Kazuma Torakaze
| Kazuma Torakaze | |
|---|---|
| 一意 虎風 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Kazuma Kawabuchi November 12, 2001 Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 205 kg (452 lb; 32.3 st) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Kise |
| University | Nihon University |
| Current rank | see below |
| Debut | July 2024 |
| Highest rank | Maegashira 15 (July 2026) |
| Championships | 1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita) 1 (Sandanme) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
Last updated: July 3, 2026 | |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Sumo | ||
Representing  Japan | ||
| World Junior Sumo Championships[1] | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2019, Osaka (Osaka) Japan | Heavyweight |
Kazuma Torakaze (Japanese: 一意 虎風; born November 12, 2001 as Kazuma Kawabuchi (川渕 一意, Kawabuchi Kazuma)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for Kise stable, his highest rank is maegashira.
Early life
Kawabuchi began practicing sumo in elementary school, joining a club led by a former makushita wrestler who had belonged to Takanohana stable.[2] In fourth grade, he won the National Elementary School Championship.[3] In middle school, he enrolled at Kanazawa Municipal Saisei Junior High School in Ishikawa Prefecture. In his third year, he won the Japanese prefectural team championship. In high school, he attended Kanazawa Gakuin Senior High School and won the national individual championship in the under-100-kilogram weight class, as well as two national qualifying tournaments in Towada and Usa, Ōita. At the World Junior Championships, he won the heavyweight division. He then went on to study sociology at Nihon University and joined the sumo club. At university, he was notably a classmate of the future Yoshinofuji.[4] In his freshman year, he placed third in the National University Championships in the over-135-kg division, third in the All-Japan Championships, and second in the Eastern Japan Freshman Championships. In his second year, he placed third in the All-Japan Student Championship in the over-135-kg division and third in the National Student Selection Tournament.[5] Unfortunately, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the All-Japan Intercollegiate Championships and had to take a year off to recover.[6] He returned to competition for the National Collegiate Team Championships the following year.[6] He had to wait until his fourth year before he could win other tournaments. Notably, he won the All Japan University Selection tournament in Usa and finished second at the Kyushu All Japan University tournament. He also won the Eastern Japan Student Championships in the over-135-kg weight class, the National Japanese Student Championships in the same weight class, the All Japan University Tournament in Kariya, and finally the National Sports Festival.[5]
After graduating, he decided to become a professional sumo wrestler; his last two tournament victories qualified him for the rank of makushita tsukedashi. He chose to join Kise stable, where several alumni of Nihon University wrestle.[7] Kawabuchi decided to use his legal first name Kazuma (一意) as his shikona, or ring name.
Career
In his first tournament, Kazuma won four consecutive matches before losing his fifth match. He fell out of the ring, injured himself, and had to be wheeled out on a wheelchair, having apparently suffered an injury to his right knee.[6] After a four-month suspension that saw him demoted to the jonokuchi division, Kazuma returned to competition and won the tournament on his comeback.[2] During the September and November tournaments, Kazuma also won the sandanme and makushita championships, respectively.[8][9] When the jūryō rankings were announced immediately following the tournament, it was announced that Kazuma's performance would be enough to promote him to the sekitori ranks for the January 2026 tournament.[10] At the time of his promotion, Kazuma was the heaviest wrestler in that division, weighing 206 kg (454 lb).[4] Kazuma competed in two tournaments in the jūryō division before finding himself in a position to potentially be promoted to the top division during the May tournament. During that tournament, Kazuma won the championship.[11]
When the banzuke (rankings) for the July tournament was announced, it was revealed that Kazuma would be promoted to the makuuchi division. This promotion makes him the 24th wrestler from his stable to be promoted to the top division and the 45th from his university.[12]
Personal life
Kazuma is the middle child of three siblings. His older brother was also a sumo wrestler within Shikoroyama stable and competed under the shikona (ring name) Kawabuchi. His younger brother is a professional boxer and a multiple high school championship winner. His father passed away in August 2025.[2][13]
Career record
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | x | x | x | Makushita tsukedashi #60 4–1–2 |
West Makushita #49 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
West Sandanme #29 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
| 2025 | West Jonidan #9 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
East Jonidan #80 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
East Jonokuchi #7 7–0 Champion |
East Jonidan #5 6–1 |
East Sandanme #26 7–0 Champion |
West Makushita #15 7–0 Champion |
| 2026 | West Jūryō #14 8–7 |
East Jūryō #11 10–5 |
East Jūryō #6 12–3 Champion |
West Maegashira #15 5–10 |
x | 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) | ||||||
References
- ↑ "Junior Men's Individual Tournament". International Sumo Federation. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 十両以下各段優勝者 [Winners in every divisions below juryo]. Sumo Magazine (June 2025). Baseball Magazine, Inc.: 69.
- ↑ "幕下付け出しの日大出身・一意が"ぶっつけ"で快勝デビュー 第二の故郷・金沢市を出身地に登録". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 14 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- 1 2 "新十両の一意が206キロでいきなり最重量関取、200キロ超は２人 最軽量は117キロ翠富士". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 24 December 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- 1 2 "幕下付け出しの日大出身・一意が"ぶっつけ"で快勝デビュー 第二の故郷・金沢市を出身地に登録". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 14 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "体重195キロの幕下付け出し・一意が右膝負傷で救急搬送のアクシデント…日大時代には左膝の靱帯断裂も". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 22 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ 全新弟子名鑑 [Complete New Recruit Data]. Sumo Magazine (August 2024). Baseball Magazine, Inc.: 105.
- ↑ "一意が三段目優勝 ８月に父の一男さんが死去「一番の供養かなと思っています」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 26 September 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "【相撲】一意 幕下全勝Vで新十両"確実" 日大の後輩・竜翔を一蹴「うれしいです」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 22 November 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "日大出身の一意とモンゴル出身の出羽ノ龍が新十両昇進 初場所番付編成会議". The Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 26 November 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "一意が西ノ龍を寄り切り12勝3敗で十両優勝". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 24 May 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "一意が新入幕「自分の名前が一番上に」西前頭15枚目で実感、幕内は「雲の上の存在」だった". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 29 June 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "【ボクシング】川渕一統「良い報告できる」8月に亡くなった父に捧げる3戦連続KO勝利". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 5 October 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "Kazuma Torakaze Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
External links
- Official biography of Kazuma Torakaze at the Grand Sumo Homepage
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