Heya:Takasago

Takasago stable (髙砂, Takasago-beya) was a stable of sumo wrestlers.

Past History

Takasago history started in 1879 in Osaka, in an era when sumo was booming. At the turn of the 20th century, Takasago splitted with the foundation of Nishikido-beya in 1898 and Hakkaku-beya in 1899. After the consolidation of all sumo associations in 1912, the Takasago ichimon became the chief rival in size and influence of the Dewanoumi group. The foundation of Kokonoe-beya in 1930 was in the middle of this feud, when former Ozeki Chiyohokkai was denied the opportunity to inherit the Dewanoumi stable, fouding his own dojo, then moving to the Takasago faction. Despite the renewed protests of Dewanoumi, the then-Greater Dice Sumo Association (former name of the JDSA) couldn’t find any irregularity with Kokonoe-oyakata’s moves.

Shortly after the end of WWII, former Sekiwake Asataira snatched the prestigious Isenoumi elder stock from Tokitsukaze ichimon, after marrying the daughter of the late Isenoumi-oyakata who had died before the war. He subsequently founded the most recent incarnation of Isenoumi-beya in 1949. The prosperous late Showa period allowed for the opening of Azumazeki and Onogawa stables (1962 and 1974).

The statu quo remained until the 21st century. Immediately after his retirement, former Yokozuna Asanohana branched out of Takasago to open Wakamiya stable. At the 2012 board election, the ambitious new elder candidate ran for the office despite not being endorsed by the ichimon. He was excluded from Takasago clan, joining the Isegahama group instead. This was a significant loss for Takasago as Wakamiya-oyakata oversaw the rise of Yokozuna Azumakuni (initially competing under the shikona of Asanoriki).

2022 has seen great change for the stables affiliated to Takasago as Isenoumi stable closed in March. Later that year, former Yokozuna Hikarishoryu branched out of Takasago, taking with him Emperor’s Cup winner Amao. Finally, after the conclusion of Kyushu basho, Nishikido-beya closed, with their personnel transferring to Hikarishoryu’s premises.

Closure and splitting

In the second half of 2023, the JDSA announced an overhaul of the stable and elder stock system. Under the new public status of the JDSA, the elderstocks came back under the direct control of the Association. This also meant that the stables had to be restarted from the ground-up, as only people buying a stock would be able to lead a heya.

Takasago thus closed at the end of the year, after 145 years of continuous existence. Its personel split as follows :

• Most wrestlers went in Terajima stable.
• Former komusubi Asanishiki founded Umanoshima stable.
• Nagisa-oyakata took one wrestler and founded his own stable

People

Ring name conventions

There was no common kanji for the stable. Several wrestlers had a shikona beggining with the characters 千代 (read: chiyo), meaning "a thousand generations".

Owners

• 2019-2023: The 15th Takasago Uragoro.

Wrestlers

Yokozuna

• Hikarishoryu (the 2nd yokozuna)

Ozeki

• Hanabusa
• Chubanoumi

Sekiwake

• Karasu
• Raigamaru
• Chiyonoshima (later ozeki)

Komusubi

• Haganemaru
• Kitashoryu

Maegashira

• Okisakura
• Mitsurin
• Terunoenzan
• Kazetora
• Takazan
• Kakumeikoshin
• Moshogaeru
• Kokuchozan (later sekiwake)
• Asabariki (later sekiwake)
• Rontsuri
• Senshi (later komusubi)
• Mujinryu

Juryo

• Ginshishi
• Ueda
• Kiyoishi
• Chiyonouchi (later maegashira)
• Chiyomisato
• Otoriyama (later maegashira)
• Shihojo (later maegashira)
• Chiyonosaka

Makushita

This list is not exhaustive.

• Hakuro
• Furaimatsu
• Yamakujira
• Tetsuzenkan
• Yoshitsune
• Bunbukuchagama (later juryo)

See also

• List of sumo stables
• List of active sumo wrestlers
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• Glossary of sumo terms