Tamanoshima Arata (born September 15, 1977, as Arata Okabe) is a former
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 ...
wrestler from
Izumizaki,
Fukushima,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. A former amateur champion, he made his professional debut in 1998, reaching 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 at the end of 2000. He was twice runner-up in a tournament, and earned six
special prizes and two
gold stars during his career. His highest rank was ''
sekiwake
, 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 ...
.'' He wrestled for
Kataonami stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables. It was founded in 1961 by former ''sekiwake'' Tamanoumi Daitarō, who branched off from Nishonoseki stable. Former ''sekiwake'' Tamanofuji took over the r ...
. He retired in November 2011 to become an
elder of the
Japan Sumo Association
The , officially the ; sometimes abbreviated JSA or NSK, and more usually called Sumo Kyōkai, is the governing body that operates and controls Professional sports, professional sumo wrestling, called , in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Min ...
and is now known as Hanaregoma Oyakata. In December 2021 he became head coach of
Hanaregoma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables. As of September 2010 it had eight active wrestlers.
The stable was established in 1981 by former '' ōzeki'' Kaiketsu Masateru, as a breakaway from Hanakago ...
.
Career
Tamanoshima was a college champion at
Toyo University
is a private university with the main Hakusan Station (Tokyo), Hakusan campus in Bunkyō, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The university operates multiple satellite campuses in the Kanto region, including. Asaka, Saitama, Asaka, Kawagoe, Saitama, Kawagoe, ...
and so was given ''
makushita tsukedashi
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
...
'' status and allowed to make his professional debut in the ''
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 ...
'' division. He was only twenty years of age, as he left the university in his second year, making him the youngest former amateur to join professional sumo in this way.
Initially competing under the ''
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 ...
'' or ring name of Tamanonada, he reached the second highest ''
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 September 1999 and 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 for the first time in November 2000. In March 2001, upon his second promotion to the top division, he adopted the Tamanoshima name, which had previously been used by a former ''
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 ...
'' from his stable,
Tamanoumi
was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Aichi. He was the sport's 51st ''yokozuna''. Making his professional debut in 1959, he reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1964. He won six tournament championships and was runner-up in 12 ot ...
.

Tamanoshima was twice runner-up in a tournament, in July 2001 and March 2005, and he earned five Fighting Spirit
prizes
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements. . In July 2003 he earned his first ''
kinboshi
is a notation used in professional 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 oth ...
'' for defeating ''yokozuna''
Asashōryū. The highest rank he has achieved is ''sekiwake'', which he reached after scoring ten wins (including another yokozuna upset, over
Musashimaru) at ''
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 ...
'' 3 in November 2003. He could only manage five wins in his ''sekiwake'' debut, but returned to the ''
sanyaku
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
...
'' ranks in July 2004 and January 2006. He was ever present in the top division from March 2001 to January 2008, but a poor 3–12 record in January 2008 meant he was demoted to the second division for the March 2008 tournament. He produced a 10–5 score there which was enough to return him immediately to the top division for May 2008, where he scored a creditable nine wins. However he narrowly failed to secure ''
kachi-koshi
The following words are terms used in 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 oth ...
'' in his next three tournaments. He fell to ''maegashira'' 15 in January 2009 but held his ''makuuchi'' position comfortably with an 11–4 record. He remained in the division until May 2010 when he was once again demoted after scoring only five wins at the bottom ''maegashira'' rank.
Retirement
In November 2011, after losing his first eight matches at the rank of ''jūryō'' 12 and facing certain demotion to the ''makushita'' division, Tamanoshima announced his retirement from active competition. He has stayed in sumo as a coach, initially under the ''
toshiyori
A , also known as an , is a sumo Elder (administrative title), elder exercising both Coach (sport), coaching functions with rikishi, active wrestlers and Management, responsibilities within the Japan Sumo Association (JSA). All are former wrest ...
'' or elder name of Nishiiwa Oyakata. In May 2013 he changed elder names to Hanaregoma, and in November 2014 moved to the Nishonoseki stable. In December 2021 he became head coach there, and the stable was renamed
Hanaregoma stable
was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki ''ichimon'' or group of stables. As of September 2010 it had eight active wrestlers.
The stable was established in 1981 by former '' ōzeki'' Kaiketsu Masateru, as a breakaway from Hanakago ...
.
Fighting style

Tamanoshima's favoured techniques are listed at the
Sumo Association
The , officially the ; sometimes abbreviated JSA or NSK, and more usually called Sumo Kyōkai, is the governing body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling, called , in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Ed ...
as ''hidari-yotsu/yori'', meaning he preferred a hold on his opponent's ''
mawashi
In sumo, a is the loincloth that (sumo wrestlers) wear during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a as part of the ring entry ceremony or .
''Mawashi''
''Sekitori'' During competition
For top ranked profess ...
'' with his right hand outside and left hand inside his opponent's arms. His most common winning ''
kimarite
is the technique used in sumo by a (wrestler) to win a match. It is officially decided or announced by the (referee) at the end of the match, though judge (sumo), judges can modify this decision. The records of are then kept for statistical ...
'' was ''yori-kiri'' or force out, which accounted for roughly a third of his wins, followed by ''oshi-dashi'' or push out.
Family
Tamanoshima was born into a sports family. Not only was his father a former professional
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
*Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
* Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
, but he is the nephew of former ''
ōzeki''
Kiyokuni
Kiyokuni Katsuo (born 20 November 1941 as Tadao Sato) is a former sumo wrestler from Ogachi, Akita, Japan. His highest rank was '' ōzeki'', which he held from 1969 to 1974. He won one top division ''yūshō'' or tournament championship and was ...
and his older brother is the former ''
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 ...
'' wrestler , who made his debut in the same tournament as Tamanoshima, also as a ''makushita tsukedashi'' entrant, retiring in January 2008. He and his brother had the option to join
Isegahama stable
Isegahama stable was a heya (sumo), heya or stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Tatsunami-Isegahama ''ichimon,'' or group of stables.
It was founded in 1859 by former ''komusubi'' Arakuma. It was led from 1929 by former ''sekiwake'' Kiyosegawa ...
, then run by their uncle, but they chose the more successful Kataonami stable instead. They were the first pair of brothers to join sumo as ''makushita tsukedeshi''.
Career record
See also
*
*
List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
The table below lists the runners up ('' jun-yusho'') in the top ''makuuchi'' division at official sumo tournaments or ''honbasho'' since the six tournaments per year system was instituted in 1958. The runner up is determined by the wrestler(s) w ...
*
List of sumo tournament second division champions
This is a list of wrestlers who have won the sumo second division ''jūryō'' championship since 1909, when the current championship system was established. These official tournaments are held exclusively in Japan.
The wrestler who has won the mo ...
*
List of past sumo wrestlers
This is a list of prominent past wrestlers (either retired or deceased) in the sport of professional sumo. They are listed in order of the year and tournament month that they made their professional debuts. The information listed below was gleaned ...
*
List of sumo elders
This is a list of toshiyori, elders of the Japan Sumo Association (JSA). More accurately called "elder stock" or ''toshiyori kabu,'' these names are a finite number of licenses that can be passed on, and are strictly controlled by the JSA. They all ...
*
List of sekiwake
This is a list of all sumo wrestlers whose pinnacle in the sport has been the third highest rank of '' sekiwake'' and who held the rank in the modern era of sumo since the 1927 merger of the Tokyo and Osaka organizations. There are usually two ac ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tamanoshima, Arata
1977 births
Living people
Japanese sumo wrestlers
Sekiwake
Sumo people from Fukushima Prefecture