Fujinokawa Seigō

Fujinokawa Seigō
藤ノ川 成剛
Personal information
BornSeigō Saitō
(2005-02-22) February 22, 2005
Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan
Height1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight123 kg (271 lb; 19.4 st)
Career
StableIsenoumi
Current ranksee below
DebutJanuary 2023
Highest rankSekiwake (September 2026)
Championships1 (Sandanme)
Special Prizes
  • Fighting Spirit (1)
  • Technique (1)
  • Outstanding Performance (1)
Gold Stars4
Ōnosato (2)
Hōshōryū (2)
Last updated: August 31, 2026

Fujinokawa Seigō (Japanese: 藤ノ川 成剛; born February 22, 2005 as Seigō Saitō (齋藤 成剛, Saitō Seigō)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Edogawa, Tokyo and wrestles for the Isenoumi stable. He is the son of former maegashira wrestler Ōikari, who also wrestled for the same stable. He has won four gold stars for defeating yokozuna opponents as a maegashira, has a special prize for Technique, Fighting Spirit and Outstanding Performance.

In July 2026, Fujinokawa tied the record for the most consecutive wins (four) against a yokozuna in the history of the sport, becoming the first to do so since the end of World War II. At that time, he had never lost a match against a yokozuna.

Early career

Fujinokawa was born in Edogawa, Tokyo as the elder son of former makuuchi sumo wrestler Ōikari.[1]

During his third year at Saitama Sakae High School, he captained the sumo club.[1]

Due to his success in high school sumo, he received offers from several universities, but was advised by the tenth generation Koyama to enter sumo sooner, so he decided not to attend university but to join the Isenoumi stable.

Professional career

On 11 December 2022, it was announced that he would join his father's former stable, Isenoumi, and make his professional sumo debut in the January 2023 tournament, instead of waiting until he graduated from high school.[1][2] At the shinjo promotion ceremony, he entered the ring wearing the mawashi that his father had used during his active career, and changed his shikona from his real name, which he used during his amateur career, to "Wakaikari".[3]

In the July 2023 tournament, he won all seven of his bouts and defeated Asahakuryu in the deciding match to win the sandanme division championship.[4]

He was promoted to the makushita division in September 2023. In his seventh makushita tournament in September 2024, he finished with a record of four wins and three losses from makushita 2, and after the seventh match, his promotion to jūryō was considered a certainty.[5][6] On 25 September, the Japan Sumo Association decided to promote Wakaikari for the November tournament.[7] This is the 13th time in history that a father and son has been promoted to sekitori, and a first for the Isenoumi stable. At the press conference, he revealed that he was considering taking on his father's shikona "Ōikari" once he reached the makuuchi division.[8]

In the November tournament, he entered as jūryō 13 east. He lost his first three matches before winning his fourth match by default against makushita Kamito. He then lost his following two matches to have a record of 1 win and 5 losses. He won his seventh bout against Chiyomaru, and then won four consecutive matches. He won his seventh match, but lost the remaining two days to finish with a record of 7 wins and 8 losses.[9]

In the January 2025 tournament, he won four straight matches from day one, he then had his first loss before winning five straight matches, which put him in the running for the championship. On the eleventh day, he was injured after losing to his rival Shishi and was forced to withdraw for the first time in his career due to a distal rupture of the left biceps tendon. He finished with a record of 9 wins, 3 losses and 3 absences.[10]

In the March 2025 tournament, he was ranked jūryō 9 east, and had a winning record of 8 wins and 7 losses. In the May tournament, he was ranked jūryō 5 east, he finished with an excellent record of 12 wins and 3 losses despite being one win short of the champion Kusano.

When the rankings for the July 2025 tournament were revealed on June 30, his debut in the top makuuchi division was confirmed, and it was announced that he would change his shikona from Wakaikari to Fujinokawa, the traditional shikona of the Isenoumi stable.[11] He is the sixth wrestler to use the name "Fujinokawa"; this marks the first time in nine tournaments since the January 2024 tournament that a wrestler with a shikona ending in "kawa" that is not derived from his real name has returned to the rankings.[12] On the third day, he pushed out Hidenoumi to win his first makuuchi match.[13] He continued to win, and on the 13th day, with a record of 7 wins and 5 losses, he was given a walkover victory when his opponent, Takerufuji, withdrew from the tournament.[14] He also won his last two matches to finish with ten wins and five losses and was awarded the Kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit Prize).[15]

At the March 2026 tournament, Fujinokawa, having reached a career-high rank of Maegashira 2, won his first Kinboshi on Day 3 when he defeated Yokozuna Ōnosato by hikiotoshi.[16] He won his second Kinboshi the next day when he defeated Yokozuna Hōshōryū by hatakikomi, handing the Yokozuna his first defeat of the tournament.[17] By defeating Ōhō on the final day of the tournament to secure a winning record, Fujinokawa was awarded the first Technique Prize of his career.[18] Fujinokawa then withdrew from the Spring Tour due to a neck injury.[19]

On the second day of the July 2026 tournament, Fujinokawa defeated Ōnosato for the second time in a row, earning him a third kinboshi and maintaining a perfect record against the yokozuna with two wins in two matches.[20] The next day, Fujinokawa repeated the feat against Hōshōryū, earning his fourth kinboshi.[21] This victory marked the continuation of his perfect record against the two yokozuna of the time, as he had never lost a match to them. This performance also puts Fujinokawa on par with the three other instances in sumo history in which a wrestler has won four consecutive bouts against yokozuna, and marks it the first time since the end of World War II—a first since Musashiyama won a fourth consecutive victories over five tournaments against yokozuna Miyagiyama at the 1931 January tournament.[22] Before the final day of the tournament, it was announced that Fujinokawa could win his very first special prize for Outstsanding Performance if he won his last match and score a positive record.[23] Fujinokawa won against Fujiseiun and got the award.[24]

Career record

Fujinokawa Seigō[9]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2023 (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #13
6–1
 		 East Jonidan #33
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #86
7–0–P
Champion
 		 West Makushita #55
5–2
 		 East Makushita #35
6–1
 
2024 East Makushita #15
4–3
 		 East Makushita #10
4–3
 		 West Makushita #6
4–3
 		 West Makushita #5
4–3
 		 West Makushita #2
4–3
 		 East Jūryō #13
7–8
 
2025 East Jūryō #13
9–3–3
 		 East Jūryō #9
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #5
12–3
 		 West Maegashira #14
10–5
F		 West Maegashira #9
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #12
9–6
 
2026 West Maegashira #7
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #2
8–7
T★★		 East Maegashira #1
7–8
 		 East Maegashira #1
8–7
O★★		 West Sekiwake #1
–
 		 x
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

References

  1. 1 2 3 "甲山親方の長男、斎藤成剛「会場を沸かせられるような力士に」亡き母への思い胸に角界入り - 大相撲 : 日刊スポーツ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  2. ↑ "甲山親方の長男・斎藤成剛、高校横綱ら実力者揃い　初場所新弟子検査". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 9 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "甲山親方の長男・齋藤が「若碇」に改名　父・大碇の化粧まわしで新序出世披露". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 15 January 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "若碇が三段目V　７戦全勝で並んだ朝白龍との優勝決定戦を土俵際の豪快な掛け投げで制す". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 23 July 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "九州場所で親子＆兄弟関取が誕生の可能性　若碇の父は元幕内・大碇　琴手計の兄は幕内・琴勝峰". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "19歳の若碇が新十両昇進当確！「子供の頃からの夢だった」父は元幕内・大碇「一つの恩返しができた」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "新十両は３人＝若碇、安青錦、琴手計改め琴栄峰　再十両も３人＝栃大海、千代丸、生田目". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 September 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "【若碇の新十両会見全文】父「大碇」への改名は「幕内に上がってからでもいいかなと」". Nikkan Sports Premium (in Japanese). 25 September 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Fujinokawa Seigo Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "十両・若碇が休場　「左上腕二頭筋腱遠位断裂」…日本相撲協会が診断書を公表". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 23 January 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Nagoya 2025 Banzuke Released". Tachiai (立合い). 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  12. ↑ "【名古屋場所新番付】草野、若碇改め藤ノ川、琴栄峰が新入幕　幕内に兄弟が３組／平幕＆十両編". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 30 July 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  13. ↑ "新入幕の若碇から改名した藤ノ川が初勝利　３９年ぶりの藤ノ川勝ち名乗りも「途中記憶がない」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 15 July 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "幕内・尊富士が休場　５勝７敗で３連敗中　６日目の佐田の海戦で右腕を負傷". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 25 July 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  15. ↑ "藤ノ川、新入幕で２桁勝利を挙げ敢闘賞「取れるとは思っていなかった　自信になるっす」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 July 2025. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Sumo: Onosato's nightmare start continues with loss to Fujinokawa". Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS. 2026-03-10. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  17. ↑ "Sumo: Hoshoryu loses, Aonishiki beaten again as Tamawashi sets record". Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS. 2026-03-11. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  18. ↑ "藤ノ川が勝ち越し、初の技能賞を受賞 「取ってみたかったので、取れてよかった」…大の里、豊昇龍から連日の金星など評価". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 2026-03-22. Retrieved 2026-03-24.
  19. ↑ "大の里と藤ノ川が春巡業を離脱へ 15日から休場（共同通信）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  20. ↑ "【大相撲】横綱・大の里が連敗　２場所連続休場からの出場も厳しい状況に 藤ノ川に金星を配給". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "豊昇龍 ３日目で土、くせ者、藤ノ川に不戦敗を含め３連敗で金星配給". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "２日で懸賞101本606万円ゲット…横綱キラー藤ノ川「今日こそ焼き肉」戦後初４連続金星". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 14 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "熱海富士が敢闘賞、安青錦が技能賞　千秋楽勝てばの条件付きで殊勲賞に藤ノ川、敢闘賞に高安ら" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "藤ノ川が殊勲賞受賞「前に出て良い相撲で勝てた」今場所は２横綱を撃破…勝ち越しで締めくくる" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
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