Takanowaka Yūki
隆乃若 勇紀
Personal information
Born	Yūki Ozaki (1976-04-02)2 April 1976 (age 49) Nagasaki, Japan
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	149 kg (328 lb)
Career
Stable	Naruto
Record	505–470–66
Debut	March 1992
Highest rank	Sekiwake (January 2003)
Retired	September, 2007
Championships	1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita)
Special Prizes	Fighting Spirit (3)
Gold Stars	1 (Musashimaru)
* Up to date as of September 2007.

Takanowaka Yūki (born 2 April 1976 asYūki Ozaki) is a formersumo wrestler fromIkitsuki,Nagasaki,Japan. His highest rank wassekiwake.

Takanowaka was born as Yūki Ozaki, the son of a professionalbaseball player. In his youth he played not only baseball but alsobasketball, for which he was offered several scholarships.^[1] He tried sumo at the suggestion of his school's sumo club manager, who had connections withNaruto stable.^[1] Takanowaka joined the stable in March 1992, making his debut alongside futuresekiwakeWakanosato. As is common, he initially fought under his own surname, soon switching to "Takaozaki" before adopting thefighting name of Takanowaka in 1998. Initially weighing only 80 kg (180 lb), it took him several years to work his way through the lower ranks. He was promoted to the second highestjūryō division in May 1999 and reached the topmakuuchi division just three tournaments later in November 1999.

Takanowaka was ranked in the top division for 34 tournaments in total, with a win-loss rate of 229–242, with 39 absences. He earned onekinboshi, or gold star, by defeatingyokozunaMusashimaru in May 2001, and threespecial prizes. His best performance was probably in November 2002 when produced a strong 11–4 record atkomusubi rank and won his third Fighting Spirit prize. He was promoted tosekiwake in January 2003 and held his rank with a good 9–6 score but missed the whole of the March 2003 tournament with an injury picked up on the last day of the previousbasho. As a result, he was demoted tojūryō and although he quickly returned to the top division he never managed to reach the titledsan'yaku ranks again. After suffering from torn cartilage in his knees his results took a downward turn. He was demoted tojūryō once again in January 2006 and the unsalariedmakushita division in July 2007.

On 22 September 2007 Takanowaka announced his retirement from sumo, after withdrawing from the September tournament with four losses at the rank ofmakushita 2. His official retirement ceremony took place on 16 February 2008 at theRyōgoku Kokugikan. He did not stay with theSumo Association as an elder, and left the sumo world completely. He opened achanko restaurant inHirado city.

He was married in February 2013.

Takanowakas favouredkimarite or techniques werehidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the opponent'smawashi or belt),uwatenage (overarm throw) andyorikiri (force out).

• List of sumo tournament top division runners-up
• List of sumo tournament second division champions
• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• List of sekiwake

• Takanowaka Yūki's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage

• 1976 births
• Living people
• Japanese sumo wrestlers
• Sekiwake
• Sumo people from Nagasaki Prefecture

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from October 2018