Entrance to Kasugano stable

Kasugano stable (春日野部屋, Kasugano-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. As of January 2023 it had 17 wrestlers. It has been led by former sekiwake Tochinowaka Kiyotaka since 2003. It was one of the most successful stables in 2013, with six sekitori wrestlers, including now retired Georgian Tochinoshin and Japanese born (but Korean national) Tochinowaka Michihiro, who used the current head coach's old ring name.

It was founded in the mid 18th century by a wrestler named Kasugano Gunpachi.[1] It became inactive for a long time but was led in the Meiji period by a referee named Kimura Soshiro (this is no longer allowed as oyakata must now be former wrestlers).[1] He adopted as his son the 27th yokozuna Tochigiyama, who led the stable for over thirty years. He in turn adopted as his son the 44th yokozuna Tochinishiki, who became the head in 1959 whilst still an active wrestler and later served as the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.[1] Tochinoumi took over upon Tochinishiki's death in 1990 and led the stable until his retirement in 2003. Since Tochinishiki's death, the stable's wrestlers have made it a tradition to visit his grave every New Year.[2] The stable absorbed Mihogaseki stable in 2013 when its stablemaster (former ōzeki Masuiyama Daishirō II) reached the mandatory retirement age.

Kasugano-oyakata was warned by the Sumo Association in 2011 after he beat three of his charges with a golf club for breaking a curfew.[3] In a separate case, a junior wrestler was convicted in 2014 of an assault on another wrestler and given a three year jail sentence, suspended for four years. In March 2017 the victim sued Kasugano-oyakata and the now retired assailant, saying he was still suffering from the effects of the broken jaw he received and that Kasugano failed to exercise appropriate oversight.[4]

The stable is known for having bred a series of great wrestlers. Between 1967 and 2023, Kasugano stable always had at least one wrestler ranked in the makuuchi division. This continuous presence came to an end after 56 years, however, when the banzuke for the November 2023 tournament was announced, with the relegation of Aoiyama to the jūryō division.[5]

Ring name conventions

Many wrestlers at this stable take ring names or shikona that begin with the character 栃 (read: tochi), in deference to the long line of owners who have used this character in their shikona. It originally referred to Tochigi Prefecture, where Tochigiyama came from, but subsequent owners were not from there and the prefix no longer has a geographical meaning.[1]

Owners

Notable active wrestlers

  • Aoiyama (best rank sekiwake)
  • Tochimaru (best rank jūryō)
  • Tochimusashi (best rank jūryō)

Coaches

Notable former members

Assistants

Referees

  • Kimura Shōtarō (sanyaku gyōji, real name Yoshimitsu Morita)
  • Kimura Akijiro (makuuchi gyōji, real name Shigehiro Nakazawa)
  • Kimura Zennosuke (juryo gyoji, real name Makoto Kimura)

Ushers

Hairdressers

Location and access

Tokyo, Sumida Ward, Ryōgoku 1-7-11
7 minute walk from Ryōgoku Station on the Sōbu Line

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. ↑ "栃ノ心、報知年間最優秀力士賞を文句なし初受賞「最後に評価されて良かった」" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Sumo stablemaster Kasugano reprimanded for beating wrestlers". Mainichi Daily News. 21 October 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Suit revealed against former sumo stablemaster Kasugano, now JSA director, and wrestler over 2014 assault". Japan Times. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "【九州場所番付発表】碧山が十両転落　56年ぶりに春日野部屋の幕内力士不在に" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "次郎が立呼び出しに昇進　呼び出し最高位が約４年ぶりに復活、12月25日付" [Jiro promoted to tate-yobidashi, the highest yobidashi rank is restored after almost 4 years, on December 25.] (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.

35°41′34″N 139°47′27″E / 35.6929°N 139.7908°E / 35.6929; 139.7908

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