Takasago stable

Takasago stable (髙砂部屋 or 高砂部屋) is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋".

History
The stable was established by former maegashira Takasago Uragorō as Takasago Kaisei-Gumi (高砂改正組) in 1873 and joined the Tokyo Sumo Association in 1878. Takasago stable has produced many successful wrestlers, including six yokozuna and the first non-Japanese ōzeki, American Konishiki, as well as the 33rd Kimura Shōnosuke, the tate-gyōji or chief referee.

In February 2002, the stable merged with Wakamatsu stable, with Wakamatsu's coach, former ōzeki Asashio, taking over. Future yokozuna Asashōryū was among the wrestlers transferring over. The demotion of Asasekiryū to the makushita division for the January 2017 tournament saw the stable without any sekitori for the first time since 1878. However, at the end of that tournament Asanoyama earned promotion to the jūryō division, ensuring sekitori representation once again from March. As of January 2023, it had 25 wrestlers. The former Asasekiryū took over from the former Asashio as head coach of the stable in November 2020.

In June 2021, ōzeki Asanoyama was handed a one-year (six tournament) suspension for violating sumo protocols related to COVID-19. The following month, Takasago Oyakata, Asanoyama and six lower-ranked rikishi in the stable all tested positive for COVID-19.

Ring name conventions
Most wrestlers since the mid 1990s and all since 2003 at this stable have quickly taken ring names or shikona that begin with the character 朝 (read: asa), meaning morning, in deference to their head coach, the former Asashio, as well as many of his predecessors who had the same shikona in their active years. For example, the wrestler formerly known as Tamaki changed his shikona to Asagyokusei when he was promoted to jūryō in July 2019.

Owners

 * 2020–present: 8th Takasago (former sekiwake Asasekiryū)
 * 2002-2020: 7th Takasago (former ōzeki Asashio Tarō IV)
 * 1988-2002: 6th Takasago (former komusubi Fujinishiki Takemitsu)
 * 1971-1988: 5th Takasago (the 46th yokozuna Asashio Tarō III)
 * 1942-1971: 4th Takasago (the 39th yokozuna Maedayama Eigorō)
 * 1915-1941: 3rd Takasago (former ōzeki Asashio Tarō II)
 * 1900-1914: 2nd Takasago (former sekiwake )
 * 1871-1900: 1st Takasago (former maegashira Takasago)

Notable active wrestlers

 * Asanoyama (best rank ōzeki)
 * Asabenkei (best rank  jūryō)
 * Asagyokusei (best rank  jūryō)
 * Asakōryū (best rank  jūryō)
 * (best rank  jūryō)
 * (best rank  jūryō)

Coaches

 * Wakamatsu Takehito (iin, former maegashira Asanowaka)

Assistant

 * Iyozakura (wakaimonogashira, former jūryō, real name Masayuki Ichiki)

Notable former members

 * Nishinoumi I (the 16th yokozuna)
 * Konishiki Yasokichi I (the 17th yokozuna)
 * Maedayama (the 39th yokozuna)
 * Azumafuji (the 40th yokozuna)
 * Asashio III (the 46th yokozuna)
 * Asashōryū (the 68th yokozuna)
 * Zōgahana (former ōzeki)
 * Ichinoya (former ōzeki)
 * Asashio Tarō I (former ōzeki)
 * Tachihikari (former ōzeki)
 * Asashio Tarō II (former ōzeki)
 * Maenoyama (former ōzeki)
 * Asashio Tarō IV (former ōzeki)
 * Konishiki Yasokichi VI (former ōzeki)
 * Ōdate (sekiwake, later ōzeki after eviction)
 * Takamiyama Sōgorō (former sekiwake)
 * Takamiyama Torinosuke (former sekiwake)
 * Takamiyama Daigorō III (former sekiwake)
 * Fujizakura (former sekiwake)
 * Mitoizumi (former sekiwake)
 * Asasekiryū (former sekiwake)
 * 33rd Kimura Shōnosuke (given name Yōichi Nozawa; former chief referee)

Referees

 * Kimura Asanosuke (makuuchi gyōji, real name Katsuya Ishida)
 * Kimura Satoshi (makushita gyōji, real name Satoshi Maeda)

Ushers

 * Rikinojō (makuuchi yobidashi, real name Riki Tsuchida)
 * Kunio (jūryō yobidashi, real name Kunio Maekawa)

Hairdressers

 * Tokoyumi (1st class tokoyama)

Location and access
The stable is located in Tokyo, Sumida ward, Honjo 3-5-4. It is a 10 minute walk from Honjo-azumabashi Station on the Toei Asakusa Line.