Sumô Wrestler Prints,
Part II
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.
I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information. |
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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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I am grateful fo Robert Pryor for this 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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I am grateful to Robert Pryor fot this 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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I an grateful to Robert Pryor for this keyblock
print. |
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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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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) I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information. |
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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…) I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image and information. |
“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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