Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro

Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘, Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan), is a sumo wrestler. He made his professional debut in 2002, reaching the top division in 2005. He has earned seven special prizes in his career and been runner-up in three tournaments. He wrestles for Sadogatake stable. In 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki of winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and he was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September. On 24 January 2016 he became the first Japanese-born wrestler in ten years to win a top-division tournament.

Early life and sumo background

Kikutsugi was one of three brothers born to a builder. As a young boy he attended an area sumo exhibition and had his picture taken sitting on the lap of future yokozuna Takanohana. This helped encourage him to try out sumo. He transferred to Meitoku Gijuku Junior High School which is well known for its strong sumo program. In 1998, his third year of junior high, he won a national sumo tournament and was named junior high school yokozuna. He continued sumo Meitoku's high school. In his club, were two Mongolians exchange students, the future sekitori Asasekiryū and future yokozuna Asashōryū. Having become known to the owner of Sadogatake for his sumo skills, he joined that stable after graduating from high school.

2017

2017 (MMXVII) will be a common year starting on Sunday (dominical letter A) of the Gregorian calendar, the 2017th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 17th year of the 3rd millennium, the 17th year of the 21st century, and the 8th year of the 2010s decade.

Predicted and scheduled events

January

August

September

2016

2016 (MMXVI) is the current year, and is a leap year starting on Friday (dominical letter CB) of the Gregorian calendar, the 2016th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 16th year of the 3rd millennium, the 16th year of the 21st century, and the 7th year of the 2010s decade.

2016 has been designated as:

Events

January