(1896–2015) was a sumo stable of the Isegehama group. It had a long history. It closed its doors in January 2015, and its staff and wrestlers transferred to other stables.
History In its active period, Asahiyama stable was one of the oldest continually-running stables in sumo, dating back to 1896. At the time of its closing it was the only stable still in existence that could trace its lineage back directly to the days of the once-rival Osaka sumo organization where it had a strong base, producing the 28th Ōnishiki Daigorō in 1918. During the 1970s the stable was home to six Tongan wrestlers (including Sione Vailahi and Tonga Fifita) recruited by former , but when he died in 1975 they were caught up in a succession dispute between former and the man who eventually became the new head, Wakafutase. They sided with Futaseyama's widow, who preferred Ryūō to take over, and were ultimately dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association. As a result of the controversy sumo officials had to fly to Tonga to explain themselves to the country's king, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. Wakafutase led the stable until his death in 1997. He was succeeded by former Daiju.
When Daiju reached retirement age in 2015 with no clear successor, the stable was closed. A number of staff and coaches and all of the active wrestlers (all being in the unsalaried divisions) transferred to Isegahama stable (the head stable of the same ), while all other remaining staff transferred to Asakayama stable.
Ring name conventions Many wrestlers in the later years at this stable took ring names or that began with the character (read: ), meaning large, in deference to their coach and the stable's owner, the former Daiju.
Owner 1997–2015: 18th Asahiyama Toshiaki (, , Daiju, born 1950) 1975–1997: 17th Asahiyama Tadayuki (, Wakafutase, 1942–1997) 1963–1975: 16th Asahiyama Shōgo ( 2, , 1921–1975) 1959–1963: 15th Asahiyama Shirōemon (, , 1919–1963) 1943–1959: 14th Asahiyama Shirōemon (, , 1916–1959) 1918–1943: 13th Asahiyama Shirōemon ( Futasegawa) 1916–1918: 12th Asahiyama Daigorō (28th Ōnishiki, 1883–1943) 1896–1916: 11th Asahiyama Shirōemon ( Iwagatani)
Notable wrestlers Kōtetsuyama (, 1942–1996) ( 1, 1945–2015) Tokusegawa ( 1, born 1983) ( 10, born 1973) Daimanazuru ( 10, born 1977) ( 7, born 1977) Yujiro Shirakawa ( 99, born 1976) – became an actor and a singer.
Notable staff Kiriyama Kuniyuki (, , Kurosegawa, born 1951) (, 7, 1957–2022) Takarakuni (, 2, born 1956) Hideo (, Hidehito Yamaki, born 1949)
See also List of sumo stables List of sumo elders List of active sumo wrestlers List of past sumo wrestlers List of years in sumo Glossary of sumo terms
References
External links Japan Sumo Association profile Japan Sumo Association profile Heya A-Z database