Midorifuji Kazunari

{{Short description|Japanese professional sumo wrestler}} {{hatnote|In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Midorifuji.}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image = Midorifuji Kazunari20220115.jpg | caption = | native_name = 翠富士一成 | name = Midorifuji Kazunari | birth_name = Kazunari Ihara | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|08|30}} | birth_place = Yaizu, Shizuoka, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.74}} | weight = {{convert|115|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | heya = Isegahama | university = Kindai University | rank = see below | record = | debut = September, 2016 | highestrank = Maegashira 1 (September, 2022) | retireddate = | yushos = 1 (Juryo) | prizes = 1 (Technique) | goldstars = |update = 24 September 2023 }}

{{nihongo|'''Midorifuji Kazunari'''|翠富士一成||born {{nihongo|'''Kazunari Ihara'''|庵原一成|Ihara Kazunari}} on August 30, 1996}} is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Yaizu, Shizuoka. Known for being a ''katasukashi'' specialist,<ref name="mainichi">{{cite web|title=新入幕の業師・翠富士が快進撃親方譲りの「必殺技」秘訣は？|url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210113/k00/00m/050/299000c|work=Mainichi Shimbun|language=ja|url-access=subscription|date=13 January 2021|access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref> he debuted in sumo wrestling in September 2016 and made his ''makuuchi'' debut in January 2021. His highest rank has been ''maegashira'' 1. He wrestles for Isegahama stable.

==Early life== Born in Yaizu, Shizuoka, Kazunari grew up in a single-mother household.<ref name="background">{{cite web|title=翠富士が新十両、努力の小兵高みへ静岡県内、恩師や家族喜び|url=https://www.at-s.com/sports/article/shizuoka/731441.html|date=29 January 2020|access-date=9 July 2023|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305231410/https://www.at-s.com/sports/article/shizuoka/731441.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He began participating in sumo from elementary school and notably wrestled at the ''Wanpaku'' National Championship.<ref name="data">{{cite web|url=https://sumo-guide.com/kinki-university|title=近大相撲部出身の力士一覧！現役から過去の名力士まで|work=Sumo Guide Database|date=7 January 2023 |access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref> After this initial experience he stopped practising sumo before entering his third year in junior high school at Yaizu Junior High School, where he placed in the national team top 8 at the National Junior High School Sumo Championships. In his second year at Hiryū Senior High School, he defeated future Takakeishō of the Saitama Sakae High School team at the All-Japan High School Sumo Tournament, preventing Saitama Sakae from winning a fourth consecutive title and winning the first medal (third-place) of Hiryū High School in a sumo team tournament.<ref name="data"/> Individually, he also won the All-Japan Junior Weight Classification Championships in the under-80kg category and the National Championships in the under-100kg category, respectively.<ref name="data"/> He attended Kindai University, where in his first year he won the National Student Sumo Individual Weight-class Championship in the under 100 kg category. He however left during his second year, and eventually he returned to his hometown.<ref name="nikkan0129">{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202001290000346.html|title=小兵の翠富士が新十両、炎鵬＆照強のいいとこ取りを|date=29 January 2020|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref> It was during a visit there by the head coach of Isegahama stable, the former ''yokozuna'' Asahifuji, that he was persuaded to join professional sumo. Midorifuji turned pro at the same time as Nishikifuji, his former classmate from Kindai University, the two being in a friendly rivalry ever since.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202303160001281.html|title=第２の地元で翠富士と錦富士が５連勝ともに26歳のライバル、近大中退→伊勢ケ浜部屋|date=16 March 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref>

==Career== ===Early career=== Initially wrestling under his real surname {{nihongo|'''Ihara'''|庵原}}, Midorifuji began his first real tournament in ''jonokuchi'' in November 2016. At the end of the 7 official days of competition, he and his stablemate Nishikifuji (then named Ogasawara) were both unbeaten and tied for the championship. Nishikifuji nevertheless won the championship by ''yoritaoshi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1743017.html|title=序ノ口優勝争いは小笠原と庵原の同部屋Ｖ決定戦へ|date=25 November 2016|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1744186.html|title=小笠原が序の口優勝、庵原との同門優勝決定戦を制す|date=27 November 2016|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> For the January 2017 tournament, Midorifuji received his current ''shikona'', or ring name, to evoke, with the kanji 翠 (meaning green), jade, a stone that shines brighter when polished, in the same way that a wrestler becomes better through practice.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=花の新十両データバンク |publisher=ベースボール・マガジン社 |journal=相撲 (雑誌) |issue=2020年3月号 |pages=23 }}</ref> During this tournament, Midorifuji and Nishikifuji faced off again in the championship playoff. Although Midorifuji prepared his fight with his senior, and then ''ōzeki'', Terunofuji, he lost again to Nishikifuji.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1767793.html|title=同部屋の翠富士と錦富士がまたも序二段優勝決定戦|date=20 January 2017|work=Nikkan Sports|language=ja|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> In January 2020 ranked at ''makushita'' 2 he earned promotion to the ''sekitori'' ranks for the first time with a 5-2 record.<ref name="nikkan0129"/> This promotion made him the first sumo wrestler from Shizuoka Prefecture to become a new ''jūryō'' since {{Interlanguage link multi|Tochihiryū Yukiya|ja|3=栃飛龍幸也|lt=Tochihiryū}} in the March tournament of 2013,<ref name="nikkan0129"/> and the second ''sekitori'' from Yaizu, after Katayama in 2004.<ref name="background"/> However, he still weighed barely {{convert|100|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and turned in a losing 7-8 record in his ''jūryō'' division debut. He managed to remain in the division, and in September 2020 he produced an 11-4 record. In the following November 2020 tournament, Midorifuji notably scored a victory over Jōkōryū on Day 13 using the rare ''kimarite'' (winning technique) ''zubuneri'' ("head pivot throw"), a first at this level of competition since Kyokushūzan used it in January 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20201121-OHT1T50012.html?page=1|title=十両２４年ぶりの珍手「ずぶねり」翠富士が決めた |date=21 November 2020|work=Sports Hochi|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> In total, Midorifuji also used the ''katasukashi kimarite'' ("under-shoulder swing down") 4 times during the tournament.<ref name="makuuchi-promo">{{cite web|url=https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/175827|title=新入幕の翠富士目指すは「炎鵬さんと照強さんの間くらい」【大相撲】|date=24 December 2020|work=Chunichi Shimbun|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> Midorifuji ended with a 10-5 score, enough to earn him his first career championship (yūshō) after a playoff win over Kyokushūhō.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/70062|title=翠富士が十両初優勝沼津の飛龍高校出身恩師「子どもらに夢と力を」 |date=23 November 2020|work=Tokyo Shimbun|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> This championship victory also saw him promoted to sumo's top division, ''makuuchi'', for the next tournament in January 2021.<ref name="makuuchi-promo"/>

===''Makuuchi'' career=== Midorifuji was the fifth top division wrestler from Shizuoka Prefecture since World War II and the first since Sagatsukasa in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sumo.or.jp/EnHonbashoTopics/banzuke_topics|title=2021 January Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics|work=Japan Sumo Association|accessdate=4 January 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229212007/http://www.sumo.or.jp/EnHonbashoTopics/banzuke_topics|archive-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> Ahead of his debut he said he hoped to emulate fellow small wrestlers Enhō and Terutsuyoshi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20201224/k10012782151000.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224074356/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20201224/k10012782151000.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 24, 2020|title=新入幕翠富士が抱負「押しながらちょっと技も入れる相撲を」|date=24 December 2020|work=NHK|language=Japanese|accessdate=4 January 2021}}</ref> In his top division debut in January 2021 Midorifuji scored nine wins against six losses and won the ''ginō-shō'' or Technique prize, with a win over Tobizaru on Day 15.<ref name=ns211012>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101240000606.html|title=翠富士５度目肩すかしで９勝「うれしい」初の技能賞|date=24 January 2021|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref> Midorifuji is only the seventh wrestler to receive this award in his ''makuuchi'' debut and the first since Tochinohana in May 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&form1_debutd=on&form1_gs=on&columns=1|title=Query result: Technique prize awarded on makuuchi debut|work=Sumo Reference|accessdate=25 January 2021}}</ref> Five of his nine wins were by the ''kimarite'' of ''katasukashi'', or under-shoulder swing down.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=12352&b=202101|title=Midorifuji results by basho (Hatsu 2021)|work=Sumo Reference|accessdate=25 January 2021}}</ref> On the subject of the use of this ''kimarite'', many commentators have begun to refer to this technique as Midorifuji's speciality, referring to it in particular as {{nihongo|''Denkanohōtō''|伝家の宝刀}}, meaning 'family heirloom' or 'family tradition', since it was also used extensively by Midorifuji's master, Isegahama (former ''yokozuna'' Asahifuji), and by Midorifuji's senior in his stable, Aminishiki, who is also described as a technical genius.<ref name="mainichi"/> Midorifuji said he was happy to have received the award, but regretted that he had not managed ten wins.<ref name=ns211012/>

This performance saw him promoted to the rank of ''maegasahira'' 10 for the March 2021 tournament, where he produced a 5–10 record. He withdrew from the May 2021 tournament due to a herniated disc in his back, requiring two months of treatment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202105100000154.html|title=碧山は急性腰痛症で２週間安静加療、翠富士は腰椎ヘルニア手術で全治２カ月|date=10 May 2021|work=Nikkan Sports|language=Japanese|access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref> Upon his comeback in July 2021, ranked in the ''jūryō'' division, he could only manage a 6-9 record. In March 2022 a 12–3 score saw him promoted back to the top division for the May tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/04/b0d73074e7a8-sumo-wakatakakage-mitakeumi-renew-their-battle-on-the-east.html|title=Sumo: Wakatakakage, Mitakeumi renew their battle on the east|date=25 April 2022|work=Kyodo News|access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref> During the March 2023 tournament, Midorifuji first achieved his best performance in ''makuuchi'' by winning five bouts in a row.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202303160000972.html|title=翠富士が幕内自己最高の５連勝「仲がいい分、負けられない」同じく５連勝の同級生錦富士から刺激|date=16 March 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> He then went to lead the ''honbasho'', recording ten wins in ten matches and securing a comfortable lead against Daieishō, the wrestler closest to his score, with two wins ahead of the former.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202303210001473.html|title=翠富士が珍手「割り出し」で無傷10連勝「こんなに勝てるとは」静岡出身初の幕内Ｖ日ごと現実味|date=21 March 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> However, he fell on the eleventh day with a defeat against Wakamotoharu, and then on the twelfth day against Wakatakakage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202303230001083.html|title=翠富士２連敗で単独トップ陥落も明るい笑顔絶やさず「自分から攻めていきたい」残り３日へ気合|date=23 March 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> On the fourteenth day, Daieishō handed him his fourth consecutive defeat, which took Midorifuji out of the title race.<ref name="daieisho">{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202303250001139.html|title=幕内最小兵の翠富士４連敗でＶ可能性消滅「優勝争いなんてなかったんでいい経験になった」|date=25 March 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> Midorifuji was listed as a potential recipient of a Fighting Spirit award on Day 15, but it was contingent on an eleventh win. Midorifuji lost to Shōdai and did not receive the award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/660844|title=翠富士は三賞獲得ならず一時は優勝争いも終盤5連敗「勝ち越した気分じゃない」【大相撲春場所】|date=26 March 2023|work=Chunichi Shimbun|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> Commenting on his performance at the tournament, Midorifuji expressed his joy at having made it this far in the title race and considered the tournament a good experience.<ref name="daieisho"/>

At the July tournament, Midorifuji won against the new ''ōzeki'' Kirishima, in a demanding match of about two minutes, marked by a rare {{nihongo|"''mawashi matta''"|まわし待った}}, or ''mawashi'' break, a pause during which the ''gyōji'' reattaches a wrestler's ''mawashi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20230716-H7WFIE3VVZD7FLTWMOHFFQQZRM/|title=霧島の「まわし待った」で珍事行司と呼び出しが２人がかりで最後は翠富士の下手投げで連敗／名古屋場所|date=16 July 2023|work=Sankei Sports|access-date=16 July 2023}}</ref>

During the preparations for the September 2023 tournament, Midorifuji was ranked as the lightest ''makuuchi'' wrestler, and was also the lightest wrestler ranked as ''sekitori'', ex-æquo with Kihō.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202308290000917.html?mode=all|title=関取衆の最新の身長体重発表…最重量は201キロ水戸龍最軽量、最長身、最短身は？|language=ja|date=31 August 2023|work=Nikkan Sports|accessdate=31 August 2023}}</ref>

During the November 2023 tournament, Midorifuji had a notable match with Hokuseihō on day seven; the match being between the lightest and tallest wrestler in the division. The match also received attention after lasting a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds, and being marked by a very rare ''mizu-iri'' (water break), an event that had not happened in ''makuuchi'' for 8 years, since day fourteen of the March 2015 tournament during the match between Terunofuji and Ichinojō.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20231118-OHT1T51211.html?page=1|title=最長身・北青鵬と小兵・翠富士の"３０センチ差対決"は幕内８年ぶりの水入りに…計６分４０秒の大接戦を北青鵬が制す|date=18 November 2023|work=Sports Hochi|language=ja|access-date=18 November 2023}}</ref> During the 2025 May tournament he recorded an unusual run of nine consecutive defeats since the first day of the tournament, which ended on the tenth day with his victory over Chiyoshōma, before proceeding to win his last 6 matches to give him a record of 6-9.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20250520-PBXF2YRTM5IK7JF5LYGVO4PST4/|title=【名言迷言】翠富士、10日目でようやくの初白星に思わず…|date=20 May 2025|work=Sankei Sports|language=ja|access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref> It was announced that he would withdraw from the March 2026 tournament due to heart failure, with medical certificates saying he would require one month of treatment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=暴行問題の伊勢ケ浜部屋、伯乃富士は出場へ翠富士は心不全のため休場綱とり安青錦は若元春と対戦【大相撲春場所】（デイリースポーツ） |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/99c824fb5d4e0a245164ac08ebd7e7bd10f83b1b |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Yahoo!ニュース |language=ja}}</ref>

==Fighting style== Midorifuji's Japan Sumo Association profile lists his favourite techniques as ''oshi'' (pushing) and ''katasukashi'' (under shoulder swing down). He has won 25 percent of his career matches to date with the latter technique, compared to an average among other wrestlers of just one percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_kim.aspx?r=12352|title=Wins oF Midorifuji|work=Sumo Reference|access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref> In November 2020 he beat Jōkōryū with the rare technique of ''zubuneri'', or head pivot throw, which had not been seen at ''sekitori'' level in 22 years.

==Personal life== During the January 2024 tournament Midorifuji announced that he had gotten married and his wedding ceremony (held the following month, on Valentine's Day) took place at Tokyo's Tomioka Hachiman Shrine; the same shrine where both his stablemaster and his stablemates Terunofuji and Nishikifuji were married.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202401170001498.html|title=関取最軽量の翠富士が大関霧島から銀星私生活の"金星"結婚＆バレンタインデー挙式も判明|date=18 January 2024|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=18 January 2024|lang=ja}}</ref><ref name=wedding>{{cite web |url=https://hochi.news/articles/20240214-OHT1T51059.html?page=1|title=幕内・翠富士が２３歳の千尋さんとバレンタインデー結婚式昨秋に長女誕生交際３か月でプロポーズのスピード相撲|date=14 February 2024|publisher=Sports Hochi|access-date=14 February 2024|lang=ja}}</ref> He and his wife, whom he met because she is the daughter of one of his stable's patrons, have a daughter born in autumn 2023.<ref name=wedding/>

==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Midorifuji Kazunari<ref name="sumodb">{{cite web | author= | title=Midorifuji Kazunari Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference |url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=12352}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start link|2016}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|21|w|7|0|P}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2017}} {{Basho|jo|10|w|7|0|P}} {{Basho|sa|19|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|57|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|46|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|57|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|46|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2018}} {{Basho|ma|39|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|48|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|20|w|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|36|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|23|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|32|w|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2019}} {{Basho|ma|26|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|19|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|13|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|11|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|12|e|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2020}} {{Basho|ma|2|e|5|2}} {{Basho|j|11|w|7|8}} {{Basho|CANCELLED|rank=j|r-no=12|tozai=e|absent=0| State of Emergency }} {{Basho|j|12|e|8|7}} {{Basho|j|10|w|11|4}} {{Basho|j|2|3|10|5|P Champion}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2021}} {{Basho|m|14|w|9|6|||t}} {{Basho|m|10|e|5|10}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=m|r-no=15|tozai=w}} {{Basho|j|9|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|11|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|8|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2022}} {{Basho|j|8|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|6|e|12|3}} {{Basho|m|16|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|11|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|1|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|3|w|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2023}} {{Basho|m|3|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|5|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|1|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|3|e|4|11}} {{Basho|m|9|e|10|5}} {{Basho|m|5|w|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2024}} {{Basho|m|2|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|5|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|6|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|10|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|8|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|9|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2025}} {{Basho|m|11|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|11|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|9|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|12|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|9|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|9|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2026}} {{Basho|m|12|e|6|9}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=m|r-no=15|tozai=e}} {{Basho|j|10|w|9|6}} {{Basho|||||}} {{Basho|||||}} {{Basho|||||}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Goo Sumo|3743}} {{Jūryō rikishi banzuke}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Midorifuji, Kazunari}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Shizuoka Prefecture Category:People from Yaizu Category:Kindai University alumni Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen