Kitanofuji Katsuaki
| Kitanofuji Katsuaki | |
|---|---|
| 北の富士勝昭 | |
Kitanofuji's handprint displayed on a monument in Ryōgoku, Tokyo
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| Personal information | |
| Born | Takezawa Katsuaki March 28, 1942 Hokkaidō, Japan |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 135 kg (298 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Dewanoumi → Kokonoe |
| Record | 784-426-69 |
| Debut | January, 1957 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (January, 1970) |
| Retired | July, 1974 |
| Championships | 10 (Makuuchi) 1 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | Outstanding Performance (2) Fighting Spirit (1) Technique (3) |
| Gold Stars | 1 (Taihō) |
| * Up to date as of August 2007. | |
Kitanofuji Katsuaki 北の富士勝昭 (born March 28, 1942 as Takezawa Katsuaki) is a former sumo wrestler, born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 52nd yokozuna. He was also the head coach of Kokonoe stable.
Kitanofuji began his professional career in January 1957 at the age of just 14, joining Dewanoumi stable. In November 1963 he achieved a perfect 15-0 score in the second highest jūryō division (a feat not equalled until 43 years later by Baruto) and was promoted to the top makuuchi division. In his debut top division tournament he scored 13 wins, although he faced only his fellow maegashira. He won the Fighting Spirit award and was promoted straight to komusubi. By 1966 he was firmly established in the san'yaku ranks at sekiwake. He reached ōzeki rank in July 1966. Although he had won only 28 bouts in the previous three tournaments (at least 33 are normally needed), Yutakayama was the only ōzeki at the time, and he was promoted largely because of his potential.
In January 1967 he followed the coach who had scouted him, former yokozuna Chiyonoyama, to a new stable, Kokonoe. His first tournament championship came in March of that year. Kitanofuji was competing in an era dominated by Taihō, but he emerged from the great yokozuna's shadow by winning consecutive championships in November 1969 and January 1970 to secure his own promotion to yokozuna. Promoted alongside him was his friend and rival Tamanoumi. His first title as a yokozuna came in May 1970. After a run of relatively mediocre 11-4 marks he won in May 1971 with a perfect record and he took two other championships that year.
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