Akinoshima Katsumi

Akinoshima Katsumi
安芸乃島 勝巳
Personal information
BornKatsumi Yamanaka
(1967-03-16) 16 March 1967 (age 57)
Hiroshima, Japan
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight158 kg (348 lb)
Career
StableFutagoyama
Record822-757-78
DebutMarch, 1982
Highest rankSekiwake (May, 1989)
RetiredMay, 2003
Elder nameTakadagawa
Championships1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
1 (Jonidan)
Special PrizesOutstanding Performance (7)
Fighting Spirit (8)
Technique (4)
Gold Stars16
Chiyonofuji (4)
Hokutoumi (4)
Asahifuji (4)
Ōnokuni (2)
Akebono
Musashimaru
* Up to date as of July 2007.

Akinoshima Katsumi (born 16 March 1967 as Katsumi Yamanaka) is a former sumo wrestler from Akitsu, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1982, and after reaching the top division in 1988 he remained there for 15 years. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was known as the "giant killer" having defeated more yokozuna than any other untitled wrestler (maegashira) in the history of sumo, earning himself 16 gold stars or kinboshi over his career, four more than his nearest kinboshi earning rivals, Takamiyama and Tochinonada. He also has received 19 performance prizes (sanshō), another record in sumo history.

Akinoshima was a member of Futagoyama stable and was a stablemate of the wrestling brothers Takanohana II and Wakanohana III during their rise in sumo and subsequent yokozuna reigns. Akinoshima was a wrestler always capable of surprise wins, but lacked consistency, spending most of his career as a maegashira. After his retirement in 2003 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and in 2009 he became head coach of the Takadagawa stable.