Wakanohana Kanji II.

Wakanohana kanji ( II ), jap若 乃 花 干 士(2代), prop, Shimoyama Katsunori, Japanese胜 则 下山, ( born April 3, 1953 in Owani, Aomori Prefecture) is a former Japanese sumo wrestler. He was the 56th yokozuna.

Wakanohana, which is not related to the other two known wrestlers of that name, his athletic career began in July 1968 as an apprentice of Ringer Stalls Futagano - Beya, while still fighting name ( Shikona ) " Wakamisugi Kanji " using he in till after his ascension the makuuchi Division retained in November 1973. With 1.86 m Height Wakanohana was not small, but with less than 130 kg, it was among the less serious sumo wrestlers. His strengths lay in speed and technology.

In July 1974, he called himself " Wakamisugi Toshihito ". His final Shikona he assumed after his promotion to yokozuna, he took him by his equerry Futagoyama Oyakata, the former 45th Yokozuna, with whose daughter he had married and temporarily as his designated successor he was back then.

In January 1975, Wakanohana reached for the first time the front ranks of the league, and in March 1977 we raised him to the rank Champion ozeki. The following in May Natsu- basho he won then with 13-2. Although in the aftermath graduated several tournaments with the same or even a better result, he could not at first tournament victory ( Yusho ) recorded because Yokozuna Kitanoumi always ranked a bit better. Nevertheless Wakanohana was appointed by a score of 40 victories in three tournaments without further tournament victory for Yokozuna.

In November of that year he reached his second tournament victory, suffer defeat without even. However, he remained in the shadow Kitanoumis and could not do in 1979 and 1980 depending erstreiten a Yusho, which does not meet the expectations of a yokozuna. As 1981/1982 Chiyonofuji in the footsteps Kitanoumis stepped forward and landed Wakanohana no more successes, he joined in January 1983 at the age of only 29 years and a Makuuchi record of 512 victories, 234 defeats and 70 are not contested fights back (total career 656-323 -85 ).

After his career as a wrestler Wakanohana founded the Ringer stable Magaki - Beya.