Shiranui Koemon
Encyclopedia
Shiranui Kōemon was a sumo
wrestler from Kikuchi
, Kumamoto Prefecture
, Japan
. He was the sport's 11th Yokozuna.
, who was also from Kumamoto and powerful within the Osaka organisation. In May 1847, he made his professional debut in Osaka sumo. His stablemaster realised his potential, and in 1849, he transferred to Sakaigawa stable in Edo sumo. He made his debut in November 1850 and reached the top makuuchi division in November 1856. He adopted the Shiranui shikona
soon after that. He was promoted to ozeki in March 1862. He was awarded a yokozuna licence in October 1863. He was more known for his technique than his strength, and was feared especially for his right hand technique. He was an expert at leg grabs, once downing Ryōgoku Kajinosuke I, himself an expert on the technique, with one clean move.
Shiranui became a yokozuna at the age of 38, and his record as an ozeki had not been particularly strong. The granting of the licence was more due to his popularity with the public and long years of service, and the fact that he was close to the House of Yoshida Tsukasa, who awarded the licences.
The name of one style of yokozuna dohyō-iri (the yokozuna ring entering ceremony) came from him. His ritual dance was said to be beautiful, and his ceremony was always a highlight for tournament crowds, sometimes more than the bouts themselves. He continued to perform it for three years after his retirement. However it is unproved that he actually performed what is now called the Shiranui style. In fact, he is considered by most sumo historians today to be the organizer of the Unryū style.
There is a picture of him performing the ceremony holding his arm to his chest, which indicates an Unryū rather than Shiranui style. In addition, the 22nd Yokozuna Tachiyama, who was credited as perfecting the Shiranui style (with both arms held out), said his dohyo-iri was based on Unryū Kyūkichi
's style.
In the top makuuchi division, Shiranui won 119 bouts and lost 35 bouts, recording a winning percentage of 77.3. He retired in November 1869 at the age of 44, and returned to his roots in Osaka sumo to lead the organisation until his death in 1879.
*Championships from this period were unofficial
*Yokozuna were not listed as such on the ranking sheets until 1890
*There was no fusensho system until March 1927
*All top division wrestlers were usually absent on the 10th day until 1909
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!First
!Second
|-
|1856
!x
|West Maegashira #7 (5-0-4-1hold)
|-
|1857
|West Maegashira #6 (2-2-2draws-2holds)
|West Maegashira #4 (4-2-1-1draw-2holds)
|-
|1858
|West Maegashira #3 (5-2-2-1draw)
|tournament called off due to fire
|-
|1859
|West Sekiwake (4-2-1-2draws-1hold)
|West Komusubi (6-1-2-1draw)
|-
|1860
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Komusubi (8-0-1-1draw)
|West Sekiwake (3-3-1)
|-
|1861
|West Sekiwake (4-2-4)
|West Sekiwake (6-1-2-1hold)
|-
|1862
|West Ōzeki (4-1-4-1draw)
|West Ōzeki (5-3-1-1draw)
|-
|1863
|West Ōzeki (4-2-3-1hold)
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|-
|1864
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (7-1-2)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (7-0-1-1draw-1hold)
|-
|1865
|West Ōzeki (1-0-8-1draw)
|West Ōzeki (6-1-2draws)
|-
|1866
|West Ōzeki (6-2-2)
|East Ōzeki (6-1-3)
|-
|1867
|East Ōzeki (7-1-2)
|East Ōzeki (2-2-5-1draw)
|-
|1868
|East Ōzeki (6-1-3)
|East Ōzeki (5-3-2)
|-
|1869
|East Ōzeki (6-2-2)
|bgcolor=gray|retired
|-
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
|}
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 Kikuchi
Kikuchi, Kumamoto
is a city located in Kumamoto, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1958. On March 22, 2005, the city merged with the municipalities of Kyokushi, Shichijo and Shisui into a new expanded city of Kikuchi. As of December 2006, the city has an estimated population of 52,646 and a density of 190.3...
, Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He was the sport's 11th Yokozuna.
Career
He was well known in local amateur sumo tournaments by the age of 16. He entered Osaka in the autumn of 1846. His coach was Minato-oyakata, former yokozuna Shiranui DakuemonShiranui Dakuemon
Shiranui Dakuemon was a sumo wrestler from Uto, Kumamoto, Japan. He was the sport's 8th Yokozuna. He was the coach of Shiranui Kōemon.- Early life :...
, who was also from Kumamoto and powerful within the Osaka organisation. In May 1847, he made his professional debut in Osaka sumo. His stablemaster realised his potential, and in 1849, he transferred to Sakaigawa stable in Edo sumo. He made his debut in November 1850 and reached the top makuuchi division in November 1856. He adopted the Shiranui shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
soon after that. He was promoted to ozeki in March 1862. He was awarded a yokozuna licence in October 1863. He was more known for his technique than his strength, and was feared especially for his right hand technique. He was an expert at leg grabs, once downing Ryōgoku Kajinosuke I, himself an expert on the technique, with one clean move.
Shiranui became a yokozuna at the age of 38, and his record as an ozeki had not been particularly strong. The granting of the licence was more due to his popularity with the public and long years of service, and the fact that he was close to the House of Yoshida Tsukasa, who awarded the licences.
The name of one style of yokozuna dohyō-iri (the yokozuna ring entering ceremony) came from him. His ritual dance was said to be beautiful, and his ceremony was always a highlight for tournament crowds, sometimes more than the bouts themselves. He continued to perform it for three years after his retirement. However it is unproved that he actually performed what is now called the Shiranui style. In fact, he is considered by most sumo historians today to be the organizer of the Unryū style.
There is a picture of him performing the ceremony holding his arm to his chest, which indicates an Unryū rather than Shiranui style. In addition, the 22nd Yokozuna Tachiyama, who was credited as perfecting the Shiranui style (with both arms held out), said his dohyo-iri was based on Unryū Kyūkichi
Unryu Kyukichi
Unryū Kyūkichi was a sumo wrestler from Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 10th Yokozuna.-Career:...
's style.
In the top makuuchi division, Shiranui won 119 bouts and lost 35 bouts, recording a winning percentage of 77.3. He retired in November 1869 at the age of 44, and returned to his roots in Osaka sumo to lead the organisation until his death in 1879.
Top division record
*2 tournaments were held yearly in this period, though the actual time they were held was often erratic*Championships from this period were unofficial
*Yokozuna were not listed as such on the ranking sheets until 1890
*There was no fusensho system until March 1927
*All top division wrestlers were usually absent on the 10th day until 1909
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"
|-
!
!First
!Second
|-
|1856
!x
|West Maegashira #7 (5-0-4-1hold)
|-
|1857
|West Maegashira #6 (2-2-2draws-2holds)
|West Maegashira #4 (4-2-1-1draw-2holds)
|-
|1858
|West Maegashira #3 (5-2-2-1draw)
|tournament called off due to fire
|-
|1859
|West Sekiwake (4-2-1-2draws-1hold)
|West Komusubi (6-1-2-1draw)
|-
|1860
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Komusubi (8-0-1-1draw)
|West Sekiwake (3-3-1)
|-
|1861
|West Sekiwake (4-2-4)
|West Sekiwake (6-1-2-1hold)
|-
|1862
|West Ōzeki (4-1-4-1draw)
|West Ōzeki (5-3-1-1draw)
|-
|1863
|West Ōzeki (4-2-3-1hold)
|bgcolor=gray|Sat out
|-
|1864
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (7-1-2)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (7-0-1-1draw-1hold)
|-
|1865
|West Ōzeki (1-0-8-1draw)
|West Ōzeki (6-1-2draws)
|-
|1866
|West Ōzeki (6-2-2)
|East Ōzeki (6-1-3)
|-
|1867
|East Ōzeki (7-1-2)
|East Ōzeki (2-2-5-1draw)
|-
|1868
|East Ōzeki (6-1-3)
|East Ōzeki (5-3-2)
|-
|1869
|East Ōzeki (6-2-2)
|bgcolor=gray|retired
|-
- 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
- an X signifies the wrestler had yet to reach the top division at that point in his career
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
|}