About Toyo University Alumni Report:Wakatakakage Atsushi, East Sekiwake (Arashio stable)

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Wakatakakage Atsushi, East Sekiwake (Arashio stable)

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2017 Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law graduate. Wakatakakage was born and raised in a sumo family in Fukushima Prefecture. Vice-captain of the Sumo Club as a 4th year student, he went on to win the team tournament and finish runner-up in the individual tournament at the National University Student Sumo Championship. He joined the Arashio stable after graduation. Wakatakakage stepped into the dohyo for the first time as a sandanme tsukedashi at the March Grand Sumo Tournament. Wakatakakage overcame a fierce final to win his first tournament at the 2022 March Grand Sumo Tournament, where he was promoted to East Sekiwake.

The 2022 July Nagoya Tournament will be held on the below dates.
July 10 (opening day) to July 24 (final day)

I was born in a sumo family, so naturally, it was the path I took.

For as long as I can remember, sumo has been a natural part of my life. Both my grandfather and father were sumo wrestlers. My father opened a sumo school in my home prefecture of Fukushima, and with this, naturally, I also started to learn sumo. When I became a fourth grade elementary student and met the age requirement for the All-Japan Wanpaku Sumo Tournament for elementary school students, I set my sights on going to the Ryogoku Kokugikan, where the tournament is held. Boys who make it to the tournament get to spend the night before in a sumo stable, and this was something I was looking forward to. However, at the time, my body was small, and I was still inexperienced at sumo. So for the three years until sixth grade, I lost in the regional qualifiers and could not participate in the tournament.
I am the youngest of three brothers, and both my older brothers entered the world of sumo straight after their high school graduation. However, I could not imagine myself competing as a sumo wrestler after graduating high school. I decided to study at Toyo University because Fumio Hamano, Coach of the Sumo Club, reached out to me. I heard that there were many talented wrestlers at the Toyo University Sumo Club, and I wanted to try and train with them. When I first entered the club, I was worried that I would be unable to get my hands on a regular place on the team because of the strength of my teammates. However, at the National University Student Sumo Championship in November of the same year, I was impressed by my seniors who won the team tournament. Then, a strong desire to lead my teammates to victory with my own strength bubbled up inside me. I never had a big appetite since I was young, and I had difficulty with weight management. It was so bad that I got depressed when it came time to eat chankonabe for dinner every day. I struggled to put on weight, sometimes setting myself a quota for eating. However, my body gradually got bigger, and my technique also improved during my time at university. It was at this time that I started to produce results inside the dohyo.

 

Overcoming a major injury before a tournament, I decided to enter the world of sumo.

I became a regular on the team in the 3rd year of university. However, at this time, lots of talented younger students joined the Sumo Club. To avoid losing to the younger students, I gave it my all in training and worked hard to continue producing results. In my 4th year, I became vice-captain of the Sumo Club, and the grand stage National University Student Sumo Championship lay awaited me. However, one month before the tournament, I underwent surgery for a torn ligament in my ankle. Two weeks after the operation, I got myself back to fighting shape, somehow making it in time for the competition. I thought that this might be the last competition in my life. With some of my fellow 4th-year teammates unable to compete, I was determined to give it my all in the tournament. With these feelings in my heart, we won the team tournament, and I was second in the individual tournament. As I finished within the top eight of the individual tournament, I obtained the right to start at sandanme tsukedashi.* As I overcame my injuries and maked good results, I was determined that if I could compete as a sumo wrestler, I would try to enter the world of sumo.
I am one of the smaller sumo wrestlers, but even when I fight large wrestlers, I face them head-on. My strength lies in an attacking style of sumo, where I lift my opponent from below. I am confident I can win as long as I can fight with my sumo style. During my time at Toyo University, Coach Hamano telling me, “Don’t hold back!  Go get at it!” was a big help in me being able to enter the world of sumo. In sumo tournaments that last for 15 days straight, I focus on keeping my shape and executing my sumo style for my bouts on each day. In martial arts, it is said that “small beats big,” and in sumo, with rank not being determined by weight, small wrestlers sometimes beat bigger ones. The applause a smaller wrestler receives when they achieve this is something special, and I feel this is the main appeal of sumo. I would like everyone to watch me defeat larger wrestlers with my so-called “small stature”.

*A system where a student or amateur wrestler who finishes within the top eight of the major student or amateur tournaments is allowed to skip the bottom two divisions and start at the bottom of the sandanme division.

The article “From Fukushima to the world of professional sumo. We delve into the secret behind makuuchi-tournament-winner Wakatakakage's success,”is available to read online at LINK@TOYO. (English unavailable)

▶ https://www.toyo.ac.jp/link-toyo/sport/wakatakakage_atsushi