{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler (1961–2019)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image = Sakahoko 09 Sep.JPG | caption = Sakahoko Nobushige in 2009 | native_name = 逆鉾 伸重 | name = Sakahoko Nobushige | birth_name = Yoshiaki Fukuzono | birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1961|6|18}} | birth_place = Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2019|9|16|1961|6|18}} | death_place = Kobe, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.81}} | weight = {{convert|129|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Izutsu | rank = | record = 551–567–29 | debut = January 1978 | highestrank = Sekiwake (July 1984) | retireddate = September 1992 | eldername = Izutsu | yushos = (1) Jonokuchi | prizes = Outstanding Performance (5)<br/>Technique (4) | goldstars = 7 <br> (3) Takanosato <br> (2) Chiyonofuji <br> (2)Futahaguro | update = August 2012 }} '''Sakahoko Nobushige''' (born '''Yoshiaki Fukuzono'''; 18 June 1961&nbsp;– 16 September 2019)<ref name="nikkan0916"/> was a Japanese sumo wrestler. The son of Tsurugamine, he made his professional debut in 1978, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1982. His highest rank was ''sekiwake.'' He won nine special prizes and seven gold stars for defeating ''yokozuna.'' He retired in 1992 and became the head coach of Izutsu stable in 1994, succeeding his father. He oversaw Kakuryū's promotion to the ''yokozuna'' rank in 2014 but also saw the size of his stable decline. He was a deputy director of the Japan Sumo Association and a judge of tournament bouts. He died of pancreatic cancer in 2019. He was the elder brother of fellow top division sumo wrestler Terao Tsunefumi.

==Career== Sakahoko made his professional debut in January 1978, dropping out of high school to join Izutsu stable, which was run by his father, ex ''sekiwake'' Tsurugamine.<ref name="Lewis"/> His elder brother, {{Interlanguage link|Kakureizan Hōchi|ja|3=鶴嶺山宝一|lt=Kakureizan}}, had joined sumo in March 1975, but Sakahoko quickly caught up with him and they made their ''jūryō'' debuts together in July 1981.<ref name ="Lewis">{{cite web | author= Lewin, Brian| title=Brothers In Sumo| publisher=sumofanmag.com | url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_4/Brothers.htm| date=December 2005| accessdate=18 September 2019}}</ref> In March 1982 he won out in a rare nine-way playoff to secure the third-division championship. Sakahoko made his debut in the top ''makuuchi'' division in November 1982. (His elder brother, meanwhile, never got higher than ''jūryō'' 2 and slid down the rankings).<ref name="Lewis"/>

In January 1984 he earned his first ''kinboshi'' or gold star for a ''yokozuna'' upset when he defeated Takanosato.<ref name="nikkan0917"/> He celebrated the win making a guts pose on the ''dohyō,'' which had not been seen previously from a Japanese wrestler (although Hawaiian Takamiyama had been known to do it).<ref name="nikkan0917">{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201909170000003.html|title=初金星に禁断の日本人初ガッツポーズ／井筒親方悼む|date=17 September 2019|publisher=Nikkan Sports|accessdate=17 September 2019}}</ref> He reached what was to be his highest rank of ''sekiwake'' for the first time in July 1984.<ref name="sumodb"/> This was his first ever tournament in the titled ''san'yaku'' ranks (jumping over the ''komusubi'' rank) and somewhat unusually for a ''san'yaku'' debutant he was able to produce a winning score (''kachi-koshi'') of 8–7. He received the Technique prize for his efforts.<ref name="sumodb"/> In September 1984, the first tournament since new rules for touching down with both fists at the ''tachi-ai'' were enforced, he was told to redo his match in which he had seemingly beaten Hokutenyu, and glared at the chief judge, the former Kitanofuji.<ref name="nikkan0917"/> In March 1985 Sakahoko's younger brother Terao joined him in ''makuuchi''. They were the first pair of brothers to be in the top division simultaneously since Tanikaze and Tatsugesake 200 years before.<ref name="Patmore">{{Cite book |author=Patmore, Angela |title=The Giants of Sumo|publisher=MacDonald & Co |year=1990 |isbn=0-356-18120-0}}</ref>

In September 1987 he defeated two ''yokozuna,'' Chiyonofuji and Futahaguro, and was awarded the Outstanding Performance prize.<ref name="sumodb"/> He was promoted back to ''sekiwake'' and proceeded to hold the rank for a then record nine successive tournaments from November 1987 until March 1989, but he was never under consideration for promotion to ''ōzeki'' as he could not achieve regular double figure scores, his best result being 9–6.<ref name="Sharnoff">{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref> In July 1989, troubled by a shoulder injury, he turned in a 2–13 record and was demoted to the ''maegashira'' ranks.<ref name="Patmore"/> He managed to return to ''komusubi'' for one tournament in November 1990 but fell to ''jūryō'' in 1992 and announced his retirement that September at the age of 31 after 14 years in sumo.<ref name="Lewis"/> (Terao competed for another ten years, until September 2002).<ref name="Lewis"/>

==Retirement from sumo== Sakahoko stayed in the sumo world as an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the ''toshiyori'' name of Kasugayama. In 1994, when his father retired, he became Izutsu Oyakata and took over the running of Izutsu stable.<ref name="Lewis"/> The stable had one ''makuuchi'' wrestler as of 2019, Kakuryū, who surpassed Sakahoko and his father's achievements by reaching the rank of ''yokozuna'' in March 2014. Kakuryū proved to be the only sekitori Izutsu produced, and the stable had just three wrestlers remaining at the time of his death.<ref name="nikkan0916">{{cite web|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/201909160001163.html|title=元関脇逆鉾、井筒親方が死去 58歳すい臓がんか|date=16 September 2019|publisher=Nikkan Sports|language=Japanese|accessdate=16 September 2019}}</ref> Izutsu also worked as a judge of tournament bouts and was a deputy Director of the Sumo Association.<ref name="nikkan0916"/> In May 2016 while on duty as a judge he suffered a broken thigh when Hakuhō gave Yoshikaze an extra shove after the bout was over, causing the wrestler to fall on top of him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160513/p2a/00m/0sp/020000c|title=Sumo elders disapprove of Hakuho's post-victory 'shoves'|newspaper=Mainichi Daily News |date=13 May 2016|publisher=The Mainichi|accessdate=28 September 2017}}</ref>

==Fighting style== Unlike his brother Terao, who liked pushing and thrusting techniques, Sakahoko took after his father in specialising in yotsu-sumo or grappling techniques.<ref name="Lewis"/> He was well known for favouring the grip on the ''mawashi'' with both arms inside the opponent's, called ''moro-zashi''.<ref name="Lewis"/> His most common winning ''kimarite'' was overwhelmingly ''yori-kiri'' or force out, which accounted for over half his victories at ''sekitori'' level.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_kim.aspx?r=1332|title=Sakahoko bouts by kimarite|publisher=Sumo Reference|accessdate=18 September 2019}}</ref>

==Personal life== He chose the occasion of taking over as Izutsu Oyakata in 1994 to publicly reveal for the first time that he was married with a seven-year-old daughter. His daughter is now a member of the Takarazuka Revue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sumo-webpaper.de/Interviews/Izutsu/Izutsu%20Oyakata.htm|title=Interview with Izutsu Oyakata|last=Hotta|first=Harumi|author2=Linau, Martina|date=May 2008|publisher=Sumo Webpaper|accessdate=28 September 2017}}</ref>. She is married to fellow sumo Shimanoumi Kōyō.

Sakahoko died in Kobe of pancreatic cancer on 16 September 2019.<ref name="nikkan0916"/> A wake was held on 24 September with the funeral the following day, both at Izutsu stable. His former wrestlers were being looked after by Kagamiyama Oyakata while the Japan Sumo Association decided which stable they will be transferred to.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20190926/sum19092622200008-n1.html|title=陸奥部屋を軸に最終調整 鶴竜ら、井筒親方死去で|date=26 September 2019|work=Sanspo|language=Japanese|accessdate=26 September 2019}}</ref> As of 1 October 2019, all personnel belong to Michinoku stable.

In March 2020, his elder brother Kakureizan died, and in December 2023 his younger brother Terao died.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20200516-OHT1T50220.html|title="井筒３兄弟"長男、元十両・鶴嶺山の福薗好政さんが死去…三男の錣山親方「ぽつんと一人残されてしまった」|work=Hochi|date=17 May 2020 |publisher=17 May 2020|language=Japanese|accessdate=4 September 2020}}</ref>

==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Sakahoko Nobushige<ref name="sumodb">{{cite web | author= | title=Sakahoko Nobushige Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=1332 | date= | accessdate=18 September 2019}}</ref> }} {{Sumo record year start|1978}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|JK|14|w|6|1<br>Champion}} {{Basho|JO|45|e|4|3}} {{Basho|JO|29|e|6|1}} {{Basho|SA|66|e|0|1|6}} {{Basho|kyujo|rank=JO|r-no=24|tozai=e}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1979}} {{Basho|JO|24|e|4|3}} {{Basho|JO|3|w|6|1}} {{Basho|SA|43|e|4|3}} {{Basho|SA|28|e|5|2}} {{Basho|MA|60|w|2|5}} {{Basho|SA|25|e|5|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1980}} {{Basho|MA|59|w|5|2}} {{Basho|MA|40|e|4|3}} {{Basho|MA|31|w|3|4}} {{Basho|MA|40|e|4|3}} {{Basho|MA|31|w|4|3}} {{Basho|MA|23|w|5|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1981}} {{Basho|MA|10|w|5|2}} {{Basho|MA|4|e|4|3}} {{Basho|MA|1|e|4|3}} {{Basho|j|11|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|9|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|7|e|2|13}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1982}} {{Basho|MA|9|w|6|1}} {{Basho|MA|3|e|6|1|PPP}} {{Basho|j|12|w|10|5}} {{Basho|j|2|e|8|7}} {{Basho|j|1|e|10|5}} {{Basho|m|12|w|4|10|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1983}} {{Basho|j|4|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|13|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|5|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|6|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|8|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|9|e|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1984}} {{Basho|m|3|e|4|11|||*}} {{Basho|m|10|w|9|6|||t}} {{Basho|m|3|e|8|7|||o|*}} {{Basho|s|1|w|8|7|||t}} {{Basho|s|1|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|4|e|6|9|||*}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1985}} {{Basho|m|8|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|4|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|1|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|3|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|6|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|1|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1986}} {{Basho|m|4|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|1|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|3|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|7|w|10|5}} {{Basho|k|1|w|8|7|||t}} {{Basho|k|1|e|5|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1987}} {{Basho|m|2|w|6|9|||*}} {{Basho|m|5|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|1|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|3|e|7|8|||*}} {{Basho|m|4|w|8|7|||o|*|*}} {{Basho|s|1|w|8|7|||o}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1988}} {{Basho|s|1|e|9|6|||o}} {{Basho|s|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|e|8|7|||o}} {{Basho|s|1|e|9|6}} {{Basho|s|1|e|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1989}} {{Basho|s|1|e|9|6|||t}} {{Basho|s|1|e|7|8}} {{Basho|k|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|s|1|w|2|13}} {{Basho|m|7|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|12|e|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1990}} {{Basho|m|2|w|4|11}} {{Basho|m|10|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|2|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|9|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|5|w|8|7}} {{Basho|k|1|w|5|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1991}} {{Basho|m|4|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|9|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|5|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|8|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|1|w|5|10}} {{Basho|kyujo|rank=m|r-no=7|tozai=w}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1992}} {{Basho|m|7|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|10|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|15|w|4|11}} {{Basho|j|5|e|5|10}} {{Basho|intai|rank=J|r-no=11|tozai=e|win=4|loss=11}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==See also== *Glossary of sumo terms *List of past sumo wrestlers *List of sumo elders *List of sekiwake

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sakahoko Nobushige}} Category:1961 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Japan Category:Fukuzono family Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Kagoshima Prefecture Category:Sekiwake