Akinoumi Setsuo

{{short description|Japanese sumo wrestler}} {{hatnote|In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Akinoumi.}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | name = 安藝ノ海節男<br/>Akinoumi Setsuo | image = Akinoumi.png | birth_name = Nagata Setsuo | birth_date = {{Birth date|1914|5|30}} | birth_place = Hiroshima, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|1979|3|25|1914|5|30}} | height = {{height|meters=1.77}} | weight = {{convert|127.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Dewanoumi | rank = | record = 209–101–38 | debut = February 1932 | highestrank = Yokozuna (May 1942) | retireddate = November, 1946 | eldername = Fujishima | yushos = 1 (Makuuchi)<br/>1 (Jonokuchi) | goldstars = 1 (Futabayama) | update = June 2020 }} {{Nihongo|'''Akinoumi Setsuo'''|安藝ノ海節男|Akinoumi Setsuo|May 30, 1914 – March 25, 1979|lead=yes}}, born {{nihongo|'''Nagata Setsuo'''|永田節男}}, was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hiroshima. He was the sport's 37th ''yokozuna''.

==Career== [[File:Futabayama defeated.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Akinoumi brings Futabayama's record winning streak to an end in January 1939, as reported in the ''Yomiuri Shimbun'']] Akinoumi made his professional debut in February 1932 and reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in January 1938. He was the man who ended Futabayama's record 69 bout winning streak in January 1939. As he was only ranked as a ''maegashira'' at the time, it was regarded as an enormous upset. He defeated the ''yokozuna'' by ''sotogake'', an outer leg trip. He had practiced this technique in training with Komanosato, who had been Futabayama's 69th and final defeated opponent.{{cn|date=February 2024}} He was overwhelmed by his achievement, but was told by his stablemaster, "Become a rikishi not to be praised when he wins but to cause an uproar when he loses."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/topic/11197-edit/?do=findComment&comment=102516|title=Akinoumi|last=Jonosuke|date=9 January 2007|publisher=Sumo Forum|accessdate=29 September 2016}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

His only top division championship came in May 1940 when he was ranked as a ''sekiwake.'' At the time of his promotion to ''ōzeki'' in 1941, he was the first wrestler from Hiroshima Prefecture to be promoted at this rank since Hiodoshi Katsugorō in 1814, 127 years earlier.<ref>{{cite web | work=Sumo Reference | title=Wrestlers from Hiroshima Prefecture by rank| url=https://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=&heya=-1&shusshin=11&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=5 | accessdate=12 October 2023}}</ref> Akinoumi earned promotion to ''yokozuna'' in May 1942 after two runner-up performances of 13 wins against two losses. He was promoted simultaneously with Terukuni.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/06/02/sumo/terunofuji-takakeisho-double-yokozuna/|title=Dual yokozuna promotion could join list of recent rare events in sumo|last=Gunning|first=John|date=2 June 2021|work=Japan Times|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref> Akinoumi was not a particularly successful ''yokozuna'', lasting only eight tournaments at the rank and not managing to win any further championships. He is arguably better remembered for his victory over Futabayama than his exploits as a grand champion.<ref name="Sharnoff">{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref>

==Retirement from sumo== Akinoumi retired in November 1946, and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association with the name of Fujishima. He married the daughter of Dewanoumi Oyakata, the former ''yokozuna'' Tsunenohana, but was unfaithful to her, his geisha mistress giving birth the same day that his wife did.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> They were later divorced. This put an end to any hopes of becoming the head of Dewanoumi stable, and he left the sumo world in January 1955.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Akinoumi Setsuo Kabu History | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Kabu.aspx?rikishi=3809 | date= | accessdate=2012-10-06}}</ref> He later remarried. He ran a chanko restaurant, and when that went out of business, a clothing store. He also appeared as a sumo commentator on broadcasts of tournaments. He celebrated his 60th birthday in 1974 but for reasons which are unclear, did not get to perform the ''kanreki dohyō-iri'' ceremony. He died in 1979 of congestive heart failure.

==Career record== [[File:Akinoumi yusho May 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Akinoumi holding the Emperor's Cup after winning the May 1940 tournament]] *''Through most of the 1930s and 1940s only two tournaments were held a year, and in 1946 only one was held.'' {{Sumo record box start 1927-1932|Akinoumi Setsuo<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Akinoumi Setsuo Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo References | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=3809 | date= | accessdate=2007-10-05}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start|1932}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|12|w|3|3}} {{Basho|jk|12|w|6|0<br>Champion}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}} {{Sumo record box start 1933-1952}} {{Sumo record year start|1933}} {{Basho|jo|12|e|2|4}} {{Basho|jo|19|w|4|2}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1934}} {{Basho|sa|30|w|5|1}} {{Basho|ma|23|e|6|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1935}} {{Basho|ma|13|w|7|4}} {{Basho|ma|3|w|6|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1936}} {{Basho|j|14|w|6|5}} {{Basho|j|8|w|5|6}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1937}} {{Basho|j|14|w|7|4}} {{Basho|j|8|e|10|3}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1938}} {{Basho|m|16|w|8|5}} {{Basho|m|10|w|9|4}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1939}} {{Basho|m|3|w|6|7|||*}} {{Basho|m|4|e|10|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1940}} {{Basho|s||w|10|5}} {{Basho|s||w|14|1||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1941}} {{Basho|o||e|12|3}} {{Basho|o||e|9|6}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1942}} {{Basho|o|h|w|13|2||j}} {{Basho|o||w|13|2||j}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1943}} {{Basho|yo||e|12|3}} {{Basho|y|h|w|11|4}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1944}} {{Basho|note|'''Sat out due to injury'''}} {{Basho|y|h|w|5|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Sat out due to injury'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1945}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|y|h|e|6|1||j}} {{Basho|y||e|4|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1946}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|intai|rank=y|r-no=|tozai=e|win=0|loss=0|absent=13}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end 1930-1946}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070809014150/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_yokozuna/akinoumi.html Japan Sumo Association profile]

{{Yokozuna box | previous = Haguroyama Masaji | number = 37th | active = 1941–1953 | next = Terukuni Manzō}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akinoumi, Setsuo}} Category:1914 births Category:1979 deaths Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sportspeople from Hiroshima Category:Sumo wrestlers from Hiroshima Prefecture Category:Yokozuna Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen