Yamahibiki stable
Yamahibiki stable (山響部屋 Yamahibiki-beya) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. It was set up in 1985 as Kitanoumi-beya by former yokozuna Kitanoumi, who branched off from Mihogaseki stable.[1] It absorbed Hatachiyama stable in 2006, following the death of its head coach, former ōzeki Hokuten'yū. In May 2010 it also absorbed Kise stable, which was forced to close after its stablemaster, former maegashira Higonoumi, was implicated in the selling of tournament tickets to yazuka members.[2] As a result of this move the stable had 46 wrestlers, making it by some margin the largest stable in sumo at this time. It was the first stable to have over 40 wrestlers since Futagoyama stable in 1998.[3] As Kise was allowed to reestablish the stable in April 2012, all former members, as well as newcomers Jōkōryū and Sasanoyama, joined the reconstituted stable again.
Stablemaster Kitanoumi died of colorectal cancer and multiple organ failure on the evening of November 20, 2015.[4] Former maegashira Ganyū, who had been serving as a coach at the stable, inherited it. The stable was renamed Yamahibiki, the elder name used by Ganyū, since the Kitanoumi name could not be inherited, due to it being a one-generation elder stock or ichidai-toshiyori.[5] As of January 2016, Yamahibiki stable had sixteen wrestlers.
Ring name conventions
A few wrestlers at this stable take ring names or shikona that begin with the character 北 (read: kita or hoku), meaning north, in deference to the stable's former owner, Kitanoumi. As he has passed on, and the stable name has a new name, this will likely change.
Owner
- 2015–present: Yamahibiki Kenji (hyōgiin: councilor, former maegashira Ganyū)
- 1985-2015: Kitanoumi (rijichō, the 55th yokozuna)
Notable active wrestlers
- Kitaharima (best rank maegashira)
- Kitataiki (best rank maegashira)
- Nionoumi (best rank maegashira)
Notable former members
- Hakurozan (former maegashira)
Referees
- Kimura Kankurō (jūryō gyōji, real name Yoshimi Nakamura)
- Kimura Sōichirō (jonidan gyōji, real name Mikito Hotta)
Ushers
- Tasuke (makushita yobidashi, real name Taisuke Kominami)
- Sōichi (makushita yobidashi, real name Sōichi Takahashi)
- Hiromasa (jonokuchi yobidashi, real name Hiromasa Nakamura)
Hairdresser
- Tokoasa (1st class tokoyama)
See also
- List of sumo stables
- List of active sumo wrestlers
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- Glossary of sumo terms
References
- ↑ Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
- ↑ "Kise wrestlers to join Kitanoumi stable". Japan Times. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ↑ "Kotomitsuki listed on Nagoya sumo tournament rankings despite dismissal". Mainichi Daily News. 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
- ↑ "Sumo great Kitanoumi dies at 62". The Japan Times. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ↑ "八角親方、理事長代行に 「北の湖部屋」は山響親方が継承へ" (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
External links
Coordinates: 35°40′57″N 139°47′42″E / 35.6825°N 139.7951°E