Soma Shinya 相馬 伸哉 · そうま しんや

Soma Shinya (相馬 伸哉) is a 21-year-old professional sumo wrestler from Tochigi Prefecture competing under Futagoyama Stable. His story carries a unique dimension that sets him apart from many of his peers: he is the younger biological brother of stablemate Kotakiyama Kento (小滝山 健人), making them one of relatively few brother duos to compete in the same sumo stable.

At 179.0cm and 148.8kg, Soma has a solid, well-proportioned build that is well-suited to the demands of professional sumo. He made his professional debut in 2023 and has been building his experience and technical foundation through the lower divisions. He reached the Makushita division — the last non-salaried rank in professional sumo — but a 3–4 at East Makushita 60 in March 2026 returned him to the top of Sandanme; a winning 4–3 at West Sandanme 6 in the May 2026 Natsu Basho then earned him a return to Makushita at West Makushita 55, where a 2–5 at the July 2026 Nagoya Basho sent him back down. A 4–3 at East Sandanme 14 in the September 2026 Aki Basho then lifted him to East Sandanme 3 on the November 2026 Kyushu Basho banzuke, one step from a return to Makushita.

Training alongside his older brother Kotakiyama gives Soma a significant advantage: a training partner who knows him intimately, who has already navigated the challenges of professional sumo's lower divisions, and who can provide guidance rooted in direct experience. This sibling dynamic is a noteworthy feature of Futagoyama Stable's roster and a story that sumo fans have followed with interest.

As one of the younger and less-experienced wrestlers in the stable, Soma's immediate goal is to work his way back out of Sandanme and build the kind of consistent results that will let him re-establish himself in Makushita in the coming tournaments.

Current rank: East Sandanme 3 for the November 2026 Kyushu Basho. Career high: East Makushita 47 (January 2026).

Trajectory: A 3–4 at East Makushita 60 in March 2026 demoted him to the top of Sandanme; he rebounded with a winning 4–3 at West Sandanme 6 in the May Natsu Basho to earn a return to Makushita at West Makushita 55, but a 2–5 there in the July Nagoya Basho sent him back down. At East Sandanme 14 in the September Aki Basho he went 4–3, which lifted him to East Sandanme 3 for the November 2026 Kyushu Basho (November 8–22, Fukuoka). The next-step target: a winning record there to climb back into Makushita and, longer term, toward his career-high Makushita 47.

His older brother Kotakiyama also competes for Futagoyama — the Soma brothers are part of a stable that already houses three biological brothers, making the family dynamic a basho-by-basho story sumo fans follow with interest.

Source: Self-introduction, New Year resolution, debut interview and Q&A videos on Futagoyama Stable's official YouTube channel 'Sumo food' (2024–2025), transcribed from on-screen captions.

From Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture. The middle of three biological brothers all wrestling in the same stable — eldest brother Kotakiyama Kento and youngest brother Shunta are also at Futagoyama (see the Futagoyama Stable page for the full Soma-brothers story). Big fan of the Japanese detective drama "Aibou" — especially the Kameyama Kaoru ("Kame-chan") era. The Soma brothers are known in the stable for being particular about scents and fragrances.