Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

I have a soft spot for Chiyonofuji, the yokozuna they called "The Wolf," and honestly the nickname does most of the work for me. Here's a guy from Hokkaido who kept dislocating his shoulder, so he just went and built himself this lean, muscle-packed frame that didn't look like a sumo body at all, and then he used it to throw bigger men around like laundry. That sharp, almost predatory glare across the dohyo is the thing I can't shake. He stayed at the very top for years and picked up the People's Honor Award in 1989, which tells you he wasn't just strong, he had presence and dignity to match. Losing him in 2016 stung, but that ferocious stare lives on even for folks who've never watched a single bout.

Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (June 1, 1955 – July 31, 2016) was a professional sumo wrestler from Hokkaido, Japan, widely regarded as one of the greatest yokozuna in the history of the sport. Known for his powerful technique and muscular physique, he dominated the sumo world across an era of sustained excellence at the top of the rankings. In 1989 he was awarded the People's Honor Award (Kokumin Eiyosho), one of Japan's most prestigious national honors. He passed away on July 31, 2016.

Name (English)

Chiyonofuji Mitsugu

Name (Japanese)

千代の富士貢

Reading

ちよのふじ みつぐ

Born

June 1, 1955 – July 31, 2016

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Gemini / Hitsuji (Sheep)

Origin

Hokkaido, Japan

Occupation

Sumo wrestler

Awards & achievements

• 1989 — People's Honor Award (Kokumin Eiyosho)

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%83%E4%BB%A3%E3%81%AE%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E8%B2%A2

Tags

• From Hokkaido
• Sumo wrestler

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.