Tochinonada Taiichi (栃乃洋 泰一 born February 26, 1974, as Taiichi Gotō) is a former sumo wrestler from Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. An amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1997. He earned twelve kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna, the second highest ever, and he was a runner-up in two tournaments. His highest rank was sekiwake. He is now a coach at Kasugano stable under the name Takenawa Oyakata. Career Born in Nanao, he was a rival of fellow top division wrestler Dejima in elementary school. He was an amateur sumo champion at Takushoku University, winning the College Yokozuna title. He joined Kasugano stable through a connection to Chigonoura Oyakata (the former sekiwake Masudayama), who was a fellow Takushoku University alumni and a coach at the stable, and made his professional debut in January 1996. Because of his amateur achievements he had makushita tsukedashi status, and so his debut tournament was in the third highest makushita division. He made the jūryō division in November 1996, switching from his family name of Gotō and adopting the shikona of Tochinonada. He was promoted to the top makuuchi division three tournaments later in May 1997. Tochinonada had a strong start to his makuuchi career, earning special prizes for Fighting Spirit in consecutive tournaments in July and September 1997. He made his titled san'yaku debut that November at the rank of komusubi. However he could manage only six wins there and did not return to the san'yaku ranks until January 2001, when he made komusubi once again. He reached his highest rank of sekiwake in March 2001 and held it for two tournaments. He was runner-up in the January 2003 tournament, when he lost his first four matches but then rallied to win eleven in a row to finish three wins behind Asashōryū. He was also runner-up to Kaiō in September 2004, where he also scored 11–4. In March 1999 he became the first wrestler ever to win by default two days in a row. On Day 10 yokozuna Wakanohana withdrew, followed the next day by his brother Takanohana. However he did not receive a kinboshi for these victories. In May 1999 he injured ligaments in his left elbow in a match against Kaiō and had to sit out the following tournament in July. He did not miss any more bouts until six years later in