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was a Japanese
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. He was born in
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, but brought up in Kajiki, Aira District,
Kagoshima , is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Etymology While the ...
,
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 ...
. He fought out of
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 ...
. The highest rank he reached 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 ...
.'' Despite his relatively light weight he had an extremely long career, spanning 23 years from 1979 until 2002, and was known as the "iron man" of sumo. After retiring, he was the owner of the Shikoroyama stable until his death in 2023.


Sumo family

Terao had a long sumo pedigree. He was the third son of former ''sekiwake''
Tsurugamine Tsurugamine Akio (26 April 1929 – 29 May 2006), real name Akio Fukuzono, was a sumo wrestler from Aira, Kagoshima (Aira District), Aira, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kagoshima, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake.'' He was twice runner-up in a tou ...
, and younger brother of (former ''jūryō'') and
Sakahoko Sakahoko Nobushige (born Yoshiaki Fukuzono; 18 June 1961 – 16 September 2019) was a Japanese sumo wrestler. The son of Tsurugamine, he made his professional debut in 1978, reaching the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1982. His highest rank wa ...
(former ''sekiwake''). His paternal grandfather was a cousin of Satsumanishiki (former ''makushita''). His father married the adopted daughter of former ''makushita'' Kaganishiki, who was adopted by Nishinoumi, the 25th ''
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 ...
''. His cousin is Tsurunofuji (former ''jūryō''). Terao and his brothers Kakureizan and Sakahoko together hold various sumo records: they are the first three brothers ever to reach ''
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 ...
'' status; in September 1986 Terao and Sakahoko were the first brothers to win
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.
together; and in March 1989 they were the first brothers to hold ''sekiwake'' rank simultaneously. In November 1990 they appeared together in
Chiyonofuji , born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler and the 58th ''yokozuna'' of the sport. Chiyonofuji was considered one of the greatest ''yokozuna'' in sumo's history, winning 31 tournament championships (''yūshō'') at the top division ('' ...
's ring-entering ceremony as sword-bearer and dew-sweeper.


Career

Terao took up sumo shortly after his mother died of cancer. He joined
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 ...
, which was run by his father, alongside his two brothers. He started competing under the name Terao Setsuo (寺尾 節男) after his mother's maiden name Setsuko Terao (寺尾 節子, ''Terao Setsuko''). Terao first entered the second ''
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 July 1984. To mark this promotion he changed his name to Genjiyama Rikisaburō, but reverted to Terao Setsuo after a single tournament. After winning the ''jūryō'' championship in January 1985 he entered 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, but won only 6 bouts out of 15 and so returned to ''jūryō''. He won the ''jūryō'' division the next tournament and so reentered ''makuuchi'' in July 1985. In September 1986 he earned nine wins and his first special prize, for Fighting Spirit. This advanced him to his then highest rank, ''
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 ...
'' 1. He changed his name to Terao Tsunefumi in November 1987, on the advice of a
fortune-teller Fortune telling is the spiritual practice of predicting information about a person's life. Melton, J. Gordon. (2008). ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena''. Visible Ink Press. pp. 115–116. The scope of fortune telling is in principle ...
. In the following tournament in January 1988, he defeated ''yokozuna'' Onokuni to earn 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 ...
''. He defeated Chiyonofuji in the January 1989 tournament and won the Outstanding Performance Award. In the next ''basho'' in March 1989, he finally made his breakthrough into the titled ''
san'yaku The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
'' ranks at ''sekiwake'' after four years in the top division, joining his brother at sumo's third highest rank. Although Terao fought several tournaments at ''sekiwake'' he never came close to '' ōzeki'', his best performance as ''sekiwake'' being 9–6. His last appearance in ''san'yaku'' was at ''
komusubi , 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 ...
'' rank in July 1994. In March 1995 he upset Takanohana for the only time as a ''yokozuna'', earning his last special prize. In November 1999, at the age of 35, he defeated Musashimaru for his final ''kinboshi''. He remained in ''makuuchi'' until May 2000 when he was finally demoted at age 37 after 90 consecutive top division tournaments. However, he managed to return to ''makuuchi'' for two tournaments in March and May 2001, becoming at 38 years and 24 days the oldest man post World War II to earn promotion to the top division. His last tournament was in September 2002, where he scored only five wins at the rank of ''jūryō 11'' and faced certain demotion to the ''makushita'' division.


Records

Despite suffering from a heart condition, Terao enjoyed an exceptionally long and relatively injury-free career from his debut in 1979 aged 16 to his retirement in 2002 aged 39. He was referred to as the ''Tetsujin'', or Iron Man, of sumo. Among his other nicknames were "The Eternal Typhoon," because of both his longevity and his ''tsuppari'' fighting style. After being defeated by the 18-year-old Takahanada in March 1991, which he regarded as the most disappointing loss of his career, he was determined to keep fighting for as long as possible. His total number of bouts is 1795, the fourth highest ever, his total number of ''makuuchi'' bouts (1378) is the fifth highest ever. His 860 wins are the tenth highest ever; his 938 losses were the most ever recorded until Kyokutenhō finished his career with 944 losses in 2015. When he had to sit out 1 day of the March 1997 tournament and the whole May 1997 tournament after breaking his big toe in a bout against Kyokushūzan it ended a run of 1359 bouts without absence, the seventh highest ever. 1063 of these were in ''makuuchi'', the fourth highest ever. His 110 tournaments ranked as a ''
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 ...
'' (in the top two divisions) was an all-time record until it was broken by Kaiō in 2010.


Fighting style

Terao was an ''oshi-sumo'' specialist, relying on pushing and thrusting techniques, keeping his opponent away from his ''
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 ...
''. Throughout his career he consistently weighed around , a considerable disadvantage in an era when most of his opponents were over . He compensated by relying on his speed and agility, and was often able to use his quick reactions to outwit his heavier opponents. He was well known for his rapid series of thrusts to the chest ('' tsuppari''), enabling him to win many of his matches by ''hataki-komi'' (the slap down), ''oshi-dashi'' (the push out) and ''tsuki-dashi'' (the thrust out). Due to his light weight he was vulnerable to defeat by ''yori-kiri'' (force out) if his opponents managed to contain him.


After retirement

Terao was a ''
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 ...
'' (a sumo elder) known as Shikoroyama Oyakata. In February 2004 he established Shikoroyama stable. He decided not to take any wrestlers from Izutsu stable with him, recruiting all the new stable's wrestlers himself. In January 2006 Hōmashō became his first wrestler to reach ''sekitori'' status. Hōmashō retired in January 2015, but later in that same year Seirō became the second wrestler coached by Shikoroyama to reach the top division. Shikoroyama has also produced the ''sekiwake'' Abi.


Personal life

While active Terao was friendly with fellow top division wrestlers
Masurao is a Japanese former sumo wrestler, born in Itoda, Fukuoka Prefecture. Making his professional debut in 1979, he reached the top division in 1985. His highest rank was '' sekiwake'' and he won five special prizes in his top division career. ...
and
Kotogaume Kotogaume Tsuyoshi (born 5 October 1963 as Satoru Kitayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Yatsuo, Nei District, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He joined sumo in 1979 and made the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1985. His highest rank was ''sekiwake,'' ...
. He was a fan of
J-pop J-pop (often stylized in all caps; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in trad ...
. His eldest (adopted) son is actor . Sakahoko died in September 2019, and Kakureizan in March 2020, leaving Terao as the only surviving Fukuzono brother. His own health declined in 2022, and he was unable to see his top wrestler Abi win the championship in Kyushu in November as he was hospitalized with
arrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, are irregularities in the cardiac cycle, heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. Essentially, this is anything but normal sinus rhythm. A resting heart rate that is too fast – ab ...
. Terao was admitted to the hospital again in September 2023 with heart issues. His health had been improving, but on 16 December 2023 his condition took a sudden turn for the worse. He died the next evening, on 17 December, at the age of 60.


Career record


See also

*
List of sumo record holders This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo. Only performances in official tournaments or '' honbasho'' are included here. Since 1958, six ''honbasho'' have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more oppor ...
*
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 ...
*
Glossary of sumo terms The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. A B C D E F G H ...
*
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

*
Terao's basho results from January 1989



Terao's official site (Japanese)




{{DEFAULTSORT:Terao Tsunefumi 1963 births 2023 deaths Fukuzono family Japanese sumo wrestlers Sumo people from Kagoshima Prefecture Sekiwake