Wakamotoharu 若元春

👤 Who Is Wakamotoharu?

Wakamotoharu Minato (若元春, born Ōnami Minato on October 5, 1993) is a top-division wrestler for Arashio stable and the middle of the celebrated Ōnami brothers. At 187 cm and 144 kg he is the tallest of the three siblings, and where his younger brother Wakatakakage is all fire and thrusting, Wakamotoharu is a patient, methodical belt fighter — a craftsman who wins by getting his favored left-hand grip and slowly taking control.

His path to the top was anything but quick. He spent the better part of a decade grinding through the unsalaried lower divisions before he ever tasted top-division sumo — and that patience is exactly what makes his eventual rise to sekiwake so satisfying to his fans.

🏹 The Ōnami Brothers

Wakamotoharu is the second of three sumo brothers from Arashio stable — the Ōnami kyōdai. The eldest is Wakatakamoto; Wakamotoharu is the middle brother; and the youngest is two-time champion Wakatakakage. Their ring names deliberately evoke the three sons of the 16th-century warlord Mōri Motonari and his famous "three arrows" lesson about the strength of brothers united. Their grandfather reached the rank of komusubi, and their father also wrestled — sumo runs in the family's blood. Raised in Fukushima City, all three carry the "Waka" character passed down from their elders.

Having two brothers hold san'yaku rank at the same time is a genuine rarity in sumo — and the Ōnami brothers have done it, sitting side by side near the top of the same banzuke.

🐌 The Long Climb: A Decade in the Making

Wakamotoharu turned professional in November 2011, but his ascent was slow and hard-earned. It was not until January 2022 — more than ten years later — that he finally reached the top makuuchi division. For a sport that often fast-tracks its brightest teenage prospects, a decade-long apprenticeship is a test of pure persistence.

Once he arrived, though, he belonged. He climbed to sekiwake, sumo's third-highest rank (reaching it in May 2023 and again in January 2025), and settled in among the elite — proof that late bloomers can flower just as brightly.

⭐ Gold Stars: Toppling Yokozuna

The clearest sign that Wakamotoharu had arrived came in the form of kinboshi — the "gold stars" awarded to a rank-and-file maegashira who defeats a reigning yokozuna. He earned his first in January 2024, beating the formidable yokozuna Terunofuji, and has collected multiple gold stars since. Toppling a grand champion is one of the biggest single moments a lower-ranked wrestler can have, and Wakamotoharu has done it more than once.

🥋 Fighting Style: The Left-Hand Craftsman

Wakamotoharu is a yotsu-zumo (belt) specialist. His game revolves around securing a left-hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi, from which he can set up force-outs and a growing arsenal of throws. It is a patient, technical, grappling-first style — the mirror image of his younger brother's explosive two-handed tsuppari. Watching the two Ōnami brothers is a lesson in how differently the same sport can be won; explore the moves in our guide to sumo techniques.

🎥 Inside Arashio Stable

The Ōnami brothers all train together at Arashio stable in Tokyo. Here is a look at the stable's morning practice (asa-geiko) — the daily grind behind the polished sumo you see on tournament days:

Video: Arashio stable morning practice, via YouTube.

📊 Career Stats

Career figures via sumo-api / Japan Sumo Association records. Biographical details compiled from Japanese-language sources including Japanese Wikipedia and Arashio stable's official material. Verified July 2026.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🔗 Keep Exploring

• 🔴 Live Sumo Scores — follow today's bouts and the championship race.
• Wakatakakage — Wakamotoharu's younger brother and two-time champion.
• Most Championships in History · Greatest Wrestlers Ever
• How Sumo Ranks Work