The was a

stable A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed. Styles There are many different types of stables in use tod ...

sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by th ...

wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze ''

ichimon The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...

'' or group of stables. It was established in 1974 by former ''

maegashira , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the on ...

'' , who branched off from

Izutsu stable was a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. Its last incarnation was in existence from 1972 until 2019. The stable was established in the Meiji era by former ''yokozuna (sumo), yokozuna'' Nishinoumi K ...

, and closed in April 2024, at the time of the retirement of former '' ōzeki'' Kirishima, who became the stable head coach in December 1997. It absorbed

Tatsutagawa stable Tatsutagawa stable (立田川部屋, ''Tatsutagawa beya'') was a ''heya (sumo), heya'' (stable) of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze ''ichimon'' or group of stables. It was active from 1971 until 2000. History The stable was founded in 1971 b ...

in November 2000 upon the retirement of the stablemaster there. It lost four top members in April 2011 (

Hakuba is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of April 1, 2019, the village had an estimated population of 9,007 in 4267 households, and a population density of 48 persons per km2. The total area of the village is . Hakuba is located i ...

Toyozakura Toyozakura Toshiaki (born March 12, 1974, as Toshiaki Mukō) is a former sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Japan. He made his debut in 1989, and after many years in the lower ranks he reached the top division for the first time in 2003. His highest r ...

, Jūmonji and Kirinowaka), who were forced to retire after being found guilty of

match-fixing In organized sports, match fixing (also known as game fixing, race fixing, throwing, rigging, hippodroming, or more generally sports fixing) is the act of playing or officiating a contest with the intention of achieving a predetermined result, v ...

. The retirement of Ryūhō in 2012 left it with no ''

sekitori A ''sekitori'' (関取) is a '' rikishi'' (力士, sumo wrestler) who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: '' makuuchi'' and '' jūryō''. The name literally translates to having taken the barrier, as only a relatively small fr ...

'' until Mongolian Kiribayama reached the ''

jūryō Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. Fo ...

'' division in 2019. Kiribayama reached the top ''

makuuchi , or , is the top division of Professional sumo divisions, the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous ...

'' division in January 2020, the first for the stable since Hakuba in 2008. In May 2023 Michinoku's old ''

shikona A is a sumo wrestler's ring name. The tradition of ring names in sumo dates back to the Muromachi period and established itself during the Edo period, where they were used as a means to hide the identities of the . Given by the master to his di ...

'' (ring name) of Kirishima was adopted by Kiribayama following the latter's promotion to ''ōzeki''. After the death of Izutsu-''oyakata'' in September 2019, all personnel from

moved to Michinoku on 1 October 2019. This expanded the stable to 15 wrestlers, the most senior of whom was ''

yokozuna , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers ('' rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the o ...

'' Kakuryū, who retired in March 2021. As of January 2023, it had 12 wrestlers. In May 2023, Michinoku stable was at the heart of a scandal linked to a case of violence that was made public. A senior wrestler, Kirinofuji, assaulted another young wrestler, Yasunishi, in January 2023 with a frying pan and whipped him with a jump rope. Michinoku stablemaster (former ''ōzeki'' Kirishima) took the abusers side by directly allowing the aggressor to remain within his stable and allowing him to perform a hair cutting ceremony in April despite the information being relayed to the Compliance Department. However, since the Sumo Association was informed in January and the victim withdrew his complaint, Michinoku is not subject to any disciplinary action. In December 2023 it was announced that Otowayama (the 71st ''

'' Kakuryū), who had remained with Michinoku stable as a coach after his retirement, would break away to establish Otowayama stable. In anticipation of the stablemaster's (former ''ōzeki'' Kirishima) 65th birthday, it was announced that the stable would close after the March 2024 tournament, with its wrestlers to be distributed within the Tokitsukaze ''ichimon''. At the March board meeting, it was made clear that the stable would close in April, with half the wrestler retiring. Among the other half, the stable leading wrestler, Kirishima, transferred to Otowayama stable. In the same report, it was also announced that one of the stable's coach, Urakaze, would be transferred with two other wrestlers to

Arashio stable is a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze ''Glossary of sumo terms#ichimon, ichimon'' or group of stables. It was set up in June 2002 by former ''komusubi'' Ōyutaka Masachika, Ōyutaka, who branched off from Tokitsuk ...

. The stable's other coach, Tatsutayama was announced as transferring to

Oitekaze stable The is a Heya (sumo), stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze ''Glossary of sumo terms#ichimon, ichimon'' or group of stables. It was established in its modern incarnation on 1 October 1998 by former ''maegashira'' Daishōyama Naoki, Da ...

. Finally, one last wrestler is said to be transferred to

Isenoumi stable is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tokitsukaze '' ichimon'' or group of stables. Its current head coach is former '' maegashira'' Kitakachidoki. As of January 2023 it had 12 wrestlers. History The name of Isenoumi stable relates to one ...

Ring name conventions

In the past wrestlers at this stable took ring names or ''

'' that began with the character 星 (read: hoshi), meaning star, in deference to two of their former owners. Many also used 霧 (read: kiri), meaning fog or mist, after Kirishima, such as Kiribayama, Kirinoryū and Kirinofuji.

Owners

*1997–2024: 9th Michinoku Kazuhiro ('' yakuin taigu iin'', former ''ōzeki'' Kirishima) *1991–1997: 8th Michinoku Yuji (former ''maegashira'' Hoshiiwato) *1974–1991: 7th Michinoku Yoshio (former ''maegashira'' )

Coaches

*Tatsutayama Hironori ('' iin'', former maegashira Sasshūnada) *Urakaze Tomimichi ('' iin'', former maegashira Shikishima)

Assistant

* ('' wakaimonogashira'', former ''

'', real name Kunio Fukuda)

Notable former members

* Kakuryū ( the 71st ''yokozuna'') * Kirishima ('' ōzeki'') * Ryūhō (former ''maegashira'') * Hoshitango (former ''

'')

Usher

*Shin (''

makushita Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. Fo ...

'' ''

yobidashi A , often translated in English as "usher", "ring attendant", or "ring announcer", is an employee of the Japan Sumo Association, responsible for various tasks essential to the traditional running of Sumo#Professional sumo, professional sumo tour ...

'', real name Shinnosuke Yamaki)

Hairdresser

*Tokotsuru (Special class ''

tokoyama A is a traditional Japanese hairdresser specializing in the theatrical arts (kabuki and ) and Sumo#Professional sumo, professional sumo. The trade is the result of a slow evolution from the traditional Japanese barbers of the Edo period, some ...

'') *Tokodai (First class ''tokoyama'')

Location and access

Tokyo, Sumida Ward, Ryōgoku 1-18-7
1 minute walk from

Ryōgoku Station is a railway station in Yokoami, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). Lines The station is served by the JR East Chūō-Sōbu Line and the Toei Oedo Line ...

on Sōbu Line

References

External links

Official site

Japan Sumo Association profile
{{coord, 35.6957, N, 139.7913, E, source:wikidata, display=title Defunct sumo stables Sports clubs and teams established in 1974 1974 establishments in Japan Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 2024 2024 disestablishments in Japan