14 Facts About Tochinishiki Kiyotaka

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tokyo.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka won ten top division yusho or tournament championships and was a rival of fellow yokozuna Wakanohana I Tochinishiki Kiyotaka became the head coach of Kasugano stable in 1959 and was head of the Japan Sumo Association from 1974 until 1988.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was a fine all round athlete in elementary school, and although he had no family connections to sumo, he was introduced by a shop owner to Kasugano Oyakata, the former yokozuna Tochigiyama.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was of such small size that he had to drink copious amounts of water to meet the weight requirement at his physical exam.

However, his stablemaster, to whom Tochinishiki served as an attendant or tsukebito and was a great influence on him in his early days, expected him to become strong.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka began using the Tochinishiki shikona or ring name in May 1944.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka made up for his lack of size by showing superb technique.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka won no fewer than nine special prizes for Technique, and it was even suggested that the prize had been created especially for him.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was known as the Mamushi due to his tenacity once he grabbed hold of his opponent's mawashi.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka finally reached yokozuna in October 1954 after winning two successive championships.

When Tochinishiki Kiyotaka was promoted to yokozuna, he expected that his stablemaster Tochigiyama would commend him.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka had a great rivalry with yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I, who reached the top rank in January 1958.

In October 1959 his stablemaster died suddenly and Tochinishiki Kiyotaka became head coach of Kasugano stable whilst still an active wrestler.

Tochinishiki Kiyotaka had been due to retire from the Sumo Association the following month when he would have turned 65 years old.