is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi or group of stables. As of January 2023 it had 17 wrestlers. It has been led by former Tochinowaka Kiyotaka since 2003. It was one of the most successful stables in 2013, with six wrestlers, including now retired Georgian Tochinoshin and Japanese born (but Korean national) Tochinowaka Michihiro, who used the current head coach's old ring name.
It was founded in the mid 18th century by a wrestler named Kasugano Gunpachi. It became inactive for a long time but was led in the Meiji period by a referee named Kimura Soshiro (this is no longer allowed as must now be former wrestlers). He adopted as his son the 27th Tochigiyama, who led the stable for over thirty years. He in turn adopted as his son the 44th Tochinishiki, who became the head in 1959 whilst still an active wrestler and later served as the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. Tochinoumi took over upon Tochinishiki's death in 1990 and led the stable until his retirement in 2003. Since Tochinishiki's death, the stable's wrestlers have made it a tradition to visit his grave every New Year. The stable absorbed Mihogaseki stable in 2013 when its stablemaster ( Masuiyama Daishirō II) reached the mandatory retirement age.
Kasugano was warned by the Sumo Association in 2011 after he beat three of his charges with a golf club for breaking a curfew. In a separate case, a junior wrestler was convicted in 2014 of an assault on another wrestler and given a three year jail sentence, suspended for four years. In March 2017 the victim sued Kasugano and the now retired assailant, saying he was still suffering from the effects of the broken jaw he received and that Kasugano failed to exercise appropriate oversight.
The stable is known for having bred a series of great wrestlers. Kasugano stable has always had at least one wrestler between 1967 and November 2023, when Aoiyama was relegated to the second-highest division. When Aoiyama retired following the September 2024 tournament it was announced that wrestler Tochitaikai would return to , continuing Kasugano stable's streak of having at least one wrestler (ranked at or higher) at every sumo tournament since the summer of 1935. Tochitaikai was elevated to for the May 2025 tournament, marking the first promotion to the top division for the stable since Tochinowaka Michihiro was promoted in 2011. The stable's 91-year streak of having a -ranked wrestler was broken in March 2026.
On 29 April 2025 Kasugano stable held a celebration to commemorate 100 years since its founding, dating back to when the 27th Tochigiyama took over the stable in 1925.
As of May 2026, the stable has 16 active wrestlers.
Ring name conventions Many wrestlers at this stable take ring names or that begin with the character 栃 (read: tochi), in deference to the long line of owners who have used this character in their . It originally referred to Tochigi Prefecture, where Tochigiyama came from, but subsequent owners were not from there and the prefix no longer has a geographical meaning.
Owners 2003–present: 11th Kasugano Kiyotaka (, Tochinowaka, born 1962) 1990–2003: 10th Kasugano Terumasa (the 49th Tochinoumi, 1938–2021) 1959–1990: 9th Kasugano Kiyotaka (the 44th Tochinishiki, 1925–1990) 1925–1959: 8th Kasugano Takeya (the 27th Tochigiyama, 1892–1959)
Coaches Takenawa Taiichi (, Tochinonada, born 1974) Kiyomigata Yuichiro (, Tochiōzan, born 1987) Iwatomo Kōsuke (, Aoiyama, born 1986) Fujigane Masaharu (, Daizen, born 1964) Hatachiyama Hitoshi (, Tochinohana, born 1973) Mihogaseki Atsushi (, Tochisakae, born 1974)
Assistants (, 26, real name Yasuyuki Shigeto, born 1965) (, 11, real name Tatsuyuki Kusano, born 1969) (, , real name Tomoyuki Tamaru, born 1971)
Notable active wrestlers
Tochitaikai (best rank , born 1999) (best rank , born 1992) (best rank , born 1999)
Notable former members Tochinishiki (the 44th , 1925–1990) Tochinoumi (the 49th , 1938–2021) Tochihikari (, born 1933–1977) Tochinoshin (, born 1987) Kaneshiro (, 1953–2002) Masudayama (, born 1951) Tochiakagi (, 1954–1997) Tochiazuma (, born 1944) Tochiōzan (, born 1987) Tochitsukasa (, born 1958) Aoiyama (, born 1986) Tochinowaka (, born 1988) Kasuganishiki (, born 1975) Kimurayama (, 1981–2024)
Referees 43rd Shikimori Inosuke (, real name Yoshimitsu Morita, born 1963) Kimura Akijiro ( , real name Shigehiro Nakazawa, born 1970) Kimura Zennosuke ( , real name Makoto Kimura, born 1978)
Hairdressers Tokotakumi (third class , born 1998)
Location and access Tokyo, Sumida Ward, Ryōgoku 1-7-117 minute walk from Ryōgoku Station on the Sōbu Line
See also List of sumo stables List of active sumo wrestlers List of past sumo wrestlers Glossary of sumo terms
References
External links Japan Sumo Association profile Japan Sumo Association profile Official Facebook profile Article on Kasugano stable