Sadanoyama Shinmatsu

{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler (1938–2017)}} {{hatnote|In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Sadanoyama.}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | name = Sadanoyama Shinmatsu | image = File:Sadanoyama Shinmatsu 1961 (01) Scan10011.JPG | caption = Sadanoyama celebrates his first tournament victory in May 1961 | birth_name = Shinmatsu Sasada | birth_date = {{birth date |1938|02|18}} | birth_place = Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|04|27|1938|02|18}} | death_place = | height = {{height|meters=1.82}} | weight = {{convert|129|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Dewanoumi | rank = | record = 591-251-61 | debut = January, 1956 | highestrank = Yokozuna (January, 1965) | retireddate = March, 1968 | eldername = Dewanoumi → Sakaigawa | yushos = 6 (Makuuchi) | prizes = Fighting Spirit (1)<br/>Outstanding Performance (1)<br/>Technique (1) | goldstars = 2 (Wakanohana I, Azumafuji) | weburl = | update = June 2020 }}

{{nihongo|'''Sadanoyama Shinmatsu'''|佐田の山晋松||born {{nihongo|'''Shinmatsu Sasada'''|佐々田晋松}}, February 18, 1938 – April 27, 2017|lead=yes}} was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th ''yokozuna''. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association.

==Career== Born in Arikawa, Minamimatsuura District, he made his professional debut in January 1956, and reached ''sekitori'' status four years later upon promotion to the ''jūryō'' division in March 1960. He made his top ''makuuchi'' division debut in January 1961. Sadanoyama won his first tournament title in only his third tournament in the top division, from the rank of ''maegashira'' 13. The achievement of winning a tournament from the ''maegashira'' ranks is sometimes seen as a jinx on subsequent success in sumo,<ref name="Sharnoff">{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993| pages=51, 52, 96, 154|isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref> but Sadanoyama disproved that theory by going on to reach ''ōzeki'' in March 1962 after winning his second title, and then ''yokozuna'' in January 1965 after capturing his third championship.

[[File:Sadanoyama handprint.JPG|thumb|left|Sadanoyama's handprint on a Ryōgoku monument]] He made a cameo appearance in the 1967 James Bond film ''You Only Live Twice'', as himself.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=You Only Live Twice | publisher=IMDb.com | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062512/fullcredits#cast | date= | accessdate=2012-10-06}}</ref> Although more attention was focused on ''yokozuna'' Taihō and Kashiwado, with their rivalry referred to as the ''Hakuho'' era after a combination of their ''shikona'',<ref>"Haku" is an alternative reading of the "Kashi" ''kanji.''</ref> Sadanoyama in fact ended up winning more tournament championships than Kashiwado.<ref name="Sharnoff"/>

Sadanoyama announced his retirement suddenly in March 1968, despite having won the previous two tournaments, two days after a surprise loss to a new ''maegashira'', the Hawaiian born Takamiyama.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> It has been suggested that the shock of losing to a foreigner may have prompted a premature retirement.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> There is, however, no evidence for this and it is more likely he was continuing the tradition of wrestlers retiring at the peak of their power.

==Retirement from sumo==

===Head of the Dewanoumi stable===

Sadanoyama remained in the sumo world after his retirement, as an elder. Being the son-in-law of Dewanoumi's stable head coach, former ''maegashira'' Dewanohana Kuniichi, he inherited Dewanoumi stable. This succession was at the origin of the creation of the Kokonoe stable after Chiyonoyama exclusion from Dewanoumi's ichimon, the latter also wishing to inherit Dewanoumi's kabu

===Japan sumo association chairmanship===

In February 1992 he became head of the Japan Sumo Association. He was chosen ahead of his contemporaries Taihō and Kashiwado partly because he was in better health than either of them.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> As chairman of the association he introduced a certain number of reforms such as the restrictions on foreign wrestlers (in 1992), limited at the time to 40 actives rikishi in total, up to 2 people per heya.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO36174870V01C18A0TM1000/|title=外国人力士の制限|date=6 October 2018|publisher=Nikkei|accessdate=29 September 2022}}</ref> In 1995, he also abrogated the tour system, changed from a promotional performance to an association independent performance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2017/05/02/kiji/20170502s00005000021000c.html/|title=第５０代横綱・佐田の山死去理事長時代に改革案次々|date=2 May 2017|publisher=Sponichi Annex|accessdate=29 September 2022}}</ref>

He changed his ''toshiyori'' name to Sakaigawa in 1996, handing over the Dewanoumi name and the day-to-day running of his stable to the former Washūyama. The same year he tried to pass a new reform allowing the association to be the sole administrator of kabu to face the rising speculation around the possession of titles. At the time, the titles were either transmitted within a family or bought from the previous owner, the reform aimed to make the kabu the exclusive possession of the association the latter now giving the titles to the people requesting them. The proposition was however met with a refusal from the board of the association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20170502-QVAEIBF7IRMMBCWENN5VREH65Y/3//|title=昭和の闘魂横綱・佐田の山逝く…優勝６度、大鵬＆柏戸と一時代|date=2 May 2017|publisher=Sanspo|accessdate=29 September 2022}}</ref>

He did not run for re-election in 1998, after it became clear he lacked enough support due to his failed reform. He was then succeeded by former ''ōzeki'' Yutakayama from the rival Tokitsukaze faction. Remaining on the board, he subsequently became head of the judging department, an unusual move for a former head of the Sumo Association.<ref name="times">{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/05/01/sumo/former-yokozuna-sadanoyama-dies-79/#.WQc7ameGO70|title=Former yokozuna Sadanoyama dies at 79|date=1 May 2017|publisher=Japan Times|accessdate=1 May 2017}}</ref> Sadanoyama declined his right of doing a Kanreki dohyō-iri after receiving his red tsuna, in the form of taking responsibility for the turmoil during his time as a chairman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sub-asate.ssl-lolipop.jp/wiki/%E9%82%84%E6%9A%A6%E5%9C%9F%E4%BF%B5%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8A|title=Kanreki dohyōiri sumo ring list|publisher=Asate|accessdate=29 September 2022}}</ref> He stood down as an elder in 2003 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty five<ref name="times"/> and gave the kabu of Sakaigawa to his former trainee Ryōgoku.

==Death== He died in a Tokyo hospital of pneumonia on April 27, 2017, at the age of 79.<ref name="times"/> At the time of his death he was the oldest ''yokozuna'' since the passing of Wakanohana in 2010. Following his will, the funerals were held in a strict family circle.

==Fighting style== Sadanoyama was known for employing pushing and thrusting techniques such as ''tsuppari'' (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest) and regularly won by such ''kimarite'' as ''oshi dashi'' (push out) and ''tsuki dashi'' (thrust out). However he was also good on the ''mawashi'' where he preferred a ''migi-yotsu'' (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip, and often won by ''yori kiri'' (force out) and ''uwatenage'' (overarm throw).

==Career record== *''The Kyushu tournament was first held in 1957, and the Nagoya tournament in 1958.'' {{Sumo record box start|Sadanoyama Shinmatsu<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Sadanoyama Shinmatsu Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=sadanoyama&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1 | date= | accessdate=2012-07-29}}</ref> }} {{Sumo record year start|1956}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|JK|10|w|5|3}} {{Basho|JO|88|e|6|2}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|JO|34|w|7|1}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1957}} {{Basho|SA|85|e|4|4}} {{Basho|SA|82|e|4|4}} {{Basho|SA|72|e|5|3}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|SA|42|w|7|1}} {{Basho|SA|13|e|5|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1958}} {{Basho|SA|3|w|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|72|w|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|66|e|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|56|e|6|2}} {{Basho|MA|43|e|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|32|w|4|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1959}} {{Basho|MA|31|w|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|28|e|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|23|w|6|2}} {{Basho|MA|10|w|5|3}} {{Basho|MA|9|e|4|4}} {{Basho|MA|6|w|5|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1960}} {{Basho|MA|4|w|6|2}} {{Basho|j|16|e|11|4}} {{Basho|j|9|w|10|5}} {{Basho|j|3|w|7|8}} {{Basho|j|4|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|2|e|11|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1961}} {{Basho|m|12|e|10|5}} {{Basho|kyujo|rank=m|r-no=4|tozai=w}} {{Basho|m|13|w|12|3||y|f}} {{Basho|m|2|e|11|4|||o|*|*}} {{Basho|s|2|e|8|7}} {{Basho|s|2|e|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1962}} {{Basho|s|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|s|2|e|13|2|P|y|t}} {{Basho|o|1|w|13|2||j}} {{Basho|o|1|e|9|6}} {{Basho|o|2|e|13|2|P|j}} {{Basho|o|1|e|11|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1963}} {{Basho|o|1|e|12|3}} {{Basho|o|1|e|0|5|10}} {{Basho|o|3|e|11|4}} {{Basho|o|1|w|13|2|P|j}} {{Basho|o|1|e|10|5}} {{Basho|o|2|e|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1964}} {{Basho|o|2|e|9|3|3}} {{Basho|o|1|e|9|6}} {{Basho|o|2|e|11|4}} {{Basho|o|1|w|8|7}} {{Basho|o|2|w|13|2||j}} {{Basho|o|1|e|13|2||j}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1965}} {{Basho|o|1|e|13|2||y}} {{Basho|y|1|w|12|3||j}} {{Basho|y|1|w|14|1||y}} {{Basho|y|1|e|12|3||j}} {{Basho|y|1|w|12|3|P|j}} {{Basho|y|1|e|11|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1966}} {{Basho|y|1|w|5|6|4}} {{Basho|y|1|w|5|5|5}} {{Basho|kyujo|rank=y|r-no=2|tozai=w}} {{Basho|y|2|w|11|4}} {{Basho|y|2|e|12|3}} {{Basho|y|2|e|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1967}} {{Basho|y|2|e|14|1||j}} {{Basho|y|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|y|2|e|12|3}} {{Basho|y|2|e|10|5}} {{Basho|y|1|w|12|3||j}} {{Basho|y|1|w|12|3||y}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1968}} {{Basho|y|1|e|13|2||y}} {{Basho|intai|rank=y|r-no=1|tozai=e|win=2|loss=4}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_yokozuna/sadanoyama.html Japan Sumo Association profile]

{{Yokozuna box | previous = Tochinoumi Teruyoshi | number = 50th | active = 1965–1968 | next = Tamanoumi Masahiro}} {{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box | title = Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association | before = Wakanohana Kanji I | after=Yutakayama Katsuo | years = 1992–1998}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadanoyama Shinmatsu}} Category:1938 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Yokozuna Category:Sumo wrestlers from Nagasaki Prefecture Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Japan Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen