| Wakanohana Kanji | |
|---|---|
| 若乃花 幹士 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Katsunori Shimoyama 3 April 1953 Ōwani, Aomori, Japan |
| Died | 16 July 2022 (aged 69) Osaka, Japan |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 129 kg (284 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Futagoyama |
| Record | 656–323–85 |
| Debut | July 1968 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (May 1978) |
| Retired | January 1983 |
| Elder name | Magaki |
| Championships | 4 (Makuuchi) |
| Special Prizes |
|
| Gold Stars | 3 (Kitanoumi) |
| * Up to date as of June 2020. | |
Wakanohana Kanji (Japanese: 若乃花 幹士, 3 April 1953 — 16 July 2022) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori. He was the sport's 56th yokozuna. He was popular with sumo fans and was well-known for his rivalry with Kitanoumi. After retirement, he became the head coach of Magaki stable. Due to poor health, he left the Japan Sumo Association in December 2013. He died of lung cancer in July 2022 at the age of 69.