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Sumo Souvenirs |
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Mark Buckton
Second of a two parter on sumo souvenirs - some hints on avoiding the fluff.
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Konishiki |
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Chris Gould
Takamiyama's 60s / 70s successes notwithstanding Konishiki was sumo's
first full-on mover and shaker from lands afar leaving Chris G to take
an in-depth look at the ripples the big guy left behind when exiting
the sumo pool.
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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Joe Kuroda's looks back at the life and times of former yokozuna Shiranui.
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Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
Eric IDs the true winners of the henkafest that was the Haru Basho senshuraku.
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Rikishi Diary |
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Mark Kent
Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori -
takes his training a step further on his road to European and World
sumo glory.
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Heya Peek |
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Mark Buckton
Oitekaze Beya just to the north of Tokyo and not far from the abode of SFM's Ed-i-C falls under the microscope.
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SFM Interview |
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Carolyn Todd
Carolyn interviews Riho Rannikmaa during his recent trip to Osaka -
head of all things sumo in Estonia, friend and mentor of Baruto, this
is a man with something to announce.
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Sumo à la LA |
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Alisdair Davey
SFM's man in the shadows reports on his recent jaunt in LA, as guest of
the Californian Sumo Association and SFM reporter at large.
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Photo Bonanzas |
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Hot on the heels of the recent Ise bonanza - Haru up close and very very personal - some of our best pics to date.
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Haru Basho Summary |
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Lon Howard
Lon wraps the Haru Basho and chucks in a few bits on the henka issues the top dogs are suffering from at present.
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Sumo Menko |
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Ryan Laughton
Sumo cards of old brought to life once again by expert collector Ryan
Laughton. None of your BBM offerings here - Pt II of III.
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Natsu Ones To Watch |
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Carolyn Todd
Carolyn ponders the ones to watch come May and Natsu when sumo comes home to Tokyo.
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Kimarite Focus |
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Mikko Mattila
Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
On your marks, get set, go - Howard Gilbert walks us through the months ahead on the amateur calendar.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Todd Lambert
Click on Todd's latest selection of the best sumo sites the WWW has to offer.
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Fan Debate |
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Facilitator - Carolyn Todd
Should it or shouldn't it? Honbasho go on the overseas road that is.
See what SFM's Chris Gould and James Hawkins have to say.
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SFM Cartoons |
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Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample ST's latest artistic offerings.
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Sumo Odds & Ends |
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SFM's interactive elements - as always includes Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke!
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Let's Hear From You |
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What was it that made you a sumo fan - A. S. - the face in the crowd
reveals almost all - to see everything you'll have to close your eyes.
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Readers' Letters |
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See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens.
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Sumo Quiz |
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The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself a genuine banzuke.
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police
and was imprisoned, while the other fled and his fate never became
known. Koyanagi was also from Kumamoto Prefecture and Shiranui
felt he could not continue the basho, while knowing that an active
rikishi was killed during the basho by his subordinates – this while he
was sleeping in the next room and was unable to stop it.
Though his records as ozeki were neither distinguished nor noteworthy,
Shiranui Koemon was granted the yokozuna license from the House of
Yoshida Tsukasa in October 1863, after three basho as ozeki. In
the three basho he had 13 wins, 6 losses, 2 draws, 1 hold and 8
kyujo. Clearly his yokozuna license was based on his immense
popularity and his long years of service, as at this point he was
already 38 years old. Another possible reason was that the House
of Yoshida Tsukasa was in a way his employer, as Shiranui was
associated with the House of Hosokawa, the lord of Kumamoto, who held
jurisdiction over the House of Yoshida
Tsukasa.
On the dohyo Shiranui was known for his skill and technique. He
could have competed with either oshi or yotsu style but once he grabbed
the right mawashi, he showed extraordinary power and quickness.
He could respond to almost any opponent’s move, as he once grabbed a
leg of sekiwake Ryogoku Kajinosuke – himself known to be an expert of
lifting his opponent’s leg – and downed him cleanly.
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Shiranui
Koemon retired from active sumo after the 1869 November basho. He
was 44 years old by then and could no longer physically continue.
But he could not stay away from the dohyo completely. After he
returned to his original ‘home’ of Osaka sumo, he inherited his
shisho’s name Shiranui Dakuemon and for three years he continued to
perform the dohyo-iri ceremony for which he became so well known.
As the head of Osaka sumo, Shiranui worked tirelessly to make it a
financially viable enterprise until his death on February 24, 1879.
Shiranui competed in a chaotic age when the Tokugawa Dynasty was coming
to a complete collapse. Living in such an age, people sought
solace in Ozumo and Shiranui provided them with many memorable bouts
against his great foes like Kimenzan, Jinmaku and Unryu.
As he was promoted to ozeki late in his life, his ozeki records are not
distinguished but in his day he was the best liked and most sought
after rikishi. His signature dohyo-iri ceremony was often more
eagerly awaited than the bouts themselves.
Shiranui’s legacy continues to this day, as his toshiyori share of
Shiranui is currently held by former sekiwake Aobajo Yukio, and of
course the famous Shiranui dohyo-iri style is named after
him.
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Shiranui Koemon
Born:
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March 1825 |
| Real Name: |
Minematsu Harano |
Place of Birth:
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Town of Ouzu, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture (where his statue and grave can be found)
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Heya:
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Minato (Osaka), Sakaigawa (Tokyo/Edo) |
Shikona:
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Shingari Katsugoro => Shiranui Koemon
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Dohyo debut:
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(nidanme tsukedashi in Tokyo): March 1850 |
| Makuuchi debut: |
November 1856 |
Yokozuna license:
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October 1863 |
Final basho:
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November 1869
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| Highest rank: |
Yokozuna |
| Height: |
177cm |
| Weight: |
120kg |
| Favorite techniques: |
Migi-yotsu, yori |
Died:
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February 24, 1879 |
| Toshiyori: |
Shiranui Dakuemon (2nd Shiranui)
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Makuuchi basho:
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27 basho, 119 wins, 35 losses, 15 draws, 9 holds, 77 kyujo
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Winning ratio:
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0.773
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Yusho Equivalent:
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3
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