Satonofuji Hisashi
Satonofuji Hisashi is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Gunma Prefecture. He made his debut in 1996 at the age of eighteen. His highest rank was Professional [sumo divisions#Makushita|makushita] 55. He wrestled for stable |Isegahama stable], where he was its oldest member and responsible for preparing the meals at the time of his retirement.
Satonofuji is noted for having performed the 653 times, more than any other wrestler in sumo history. He is the oldest sumo wrestler to perform the ceremony since the Shōwa era. After the conclusion of the Nagoya 2024 tournament he surpassed Edonohana, who had performed the ceremony 637 times.
Career
Born in the town of Yoshioka, Gunma, Satonofuji debuted in January 1996 under the ring name Asatofuji. He was promoted to the third-highest makushita division in September 2005, but was relegated in the following tournament. Since then, he has never been promoted higher than sandanme. In March 2008 he changed his ring name to Satonofuji.Satonofuji began to perform the yumitori-shiki in January 2013, which is presented following the final top division match of every Grand Sumo Tournament day and typically performed by a lower-division wrestler in the same stable as a yokozuna. At that time, stablemate Harumafuji–seven years his junior–had recently been promoted to the top rank. Satonofuji stopped performing the ceremony a few tournaments after Harumafuji retired, but resumed in September 2021. Although his return coincided with the promotion of fellow Isegahama wrestler Terunofuji to the yokozuna rank, Satonofuji had stepped in with little notice after another lower-division wrestler scheduled to perform the ceremony,, injured his shoulder in a match against Ōshōumi. Upon his return to the role, Satonofuji was quoted as saying that he was too old to show his body. At the age of 44, he became the oldest performer of the ceremony since the Shōwa era.
In a November 2022 interview, Satonofuji said in regard to the yumitori-shiki that "every single gesture has a meaning, so I put my heart into it."
During the July 2023 tournament Satonofuji withdrew from competition, and so the yumitori-shiki duties temporarily went to then-sandanme wrestler Yuki from the same stable as ōzeki Kirishima. In September 2023 Satonofuji, demoted to jonokuchi for the first time since his debut in 1996, performed the yumitori-shiki for the first two days of the tournament until Yuki resumed the duties. In 2024 Satonofuji returned to yumitori duties, usually performing the ceremony unless Terunofuji withdrew from a tournament.
Satonofuji last performed the on 16 January 2025, the day that Terunofuji withdrew from the January 2025 tournament; the officially retired the next day. Satonofuji told reporters he had sensed on the day of Terunofuji's withdrawal that he could be performing his last . Upon learning of the retirement, Satonofuji praised Terunofuji for his hard work, noting that he, like Terunofuji, also dropped down to the division before rising up again. He also reflected on his time as the performer of the, expressing his thanks for being able to set a record for the performances by being an example for other wrestlers, injured wrestlers, his stable and the Japan Sumo Association.
Following his last match at the May 2025 tournament at the rank of 100, Satonofuji announced his retirement from professional sumo, concluding a career spanning nearly three decades. The retirement coincided with the final tournament for his stablemaster Isegahama, who reached sumo's mandatory retirement age in July 2025. Satonofuji said that he had considered retiring on two occasions following surgery for retinal detachment, but continued on because of his love for sumo. He plans to work in the food and beverage industry in Tokyo after his retirement.