent scouts of the Ringer Stalls Nishonoseki - Beya by young athletes held out, he could succeed in trial battle and was Hanakago Oyakata, former maegashira Onoumi, formed, the first ring name ( Shikona ) he inherited. 1946 belonged Wakanohana, as he now called himself, to the first rikishi that occurred after the war into sumo. Within three years he managed the climb in the Makuuchi division, where he soon nicknamed " Devil in the ring" (土俵 の 鬼, dohyō no Oni ) reaped. Memorable encounter with the former yokozuna Chiyonoyama remains on the 11th day of the fall tournament in 1955, which ended after 17 minutes and 15 seconds as well as various breaks in a draw.

However, the biggest rival Wakanohanas was Tochinishiki. Both were for Rikishi rather small and light. Their rivalry continued throughout the duration of their careers, as they were both yokozuna. No one could ever surpass the others, and their fights were exciting and spectacular and kept in suspense million Japanese who watched the feud on the radio and soon on television. Became famous for her battle while Haru- Basho 1953, at the Tochinishiki its falling apart Chonmage tied with a straw from the dohyō - limiting and could eventually win. In May 1959 Wakanohana grabbed his hand, the adversary a tournament victory on the last day away. 1960, the two met as Yokozuna again when Haru- basho each other - it was the first time that in a tournament two previously undefeated Grand Master competed against each other. Again Wakanohana could prevail. It was to be their last meeting, Tochinishiki came back soon after. Wakanohana followed him in 1962 after he had won two more tournaments and thus both equally ten tournaments had decided for themselves.

Organizational career

After retirement from active wrestling Wakanohana founded his own stable ( heya ) called " Futagoyama ", whose master ( Oyakata ) he was. This brought the yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji II and Takanosato Toshihide forth. Also Wakanohanas 22 years younger brother, the future ozeki Takanohana Kenshi, went through this school. One of his sons later took over the Shikona his uncle and was as Wakanohana the 66th Yokozuna. 1993 different Futagoyama Oyakata grounds of age from office, his late brother later merged then his own stable Fujishima Beya with the Futagoyama - Beya, who was also the name of a united stable.

From February 1988 to 1992 he was the chairman of the Japanese Sumōverbandes.

He died on 1 September 2010 from kidney cancer.