Hoshiiwato Yūji
# Hoshiiwato Yūji

Hoshiiwato Yūji (born 25 July 1955 as Yūji Noguchi) is a former sumo wrestler from Kaimon, Kagoshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1970 and reached the top division in July 1989, 115 tournaments later. This was the slowest ever rise to the top division. His highest rank was maegashira 14. Upon retirement from active competition after the January 1991 tournament, where he faced demotion to the makushita division, he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association and took over as head coach at Michinoku stable. He oversaw the promotion to the jūryō division of two wrestlers from Argentina, Hoshitango and Hoshiandesu. He left the Sumo Association in December 1997 and was succeeded as head coach by former ōzeki Kirishima. He ran a restaurant in Kagoshima city after leaving sumo.

Throughout his long career, Hoshiiwato changed his shikona or fighting name eight times, making his debut under his family name of Noguchi and then being variously known as Kaimondake, Hoshikabuto, Satsumafuji, Hoshisatsuma, Oiwato, Hoshiiwato, Hoshikabuto (again) and finally Hoshiiwato again. This is believed to be a record.

## Career record

Hoshiiwato Yūji :

| 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1970 | x | x | (Maezumo) | East Jonokuchi #8 5–2 | West Jonidan #61 1–6 | East Jonidan #82 5–2 |
| 1971 | West Jonidan #39 2–5 | West Jonidan #55 5–2 | West Jonidan #18 0–5–2 | West Jonidan #59 5–2 | West Jonidan #22 3–4 | East Jonidan #37 3–4 |
| 1972 | West Jonidan #48 4–3 | West Jonidan #28 4–3 | West Jonidan #16 3–4 | East Jonidan #23 4–3 | West Jonidan #12 3–4 | West Jonidan #20 5–2 |
| 1973 | East Sandanme #58 2–5 | West Jonidan #2 4–3 | East Sandanme #69 4–3 | East Sandanme #58 2–5 | West Jonidan #2 4–3 | West Sandanme #65 4–3 |
| 1974 | East Sandanme #50 4–3 | East Sandanme #40 3–4 | East Sandanme #54 2–5 | East Sandanme #74 4–3 | West Sandanme #61 4–3 | West Sandanme #48 6–1 |
| 1975 | West Sandanme #14 4–3 | East Sandanme #2 1–6 | West Sandanme #32 2–5 | East Sandanme #55 2–5 | West Sandanme #78 3–4 | East Jonidan #14 5–2 |
| 1976 | East Sandanme #68 6–1 | West Sandanme #25 6–1 | East Makushita #48 5–2 | East Makushita #32 3–4 | East Makushita #40 1–6 | West Sandanme #5 4–3 |
| 1977 | West Makushita #50 5–2 | West Makushita #29 3–4 | East Makushita #40 4–3 | West Makushita #27 5–2 | East Makushita #17 2–5 | East Makushita #36 2–5 |
| 1978 | West Makushita #57 4–3 | East Makushita #44 1–6 | West Sandanme #9 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 | West Sandanme #9 2–5 | East Sandanme #36 5–2 | East Sandanme #5 6–1 |
| 1979 | West Makushita #30 3–4 | East Makushita #39 3–4 | East Makushita #51 4–3 | East Makushita #42 2–5 | East Sandanme #5 3–4 | West Sandanme #18 2–5 |
| 1980 | West Sandanme #44 6–1 | East Makushita #60 4–3 | East Makushita #50 4–3 | West Makushita #41 3–4 | West Makushita #50 4–3 | East Makushita #38 4–3 |
| 1981 | West Makushita #31 3–4 | West Makushita #41 6–1 | West Makushita #15 5–2 | West Makushita #5 4–3 | East Makushita #3 6–1 | West Jūryō #11 4–11 |
| 1982 | West Makushita #6 3–4 | West Makushita #11 5–2 | East Makushita #4 3–4 | East Makushita #8 6–1 | East Makushita #2 1–6 | West Makushita #24 3–4 |
| 1983 | East Makushita #33 4–3 | East Makushita #30 5–2 | East Makushita #14 5–2 | East Makushita #6 4–3 | East Makushita #3 5–2 | West Jūryō #11 7–8 |
| 1984 | West Jūryō #12 8–7 | West Jūryō #8 6–9 | East Jūryō #12 7–8 | East Makushita #1 3–4 | West Makushita #5 4–3 | East Makushita #3 3–4 |
| 1985 | West Makushita #8 3–4 | West Makushita #15 5–2 | West Makushita #7 5–2 | East Makushita #2 3–4 | West Makushita #7 4–3 | East Makushita #4 2–5 |
| 1986 | East Makushita #17 4–3 | West Makushita #11 2–5 | West Makushita #28 5–2 | East Makushita #18 4–3 | East Makushita #12 7–0 Champion | East Jūryō #11 8–7 |
| 1987 | West Jūryō #7 6–9 | West Jūryō #11 8–7 | East Jūryō #8 7–8 | East Jūryō #10 9–6 | East Jūryō #7 6–9 | East Jūryō #10 8–7 |
| 1988 | East Jūryō #7 8–7 | East Jūryō #5 7–8 | East Jūryō #7 8–7 | West Jūryō #3 7–8 | West Jūryō #4 4–11 | East Jūryō #13 8–7 |
| 1989 | East Jūryō #9 8–7 | West Jūryō #6 8–7 | West Jūryō #2 9–6 | East Maegashira #14 4–11 | West Jūryō #5 6–9 | East Jūryō #10 8–7 |
| 1990 | West Jūryō #5 5–10 | West Jūryō #10 10–5–P | West Jūryō #2 5–10 | West Jūryō #7 8–7 | West Jūryō #4 6–9 | East Jūryō #8 7–8 |
| 1991 | West Jūryō #9 Retired 2–13 | x | x | 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; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira |||||||
