Thrice a champion but anonymous to some

Sumo Wrestler by Unknown Artist. Woodblock print, c. 1930’s.

Found the above woodblock print at the worthwhile Hanga Gallery (hanga is Japanese for “woodblock print”), which I came to via Plep. The listing “Sumo Wrestler” by “Unknown artist” from “ca. 1930’s” was anonymous enough to get my curious juices flowing and I dug around for more information.

The rikishi depicted is Shimizugawa Motokichi, who hailed from Aomori prefecture in northern Japan, and whose Sumo career spanned 20 years from 1917 – 1937. When he retired at the age of 37, he had amassed a top-division record of 193-130, with three championships. For the last five years of his career he wrestled as an Ozeki, professional Sumo’s second highest rank. According to this profile of Shimizugawa, in 1934 his promotion to Sumo’s highest rank of Yokozuna was expected, but he dislocated his femur bone in a provincial tournament. As a result, he’s one of a handful of wrestlers in the modern era to win at least two tournaments as an Ozeki but not reach Yokozuna.

As of this writing, the above 8 x 12 in. print is available from Hanga Gallery for $150.

UPDATE (April 24, 2004): Yesterday I borrowed a Sumo photo book from the library and the above print is pictured in there. The artist is credited as Toyoichi Yamamoto, who lived from 1899 to 1987. In the 1950’s Yamamoto was on the faculty of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts, and among the works to his credit is a sculpture of Doukan Oota in Shinjuku Chuo Park (Tokyo). (Doukan Oota was a minister of the Daimyo Sadamasa Uesugi and built the original Edo (Tokyo) Castle in 1457. He was also an accomplished tanka poet. He was stabbed to death while taking a bath.)