Tamaasuka Daisuke (born January 26, 1983 as Daisuke Takahashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1998. His highest rank was maegashira 9. He was well known for moving between the top makuuchi division and the second jūryō division on several occasions. He won two makushita and two jūryō division championships. He retired in September 2016 and is now a sumo coach. Early life and sumo background Born in Nagoya, he started sumo in the fourth grade of elementary school. He was enrolled by his father in the Choyko Sumo Club, based in the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium where the annual Nagoya honbasho is held. At Hibino Middle School, he became Middle School Yokozuna in 1997. He made his professional debut in March 1998, joining Kataonami stable. Just weeks beforehand, his father had died of a heart attack. It had been he who had chosen Tamaasuka's ring name or shikona and had driven him to become a wrestler by installing a rigorous training program for him. His father's death only made Tamaasuka more determined to succeed in professional sumo. Career After six years of steady but unspectacular progress in the lower ranks, Tamaasuka was promoted to the second highest jūryō division in November 2004 after winning the makushita championship with a perfect 7-0 record. In his jūryō debut he scored eight wins against seven losses by winning and then losing on alternate days, an oddity not seen in the top two divisions since 1988. He reached the top makuuchi division in the Nagoya tournament in July 2005, making his debut alongside Hakurozan. He was the first wrestler from Nagoya to reach the top division since Tochitsukasa in 1981. Cheered on by his hometown fans, Tamaasuka scored nine wins in his top division debut. He would have received the Kantō-shō or Fighting Spirit Prize had he won on the final day, but he was defeated by Tokitenkū. He was promoted to maegashira 9, but could only manage a disappointing 4-11 record in the next tournament. On the fourth day of the November 2005 tournament he broke his left ankle and was forced to pull out. As a result, he was demoted back to the jūryō division. It was the first time in his career that he had missed any bouts. Since he had an enforced layoff, he decided to undergo eyesight