Tochinohana Hitoshi

{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image =  | native_name = 栃乃花仁 | name = Tochinohana Hitoshi | birth_name = Hitoshi Yachi | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|02|28}} | birth_place = Yamagata, Iwate, Japan | height = {{height|meters=1.85}} | weight = {{convert|138|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Kasugano | rank = | record = 449-439-32 | debut = March 1995 | highestrank = Komusubi (November 2000) | retireddate = January 2008 | eldername = Hatachiyama | yushos = 1 (Jūryō)<br/>1 (Jonokuchi) | prizes = Fighting Spirit (2)<br/>Technique (2) | update = January 2008 }} {{nihongo|'''Tochinohana Hitoshi'''|栃乃花仁|4=born 28 February 1973 as Hitoshi Yachi}} is a former Japanese sumo wrestler from Yamagata, Iwate. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1995, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 2000. His highest rank was ''komusubi''. He retired in 2008 and is now a sumo coach.

==Career== Tochinohana practised amateur sumo at Meiji University, but unlike many former amateur wrestlers, he still began his professional career at the very bottom of the rankings.<ref name="sumofan">{{cite web|url=https://www.sumofanmag.com/content/lists/gakusei.htm|title=Active University/College Grad Rikishi:Tochinohana|publisher=Sumo Fan Magazine|accessdate=3 November 2017}}</ref> He joined Kasugano stable in March 1995 at the age of 22. Initially fighting under his own surname, Yachi, it took him four years to become a ''sekitori''.<ref name="sumofan"/> Upon reaching the second highest ''jūryō'' division in January 1999 he adopted the ''shikona'' Tochinohana.

After capturing the ''jūryō'' ''yūshō'' or tournament championship with a 13-2 record, he made his debut in the top ''makuuchi'' division in May 2000. There he defeated ''ozeki'' Chiyotaikai and Takanonami, finished in equal third place with 12 wins against three losses and received two special prizes for Fighting Spirit and Technique.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/22/sports/cutback-in-beer-ration-helps-a-lowly-wrestler-a-dry-spell-that-paid.html|title=Cutback in Beer Ration Helps a Lowly Wrestler : A Dry Spell That Paid Off|last=Kattoulas|first=Velisarios|date=22 May 2000|work=New York Times|accessdate=31 January 2018}}</ref> In the September 2000 tournament he defeated another ''ozeki'' and was awarded his second Technique prize. He was promoted to ''komusubi'' in the next tournament in November, but could only manage a 3-12 record. This was to be his only tournament in the titled ''sanyaku'' ranks.

Over the next couple of years Tochinohana struggled to maintain his ''makuuchi'' position, and a serious back injury forced him all the way down to the unsalaried ''makushita'' division in 2004. However, he fought his way back to ''makuuchi'' in November 2005, where he finished runner-up to ''yokozuna'' Asashoryu, scoring eleven wins and receiving the Fighting Spirit Award. In an interview, Tochinohana's father said he regarded this as the most memorable achievement of his son's career.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hardy, James |title=The final cut:Looking at the ceremony that ends a sumo wrestler's career |publisher=Daily Yomiuri Online |url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20090222TDY22301.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308051210/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20090222TDY22301.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 March 2009 |date=22 Feb 2009 |accessdate=24 February 2009 }}</ref> He remained in the top division until May 2007, when he could only win only four bouts at ''maegashira'' 13 and was demoted back to ''jūryō''.

==Retirement from sumo== After a disastrous 2-13 record in November 2007 Tochinohana fell to ''Jūryō'' 14 West, making him the lowest ranking ''sekitori''. In January 2008, after losing nine of his first twelve bouts, he announced his retirement. He has stayed with the Sumo Association as an ''toshiyori'', or elder, under the name Hatachiyama, and is working as a coach at Kasugano stable. His ''danpatsu-shiki'', or official retirement ceremony, was held jointly with his stablemate Tochisakae at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in January 2009.

==Fighting style== Tochinohana's most common winning ''kimarite'' was a straightforward ''yori-kiri'', or force out, and he preferred a ''migi yotsu,'' or left hand outside, right hand inside grip on his opponent's ''mawashi''. He also regularly won with ''oshi-dashi'', or push out.

==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Tochinohana Hitoshi<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Tochinohana Hitoshi Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=https://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=97 | date= | accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start link|1995}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|23|e|7|0|P<br>Champion}} {{Basho|jo|39|w|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|80|w|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|28|e|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1996}} {{Basho|ma|50|w|3|4}} {{Basho|sa|5|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|34|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|23||4|3}} {{Basho|ma|17|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|25|w|3|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1997}} {{Basho|ma|33|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|23|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|18|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|34|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|20|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|15|w|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1998}} {{Basho|ma|11|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|19|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|16|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|8|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|6|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|3|e|5|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|1999}} {{Basho|j|12|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|11|e|7|8}} {{Basho|j|13|e|6|9}} {{Basho|ma|1|w|6|1}} {{Basho|j|11|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|9|w|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2000}} {{Basho|j|11|e|9|6}} {{Basho|j|6|w|13|2|P<br>Champion}} {{Basho|m|12|e|12|3|||f|t}} {{Basho|m|1|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|7|e|10|5|||t}} {{Basho|k|1|e|3|12}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2001}} {{Basho|m|6|e|4|11}} {{Basho|m|11|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|13|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|8|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|10|e|0|4|11}} {{Basho|KYUJO|rank=j|r-no=6|tozai=e}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2002}} {{Basho|j|6|e|9|6}} {{Basho|j|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|13|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|1|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|14|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|12|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2003}} {{Basho|m|14|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|15|e|5|10}} {{Basho|j|4|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|1|w|4|11}} {{Basho|j|7|w|5|10}} {{Basho|j|11|e|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2004}} {{Basho|j|6|e|1|8|6}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|1|6}} {{Basho|ma|23|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|30|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|12|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|4|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2005}} {{Basho|ma|1|w|4|3}} {{Basho|j|13|w|10|5}} {{Basho|j|8|w|11|4}} {{Basho|j|2|w|7|8}} {{Basho|j|3|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|14|e|11|4||j|f}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2006}} {{Basho|m|3|w|4|11}} {{Basho|m|10|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|10|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|15|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|13|w|7|8}} {{Basho|m|13|w|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2007}} {{Basho|m|11|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|15|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|13|w|4|11}} {{Basho|j|2|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|4|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|3|e|2|13}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2008}} {{Basho|intai|rank=j|r-no=14|tozai=w|win=3|loss=9}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Goo Sumo|A=|1021}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tochinohana Hitoshi}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Iwate Prefecture Category:Komusubi