September 2026 profile. Ranks, measurements and the six-tournament breakdown below reflect the Japanese article’s source check on 11 September 2026.
Asked what he considers himself best at in sumo, Wakamotoharu answers with his left-hand-inside grip. I like that he chooses a position in the bout, rather than a hobby or a personality trait. Once the match begins, that is the left arm I want to follow.
After the left arm gets inside, how does the opponent stay in?
The Association’s six-tournament breakdown shows yorikiri, a force-out, at 33%; oshidashi, a push-out, at 13%; and oshitaoshi, a frontal push-down, at 10%. A strong left-hand-inside grip does not mean force-outs account for most of his wins. I want to connect the pushing before he gets inside with the opponent’s resistance afterwards. If the opponent draws their hips back, how does the distance to the belt change?
More than ten years from debut to makuuchi
He made his professional debut in November 2011, reached juryo in March 2019 and entered makuuchi in January 2022. That is a little over ten years to the top division. He reached the sanyaku ranks in January 2023 and has a career-high rank of sekiwake. A 6–9 July at East Maegashira 8 put him at East Maegashira 11 for September. His announced opening-day opponent, Shodai, favours a right-hand-inside grip, so I also want to watch the difference between the positions each is trying to reach.
Three professional wrestling promotions on the list
His official questionnaire names professional wrestling and golf as hobbies. The organisations he supports include New Japan Pro-Wrestling, STARDOM and NOAH. Favourite works include Fullmetal Alchemist and titles by CLAMP. Seeing him as a spectator of another sport makes me want to hear which matches he likes best.
At a glance
| September 2026 rank | East Maegashira 11 |
|---|---|
| Stable | Arashio stable |
| From | Fukushima City, Fukushima |
| Height / weight | 186 cm / 149 kg |
| Listed strengths | Left-hand-inside grip / forward driving |
Meet his opening-day opponent, Shodai · Find a wrestler to follow
Source facts checked in the Japanese article on 11 September 2026: the Japan Sumo Association’s official profile (Japanese), including biographical details, tournament records, winning techniques and questionnaire answers. Percentages are the Association’s breakdown of winning finishes over the preceding six tournaments; they are not win rates across all bouts. The viewing suggestions are the writer’s interpretation. The official bout listings change with the tournament and day, so check the date shown there.