Sumô Wrestler Prints,
Part II
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 Wrestlers: Kotôzan Bunemon (湖東山文右エ門, left) and Iwamigata Jôemon (岩見潟丈右エ門, right) Toshiyori: Musashigawa (武蔵川) Date: 1842 winter
  season  Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô NOTE: Musashigawa, on the
  left, was a toshiyori (年寄), a former
  high-ranking wrestler who acts as a coach and manager.  Toshiyori
  are also known as oyakata (親方). 
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 Another state of the above design reflecting
  Kotôzan Bunemon (湖東山文右エ門) having changed his name to Takekuma Bunemon (武隈文右エ門) in the 10th month of 1843. 
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 A c. 1844-1847 additional state of the above
  design with the wrestlers’ names changed to names Kurokumo Ryugoro (黒雲竜五郎) and Katsurno Yokichi (桂野勇吉).  The wrestlers’ faces have also
  been recut.    | 
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 Wrestlers: Shiranui-emon (不知火右衛門, left) and
  Kagiyama Taniemon (劔山谷右衛門, right) Judge: Shikimori Inosuke (式守伊之助)  Toshiyori: Miyagino (宮城野) Date: c. 1843  Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô  | 
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 An alternate state with the wrestlers’ names in
  solid red cartouches.  | 
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 Title: Illustration of Sumô
  Wrestlers Entering the Ring at Kanjin Matches (Kanjin ôzumô dohyôiri no zu,
  勧進大相撲土俵入之図) Subject: Ceremonial entry of
  wrestlers Date: c. 1847-1850 Publisher:     | 
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 Another state of the above triptych with
  different wrestlers’ names  | 
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 Title: Wresters entering the Fund-raising Sumo Matches (Kanjin ozumo dohyoiri no zu,
  勧進大相撲土俵入之図) Subject: The
  ring-entering ceremony from the 1850 spring season held on the  Wrestlers: The wrestlers
  on the right are on the higashi
  (east side).  From the right, in
  descending order in ranking: Tsurugizan (ôzeki), Koyanagi (sekiwake), Goyôboku (komusubi), Iôzan,
  Arakuma, Tomozuna, Kumagatake, Kumosayama, Musashino, Masuizan (stepping
  into the ring), Kumoudake (already standing in the
  ring).  Exiting to the left are the
  wrestlers on the nishi
  (west side), also in a descending order in ranking from the right: Kagamiiwa (sekiwake, still in the ring), Arauma (komusubi, stepping out of the ring), Tsuneyama, Inagawa,
  Itsukushima, Kaigatake, Kuroiwa, Kimigatake, Ichiriki, Amatsukaze.  The ôzeki of the west side, Hidenoyama,
  is the large figure already off the ring, appearing behind the exiting
  wrestlers.  Date: 1850 Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke  | 
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  An
  alternate state of the above design with grey replacing purple.   | 
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 A posthumous edition of the same triptych with different
  wrestlers’ names and generally harsher colors.  Hiraiwa Shichidayu (平石 七太夫) only competed
  with this name in 1867 and 1868.  The
  names on the right are for the east side and those on the left for the west
  side.  On the east side, they are from
  the right in a descending order in ranking: Kimenzan
  (ôzeki), Jinmaku (sekiwake),
  Chitosegawa (komusubi), Kajigahama,
  Arauma, Shiramayumi, Terugatake, Yanasedake, Minatogawa, Tsurugataki.  On the west side are, from the right to
  left also in a descending order in ranking: Shiranui
  (ôzeki), Onogawa (sekiwake),
  Washigahama (komusubi), Shushakayama,
  Chiganoura, Azumazeki,
  Ayanami, Musashigawa, Ryôgoku,
  Koshinoumi.  | 
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 Title:
  勧進大相撲興行之全図 Subject: Ceremonial
  entry of wrestlers at the great wrestling match to raise funds for pious
  causes Wrestlers: The umpire
  seated in the center is Kimura Shonosuke Date: 1847-1853 Publisher:   | 
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 Another state of the above design  | 
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 Title: None Subject: Wrestlers Kagamiiwa Hamanosuke (鏡岩濱助) and Koyanagi Tsunekichi (小柳常吉) Date: c. 1850
  (censors Mera and Murata) Publisher: Musashi-ya Isaburô  | 
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 A keyblock print for the above triptych  | 
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 Actor Ichimura Uzaemon XII as sumô
  wrestlers Akitsushima Kuniemon (left) and Arashi Kichisaburô III as Onigadake
  Dôemon (right) in the kabuki play Sekitori Nidai no Shobuzuke,
  performed in the 9th month of 1850  | 
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 Title: Udaishô Yoritomo-kô sumô go-ran no zu (The
  Great Wrestling Match before Yoritomo and His Son Sanetomo: Chokyo Wrestling with Chikatsune, 右大将頼朝公相撲御覧図) Description: The
  great sumô wrestling match before
  Yoritomo and his son Sanetomo: Chôkyô wrestling
  with Chikatsune, umpired by Ogata Saburô Masayoshi Publisher: Fujioka-ya Hikotarô Date: c. 1839-1841 Robinson: T74  | 
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 Title: Somoku honchô sumai no
  okori-hara wa etc. (河津三郎俣野五郎相撲図,
  Picture of Kawazu Saburô and Matano Gorô Wrestling) Description: Kawazu Saburô Sukeyasu and Matano Gorô Kagehisa wrestling before Yoritomo,
  umpired by Sanada Yoichi Yoshitada in 1170 Publisher: Ebisu-ya Shoshichi (Robinson
  identifies the publisher as To-Sawa) Date: 1844 Robinson: T141  | 
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 Title: Akazawa-yama yűshi sumô no zu   Description: Kawazu Saburô Sukeyasu throwing Matano
  Gorô Kagehisa in their
  wrestling match before Yoritomo, Ôba Kagechika and others Publisher: Izumi-ya Seishichi  Date: Snake 2, March 1857 Robinson: T340  | 
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 Title: Akazawa-yama ô-sumô
  (赤沢山 大相撲) Description: Matano Gorô Kagehisa (股野五郎景久) thrown by Kawazu Saburô Sukechika (河津三郎祐親) in their sumô wrestling
  match before Yoritomo umpired by Ebina Genpachi Hirotsuna (河津三郎祐安) Publisher: Maru-ya Kyűshirô Date: 4th month of
  1858 Robinson: T353 NOTE: This bout took place on   | 
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 Wrestler: Oniwaka Rikinosuke (鬼若 力之助) at age eight
  with his giant hand print Date: 1849 (based
  on Oniwaka Rikinosuke’s
  age and the seals of censors Fuku and Muramatsu)  Publisher:   | 
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 Another state of the above design.  Note that the hand print is entirely
  different.    | 
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   Wrestler: Oniwaka Rikinosuke (鬼若 力之助) Date: c. 1850-1852 Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô NOTE: Oniwaka Rikinosuke was an
  extremely large child who participated in the ring entering ceremony (dohyo-iri) in the early 1850s.  | 
 
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   Wrestler: Oniwaka Rikinosuke (鬼若 力之助) Date: c. 1850-1852 Publisher: Musashi-ya Isaburô   | 
 
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   Another state of the above design with
  additional text  | 
 
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   Wrestler: Oniwaka Rikinosuke (鬼若 力之助) in sumô attire Date: 1849 (censors
  Fuku and Muramatsu) Publisher: Owari-ya Seishichi Text: Born in Toda village in Musashi, Kazusa Province,
  Oniwaka Rikinosuke is a
  disciple of Katsunoura.  He is eight years old, weighs 18 kanme (67.5 kg or 149 lb),
  and participates in the ring entrance ceremony.  (Kazusa no kuni
  Musha-gun Todamura no san
  Katsunoura monjin Oniwaka Rikinosuke inu hassai, omosa
  jiyuuhachi kanme, Dohyô Iri tsukamatsuri sôrô, 上総國 武射郡 戸田村ノ産 勝之浦門人 鬼若力之助 戌八才 重サ拾八貫目 土俵入仕候)  | 
 
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   Wrestler: Oniwaka Rikinosuke (鬼若 力之助) Date: c. 1850-1852 Publisher:  Text:
  Katsanoura monjin Kazusa no
  kuni...  (勝の浦門人 上総国…)  | 
 
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   Wrestler: Takaragawa Ishigoro (寶川石五郎)  Date: 5th
  month of 1856  Publisher: Yamada-ya Shôbei  This is a cropped keyblock print  | 
 
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   “Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement. CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN
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