Washūyama Yoshikazu
| Washūyama Yoshikazu | |
|---|---|
| 鷲羽山 佳和 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Yoshikazu Sukui April 2, 1949 Okayama, Japan |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Weight | 110 kg (240 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Dewanoumi |
| Record | 699-650-83 |
| Debut | March, 1967 |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (May, 1976) |
| Retired | November, 1985 |
| Championships | 3 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | Fighting Spirit (3) Technique (5) |
| Gold Stars | 2 (Kotozakura, Kitanoumi) |
| * Up to date as of Feb 2015. | |
Washūyama Yoshikazu (born 2 April 1949 as Yoshikazu Sukui) is a former sumo wrestler from Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. He joined sumo in 1967 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1973. His highest rank was sekiwake. After his retirement in 1985 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable from 1996 until 2014.
His shikona or sumo name was derived from the Washuzan mountain in his native Okayama prefecture. (He was to become so popular that people would refer to the mountain as Washuyama.) He made his professional debut in March 1967, reaching the second highest jūryō division in July 1972. He was promoted to the makuuchi division in May 1973 and made an immediate impression, finishing as the tournament runner-up with 11 wins and earning the Fighting Spirit prize. However, injury problems over the next couple of years prevented him from progressing much further and he was demoted back to the jūryō division on two occasions. His fortunes turned around towards the end of 1975 when he won his second Fighting Spirit prize, and in January 1976 he was once again tournament runner-up. This earned him promotion to the titled sanyaku ranks for the first time in March 1976 at the rank of komusubi. Another strong showing earned him immediate promotion to sekiwake, which was to be his highest rank.
Washuyama was one of the lightest sumo wrestlers ever seen in the top division, at around 100 kg and rather short at 175 cm. He was very popular with the tournament crowds, earning the nickname of chibikko gangu or "midget gang" for the way he seemed to swarm around his larger opponents attacking from all sides. He became a real nemesis for the giant Hawaiian wrestler Takamiyama, who was nearly twice his size. His technical skill is evidenced by the five Ginosho, or Technique Awards he picked up during his career.
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