Age, Biography and Wiki

Takanohana Kenshi (Mitsuru Hanada) was born on 19 February, 1950 in Muroran, Japan, is a Japanese sumo wrestler. Discover Takanohana Kenshi's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 55 years old?

Popular As Mitsuru Hanada
Occupation N/A
Age 55 years old
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Born 19 February 1950
Birthday 19 February
Birthplace Muroran, Japan
Date of death 30 May, 2005
Died Place Bunkyo City, Tokyo, Japan
Nationality Japan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 19 February. He is a member of famous wrestler with the age 55 years old group.

Takanohana Kenshi Height, Weight & Measurements

At 55 years old, Takanohana Kenshi height is 1.83 m and Weight 115 kg.

Physical Status
Height 1.83 m
Weight 115 kg
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Takanohana Kenshi's Wife?

His wife is Noriko Fujita (m. 1970–2001)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Noriko Fujita (m. 1970–2001)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Takanohana Kenshi Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Takanohana Kenshi worth at the age of 55 years old? Takanohana Kenshi’s income source is mostly from being a successful wrestler. He is from Japan. We have estimated Takanohana Kenshi's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income wrestler

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Timeline

1950

Takanohana Kenshi 貴ノ花 健士 (born Hanada Mitsuru; February 19, 1950 – May 30, 2005) was a sumo wrestler from Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan.

His highest rank was ōzeki, which he held for fifty tournaments.

As an active Rikishi he was extremely popular and was nicknamed the "Prince of Sumo" due to his good looks and relatively slim build.

He was the father of Wakanohana Masaru and Takanohana Kōji, and as head of the Futagoyama stable coached both of them to the yokozuna rank.

He had been a champion swimmer while at school, but did not think he could make a living out of it.

1965

He began his career in the spring of 1965, joining Futagoyama stable which had been set up his elder brother, former yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I, three years previously.

He initially fought under his own surname of Hanada.

1968

He was determined to join professional sumo, in spite of some opposition from his family, who had wanted him to continue swimming (he was considered a possibility to make the team for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City).

He reached the top makuuchi division in November 1968 at the age of just 18, the youngest ever at the time (the record is now held by his son Takanohana).

He weighed barely 100 kg, and would remain one of the lightest men in the top division for the rest of his career.

1969

He adopted the shikona of Takanohana in 1969.

1970

He was married in 1970 to a former actress and beauty queen, Fujita Noriko, who was once "Miss Ōita Prefecture".

1971

He was the last man to beat yokozuna Taihō, in May 1971.

As he rose up the rankings he collected nine special prizes, including four prestigious ginō-shō, or Technique Awards.

1972

After finishing as runner-up in consecutive tournaments in May and July 1972 he reached sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki in November 1972.

He was promoted at the same time as his friend and rival Wajima, who quickly went on to be promoted to yokozuna.

1975

Takanohana's progress was slower, but he did win two top division tournament (or honbasho) championships in March and September 1975, each time delighting the crowds by defeating the giant yokozuna Kitanoumi in a playoff.

He and Wakanohana were the first brothers ever to each win a top division tournament title.

1977

He was also runner-up in the January and March 1977 tournaments.

However he was ultimately unable to defeat Kitanoumi or Wajima on a regular basis, and was hampered by his inability to put on weight, and so never made the yokozuna rank.

Nevertheless, he was an ōzeki for fifty tournaments, corresponding to over eight years in the rank.

1980

By the early 1980s he was finding it harder to hold onto his rank, and had been overtaken by his stablemate Wakanohana Kanji II, and other younger wrestlers.

One of his final bouts was a memorable clash in September 1980 with Hawaiian born Takamiyama, who was nearly twice his weight and like Takanohana, extremely popular with the Japanese public.

Takanohana looked to have won the match with an underarm throw, only for the judges to reverse the referee's decision and rule that the tip of Takanohana's topknot or ōichōmage had brushed the surface of the dohyō ahead of his opponent.

After losing to the rising star Chiyonofuji twice in a row in September and November 1980, he decided the time was right to retire.

The two were often compared, and Takanohana had been something of a mentor to Chiyonofuji, advising him to give up smoking to help increase his weight, something that Takanohana himself had never been able to manage.

1981

After retiring from sumo in January 1981, he took the name Fujishima and established the Fujishima stable in 1982, which grew to be one of the most powerful in terms of top makuuchi ranked wrestlers.

1993

When his elder brother retired as a stablemaster in 1993 he purchased the Futagoyama toshiyori-kabu or elder stock, with the help of 300 million yen from his koenkai, or network of supporters.

The two stables merged, and the newly renamed "Futagoyama stable" had one quarter of all the top ranked Rikishi in it at one point, including two yokozuna, an ōzeki and many others regularly in the junior san'yaku ranks.

During this time it was undoubtedly the most powerful stable the sumo world has seen in the postwar period.

He oversaw the promotion of both of his sons to yokozuna, the first time ever that two siblings have held sumo's highest rank.

2001

They were divorced in 2001.

2003

His health began to decline in 2003, and he withdrew from his duties in the Sumo Association.

2004

He passed on control of Futagoyama stable to his son Takanohana in January 2004, and made his last public appearance in January 2005 at the retirement ceremony of one of his former wrestlers, Takanonami.

2005

In February 2005, his son publicly announced that his father was struggling with mouth cancer (he had been a heavy smoker of Mild Seven cigarettes for most of his life).

He underwent extensive treatment, but no recovery was possible, and on 30 May 2005, he succumbed to the disease at the age of 55.

There was an acrimonious battle between Takanohana's sons over who should be head mourner at his funeral.

More than 1200 attended the event, which was held in Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo.

2007

This was a record until July 2007 when it was broken by Chiyotaikai.

He was a bigger crowd attraction than some yokozuna.