Oginohana Akikazu
| Oginohana Akikazu | |
|---|---|
| 小城乃花 昭和 | |
 |
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| Personal information | |
| Born | Akikazu Koiwai November 18, 1967 Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan |
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 132 kg (291 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Dewanoumi |
| Record | 540-491-39 |
| Debut | July, 1983 |
| Highest rank | Maegashira 2 (May, 1990) |
| Retired | July, 1998 |
| Championships | 4 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita) |
| * Up to date as of August 2012. | |
Oginohana Akikazu (born 18 November 1967 as Akikazu Koiwai) is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan. He made his professional debut in July 1983, and reached the top division in January 1990. His highest rank was maegashira 2. He retired in July 1998. He is the son of former sekiwake Oginohana Masaaki and the elder brother of former komusubi Oginishiki. Since 2014 he has been the head of the Dewanoumi stable.
He had not shown much interest in sumo while at high school and was instead a member of the baseball team. However, while recuperating from a baseball injury he was persuaded to drop out of school and join Dewanoumi stable where his father, the former sekiwake Oginohana Masaaki, worked as a coach. Initially fighting under his family name of Koiwai, he made his professional debut in July 1983. He adopted his father's shikona or fighting name in March 1987. In the same tournament his younger brother joined the stable and began using the family name as a shikona instead (he later became Oginishiki). As he rose up the ranks Oginohana's strong and supple physique, and the power of his right arm overarm throw, were much admired. He won the makushita division yusho or championship in May 1988 and reached sekitori level upon promotion to the juryo division in July 1989. He took the juryo division championship with a 13-2 record in November 1989 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division for the following tournament in January 1990.
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