Churanoumi Yoshihisa

Japanese sumo wrestler (born 1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Churanoumi Yoshihisa (Japanese: 美ノ海 義久; born 6 May 1993 as Shinji Kizaki (木﨑 信志, Kizaki Shinji)) is a professional Japanese sumo wrestler from Okinawa Prefecture who debuted in March 2016. He has won three lower-division championships and reached the top makuuchi division in January 2024. His highest rank is maegashira 2. He wrestles for Kise stable. His younger brother was his stablemate at Kise under the shikona Kizakiumi [ja] (木崎海) until his retirement in August 2020.[1]

BornShinji Kizaki
(1993-05-06) May 6, 1993 (age 33)
Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight151 kg (333 lb; 23.8 st)
Quick facts Personal information, Born ...
Churanoumi Yoshihisa
美ノ海 義久
Personal information
BornShinji Kizaki
(1993-05-06) May 6, 1993 (age 33)
Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight151 kg (333 lb; 23.8 st)
Career
StableKise
UniversityNihon University
Current ranksee below
DebutMarch 2016
Highest rankMaegashira 2 (March 2026)
Championships3 (Makushita, Sandanme, Jonidan)
Special Prizes1
Fighting Spirit

Last updated: February 24, 2026
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Early life

Kizaki started sumo wrestling in elementary school in his native Okinawa. While in elementary school, he trained with high school students at Chūbu Norin High School, where his uncle was the sumo coach. In his second year of junior high school he placed in the top 16 in the National Junior High School Sumo Tournament.[2] Originally intending to enter Chūbu Norin, he changed his mind and attended Tottori Jōhoku High School in Tottori Prefecture after visiting that school for a training session.[3] One of his classmates, whom he defeated in individual competition, was future makuuchi champion Ichinojō.[4] He attended Nihon University,[5] where he was a member of their sumo club and a classmate of Tsushimanada.[6]

Sumo career

Kizaki was recruited by former maegashira Higonoumi, the stablemaster of Kise stable.[3] Ineligible to start higher on the banzuke under the tsukedashi system at the time, Kizaki's maezumo debut took place at the March 2016 tournament. In the following tournament he was officially ranked at the bottom jonokuchi division and won six of his seven matches. He then moved up the rankings, winning the jonidan championship in July and the sandanme championship in September with perfect records.

In May 2019 Kizaki was promoted to sekitori status with the rank of jūryō, having just won the makushita championship. Upon this promotion he changed his shikona, or ring name, from his birth surname to Churanoumi.[7] After suffering a ten-loss record he was immediately demoted back to makushita, where he stayed until he was promoted to jūryō for the second time in January 2020. Aside from one tournament in July 2021 spent in makushita, he remained in the jūryō division; in September 2023 he won 10 of 15 matches for the first time in his career.[5]

In November 2023 Churanoumi was promoted to the top makuuchi division.[8] He told reporters that he was happy to receive the top-division promotion before the tournament in Kyushu, where many Okinawans come.[8]

During the March 2025 tournament, Churanoumi remained in the group of wrestlers competing for the championship until the ninth day, when he lost to Tokihayate.[9] For his performance during the tournament, however, he was awarded the Fighting Spirit prize.[10]

In the March 2026 tournament, Churanoumi reached a career-high rank of maegashira 2. Despite only winning four of his fifteen matches, Churanoumi stood out for defeating eventual champion sekiwake Kirishima on Day 2,[11] as well as Ōzeki Aonishiki, who was seeking promotion to Yokozuna, on Day 4.[12]

Fighting style

Churanoumi uses pushing and thrusting techniques, with his top kimarite being oshidashi (frontal push out) and yorikiri (frontal force out). He most commonly uses a hidari-yotsu grip, where his left hand is inside his opponent's right arm.

Career record

More information Year, January Hatsu basho, Tokyo ...
Churanoumi Yoshihisa[13]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2016 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #15
61
 
East Jonidan #38
70P
Champion

 
West Sandanme #39
70
Champion

 
East Makushita #26
43
 
2017 East Makushita #21
52
 
West Makushita #13
43
 
East Makushita #9
43
 
East Makushita #7
52
 
West Makushita #3
34
 
East Makushita #7
34
 
2018 East Makushita #11
43
 
East Makushita #7
43
 
East Makushita #4
43
 
West Jūryō #14
510
 
West Makushita #2
34
 
West Makushita #5
34
 
2019 East Makushita #9
43
 
East Makushita #5
70
Champion

 
East Jūryō #14
510
 
West Makushita #3
34
 
East Makushita #6
52
 
East Makushita #1
43
 
2020 West Jūryō #12
87
 
West Jūryō #7
69
 
West Jūryō #9
Tournament Cancelled
State of Emergency
000
West Jūryō #9
87
 
East Jūryō #7
87
 
East Jūryō #6
87
 
2021 West Jūryō #3
771
 
East Jūryō #5
510
 
West Jūryō #9
312
 
West Makushita #3
52
 
East Jūryō #14
96
 
West Jūryō #8
78
 
2022 West Jūryō #9
69
 
West Jūryō #10
510
 
West Jūryō #14
96
 
West Jūryō #9
96
 
West Jūryō #6
96
 
East Jūryō #2
411
 
2023 East Jūryō #6
411
 
West Jūryō #10
96
 
West Jūryō #7
78
 
West Jūryō #7
87
 
East Jūryō #5
105
 
West Maegashira #15
96
 
2024 East Maegashira #13
78
 
West Maegashira #13
78
 
West Maegashira #13
87
 
West Maegashira #12
105
 
West Maegashira #7
105
 
East Maegashira #4
411
 
2025 East Maegashira #9
411
 
West Maegashira #14
114
F
West Maegashira #7
411
 
East Maegashira #13
96
 
West Maegashira #10
96
 
East Maegashira #7
87
 
2026 West Maegashira #5
96
 
West Maegashira #2
411
 
East Maegashira #6
96
 
x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

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
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See also

References

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