Kaneshiro Kōfuku

Kaneshiro Kōfuku (February 27, 1953 - December 29, 2002) was a sumo wrestler from Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1969, and reached the top division in September 1974. His highest rank was sekiwake. He earned two kinboshi for defeating yokozuna Wajima when ranked as a maegashira, but was never able to defeat yokozuna Kitanoumi, losing to him 29 straight times, which is a record for consecutive losses against the same opponent. After being runner-up in the January 1979 tournament and winning the Fighting Spirit prize he changed his shikona or fighting name to Tochihikari, in honour of ōzeki Tochihikari Masayuki, who also fought for Kasugano stable. However, after falling back to the jūryō division in 1985, he was no longer considered worthy of such a prestigious name and so reverted to Kaneshiro, his birth name.[1] He left the sumo world upon retirement in May 1987, unable to acquire elder stock in the Japan Sumo Association and remain as a coach. This was because the Sumo Association had introduced a rule in 1976 requiring Japanese citizenship to become an elder, and Kaneshiro, because of his Korean parentage, was not eligible by birth and could not acquire citizenship until it was too late.[1]

Kaneshiro Kōfuku
金城 興福
Personal information
BornKōfuku Kaneshiro
(1953-02-27)February 27, 1953
Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan
DiedDecember 29, 2002(2002-12-29) (aged 49)
Height1.84 m (6 ft 12 in)
Weight140 kg (310 lb; 22 st)
Career
StableKasugano
Record683-725-22
DebutSeptember, 1969
Highest rankSekiwake (July, 1977)
RetiredMay, 1987
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (3)
Gold Stars2 (Wajima)
* Up to date as of Sep. 2012.

He died at the age of 49, from a heart attack.[2]

Career record

Kaneshiro Kofuku[3]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1969 x x x x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #2
34
 
1970 East Jonidan #71
52
 
East Jonidan #32
43
 
West Jonidan #14
43
 
East Sandanme #78
25
 
East Jonidan #22
43
 
West Jonidan #10
52
 
1971 West Sandanme #52
331
 
West Sandanme #62
52
 
West Sandanme #35
52
 
West Sandanme #10
43
 
West Makushita #60
43
 
East Makushita #52
25
 
1972 East Sandanme #11
43
 
East Sandanme #3
61
 
East Makushita #34
61P
 
West Makushita #11
43
 
East Makushita #9
43
 
West Makushita #6
52
 
1973 East Makushita #3
61
 
East Jūryō #11
78
 
East Jūryō #13
87
 
East Jūryō #11
78
 
West Jūryō #12
105
 
West Jūryō #5
726
 
1974 West Jūryō #6
78
 
West Jūryō #7
78
 
East Jūryō #3
78
 
East Jūryō #6
114
 
East Maegashira #12
96
 
East Maegashira #8
96
 
1975 East Maegashira #3
510
 
West Maegashira #8
87
 
East Maegashira #6
69
 
East Maegashira #9
87
 
East Maegashira #6
96
 
West Maegashira #2
96
1976 East Maegashira #1
87
West Komusubi #1
411
 
West Maegashira #5
87
 
West Maegashira #2
87
 
West Maegashira #1
312
 
West Maegashira #8
96
 
1977 East Maegashira #2
510
 
East Maegashira #7
114
F
East Komusubi #1
87
 
West Sekiwake #1
510
 
East Maegashira #3
69
 
East Maegashira #6
96
 
1978 East Maegashira #2
87
 
West Komusubi #1
312
 
East Maegashira #8
87
 
West Maegashira #4
69
 
East Maegashira #7
105
 
East Maegashira #2
510
 
1979 West Maegashira #7
123
F
East Komusubi #1
69
 
West Maegashira #1
510
 
West Maegashira #5
96
 
West Komusubi #1
213
 
West Maegashira #7
105
 
1980 East Maegashira #1
510
 
West Maegashira #4
510
 
West Maegashira #10
123
F
West Komusubi #1
510
 
East Maegashira #4
69
 
East Maegashira #7
69
 
1981 West Maegashira #11
105
 
West Maegashira #2
510
 
West Maegashira #5
87
 
West Maegashira #2
78
 
West Maegashira #3
312
 
West Maegashira #9
105
 
1982 East Maegashira #4
69
 
East Maegashira #6
96
 
East Maegashira #2
411
 
West Maegashira #10
96
 
West Maegashira #5
69
 
West Maegashira #9
78
 
1983 West Maegashira #10
87
 
East Maegashira #6
78
 
West Maegashira #6
96
 
East Maegashira #1
114
 
East Maegashira #12
96
 
East Maegashira #4
411
 
1984 East Maegashira #12
96
 
East Maegashira #5
510
 
East Maegashira #11
411
 
West Jūryō #4
87
 
West Jūryō #2
Sat out due to injury
0015
West Jūryō #2
96
 
1985 West Maegashira #13
213
 
East Jūryō #8
87
 
West Jūryō #5
105
 
East Jūryō #2
510
 
West Jūryō #7
87
 
West Jūryō #4
78
 
1986 East Jūryō #7
96
 
East Jūryō #2
510
 
East Jūryō #8
87
 
East Jūryō #5
87
 
West Jūryō #3
312
 
East Jūryō #13
87
 
1987 West Jūryō #11
87
 
East Jūryō #9
69
 
East Jūryō #12
Retired
213
x x x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira

See also

References

  1. Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. "Ex-sekiwake Kaneshiro dies at 49". Japan Times. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. "Kaneshiro Kofuku Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-09-05.


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