Toyonishiki Kiichiro

Toyonishiki Kiichiro (born Harley Ozaki, 3 February 1920 – 26 September 1998) was an American-born Japanese sumo wrestler from Pierce, Colorado who was one of the first foreign-born wrestlers to reach the top makuuchi division. He made his professional debut in January 1938 and reached makuuchi in May 1944, nearly 25 years before the more well known Hawaiian born Takamiyama Daigoro. However, he fought in only one tournament in the top division before being drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army against his wishes, and he never returned to sumo. He remained in Japan after the war, and ran an inn later in life.

Career He was born as Harley Ozaki in Pierce, Colorado, although he was to list Chikujō, Fukuoka as his birthplace on the banzuke ranking sheets. He joined Dewanoumi stable in January 1938. He had been introduced to the stable by a relative during a visit to Japan. Initially he knew nothing about sumo, assuming that the sand covered clay dohyō was made of concrete.

He still had American citizenship and had really wanted to fight for the United States, but as he could not return to the US he agreed to change his citizenship at the urging of the Japan Sumo Association.