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Wakanohana Kanji I

Known for

Acting

Born

March 16, 1928

Birthplace

Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Died

September 1, 2010 (aged 82)

Biography

Wakanohana Kanji I (Japanese: 若乃花 幹士, Hepburn: Wakanohana Kanji, March 16, 1928 – September 1, 2010) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 45th yokozuna. He was a popular wrestler and was nicknamed the "Devil of the Dohyō" (土俵の鬼, Dohyō no Oni) 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. He had a long-standing rivalry with Tochinishiki and was one of the...

Best known work

Wakanohana: The Story of the Devil of the Dohyō
Wakanohana: The Story of the Devil of the Dohyō
1956

Filmography

  1. 1956

    Wakanohana: The Story of the Devil of the Dohyō

    as Himself

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