Kotobeppu Yōhei (born 17 October 1965 as Yōhei Miura) is a former sumo wrestler from Beppu, Ōita, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1981, and reached the jūryō division in July 1989, but had to withdraw in his jūryō debut because of nephritis and a long absence from competition due to uremia saw him fall greatly in rank. During this time he was close to requiring dialysis but eventually made a full recovery. He reached the top division in November 1992, becoming the first former sekitori to fall to the lowest jonokuchi division and subsequently manage to reach the top division. The only other wrestler to achieve this feat as of January 2018 is Ryūden.[1] A previous member of Sadogatake stable, former ōzeki Kotokaze, had fallen from sekiwake to makushita and had been referred to as "the man who saw hell" and after Kotobeppu's even bigger fall he was called, "the man who saw the new hell." Kotobeppu received the Fighting Spirit Prize for winning ten bouts in his top division debut. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in November 1997. He trained as a ramen maker and opened a ramen restaurant in Chiba Prefecture and later in his hometown of Beppu, Ōita where he also served chankonabe.

Kotobeppu Yohei
琴別府 要平
Personal information
BornYohei Miura
(1965-10-17) 17 October 1965 (age 59)
Beppu, Ōita, Japan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight183 kg (403 lb)
Career
StableSadogatake
Record457-433-82
DebutMarch, 1981
Highest rankMaegashira 1 (March, 1995)
RetiredNovember, 1997
Championships1 (Jūryō)
2 (Makushita)
1 (Jonidan)
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (1)
* Up to date as of August 2012.

Career record

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Kotobeppu Yōhei[2]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1981 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #49
5–2
 
East Jonidan #126
3–4
 
West Jonidan #140
3–4
 
East Jonokuchi #1
5–2
 
1982 West Jonidan #97
3–4
 
West Jonidan #115
3–4
 
West Jonidan #128
5–2
 
West Jonidan #88
3–4
 
East Jonidan #105
5–2
 
West Jonidan #65
5–2
 
1983 East Jonidan #22
3–4
 
West Jonidan #38
2–5
 
West Jonidan #66
3–4
 
East Jonidan #85
6–1
 
West Jonidan #19
4–3
 
West Jonidan #2
3–4
 
1984 East Jonidan #8
4–3
 
East Sandanme #87
1–6
 
East Jonidan #21
5–2
 
West Sandanme #85
6–1
 
West Sandanme #36
2–5
 
East Sandanme #66
2–5
 
1985 East Sandanme #100
6–1
 
East Sandanme #51
2–5
 
East Sandanme #81
6–1
 
East Sandanme #34
3–4
 
East Sandanme #48
4–3
 
East Sandanme #29
4–3
 
1986 East Sandanme #8
3–4
 
West Sandanme #25
4–3
 
West Sandanme #8
1–6
 
West Sandanme #51
6–1
 
East Sandanme #4
4–3
 
East Makushita #49
5–2
 
1987 East Makushita #33
4–3
 
East Makushita #26
3–4
 
East Makushita #36
4–3
 
West Makushita #25
7–0
Champion

 
East Makushita #5
1–6
 
East Makushita #29
5–2
 
1988 West Makushita #14
5–2
 
East Makushita #5
3–4
 
West Makushita #10
3–4
 
East Makushita #18
6–1
 
East Makushita #5
2–5
 
West Makushita #20
7–0
Champion

 
1989 East Makushita #4
4–3
 
West Makushita #1
3–4
 
East Makushita #4
6–1
 
West Jūryō #12
1–7–7
 
West Makushita #12
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Makushita #52
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
1990 East Sandanme #33
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Sandanme #93
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
East Jonidan #53
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Jonidan #123
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7
West Jonokuchi #39
6–1
 
West Jonidan #90
7–0–P
Champion

 
1991 East Sandanme #80
6–1
 
East Sandanme #28
6–1
 
East Makushita #51
6–1
 
East Makushita #24
6–1
 
East Makushita #9
3–4
 
East Makushita #15
4–3
 
1992 East Makushita #12
6–1
 
East Makushita #2
4–2–1
 
West Jūryō #13
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
West Jūryō #13
10–5
 
West Jūryō #5
12–3
Champion

 
West Maegashira #14
10–5
F
1993 West Maegashira #9
8–6–1
 
West Maegashira #5
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15
West Maegashira #5
5–10
 
East Maegashira #12
9–6
 
West Maegashira #3
5–10
 
West Maegashira #8
8–7
 
1994 West Maegashira #2
3–12
 
West Maegashira #12
9–6
 
East Maegashira #6
6–9
 
East Maegashira #11
8–7
 
West Maegashira #7
8–7
 
East Maegashira #4
5–10
 
1995 West Maegashira #9
9–6
 
East Maegashira #1
3–12
 
West Maegashira #9
8–7
 
West Maegashira #2
4–11
 
West Maegashira #6
6–9
 
East Maegashira #9
8–7
 
1996 West Maegashira #5
4–11
 
West Maegashira #12
8–7
 
East Maegashira #7
6–9
 
East Maegashira #10
9–6
 
West Maegashira #3
3–12
 
East Maegashira #12
7–8
 
1997 East Maegashira #16
5–10
 
West Jūryō #3
7–8
 
East Jūryō #5
5–10
 
East Jūryō #10
6–9
 
West Jūryō #13
4–11
 
East Makushita #6
Retired
2–4–1
Record given as wins–losses–absences    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2018 January Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics". January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Kotobeppu Yohei Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
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