Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu (Japanese: 千代嵐 慶喜, romanizedchiyoarashi yoshinobu; born July 12, 1991, as Watanabe Yoshinobu) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Chiba Prefecture who wrestles for Kokonoe stable. He debuted in March 2007, and reached his highest rank of jūryō 10 in November 2011. He retired in January 2024.

Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu
千代嵐 慶喜
Chiyoarashi in September 2011, in his first jūryō tournament
Personal information
BornWatanabe Yoshinobu (Japanese: 渡邉 慶喜)
(1991-07-12) July 12, 1991 (age 33)
Chiba
Height177.4 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight144.5 kg (319 lb)
Career
StableKokonoe
Record370-298-71
DebutMarch 2007
Highest rankJuryo 10
RetiredJanuary 2024
Championships1 (Sandanme)
* Up to date as of 28 May 2023.

Early life and entry into sumo

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Born in Kisarazu, Chiyoarashi began sumo training with his father beginning in elementary school. In his third grade of elementary school he met former Chiyonofuji, the then oyakata of Kokonoe stable.[1] He then joined Kokonoe stable at the age of 15.

Career

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Debuting in March 2007, Chiyoarashi reached the salaried jūryō division in September 2011. He was promoted alongside his Kokonoe stablemate Chiyozakura [ja].[2] His first tournament in the division he posted an 8-7 score which saw him promoted to his career highest rank of Jūryō 10 in November 2011, but he failed to complete the tournament due to injury and posted a losing score of 4-6-5. He then sat out the next tournament in January 2012 and when he returned in March of that year he was in the lower ranks of makushita.

He once again returned to jūryō in May 2013 at Jūryō 12 where he posted a score of 7–8. In the next tournament in July 2013, he was ranked at Jūryō 13, however, once again due to injury he had to pull out in the last day ending the tournament with a record of 4-10-1. He was forced to sit out three tournaments from November 2013 to January 2014, whereupon his return he was in sandanme.

In March 2014 he won his first yūshō in sandanme in a playoff against Takakasuga, the two wrestlers achieving a perfect record of 7–0.[3] By May 2015 he was in the upper ranks of Makushita but again was injured and had to pull out of the tournament and he sat out three tournaments from July 2015 to November 2016. He returned in January 2016 at the rank of Jonidan 32 and lost the yusho in a playoff to Kaito.[4]

Between January 2017 and 2021, he wrestled consistently in the Makushita division, sitting out only one tournament in January 2021 due to a COVID-19 outbreak in his stable.[5] The Japan Sumo Association announced after the November 2021 tournament that Chiyoarashi had been promoted back to jūryō, after an absence of 49 tournaments or eight and a half years.[6] This is the longest time taken by a wrestler to return to jūryō in sumo history.[7] He scored six wins against nine losses in his return to jūryō, and fell back to makushita after just one tournament. However, a 4–3 score at Makushita 1 East in March 2022 saw him promoted to jūryō again.[8]

Retirement from sumo

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Chiyoarashi announced his retirement during the January 2024 tournament, after four straight losses in the makushita division.[9]

Fighting style

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Chiyoarashi was an oshi-style wrestler with his primary kimarite being oshidashi.[10]

Career record

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Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu
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
2007 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #17
5–2
 
West Jonidan #96
5–2
 
West Jonidan #50
4–3
 
West Jonidan #24
3–4
 
2008 East Jonidan #48
5–2
 
East Jonidan #10
6–1
 
West Sandanme #49
3–4
 
East Sandanme #66
3–4
 
East Sandanme #85
5–2
 
West Sandanme #49
4–3
 
2009 West Sandanme #32
5–2
 
West Sandanme #6
3–4
 
East Sandanme #19
5–2
 
West Makushita #56
2–5
 
East Sandanme #20
5–2
 
West Makushita #57
4–3
 
2010 West Makushita #50
0–7
 
West Sandanme #25
4–3
 
West Sandanme #13
6–1
 
East Makushita #37
3–4
 
West Makushita #44
4–3
 
West Makushita #35
3–4
 
2011 West Makushita #42
6–1
 

Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0
East Makushita #17
5–2
 
East Makushita #3
5–2
 
West Jūryō #11
8–7
 
East Jūryō #10
4–6–5
 
2012 East Makushita #3
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Makushita #43
4–3
 
West Makushita #35
4–3
 
East Makushita #30
4–3
 
West Makushita #24
5–2
 
West Makushita #13
4–3
 
2013 East Makushita #10
5–2
 
East Makushita #4
6–1
 
West Jūryō #12
7–8
 
East Jūryō #13
4–10–1
 
West Makushita #5
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Makushita #45
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
2014 East Sandanme #26
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
East Sandanme #87
7–0
Champion

 
West Makushita #56
5–2
 
East Makushita #37
3–4
 
East Makushita #46
6–1
 
East Makushita #19
4–3
 
2015 West Makushita #14
4–3
 
West Makushita #9
6–1
 
East Makushita #2
0–4–3
 
West Makushita #32
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Sandanme #12
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Sandanme #72
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
2016 West Jonidan #32
7–0
 
West Sandanme #34
5–2
 
East Sandanme #9
4–3
 
East Makushita #58
0–1–6
 
East Sandanme #34
5–2
 
West Sandanme #7
6–1
 
2017 East Makushita #32
5–2
 
West Makushita #19
4–3
 
East Makushita #15
3–4
 
East Makushita #23
4–3
 
East Makushita #18
3–4
 
West Makushita #25
5–2
 
2018 East Makushita #16
2–5
 
East Makushita #30
4–3
 
East Makushita #23
4–3
 
East Makushita #17
4–3
 
West Makushita #10
2–5
 
East Makushita #26
3–4
 
2019 East Makushita #37
2–5
 
East Makushita #50
5–2
 
East Makushita #35
6–1
 
West Makushita #14
3–4
 
West Makushita #18
3–4
 
West Makushita #23
4–3
 
2020 West Makushita #18
5–2
 
West Makushita #9
4–3
 
East Makushita #7
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0
East Makushita #7
3–4
 
East Makushita #11
5–2
 
East Makushita #5
2–5
 
2021 East Makushita #10
Sat out due to COVID rules
0–0–7
East Makushita #10
4–3
 
West Makushita #7
5–2
 
East Makushita #4
4–3
 
West Makushita #1
3–4
 
East Makushita #4
5–2
 
2022 West Jūryō #13
6–9
 
East Makushita #1
4–3
 
East Jūryō #13
4–11
 
East Makushita #5
2–6
 
West Makushita #15
4–3
 
East Makushita #12
4–3
 
2023 East Makushita #9
4–3
 
East Makushita #7
1–6
 
East Makushita #29
4–3
 
East Makushita #23
1–6
 
West Makushita #47
6–1
 
West Makushita #19
4–3
 
2024 West Makushita #16
Retired
0–4
x x 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: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "【大相撲】和製スター候補の呼び声高い、九重部屋『三羽ガラス』". sportiva.shueisha.co.jp. Shueisha Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. ^ "「相乗効果」千代桜、千代嵐が新十両". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 July 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  3. ^ "元十両千代嵐が三段目V 豊真将は15戦全勝逃す". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 23 March 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  4. ^ "千代嵐慶喜". sumo.or.jp. Nihon Sumo Kyokai. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu". sumodb.sumogames.de. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  6. ^ "琴裕将、紫雷、北の若が新十両昇進 千代嵐は8年半ぶり再十両". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  7. ^ "2022 January Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics". Japan Sumo Association. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  8. ^ "栃丸が十両昇進、初土俵から11年遅咲きの花咲かせる 千代嵐は2場所ぶりの再十両 (Late-blooming Tochimaru is promoted to juryo, 11 years from his ring debut, Chiyoarashi re-promoted to juryo for the first time in two tournaments)". Nikkan Sports. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  9. ^ "元十両の千代嵐が引退 十両復帰を目指すも4番相撲も敗れ4戦全敗、取組後に引退届を提出". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Chiyoarashi Yoshinobu". sumo.or.jp. Nihon Sumo Kyokai. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
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