Photo by Michihiro Taguchi — shot ringside.
In sumo, Takerufuji is a hard-charging thrust-and-push wrestler of Isegahama stable who tore through the lower ranks at astonishing speed — reaching the top makuuchi division in just eight tournaments from his debut, without a single losing record along the way.
A sumo boy from the start
Takerufuji was a born sumo wrestler, taking to the sport as a young boy. By his middle-school years he was already testing himself against the country’s best, competing in the Hakuho Cup. He then went on to Tottori Johoku High School, one of the great breeding grounds for the sport, before continuing to Nihon University. In the university sumo club he was a contemporary of Kiho.
He graduated in 2022, but he did not jump straight into the professional ranks. His entry into ozumo was settled that August. He joined Isegahama stable — led by the former yokozuna Asahifuji — with whom he had built a connection through training camps back home in Aomori.
A flying start in jonokuchi
He wrestled the maezumo preliminary bouts under his real name, Ishioka, then took the ring name Takerufuji from jonokuchi onward. Wrestlers coming out of the college game without a major amateur title sometimes have to start from the very bottom, and so it was for him — but the gap in ability was plain to see. He went 7–0 in both jonokuchi and jonidan, claiming the division championship each time.
The momentum never let up. He cleared sandanme in a single tournament and moved up into makushita, where he kept rolling — posting 6–1 three times and 5–2 twice on his way toward the salaried ranks. All the way up to makushita, across seven tournaments, he went 43–6, never once finishing with a losing record.
A dream debut in juryo
As a new juryo, Takerufuji opened with nine straight wins from day one. Some began to wonder aloud whether he might pull off a perfect championship in his very first salaried tournament. That, in the end, proved a step too far — only five wrestlers in history have ever swept a tournament 15–0 for the title, and one of those was a former komusubi. Even so, he won the juryo championship and powered through the division in just one tournament.
Into makuuchi in eight tournaments
Takerufuji reached the top division in just eight tournaments from jonokuchi — a staggering rise. He had taken the championship as a new juryo, cleared the division in a single tournament, and earned his place in makuuchi without ever turning in a losing record. Standing 184 cm and weighing 143 kg at 24 years old, he makes his living with a fierce thrusting and pushing style.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What stable does Takerufuji belong to?
Isegahama stable, led by the former yokozuna Asahifuji. He had a connection with the stable through training camps in his home region of Aomori.
Q. How fast did Takerufuji rise through sumo?
He reached the top makuuchi division in just eight tournaments from jonokuchi, never posting a losing record. Up to makushita he went 43–6 across seven tournaments.
Q. What is Takerufuji’s fighting style?
A thrust-and-push wrestler. He stands 184 cm and weighs 143 kg, and built his rapid climb on relentless pushing attacks.
Photos by Michihiro Taguchi, shot ringside.
