The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Wakatakakage wins playoff to seize 1st Emperor’s Cup
It took a championship playo , but the last man standing at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament was sekiwake Wakatakakage. e 27-year-old from Fukushima Prefecture bounced back from a loss in his last scheduled bout and fought o No. 7 maegashira Takayasu at Edion Arena Osaka on Sunday to capture the rst Emperor’s Cup of his career. He’s the rst newly promoted sekiwake since Futabayama in 1936 to win a tournament title in his debut at the rank. Takayasu, 32, was also seeking the rst tournament title of his career, but Wakatakakage managed to stave o a
nal push at the bales, staying in the ring and on his feet as he tossed the maegashira out.
Wakatakakage said he was able to execute his normal plan in Osaka, where he won his third Technique Prize.
“I always say this, but it was especially the case this time — attacking from a low position was the kind of sumo that worked for me during this basho,” he said in a post-tournament TV interview. (March 28)
SUMO ALL IN THE FAMILY The Yomiuri Shimbun
Sumo is a family a air for Wakatakakage, the newly crowned champion of this year’s Spring Grand Sumo Tournament — his two elder brothers are also active wrestlers, and his father and grandfather pursued the sport as well.
Wakatakakage’s real name is Atsushi
Onami. e 27-year-old, who hails from Fukushima, is listed at 130 kilograms, more than 30 kilograms lighter than the average for wrestlers in the top tier makuuchi division. Nevertheless, he secured his victory with straightforward frontal attacks.
“I think I showed something good to my family, who always support me,” Wakatakakage said with a smile during a post-victory interview by the dohyo ring.
His oldest brother Wakatakamoto is in the lower makushita division and his elder brother Wakamotoharu is in the top tier makuuchi division.
eir ring names are based on the tale
of three arrows, in which warlord Mori Motonari from the mainly 16th-century warring states period told his three sons that a single arrow can be snapped easily but that three put together are di cult to break. e lesson for his sons — Mori Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu and Kobayakawa Takakage — was the importance of helping each other.
Based on this tale, the Onami brothers were each given a ring name with “waka” added to the given name of a son of Mori Motonari. Waka was taken from the ring name of the Onami brothers’ grandfather, the former komusubi Wakabayama, and of their father, former makushita wrestler Wakashinobu.
e brothers’ ring names were chosen by the former komusubi Oyutaka, who was the stablemaster Arashio when Wakatakakage joined, in the hope that the three brothers would support each other and develop together.
e youngest Wakatakakage could not beat his older brothers for a long time, but a er following in their footsteps to become a pro sumo wrestler, he worked hard in a bid to be promoted faster. Wakatakakage ultimately passed his brothers in the banzuke ranking.
“at childhood hierarchy is his driving force,” said their father Masashi. “I think he was so frustrated [over continually losing to his brothers].
“ey have a special bond,” he added. Wakatakamoto serves as attendant for Wakatakakage. “I’m supporting him so he can focus on his sumo,” he said.
Wakamotoharu said, “I’m grateful that our third brother is leading us.”
At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Wakatakakage was in high school. He took refuge at the Arashio stable in Tokyo, which Wakatakamoto had already joined, and spent time with other wrestlers in the stable.
Wakatakakage wants to encourage local people with his and his brothers’ sumo.
“ere are many areas where reconstruction has not progressed, 11 years a er the disaster,” he said. “I want to show we’re doing our best in the ring.” (March 29)