Satonofuji Hisashi
Satonofuji Hisashi (Japanese: 聡ノ富士 久志, born 15 April 1977 as Hisashi Matsuoka (松岡 久志, Matsuoka Hisashi)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Gunma Prefecture. He made his debut in 1996 at the age of eighteen. His highest rank has been makushita 55. He wrestles for Isegahama stable, where he is currently its oldest member and where he is responsible for preparing the meals.[1]
Satonofuji is noted for being one of the performers of the yumitori-shiki, or bow-twirling ceremony, which is presented following the final top division match of every Grand Sumo Tournament day.[2][3][4] He is the oldest sumo wrestler to perform the ceremony since the Shōwa era.[3]
Career
Born in the town of Yoshioka, Gunma, Satonofuji debuted in January 1996 under the ring name Asatofuji (安聡富士). He was promoted to the third-highest makushita division in September 2005, but was relegated in the following tournament. Since then, he has never been promoted higher than sandanme. In March 2008 he changed his ring name to Satonofuji.
Satonofuji began to perform the yumitori-shiki in January 2013, which is typically performed by a lower-division wrestler in the same stable as a yokozuna.[4] At that time, stablemate Harumafuji–seven years his junior–had recently been promoted to the top rank. Satonofuji stopped performing the ceremony a few tournaments after Harumafuji retired, but resumed in September 2021. Although his return coincided with the promotion of fellow Isegahama wrestler Terunofuji to the yokozuna rank, Satonofuji had stepped in with little notice after another lower-division wrestler scheduled to perform the ceremony injured his shoulder in a match.[2] Upon his return to the role, Satonofuji was quoted as saying that he was too old to show his body.[5] At the age of 44, he became the oldest performer of the ceremony since the Shōwa era.[3]
In a November 2022 interview, Satonofuji said in regard to the yumitori-shiki that "every single gesture has a meaning, so I put my heart into it."[6]
During the July 2023 tournament Satonofuji withdrew from competition, and so the yumitori-shiki duties temporarily went to then-sandanme wrestler Yuki from the same stable as ōzeki Kirishima.[7] In September 2023 Satonofuji, demoted to jonokuchi for the first time since his debut in 1996, performed the yumitori-shiki for the first two days of the tournament until Yuki resumed the duties.[8] In 2024 Satonofuji returned to yumitori duties,[9] usually performing the ceremony unless Terunofuji withdraws from a tournament.[10]
Career record
Year | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo | March Haru basho, Osaka | May Natsu basho, Tokyo | July Nagoya basho, Nagoya | September Aki basho, Tokyo | November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #50 5–2 | West Jonidan #159 3–4 | East Jonidan #178 6–1 | East Jonidan #82 2–5 | East Jonidan #114 5–2 |
1997 | East Jonidan #67 4–3 | East Jonidan #44 4–3 | East Jonidan #21 4–3 | West Jonidan #1 4–3 | East Sandanme #82 3–4 | West Sandanme #99 0–7 |
1998 | East Jonidan #44 4–3 | West Jonidan #17 4–3 | East Sandanme #99 4–3 | West Sandanme #76 1–1–5 | West Jonidan #9 3–4 | East Jonidan #20 3–4 |
1999 | West Jonidan #39 4–3 | West Jonidan #18 2–5 | West Jonidan #47 5–2 | East Jonidan #8 5–2 | East Sandanme #74 1–4–2 | West Jonidan #1 4–3 |
2000 | West Sandanme #83 4–3 | West Sandanme #66 2–5 | East Sandanme #92 5–2 | West Sandanme #56 5–2 | East Sandanme #30 4–3 | East Sandanme #15 3–4 |
2001 | West Sandanme #27 1–6 | West Sandanme #58 3–4 | West Sandanme #71 5–2 | West Sandanme #37 3–4 | East Sandanme #54 4–3 | West Sandanme #43 2–5 |
2002 | East Sandanme #68 4–3 | East Sandanme #54 4–3 | West Sandanme #38 2–5 | East Sandanme #61 4–3 | East Sandanme #46 2–5 | West Sandanme #69 0–2–5 |
2003 | West Jonidan #14 5–2 | East Sandanme #80 3–4 | West Jonidan #1 2–5 | East Jonidan #32 6–1 | West Sandanme #68 3–4 | West Sandanme #84 3–4 |
2004 | West Sandanme #98 4–3 | East Sandanme #80 4–3 | East Sandanme #64 4–3 | West Sandanme #47 3–4 | East Sandanme #65 2–5 | East Sandanme #86 4–3 |
2005 | West Sandanme #67 5–2 | West Sandanme #39 4–3 | East Sandanme #27 3–4 | East Sandanme #40 6–1 | East Makushita #55 1–6 | West Sandanme #26 2–5 |
2006 | East Sandanme #52 4–3 | West Sandanme #37 4–3 | West Sandanme #23 2–5 | West Sandanme #48 4–3 | West Sandanme #32 3–4 | West Sandanme #45 3–4 |
2007 | West Sandanme #60 3–4 | East Sandanme #77 3–4 | West Sandanme #94 3–4 | West Jonidan #3 5–2 | West Sandanme #72 4–3 | West Sandanme #51 2–5 |
2008 | East Sandanme #73 4–3 | West Sandanme #52 3–4 | East Sandanme #66 3–4 | East Sandanme #80 4–3 | East Sandanme #61 3–4 | East Sandanme #73 4–3 |
2009 | East Sandanme #55 2–5 | East Sandanme #81 3–4 | West Sandanme #97 4–3 | West Sandanme #77 4–3 | West Sandanme #61 3–4 | West Sandanme #74 4–3 |
2010 | East Sandanme #59 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 | West Jonidan #19 6–1 | East Sandanme #57 3–4 | West Sandanme #72 4–3 | West Sandanme #53 5–2 | East Sandanme #26 2–5 |
2011 | West Sandanme #54 2–5 | Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 | West Sandanme #81 4–3 | East Sandanme #53 2–5 | East Sandanme #78 3–4 | East Sandanme #95 3–4 |
2012 | West Jonidan #15 2–5 | East Jonidan #50 3–4 | West Jonidan #73 7–0 | East Sandanme #73 4–3 | East Sandanme #56 4–3 | West Sandanme #40 3–4 |
2013 | West Sandanme #55 2–5 | West Sandanme #73 2–5 | East Jonidan #7 3–4 | East Jonidan #27 4–3 | West Jonidan #8 5–2 | East Sandanme #77 3–4 |
2014 | East Sandanme #92 3–4 | East Jonidan #4 3–4 | East Jonidan #27 3–4 | West Jonidan #49 4–3 | West Jonidan #25 4–3 | East Jonidan #4 3–4 |
2015 | East Jonidan #26 3–4 | West Jonidan #44 5–2 | West Jonidan #8 4–3 | West Sandanme #88 3–4 | West Jonidan #13 5–2 | East Sandanme #78 2–5 |
2016 | East Jonidan #5 4–3 | East Sandanme #85 3–4 | West Jonidan #4 3–4 | West Jonidan #25 5–2 | West Sandanme #88 3–4 | West Jonidan #5 3–4 |
2017 | West Jonidan #26 4–3 | East Jonidan #3 4–3 | East Sandanme #83 2–5 | West Jonidan #16 3–4 | East Jonidan #53 4–3 | West Jonidan #25 4–3 |
2018 | East Jonidan #3 2–5 | East Jonidan #25 3–4 | East Jonidan #50 3–4 | West Jonidan #73 3–4 | East Jonidan #100 5–2 | West Jonidan #54 3–4 |
2019 | East Jonidan #77 5–2 | East Jonidan #31 2–5 | West Jonidan #66 4–3 | East Jonidan #37 2–5 | West Jonidan #79 2–5 | West Jonidan #44 2–5 |
2020 | East Jonidan #87 5–2 | West Jonidan #39 2–5 | West Jonidan #82 Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 | West Jonidan #82 3–4 | East Jonidan #92 5–2 | West Jonidan #45 2–5 |
2021 | West Jonidan #86 5–2 | East Jonidan #39 2–5 | West Jonidan #70 3–4 | East Jonidan #78 4–3 | East Jonidan #45 2–5 | West Jonidan #77 4–3 |
2022 | West Jonidan #43 2–5 | East Jonidan #71 3–4 | West Jonidan #91 4–3 | West Jonidan #56 3–4 | East Jonidan #78 3–4 | East Jonidan #89 3–4 |
2023 | West Jonidan #91 4–3 | West Jonidan #57 2–5 | East Jonidan #85 2–5 | East Jonidan #102 1–4–2 | East Jonokuchi #8 4–3 | West Jonidan #76 2–5 |
2024 | East Jonidan #93 2–5 | West Jonidan #91 2–5 | East Jonidan #93 3–4 | West Jonidan #95 1–6 | x | x |
Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) |
See also
References
- ^ "新生伊勢ケ浜部屋に宝富士「めちゃくちゃ活気」最年長46歳聡ノ富士「1食に炊く米は6升に」" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ a b "弓取り力士の担当力士が急きょ交代、将豊竜が初日取組で肩負傷のため" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "弓取り式で急きょ代役 新横綱の兄弟子、44歳ベテランが「再登板」" (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ a b "弓取りのベテラン力士・聡ノ富士、弟弟子・照ノ富士Vにしみじみ" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. 26 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "44歳聡ノ富士 2人の弟弟子の横綱が現役の時に弓取り式「最後まで」" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "[知る国技]弓取り式" (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "弓取り式で三段目の勇輝が"緊急登板"「手汗すごくて、80点くらいです」本来の聡ノ富士が休場" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
- ^ "急きょ弓取り式に登場 大相撲の幕下・勇輝は多忙な「四刀流」" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ "相撲部屋聞き書き帖" [Sumo stable interview notes]. 相撲 [Sumo]. Baseball Magazine Sha. February 2024. p. 89.
- ^ "朝乃若 弓取りに急きょ登場 照ノ富士の休場で指名 高砂部屋OB皇牙に続く「弓取り関取」目指す" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
External links
- Satonofuji Hisashi's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage