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Shōnanzakura Sōta (Japanese: 勝南桜 聡太, born 16 July 1998 as Shōta Hattori (服部 祥多)) is a Japanese former sumo wrestler from Chigasaki, Kanagawa. He made his professional debut in September 2015 and was first known as Hattorizakura Futoshi (服部桜 太志). He retired after the July 2021 tournament at the age of 23. His highest rank was jonokuchi 9. He was notable for having an exceptionally poor record in sumo, having won only 3 of his 238 career bouts, and set an all-time record of 104 consecutive losses. At times he was criticized for appearing to make deliberate attempts to lose and thus avoid competing. He was a member of Shikihide stable, which is well known for taking on any aspiring wrestler regardless of ability.

Early life

Hattori first became interested in sumo in elementary school, from watching broadcasts of the makushita division on TV. At junior high school he was a member of the track and field club, specializing in the 1500 metres. After completing his compulsory education he did not go on to high school, preferring to work on strength training and continuing his athletic activities. From this he became interested in sumo training methods. After visiting the Ryōgoku Kokugikan with his grandfather to watch sumo he met Shikihide-oyakata, the head coach of Shikihide stable and had his picture taken with him. He liked the stablemaster's personality and in December 2014 without his family's knowledge visited Shikihide stable, asking to join. The stable was well known for accepting any recruit regardless of physique or previous sumo experience, but Shikihide saw his small size and told him that he might be better suited as a sumo gyōji (referee) or tokoyama (hairdresser) and that he had to go back home to get his parents' permission first. Hattori returned to the stable in August 2015 with his mother, and was accepted as a new recruit.

Career

He was given the shikona of Hattorizakura, using a combination of his own surname and zakura ("cherry blossoms") taken from his stablemaster's fighting name, Kitazakura. He made his professional debut in September 2015, weighing just 70 kg (150 lb). He began with 22 consecutive losses before recording his first career win over Sawanofuji on the sixth day of the May 2016 tournament. He then began another losing streak, and in March 2017 he took the record for most consecutive losses since the establishment of the six tournaments per year system in 1958, surpassing the 32 Morikawa had from July 2003 to March 2004. At the end of the March 2017 tournament he became the first wrestler to score 0-7 in five successive tournaments. His 70th straight loss was remarked upon as being the counterpart to Futabayama's all-time record of 69 consecutive wins. Eventually he had 89 consecutive losses before getting his second career win over Soga in July 2018. After another 23 losses he got his third and final career victory over Houn in January 2019. In March 2021 he was defeated for the 90th straight time, surpassing his previous record losing streak. The run had extended to 104 consecutive losses by July 2021, just after his 23rd birthday.

On the second day of the September 2016 tournament he attracted negative media publicity after he appeared several times to throw himself to the ground without touching his opponent, Kinjo (now Chiyodaigo). The ringside judges had to intervene and instruct him to redo the bout so that a real match could take place. Afterwards his stablemaster Shikihide said that Hattorizakura had a neck injury and feared hurting himself further. Hattorizakura considered retiring at that point but was told by Shikihide that he should not run away and be forever thought of as a quitter. Instead to draw a line under the incident he immediately changed the second part of his shikona from his own given name of Shōta to Futoshi.

Shortly before the January 2021 tournament his whole shikona changed, to Shōnanzakura Sōta. Shōnan is his native region, and the kanji for shō also meant "win." The second part of the shikona, Sōta, was a reference to the shogi player Sōta Fujii.

Shōnanzakura, due to his lack of success, spent his entire career in the lowest jonokuchi division, where it is possible to move up the division despite not getting a kachi-koshi or more wins than losses in a tournament. In May 2021 he reached his highest rank of jonokuchi 9, not because of any improvement in performance but because a large number of new recruits from the previous tournament had not been able to compete because their maezumo bouts were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they all had to be ranked below him as a result.

Retirement from sumo

It was revealed on 25 August 2021 that Shōnanzakura had retired after the July tournament and had his danpatsu-shiki or retirement ceremony at his heya on 7 August. His stablemaster Shikihide said he had wanted his wrestler to continue but ultimately accepted his decision. He praised Shōnanzakura for remaining dedicated despite his losing streak, being first to training and being courteous when helping out with cleaning and cooking the chankonabe. He said Shōnanzakura was now back at his parents' house in Kanagawa and ready to begin his second life.

Fighting style

He was restricted not only by his light weight, but his poor tachi-ai which saw him stand up straight too quickly, leading to him being overwhelmed by his opponents. He worked on getting a migi-yotsu (right hand inside, left hand outside) grip on his opponent's mawashi or belt. His stablemaster said that when he first joined Shōnanzakura could not do push-ups, but by July 2021 could handle a hundred in a session. Shikihide said his wrestler was good in training, but became too nervous when competing in tournaments.

Records

Shōnanzakura holds a number of "losing" records, including:

• 104 consecutive losses
• 30 completed tournaments with no wins (26 of these 0-7, four were 0-8 when he was required to fight an extra match)
• 42 losses in a calendar year, the most for any non-sekitori
• 34 consecutive make-koshi, the most by a wrestler with no kachi-koshi and second only to Morikawa's 38 overall
• Reaching 100 career defeats with only one career win
• Reaching 200 career defeats with only three career wins

Career record

See also

• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of past sumo wrestlers

References

1. ^ "本村出身服部祥多さん 序ノ口「服部桜（はっとりざくら）」誕生". Town News Chigasaki. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
2. Gunning, John (22 January 2020). "Kitazakura known best for talent, attitude outside ring". The Japan Times. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
3. ^ "序ノ口力士の敗退行為と今後". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 18 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
4. ^ "Shonanzakura Sota Rikishi Information". sumodb.sumogames.de. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
5. "服部桜"双葉山超え"70連敗も「逃げるのが負け」Hattorizakura "Beyond Futabayama" with 70 consecutive defeats". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 21 January 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
6. ^ "Hattorizakura, the second win! Stopped the losing streak at 89!". Hochi (in Japanese). 10 July 2018. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
7. Suzuki, Kensuke (26 March 2021). "超えてはいけない大記録 最弱力士が向き合う黒星地獄 A big record that should not be exceeded: Black star hell facing the weakest sumo wrestler". Asahi (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 August 2021.
8. ^ "Hattorizakura Futoshi retires from sumo with a record 104 consecutive losses, 3 wins and 238 losses in total". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 26 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
9. Gunning, John (22 March 2019). "Sumo 101: Consistent losers". The Japan Times. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
10. "75連敗中の服部桜が改名、勝南桜で勝つ！／新番付". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 24 December 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
11. "勝南桜76連敗 地元と藤井２冠にあやかり改名も…". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 11 January 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
12. "90連敗中の力士が番付上がる珍事 勝南桜15枚上がり最高位更新 A rare thing that sumo wrestlers during a 90-match losing streak go up the rankings". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
13. "How does the master see Hattorizakura, who lost 100 games in a row?". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.

External links

• Shōnanzakura Sōta's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage

• 1998 births
• Living people
• Japanese sumo wrestlers
• People from Chigasaki, Kanagawa
• Sumo people from Kanagawa Prefecture