Thought I'd continue my "Sumo in the Heisei Era" series here rather than in separate threads.
Sumo in the Heisei Era Part 1: 1989
Sumo in the Heisei Era Part 2: 1990 - 1992
1990 saw Chiyonofuji and Hokutoumi win two tournaments each. Onokuni at this point had been struggling with injuries and illness. An ankle injury suffered in the January tournament would cause him to sit out the next four tournaments in a row. In March Hokutoumi would win his championship in thrilling fashion, competing in a three-way playoff against Konishiki and
Kirishima. Despite losing, this performance would see Kirishima earn promotion to Ozeki. March would also see Chiyonofuji earn his landmark 1000th win, but 1990 would signal the tail end of his career as he would also be forced to sit out the September tournament due to injury. His tournament win in November would be his 31st championship but also his last.
The other two tournaments in 1990 were won by
Asahifuji, an Ozeki (sumo’s second highest rank) at the time. These tournament wins would cause him to earn promotion to Yokozuna, making him the 63rd in the sport’s history.
May 1990 would also see two significant debuts for extremely influential figures in Heisei sumo. Takahanada would become the youngest wrestler ever to make his debut in the top division in May, still 17 years old. He would, however, earn a losing record in the top division, going 4-11, only to return in November. Far down the ranks, another influential man was making his debut in the sport. This was
Mainoumi who, because of his smaller stature, would become one of the most dynamic and inventive wrestlers of the Heisei era. Later, in September, under the coaching of Takamiyama,
Akebono would follow suit and make his debut in the top division as another one of the era’s most influential wrestlers.
1991 would be a year of transition from Showa powerhouses to Heisei superstars. Recently promoted Ozeki Kirishima would win the January tournament (his first and only championship) while Chiyonofuji is injured on the second day and has to withdraw. As Chiyonofuji sits out the March tournament, Hokutoumi takes control and wins what would be his last championship.
The first day of the May tournament would see Takahanada matched up with returning Yokozuna Chiyonofuji. In a clear changing of the guard, Takahanada wins the match. Chiyonofuji would win his next match, but lose again on the third day in what would be his final bout. He announced his retirement the next day. He had competed in sumo for a little over 20 years and competed as a Yokozuna for nearly 10 years earning 31 championships, the second most at the time. He held the record for the most wins in the sport at the time, with 1045, and the record for the most top division wins with 807.
The end of an era: Chiyonofuji announces his retirement
Onokuni would sit out the May tournament as well due to a fever, and when he returned in July would go on to lose 4 matches, and would call it quits on the 9th day, announcing his retirement. He competed as a Yokozuna for 23 tournaments but, in contrast to the success of Chiyonokuni, had only two championships in his career (and only one as a Yokozuna).
July also saw the entirely unexpected success of low-ranked Maegashira 13
Kotofuji who would end the tournament with a 14-1 record and the championship. He was one of the lowest ranked wrestlers to ever win a championship, and would never have anywhere near this much success again.
Fans present on day 11 of the November tournament also get to witness one of the most famous matches of the Heisei era. Mainoumi, who debuted in the top division in September, matched up against Akebono who was more than twice his size. He would win the match with the extremely rare winning technique
mitokorozeme, a triple-attack force out by tripping one leg, grabbing the other, and using his head to press against Akebono’s chest. This was the only time in the Heisei era that this technique was used to win a match.
Two events in 1991 would signal the increasing foreign influence in sumo. The first sumo tournament held off of Japanese soil took place in
London in the Royal Albert Hall in October. This was not a full 15-day tournament, but a
koen overseas exhibition tournament. More importantly, 1991 would mark the introduction of Mongolians to the sport of sumo as a group of six moved to Japan to join the
Oshima stable. Chief among these Mongolians were
Kyokutenho,
Kyokutenzan, and
Kyokushuzan.
Mongolian pioneers - Back left: Kyokushuzan, back right: Kyokutenho, front right: Kyokutenzan
1992 was notable as for half of the year there were no Yokozuna in the sport. Asahifuji would start the year with three losses in a row, and go on to announce his retirement, leaving Hokutofuji as the only Yokozuna. Hokutofuji had been struggling with an injury for months and, as the sole Yokozuna felt a duty to try to continue competing. He sat out the January tournament, and although he attempted to compete in March, he lost his first two matches and withdraw. Shortly before the start of the May tournament Hokutofuji would announce his retirement, leaving the top rank in the sport empty for the first time in 60 years.
The January tournament was won by Takahanada, the first in his career, and at 19 years old again set an age record as the youngest championship winner. The championship trophy would be handed to him by his father, who was his stablemaster. At his championship party Takahanada was too young to drink the customary sake and had to settle for oolong tea instead. Takahanada would also win the September tournament.
March would see Konishiki win his third championship and in doing so make a case for being promoted to Yokozuna, the first foreign-born wrestler to have earned consideration. The question of his promotion would lead to quite a bit of controversy as the Yokozuna Deliberation Council would deny him this promotion. Their argument was that they wanted to see one more good tournament from him, but members of the council also said that Konishiki didn’t have
hinkaku or “dignity” or “quality of character.” This comment was taken by a newspaper to mean “We Don’t Need a Foreign Yokozuna” which exacerbated the issue. Another newspaper then came out with an article with a quote from Konishiki saying that if he were Japanese, he would have been Yokozuna already. This led the Sumo Association to call Konishiki in to meet with them for an explanation, and inflamed the issue even more. The result of the controversy was that Konishiki was not promoted, and would never have the same kind of success again. The YDC was probably right not to promote him, but miscommunication and cultural differences led to a controversy which clearly affected Konishiki.
Takamiyama (Azumazeki stablemaster) and his protégé, fellow Hawai’ian Akebono
Akebono wins his first tournament in May, and is promoted to Ozeki. He would pick up an injury between tournaments and wouldn’t be able to compete in July but, after returning with a successful (although not fantastic) 9-6 record in September, would begin his march towards Yokozuna promotion in November by winning the tournament with a 14-1 record.