Kasugano stable

{{Short description|Sumo school in Ryōgoku, Tokyo, Japan}}

File:Kasugano Beya.JPG

{{Nihongo|Kasugano stable|春日野部屋|Kasugano-beya}} is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Dewanoumi ichimon or group of stables. As of January 2023 it had 17 wrestlers. It has been led by former sekiwake Tochinowaka Kiyotaka since 2003. It was one of the most successful stables in 2013, with six sekitori 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.{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |isbn=0-8348-0283-X}} 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 oyakata must now be former wrestlers). He adopted as his son the 27th yokozuna Tochigiyama, who led the stable for over thirty years. He in turn adopted as his son the 44th yokozuna 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.{{cite web|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20181225-OHT1T50266.html?page=1|title=栃ノ心、報知年間最優秀力士賞を文句なし初受賞「最後に評価されて良かった」|language=ja|date=26 December 2018|publisher=Sports Hochi|access-date=13 July 2023}} The stable absorbed Mihogaseki stable in 2013 when its stablemaster (former ōzeki Masuiyama Daishirō II) reached the mandatory retirement age.

Kasugano-oyakata was warned by the Sumo Association in 2011 after he beat three of his charges with a golf club for breaking a curfew.{{cite web|title=Sumo stablemaster Kasugano reprimanded for beating wrestlers|url=http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20111019p2g00m0sp125000c.html|publisher=Mainichi Daily News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019205437/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20111019p2g00m0sp125000c.html|archive-date=19 October 2011|date=21 October 2011|access-date=25 January 2018|url-status=dead}} 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-oyakata 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/25/national/crime-legal/suit-revealed-former-sumo-stablemaster-kasugano-now-jsa-director-wrestler-2014-assault/#.WmoZ_OSWyUk|title=Suit revealed against former sumo stablemaster Kasugano, now JSA director, and wrestler over 2014 assault|date=25 January 2018|publisher=Japan Times|access-date=25 January 2018}}

The stable is known for having bred a series of great wrestlers. Kasugano stable has always had at least one {{Transliteration|ja|makuuchi}} wrestler between 1967 and November 2023, when Aoiyama was relegated to the second-highest {{Transliteration|ja|jūryō}} division.{{cite web|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2023/10/30/kiji/20231030s00005000038000c.html|title=【九州場所番付発表】碧山が十両転落　56年ぶりに春日野部屋の幕内力士不在に|language=ja|date=30 October 2023|publisher=Sports Nippon|access-date=30 October 2023}} When Aoiyama retired following the September 2024 tournament it was announced that {{Transliteration|ja|makushita}} wrestler Tochitaikai would return to {{Transliteration|ja|jūryō}}, continuing Kasugano stable's streak of having at least one {{Transliteration|ja|sekitori}} wrestler (ranked at {{Transliteration|ja|jūryō}} or higher) at every sumo tournament since the summer of 1935.{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202409260000553.html|title=元関脇碧山が引退会見…15年間の思い出は"ブルガリアの先輩"との一番「緊張して覚えてない」|date=26 September 2024|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=7 October 2024 |language=ja}} Tochitaikai was elevated to {{Transliteration|ja|makuuchi}} for the May 2025 tournament, marking the first promotion to the top division for the stable since Tochinowaka Michihiro was promoted in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202504270002093.html|title=【夏場所新番付】嘉陽と栃大海が新入幕　御嶽海は10年ぶりに十両転落／平幕＆十両編|date=28 April 2025|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=28 April 2025|language=ja}}

On 29 April 2025 Kasugano stable held a celebration to commemorate 100 years since its founding,{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202504300000048.html|title=春日野部屋、感謝の設立100周年　夏場所新入幕の栃大海「歴史を途絶えさせてはいけない」|date=29 April 2025|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=29 April 2025|language=ja}} dating back to when the 27th {{Transliteration|ja|yokozuna}} Tochigiyama took over the stable in 1925.