Age, Biography and Wiki

Wakanohana Kanji I (Hanada Katsuji) was born on 16 March, 1928 in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese sumo wrestler. Discover Wakanohana Kanji I'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 82 years old?

Popular As Hanada Katsuji
Occupation N/A
Age 82 years old
Zodiac Sign Pisces
Born 16 March 1928
Birthday 16 March
Birthplace Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Date of death 2010
Died Place Tokyo, Japan
Nationality Japan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 16 March. He is a member of famous wrestler with the age 82 years old group.

Wakanohana Kanji I Height, Weight & Measurements

At 82 years old, Wakanohana Kanji I height is 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) and Weight 105 kg.

Physical Status
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight 105 kg
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Wakanohana Kanji I Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Wakanohana Kanji I worth at the age of 82 years old? Wakanohana Kanji I’s income source is mostly from being a successful wrestler. He is from Japan. We have estimated Wakanohana Kanji I'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

Wakanohana Kanji I Social Network

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Timeline

Wakanohana Kanji I (若乃花 幹士) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler.

1945

He was the sport's 45th Yokozuna.

He was a popular wrestler and was nicknamed the "Devil of the Dohyō" (土俵の鬼) due to his great fighting spirit and endurance.

Wakanohana's younger brother (by twenty-two years) was the late former ōzeki Takanohana Kenshi and he was the uncle of Wakanohana Masaru and Takanohana Kōji.

He won ten top division yūshō or tournament championships during his career and at a fighting weight of around 100 kg was one of the lightest Yokozuna ever.

1946

After working as a stevedore, he was scouted by the maegashira Onoumi, joining Nishonoseki stable in November 1946.

He was trained harshly by Rikidōzan in Nishonoseki stable, and reportedly bit Rikidōzan's leg in retaliation for his training.

1948

He began sumo with the shikona or ring name Wakanohana Yoshimi (若ノ花 義美), before changing its given name to his real one in May 1948.

1950

He had a long-standing rivalry with Tochinishiki and was one of the most popular wrestlers of the 1950s.

Wakanohana reached the top division in 1950.

1952

Onoumi became head coach of Shibatayama stable after his retirement in May 1952, and Wakanohana followed him to the new stable.

1953

It was renamed Hanakago stable in September 1953.

1955

In September 1955 he fought a bout against Yokozuna Chiyonoyama that lasted for over 17 minutes before being declared a draw.

In contrast, most sumo matches are over in a few seconds.

He was promoted to ōzeki after that tournament.

1956

Wakanohana won his first top division championship in May 1956.

Shortly before the following tournament his four-year-old eldest son Katsuo was scalded to death when a boiling hot pot of chankonabe fell on him.

Despite being devastated by the tragedy, Wakanohana chose to compete in the tournament but ended up dropping out with a fever.

Wakanohana was such a popular wrestler that he even starred in a feature film about his life, Wakanohana Monogatari Dohyō no Oni made by Nikkatsu and released across Japan on December 27, 1956.

After retirement he set up his own training stable, Futagoyama, which produced a string of top wrestlers, including ōzeki Takanohana (his brother) and Wakashimazu, and Yokozuna Wakanohana II and Takanosato.

1957

He changed the spelling of his ring surname in September 1957, and adopted the given name Kanji in May 1958.

1958

Wakanohana was promoted to Yokozuna in January 1958, shortly after he took his second tournament championship.

He was the first Yokozuna produced by the Nishonoseki ichimon or group of stables in over 20 years and consequently had to borrow the keshō-mawashi of the former Futabayama to perform his first Yokozuna dohyō-iri or ring entering ceremony.

Wakanohana's great rival as Yokozuna was Tochinishiki.

They were very evenly matched, being of similar height and weight, and both ended up with ten top division titles each.

1960

In March 1960, they faced each other undefeated on the final day – the first time ever that two Yokozuna had met like this.

Wakanohana won the match and Tochinishiki retired after the next tournament.

In his first year as head of the Association, he also performed his kanreki dohyō-iri or '60th year ring entrance ceremony' to commemorate his years as Yokozuna.

At the end of his last tournament in charge he presented the Emperor's Cup to his nephew, Takahanada, who had become the youngest ever top division tournament winner.

1962

After his retirement in 1962 he established Futagoyama stable and was also head of the Japan Sumo Association from 1988 until 1992.

Born Hanada Katsuji (花田 勝治) in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, he moved to Hokkaidō as a child.

Wakanohana kept going until the new era of Yokozuna Taihō and Kashiwado, retiring in May 1962.

1988

He was also head of the Japan Sumo Association from 1988 to 1992.

1991

Among his reforms was an attempt to improve the quality of the tachi-ai or initial charge of a bout by fining wrestlers who engaged in matta, or false starts, beginning in September 1991.

1993

Upon his retirement from the Sumo Association in 1993, his stable merged with his brother's Fujishima stable.

He became director of the Sumo Museum.

2010

He died of kidney cancer in September 2010 at the age of 82.

Umegatani I, who lived to 83, is the only Yokozuna to live longer than him.

Wakanohana was a noted technician, and his trademark was his overarm throwing techniques.

As well as uwatenage and dashinage he was also well known for yobimodoshi, or pulling body slam, a kimarite that has virtually disappeared from professional sumo today.