18 Facts About Takanotsuru Shinichi

Takanotsuru Shinichi made his professional debut in March 1992, and reached the top division in January 2003.

Takanotsuru Shinichi retired in May 2006 and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association coaching at Naruto stable.

Takanotsuru Shinichi did judo in middle school, with no sumo experience.

Takanotsuru Shinichi was recruited by the former yokozuna Takanosato who happened to be in Izumi City and initially took in a friend of his before being told by him there was another boy even bigger.

Takanotsuru Shinichi began his sumo career in March 1992 at Naruto stable, joining at the same time as Wakanosato and Takanowaka.

Takanotsuru Shinichi had had problems with his right foot since childhood, and had to have foot surgery in September 1995, forcing him to miss two tournaments and fall from sandanme to jonidan.

Takanotsuru Shinichi was hospitalized for 11 months, in such acute pain that he could not walk, and missed five straight tournaments.

Takanotsuru Shinichi began his career all over again in May 1997, having fallen off the banzuke completely, and was eventually promoted to the juryo division after the January 2001 tournament.

Takanotsuru Shinichi reached the top makuuchi division in January 2003.

Takanotsuru Shinichi had to move out of his private room at the stable and go back to the communal quarters for low rankers, and had to do tsukebito duties again for Wakanosato.

Takanotsuru Shinichi remained in juryo until March 2006, when a score of just one win against fourteen losses saw him demoted back to makushita.

Takanotsuru Shinichi had jun-toshiyori status for a year and then borrowed the Nishiiwa kabu from May 2007.

Takanotsuru Shinichi became Naruto Oyakata and took over as stablemaster of Naruto when the previous stablemaster died in November 2011.

Takanotsuru Shinichi oversaw the promotion of Kisenosato to yokozuna in January 2017, and Takayasu to ozeki in May of the same year.

Takanotsuru Shinichi was criticized after a photo emerged of him drunk and asleep in a restaurant during the July 2020 tournament, despite the Sumo Association's instructions for all its members to avoid unnecessary trips outside of their stables during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Takanotsuru Shinichi was a yotsu-sumo specialist who usually won by yorikiri or force out.

Takanotsuru Shinichi's preferred grip on his opponent's mawashi was hidari-yotsu, a right hand outside, left hand inside position.

Takanotsuru Shinichi was often compared to Toki, due to their similar build and appearance, with both sporting distinctive sideburns.