Kototsubaki Katsuyuki

{{Short description|Sumo wrestler}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image = | native_name = 琴椿克之 | name = Kototsubaki Katsuyuki | birth_name = Katsuyuki Tokashiki | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1960|12|06}} | birth_place = Naha, Okinawa, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.88}} | weight = {{convert|145|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Sadogatake | rank = | record = 530-481-51 | debut = March, 1976 | highestrank = Maegashira 3 (July, 1992) | retireddate = March, 1995 | eldername = Shiratama | yushos = | prizes = | goldstars = | update = Sep. 2012 }} '''Kototsubaki Katsuyuki (琴椿克之)''' (born 6 December 1960 as '''Katsuyuki Tokashiki''') is a former sumo wrestler from Naha, Okinawa, Japan.

== Early life == Katsuyuki was born in Naha, Okinawa on 6 December, 1960. He practiced judo in junior high school, and by the time he was a third year junior high school student, he was 180cm tall, and being scouted by high schools outside the prefecture, including Kokushikan High School.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=峻 |first=古川 |date=2024-03-08 |title=元琴椿「勝たなくていい」転機に県勢唯一の年寄株・白玉親方として育成に情熱＜土俵に懸ける沖縄力士の歩み＞3 |url=https://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/sports/entry-2882032.html |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=琉球新報デジタル |language=ja}}</ref>

Katsuyuki was scouted for sumo by stablemaster Sadogatake (former 53rd Yokozuna Kotozakura), who was visiting Okinawa and was originally interested in Katsuyuki’s older brother. His brother turned down the opportunity, but recommended Katsuyuki to Sadogatake instead.<ref name=":0" />

In 1976, at the age of 15, Katsuyuki chose to join the Sadogatake sumo stable, rather than entering high school.<ref name=":0" />

== Sumo career ==

=== As a wrestler === He made his professional debut in March 1976, and reached the top division in January 1991. His highest rank was ''maegashira'' 3. His favourite techniques were tsuki/oshi (pushing and thrusting).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/jimpic/docs/sumo-world-july-1993/30|title=Sumo World Magazine|date=July 1993|work=Sumo World|page=30|access-date=6 September 2022}}</ref>

When Katsuyuki was promoted to Sekitori, he was only the second wrestler from Okinawa to have reached that rank.<ref>{{Cite web |last=琉球新報社 |date=2022-05-13 |title=「沖縄県出身」に大拍手復帰の日、アナウンスに入った「県」の文字 50年前の大相撲 |url=https://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/entry-1516438.html |access-date=2025-07-29 |website=琉球新報デジタル |language=ja}}</ref>

=== As an elder === He retired in March 1995, and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Shiratama (白玉).<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Oyakata (Coaches) | publisher=Nihon Sumo Kyokai | url=http://www.sumo.or.jp/EnSumoDataKyokaiMember/oyakata | date= | accessdate=September 6, 2022}}</ref> He joined the Sumo Association's special executive group, below the 10 directors and 3 deputy directors, on 30 March 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202204050000715.html|title=Why is Michinoku a director and Kokonoe a special executive? Deciphering the duties of the elders of the Japan Sumo Association|work=Nikkan Sports|date=6 April 2022|access-date=6 September 2022}}</ref>

== Legacy == Katsuyuki has worked to promote sumo in Okinawa, and develop more wrestlers from the prefecture. The Okinawa Prefectural Sumo Championship has named the trophy given to the winner the Kototsubaki Cup Okinawa Prefecture Sumo Championship, after Katsuyuki’s wrestling name.<ref>{{Cite web |title=琴椿杯沖縄県相撲選手権大会小学生から大人まで熱戦 (Koto Tsubaki Cup Okinawa Prefecture Sumo Championship, heated competition from elementary school students to adults) |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/okinawa/20250125/5090030561.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125121421/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/okinawa/20250125/5090030561.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2025}}</ref>

==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Kototsubaki Katsuyuki<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Kototsubaki Katsuyuki Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=+Kototsubaki&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1 | date= | accessdate=2012-09-03}}</ref> }} {{Sumo record year start|1976}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|9|w|6|1}} {{Basho|jo|53|e|2|5}} {{Basho|jo|80|w|4|3}} {{Basho|jo|57|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1977}} {{Basho|jo|33|e|3|4}} {{Basho|jo|41|w|3|4}} {{Basho|jo|53|e|5|2}} {{Basho|jo|5|w|1|6}} {{Basho|jo|44|e|3|4}} {{Basho|jo|52|e|3|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1978}} {{Basho|jo|62|e|6|1}} {{Basho|jo|3|e|1|6}} {{Basho|jo|38|e|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|73|w|2|5}} {{Basho|jo|13|e|2|1|4}} {{Basho|jo|33|e|6|1|P}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1979}} {{Basho|sa|66|e|5|2}} {{Basho|sa|38|w|4|3}} {{Basho|sa|25|e|2|5}} {{Basho|sa|49|e|4|3}} {{Basho|sa|34|w|3|4}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=sa|r-no=47|tozai=e}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1980}} {{Basho|jo|2|w|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|35|e|5|2}} {{Basho|sa|11|e|3|4}} {{Basho|sa|25|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|48|e|2|5}} {{Basho|sa|8|w|0|1|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1981}} {{Basho|sa|43|e|0|1|6}} {{Basho|sa|43|e|4|3}} {{Basho|sa|30|w|5|2}} {{Basho|sa|3|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|51|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|33|w|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1982}} {{Basho|ma|20|w|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|37|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|26|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|21|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|30|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|44|e|6|1|P}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1983}} {{Basho|ma|19|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|38|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|21|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|14|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|22|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|16|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1984}} {{Basho|ma|8|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|2|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|17|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|11|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|18|w|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|41|e|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1985}} {{Basho|ma|18|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|28|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|13|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|9|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|1|w|5|2}} {{Basho|j|13|e|5|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1986}} {{Basho|ma|5|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|22|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|35|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|23|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|15|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|12|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1987}} {{Basho|ma|8|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|5|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|22|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|11|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|3|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|7|e|2|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1988}} {{Basho|ma|22|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|30|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|13|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|7|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|13|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|30|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1989}} {{Basho|ma|24|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|13|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|9|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|2|e|6|1}} {{Basho|j|11|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|9|e|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1990}} {{Basho|j|5|e|6|9}} {{Basho|j|8|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|4|e|6|9}} {{Basho|j|9|e|9|6}} {{Basho|j|3|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|1|w|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1991}} {{Basho|m|13|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|6|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|9|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|12|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|8|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|5|w|4|11}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1992}} {{Basho|m|13|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|14|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|9|e|10|5}} {{Basho|m|3|w|5|5|5}} {{Basho|m|10|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|14|e|10|4|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1993}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=m|r-no=9|tozai=e}} {{Basho|m|9|e|4|11}} {{Basho|j|1|w|5|10}} {{Basho|j|7|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|7|e|10|5}} {{Basho|j|3|e|11|4|P}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1994}} {{Basho|m|16|e|7|8}} {{Basho|j|3|e|7|8}} {{Basho|j|4|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|8|e|11|4}} {{Basho|j|3|e|5|10}} {{Basho|j|8|w|3|10|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1995}} {{Basho|ma|6|e|3|4}} {{Basho|INTAI|rank=ma|r-no=10|tozai=e|win=0|loss=2|absent=5}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kototsubaki, Katsuyuki}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Okinawa Prefecture Category:Sportspeople from Naha