Arase Nagahide
actor
- June 20, 1949
- August 11, 2008
- 59 years
- heart failure
About Arase Nagahide
Arase Nagahide, 59, Japanese sumo wrestler, heart failure.
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Full Biography
|Arase Nagahide (荒勢 永英; 20 June 1949 – 11 August 2008), real name Arase Hideo (荒瀬 英生) was a sumo wrestler from Ino, Agawa District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. After his retirement in 1981 he became a television personality and ran unsuccessfully for political office.
Career
His parents were farmers. He began sumo at Kochi junior high school. He was an amateur sumo champion at Nihon University, coming third in the All Japan Sumo Tournament in his third year. He made his professional debut in 1972, beginning as a makushita tsukedashi entrant, and reached the top makuuchi division the following year. He was a member of Hanakago stable and a stablemate of yokozuna Wajima, a fellow Nihon University graduate. He once wore a cream-coloured mawashi, or belt, in a tournament, the only wrestler so far to do so. He fought under his family name of Arase, although he changed the second part of it from Hideo to Nagahide in 1975. He was involved in an unusual incident when in a match against Tamanofuji the referee was knocked out of the dohyo having failed to get out of the wrestlers’ way, and had to be told who was the winner. He fought in the top division for 48 tournaments, with a win/loss record of 351-367-2. He won four sansho or special prizes and two kinboshi or gold stars. He defeated yokozuna Kitanoumi in January 1980 having previously lost to him 27 times in a row (the second worst record ever for a wrestler against the same opponent, after Kaneshiro who lost 29 consecutive bouts to Kitanoumi). In a match against Wakamisugi on the 8th day of the July 1976 tournament there were eight matta or false starts, and both wrestlers were criticized by the chief judge. Arase had a reputation for regularly engaging in false starts, and there was a suggestion from the sansho committee when he was up for the Fighting Spirit Award in March 1975 that this should disqualify him from receiving the prize, although he was given it in the end. He held the third highest rank of sekiwake for nine tournaments in total, including four straight from September 1977 to March 1978. However he only once had a double-digit winning record at the rank and so never seriously challenged for ozeki promotion. Hampered by a right knee injury, he announced his retirement in September 1981.
Retirement from sumo
After his retirement he was briefly an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Magaki but left in February 1983, turning the name over to Wakanohana II, and became a television personality. He stood for election to the House of Councillors as a Liberal League candidate in 2001, but was unsuccessful. He suffered a stroke in 2006. He died of heart failure in 2008 at the age of 59.
Fighting style
He was a yotsu-sumo (grappling) wrestler who preferred the migi-yotsu (right hand inside, left hand outside) position on the mawashi. He employed the gaburi-yori technique of pushing with the stomach while grabbing the mawashi, a style also associated with Kotoshogiku.
Career record
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arase_Nagahide
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 28, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Arase Nagahide's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the highest rank achieved by Arase Nagahide in professional sumo?
- A.Ozeki
- B.Yokozuna
- C.Komusubi
- D.Sekiwakecorrect
The highest rank reached by Arase Nagahide during his career was sekiwake.
Source: biography header
2.Why was the sansho committee hesitant to give Arase Nagahide the Fighting Spirit Award in March 1975?
- A.His failure to wear the correct uniform
- B.His conflict with the stablemaster
- C.His reputation for frequent false startscorrect
- D.His poor win/loss record
The committee considered disqualifying Arase Nagahide from the Fighting Spirit Award due to his reputation for frequent false starts.
Source: career section
3.In what year did Arase Nagahide announce his retirement from professional sumo?
- A.1983
- B.1972
- C.1981correct
- D.1978
Arase Nagahide announced his retirement from professional sumo in September 1981.
Source: career section
4.What was the name Arase Nagahide used as an elder in the Japan Sumo Association?
- A.Kitanoumi
- B.Hanakago
- C.Wakanohana
- D.Magakicorrect
After retiring, Arase Nagahide served as an elder under the name of Magaki.
Source: retirement from sumo section
5.What specific health issue forced Arase Nagahide to retire?
- A.A history of heart failure
- B.A right knee injurycorrect
- C.A chronic back ailment
- D.A severe shoulder strain
Arase Nagahide was hampered by a right knee injury, which contributed to his decision to retire in 1981.
Source: career section
6.Which political party did Arase Nagahide represent when running for the House of Councillors in 2001?
- A.Conservative Party
- B.Liberal Leaguecorrect
- C.Democratic Party
- D.Social Democratic Party
Arase Nagahide stood for election as a Liberal League candidate in 2001.
Source: retirement from sumo section
7.What style of sumo wrestler was Arase Nagahide?
- A.Nage-sumo
- B.Tsuki-oshi
- C.Oshi-sumo
- D.Yotsu-sumocorrect
Arase Nagahide was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who preferred the migi-yotsu position.
Source: fighting style section
8.What was the cause of Arase Nagahide's death in 2008?
- A.Respiratory failure
- B.A stroke
- C.Heart failurecorrect
- D.A traffic accident
Arase Nagahide passed away due to heart failure in 2008.
Source: retirement from sumo section
9.At what age did Arase Nagahide die?
- A.59correct
- B.62
- C.55
- D.70
Arase Nagahide died in 2008 at the age of 59.
Source: retirement from sumo section
10.Which university did Arase Nagahide attend?
- A.Waseda University
- B.Meiji University
- C.Nihon Universitycorrect
- D.Keio University
Arase Nagahide was an amateur sumo champion at Nihon University.
Source: career section
11.What was the birth name of the sumo wrestler Arase Nagahide?
- A.Arase Hideocorrect
- B.Arase Kitanoumi
- C.Arase Tamanofuji
- D.Arase Wajima
Arase Nagahide's real name was Arase Hideo.
Source: biography header
12.Where was Arase Nagahide born?
- A.Ino, Kōchi Prefecturecorrect
- B.Osaka, Japan
- C.Kyoto, Japan
- D.Tokyo, Japan
Arase Nagahide was born in Ino, Agawa District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.
Source: biography header
13.In what year did Arase Nagahide make his professional sumo debut?
- A.1981
- B.1972correct
- C.1975
- D.1968
Arase Nagahide made his professional sumo debut in 1972 as a makushita tsukedashi entrant.
Source: career section
14.Which professional sumo stable was Arase Nagahide a member of?
- A.Wakamisugi stable
- B.Kitanoumi stable
- C.Hanakago stablecorrect
- D.Magaki stable
Arase Nagahide was a member of the Hanakago stable.
Source: career section
15.What unique item did Arase Nagahide wear during a tournament?
- A.A velvet-covered mawashi
- B.A gold-plated mawashi
- C.A cream-coloured mawashicorrect
- D.A red-striped mawashi
Arase Nagahide once wore a cream-coloured mawashi in a tournament, being the only wrestler to do so.
Source: career section
16.How many times did Arase Nagahide lose to yokozuna Kitanoumi in a row before finally defeating him in 1980?
- A.48 times
- B.29 times
- C.12 times
- D.27 timescorrect
Arase Nagahide defeated Kitanoumi in January 1980 after losing to him 27 consecutive times.
Source: career section
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