Featured rikishi - Tochinonada

[Rijicho 6]

Tochinonada!

[Kaikitsune Makoto 205]

Tochinonada is the eternal giant killer who has enourmous strength which doesn't always come out but when it does, it is stunning. Tochinonada has 11 kinboshi and ability to beat anyone on any given day. His legendary bout against Akebono on day 4 Natsu 2000 and he used to give Maru really good bouts despite losing most of them at the end.

Left-hand inside has been his main weapon which made his serious left elbow injury at the hands of KaioU in 1999 all the more tragic. He recovered in time and has been an almost regular fixture at high maegashira or lower sanyaku for years. For example since Haru 2003 he has spent all but one basho in between M3 and komusubi rank facing all the best rikishi.

[madorosumaru 7]

According to his bio, Tochinonada was the eldest son of a fisherman. He began sumo as a third-grader and, two years later, was champion in the individual and group divisions of the Ishikawa Pref. Tournament. He went to the same primary school and junior high as former-Yokozuna Wajima. While in high school, he was on the winning team at the Kokutai (National Sports Festival).

As a junior at Takushoku Univ., he won the All-Japan Student Sumo Championship. He then turned professional (Kasugano Beya) by seeking out former-Sekiwake Masudayama (current Chiganoura Oyakata), who was the brother of his kantoku at the university club.

In the early days when he first came up to makuuchi, he was noted for an unaggressive style of sumo that consisted of going hanmi to the left to stifle his opponents' offensive moves. As he progressed, he has added a more offensive feature of ottsuke to the right.

His forte: Hidari-yotsu, yori, shitate-nage, sukui-nage.

Trivia: He is the first rikishi to win by default (fusensho) two days in a row. He accomplished that in 1999 Haru-basho when Wakanohana went kyujo on the tenth day and his brother, Takanohana, followed on the eleventh.

[hoshidango 0]

I am somewhat surprised and dissapointed that he has not even got close to Ozaki. A bit like his master Tochinowaka...

[Jejima 1,333]

I remember when Tochinonada came up to Makunouchi with Dejima (didn't they use to be rivals in University sumo too, or something similar?). At the time, the two of them were spoken of in the same breath, with gtreat hopes expected for both.

Dejima half lived up to his promise (a Yusho, and a turn as an Ozeki), but Tochinonada never quite lived up to his expectation.

Wasn't he the one who had his elbow bent by Kaio into directions it was never meant to be in? - and was never quite the same since....

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't the term (in sumo) 'Young Turks' originally given to Tochinonada and Dejima (and then appendaged on to Tochiazuma too - who was a Sekiwake (and even younger in age) when these two first arrived in Makunouchi) by the NHK crew, and thereby the Sumo Mailing List? Since then it seems to be pinned onto any new rikishi arriving in the top division.

All the above is from memory, and so is likely to contain loads of errors for you to spot (Being ninja...)

[Sasanishiki 57]

'Young Turks' is a phrase that can be applied to any young up-and-coming, possibly brash or different, people in any field. No, they don't have to be Turkish, but the idea is that they are new and different, representing change or youth.

[Susanoo 370]

Since he has always stayed in the higher rank of Makuuchi, I do not have an objection in his being one of a handful of elite rikishis.

However, since I think that the dormant faculty which he has deserves Ozeki, I am dissatisfied to his present rank.

One of the factors which obstructed his success in banzuke is an injury of an elbow.

However, I think that none other than he has the cause and responsibility.

Although he before an injury persisted in Hanmi more than the present, since he was able to go up banzuke, he was not positive about improving Hanmi.

Therefore, even if that accident does not exist at that time, I will imagine that he had probably suffered the same misfortune at the time when a long distance is so much as for nothing.

It was after the injury that he showed the rush which put the whole weight from a Tachiai.

It was for compensating the elbow which was impossible for use.

And for him, it was the best selection in the time, and was a method.

Probably, there are many fans who direct this Torikuchi.

However, I felt that he swerved greatly from the way which should be followed essentially, when it was seen.

It is because I thought that he could demonstrate a dormant faculty only by orthodox Yotsu-zumo.

The model of the attack which I expected from him is "Kaina-no-kaeshi" or "Migi-ottsuke" in Hidari-yotsu.

I think that not only me but himself and his Oyakata probably desired it, and imagined the one rikishi in the past.

Wajima is the great senior of the same Ishikawa Prefecture native as Nada.

His Shitate-nage called "the golden left[Oogon-no-hidari]" made him the yokozuna only by it.

The only rikishi who beat that time very strong Kitanoumi by the Shitate-nage frequently was him.

If Nada has the muscular power of the left arm equivalent to Wajima, I will not deny the Sumo process for Shitate-nage of Nada.

However, in his present condition, I think that he needs to compensate an insufficiency.

Therefore, the optimal method is "Ottsuke" using the right arm or "Kaina-no-kaeshi" of "Hidari-Sashide."

Also about which method, he always needs to continue applying strong pressure to an opponent.

It may be difficulty that he moves in this way rather than he learns the power of an arm equivalent to Wajima.

However, if he maintains this, he will still be able to see the different future even from now.

And even if he only considers becoming prevention for this not receiving an unnecessary injury, for him, it can become sufficient reason for selection.

Rather than his showing a showy victory against a lower banzuke rikishi, I expect him the Sumo which can fight a good mach for all rikishi.

Moreover, I expect him the simple and positive Sumo shown every day rather than the exciting Sumo shown occasionally.

Such orthodox Sumo may make his individuality lose, and may cause the result in which his fan is discouraged.

However, I do not place the same order to all Yotsu-zumo-oriented rikishis.

It is not my real intention to take their originality recklessly.

I have judged that orthodox Yotsu-zumo is suitable for his capability, the physique, and character.

The worst thing for him is imitating only Wajima's private life, without imitating Wajima's Torikuchi. B-)

[Kaikitsune Makoto 205]

It was after the injury that he showed the rush which put the whole weight from a Tachiai.

It was for compensating the elbow which was impossible for use.

And for him, it was the best selection in the time, and was a metho

Occasionally his tachi-ai is impeccable and unstoppable. When it flows and his weight is behind the surge fully, the outcome is often a fast victory regardless of the opponent. He has destroyed foes like Takanohana (Haru 2001 amazing win), KaioU and Asashoryu with such a tachi-ai. He gets that left-hand shitate in the process and bulldozes forward. Those bouts show the capacity of Nada's power and the presence of a giant killer.

The model of the attack which I expected from him is "Kaina-no-kaeshi" or "Migi-ottsuke" in Hidari-yotsu.

I think that not only me but himself and his Oyakata probably desired it,

One of the problems appears to be that often when he has that left shitate, he relies solely on that and tries a strong throw or drive without that ottsuke. He doesn't have too much advantage if he gains right uwate but should mess up his foe's balance more with migi-ottsuke or so. He has substantial pivoting power in his left arm and can even throw very strong foes from rather static posture but combining the power of his left side to some technical assistance of his right side could well enable him to be more consistent.

Nada has a bit surprising nigate in Miyabiyama against whom he often gets that left shitate but Miya gets right uwate and beats Nada in majority of their bouts. Kyokushuzan has been problematic for Nada too and Shuzan has been yanking him down with his gimmicks over and over again. Even deployed a neat susoharai once after Nada himself tried some leg tripping but lately Shuzan has been losing to Nada more. Tochinonada is one of the victims of Tochiazuma's de-geiko along with Iwakiyama and Nada usually has little chance against Azuma. "He never lets me do my sumo" Nada commented not too long ago.

[madorosumaru 7]

When he first came up to makuuchi, he was noted for an unaggressive style of sumo that consisted of going hanmi to the left to stifle his opponents' offensive moves.  As he progressed, he has added a more offensive feature of ottsuke to the right.

From "Rikishi Self-Evaluation" in Sumo magazine:

Hatsu Basho was an opportunity for Tochinonada to return to sanyaku, but he ended up with a record of 5 wins and 10 losses. Amid the disappointment, his best bout was probably the one on the 12th day against Wakanosato. In this match, he hit Waka hard at tachiai and forced him back with ottsuke. He then took advantage of his opponent's desperate hiki and pushed him peremptorily out of the dohyo.

"I wasn't overly concerned with [grabbing] the mawashi or with sashite and was able to move forward decisively. My record this basho wasn't very good, but I had several bouts where I did good sumo so I don't feel too pessimistic."