Musashiyama Takeshi
Encyclopedia
Musashiyama Takeshi was a sumo
wrestler from Yokohama
, Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan. He was the sport's 33rd Yokozuna. He had a rapid rise through the ranks, setting several youth records, and was very popular with the public. However he did not fulfil his great potential at sumo's highest rank, missing many matches because of injury and winning no tournaments.
, he came from a poor peasant family, and he entered local sumo tournaments to provide for them. He was scouted by the former Ryogoku Yujiro
, who persuaded him to join Dewanoumi stable
. Musashiyama made a professional debut in January 1926. He was far superior to his early opponents, becoming an elite sekitori
at the age of just 19. He reached the top makuuchi
division in May 1929, and was runner-up in his second makuuchi tournament. He reached the sanyaku ranks at komusubi in May 1930. His rapid rise was considered miraculous in an era when it was not unusual for new recruits to take several years to even progress from the lowest jonokuchi division. He missed out on the yusho
or tournament championship in March 1931 only because he was of a lower rank than Tamanishiki
, who finished with the same score. (There was no playoff system until 1947). However, he won what was to be his only top division championship the next tournament in May 1931.
A lean and handsome wrestler, Musashiyama was popular with tournament crowds. His picture sold more copies than any other wrestler. Fighting alongside other popuar rikishi such as Tamanishiki, Minanogawa, and his stable
mate, sekiwake Tenryu, Musashiyama was expected to become a figurehead of the sumo world for years to come. Two major events, however, had a severe impact on his career. He injured his right elbow in the October 1931 tournament, which reduced his power and never healed properly. Then in January 1932 he was promoted from komusubi to ozeki, but in the same month Tenryu and many other top wrestlers went on strike against the Japan Sumo Association
, demanding reform of the organization, in what was to become known as the Shunjuen Incident. Musashiyama was criticized for his lukewarm support of the strike, but he never felt close to Tenryu's group. In addition, several people insisted that the reason for Tenryu's walkout was Tenryu's jealousy of Musashiyama's fast promotion to ozeki while he remained at sekiwake. Musashiyama had been considering giving up sumo altogether and turning to boxing
instead, but eventually decided to stay in the Sumo Association.
He was promoted to yokozuna in 1935, after finishing as runner-up in the May tournament that year. He had had good scores in the previous two tournaments as well, and had never had a make-koshi or losing score in his career. Nevertheless, his promotion at that point came as a surprise, and it was suggested that it had been engineered by the Takasago
ichimon or stable group, so that Musashiyama's Dewanoumi group would be obliged to support the promotion of Minanogawa in return. Unfortunately, Musashiyama proved to be one of the least successful yokozuna ever. He was often absent from tournaments because of his elbow injury and did not win any further championships. He was so popular that he was always in demand to perform on regional tours, and rarely had a chance to recuperate properly from his injury. In his eight tournaments at yokozuna rank, he missed five, withdrew from two, and only managed one kachi-koshi or winning score. In his only kachi-koshi tournament, he faced yokozuna Minanogawa in a battle of 6-6 Yokozunas, and he defeated Minanogawa, which resulted in his opponent having the make-koshi. He retired at the age of 29 without achieving any lasting success as a yokozuna, in May 1939. He had long been overshadowed by Futabayama, then at the peak of his career.
parlour in Tokyo, before returning to his home town to work in the real estate
business. He died in 1969. His son also became a sumo wrestler at Dewanoumi stable but did not rise higher than the makushita division.
|-
!
!January
!March
!May
!October
|-
|1929
!x
!x
|East Maegashira #8 (9-2)
|East Maegashira #8 (7-4)*
|-
|1930
|East Maegashira #2 (9-2)☆
|East Maegashira #2 (8-3)☆
|East Komusubi (6-5)
|East Komusubi (9-2)
|-
|1931
|West Komusubi (7-4)
|West Komusubi (10-1)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|East Komusubi (10-1)
|East Komusubi (8-2-1)
|-
|1932
|West Ōzeki (5-3)**
|West Ōzeki (7-3)
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|-
|1933
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (6-4-1draw)
|no tournament held
|-
|1934
|East Ōzeki (8-3)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (9-2)
|no tournament held
|-
|1935
|West Ōzeki (8-2-1draw)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (9-2)
|no tournament held
|-
|1936
|West Yokozuna (3-5-3)
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|-
|1937
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|-
|1938
|West Yokozuna (5-4-4)
|no tournament held
|West Yokozuna (7-6)
|no tournament held
|-
|1939
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|retired
|no tournament held
|-
*tournament actually held one month earlier
**tournament actually held one month later
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
| ☆= Number of Kinboshi
.
|}
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, Japan. He was the sport's 33rd Yokozuna. He had a rapid rise through the ranks, setting several youth records, and was very popular with the public. However he did not fulfil his great potential at sumo's highest rank, missing many matches because of injury and winning no tournaments.
Career
Born in Kohoku wardKohoku-ku, Yokohama
is one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 325,568 and a density of 10,370 persons per km². The total area was 31.40 km²...
, he came from a poor peasant family, and he entered local sumo tournaments to provide for them. He was scouted by the former Ryogoku Yujiro
Ryogoku Yujiro
Ryogoku Yujiro was a Japanese sumo wrestler. His highest rank was sekiwake.-Career:He made a debut in June 1909. He reached the top makuuchi division in May 1914 and won the championship with a 9-0-1 record. He is the only wrestler since 1909 to win the top division championship at his first attempt...
, who persuaded him to join Dewanoumi stable
Dewanoumi stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers. It has a long, prestigious history. Its current head coach is former sekiwake Washuyama. As of November 2007 it had 21 wrestlers....
. Musashiyama made a professional debut in January 1926. He was far superior to his early opponents, becoming an elite sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
at the age of just 19. He reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in May 1929, and was runner-up in his second makuuchi tournament. He reached the sanyaku ranks at komusubi in May 1930. His rapid rise was considered miraculous in an era when it was not unusual for new recruits to take several years to even progress from the lowest jonokuchi division. He missed out on the yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
or tournament championship in March 1931 only because he was of a lower rank than Tamanishiki
Tamanishiki San'emon
Tamanishiki San'emon was a sumo wrestler from Kōchi, Japan. He was the sport's 32nd Yokozuna. He won a total of nine top division yusho or tournament championships from 1929 to 1936, and was the dominant wrestler in sumo until the emergence of Futabayama...
, who finished with the same score. (There was no playoff system until 1947). However, he won what was to be his only top division championship the next tournament in May 1931.
A lean and handsome wrestler, Musashiyama was popular with tournament crowds. His picture sold more copies than any other wrestler. Fighting alongside other popuar rikishi such as Tamanishiki, Minanogawa, and his stable
Heya
In sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...
mate, sekiwake Tenryu, Musashiyama was expected to become a figurehead of the sumo world for years to come. Two major events, however, had a severe impact on his career. He injured his right elbow in the October 1931 tournament, which reduced his power and never healed properly. Then in January 1932 he was promoted from komusubi to ozeki, but in the same month Tenryu and many other top wrestlers went on strike against the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
, demanding reform of the organization, in what was to become known as the Shunjuen Incident. Musashiyama was criticized for his lukewarm support of the strike, but he never felt close to Tenryu's group. In addition, several people insisted that the reason for Tenryu's walkout was Tenryu's jealousy of Musashiyama's fast promotion to ozeki while he remained at sekiwake. Musashiyama had been considering giving up sumo altogether and turning to boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
instead, but eventually decided to stay in the Sumo Association.
He was promoted to yokozuna in 1935, after finishing as runner-up in the May tournament that year. He had had good scores in the previous two tournaments as well, and had never had a make-koshi or losing score in his career. Nevertheless, his promotion at that point came as a surprise, and it was suggested that it had been engineered by the Takasago
Takasago stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
ichimon or stable group, so that Musashiyama's Dewanoumi group would be obliged to support the promotion of Minanogawa in return. Unfortunately, Musashiyama proved to be one of the least successful yokozuna ever. He was often absent from tournaments because of his elbow injury and did not win any further championships. He was so popular that he was always in demand to perform on regional tours, and rarely had a chance to recuperate properly from his injury. In his eight tournaments at yokozuna rank, he missed five, withdrew from two, and only managed one kachi-koshi or winning score. In his only kachi-koshi tournament, he faced yokozuna Minanogawa in a battle of 6-6 Yokozunas, and he defeated Minanogawa, which resulted in his opponent having the make-koshi. He retired at the age of 29 without achieving any lasting success as a yokozuna, in May 1939. He had long been overshadowed by Futabayama, then at the peak of his career.
Retirement from sumo
He remained in the sumo world for a time as a coach, and was known as Dekiyama and then Shiranui Oyakata. However, he left the Sumo Association in 1945. He tried his hand at farming, running a restaurant and operating a pachinkoPachinko
is a type of game originating in Japan, and used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a niche in gambling in Japan comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but...
parlour in Tokyo, before returning to his home town to work in the real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
business. He died in 1969. His son also became a sumo wrestler at Dewanoumi stable but did not rise higher than the makushita division.
Top division record
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"|-
!
!January
!March
!May
!October
|-
|1929
!x
!x
|East Maegashira #8 (9-2)
|East Maegashira #8 (7-4)*
|-
|1930
|East Maegashira #2 (9-2)☆
|East Maegashira #2 (8-3)☆
|East Komusubi (6-5)
|East Komusubi (9-2)
|-
|1931
|West Komusubi (7-4)
|West Komusubi (10-1)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|East Komusubi (10-1)
|East Komusubi (8-2-1)
|-
|1932
|West Ōzeki (5-3)**
|West Ōzeki (7-3)
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|-
|1933
|West Ōzeki (8-3)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (6-4-1draw)
|no tournament held
|-
|1934
|East Ōzeki (8-3)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (9-2)
|no tournament held
|-
|1935
|West Ōzeki (8-2-1draw)
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (9-2)
|no tournament held
|-
|1936
|West Yokozuna (3-5-3)
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|-
|1937
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|-
|1938
|West Yokozuna (5-4-4)
|no tournament held
|West Yokozuna (7-6)
|no tournament held
|-
|1939
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|no tournament held
|bgcolor=gray|retired
|no tournament held
|-
*tournament actually held one month earlier
**tournament actually held one month later
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament (usually due to injury)
- an X signifies the wrestler had yet to reach the top division at that point in his career
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
| ☆= Number of Kinboshi
Kinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
.
|}
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of Yokozuna