- Akashi Shiganosuke
Akashi Shiganosuke (明石 志賀之助) (c.
1600 – c.1649 ) is officially acknowledged as the first sumo wrestler to hold the title of yokozuna. A legendary figure, his historical existence is disputed.cite web | author= Kuroda, Joe| title=Rikishi of Old| publisher=sumofanmag.com | language=English | url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_6/Rikishi_of_Old.htm| month=April | year=2006| accessdate=2007-07-10] He is said to have been active in theKan'ei era (1624-1643). He was described as being of gigantic size, being convert|2.58|m|ftin|abbr=on|lk=on tall and weighing convert|184|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on.He is said to have been born in
Utsunomiya ,Tochigi prefecture in centralJapan , the son ofYamanouchi Shuzen , asamurai who servedSumaura Rinemon .According to sumo folklore, he took part in a sumo tournament in Yotsuya,
Tokyo in 1624 and became an instant star, enabling sumo organisers to charge admission for the first time. He is said to have been given the title of "Hinoshita Kaisan" (aBuddhist term signifying a man of exceptional power) by the thirdTokugawa shogun ,Iemitsu .By 1800 his reputation as a huge and powerful" rikishi" had been confirmed and his exploits were retold and embellished through the years. He became so legendary that when the 12th Yokozuna
Jinmaku Kyugoro came to compile the first list of yokozuna in 1900, Akashi was placed at the beginning, followed by two dominant champions from theEdo period ,Ayagawa Goroji andMaruyama Gondazaemon . Despite this,Tanikaze was the first to receive a yokozuna licence and perform the yokozuna "dohyo-iri " and so is often regarded as the first "real" yokozuna. [cite book|title=Grand Sumo:The Living Sport and Tradition|author=Sharnoff, Lora|publisher=Weatherhill|year=1993|isbn=0-8348-0283-x]References
ee also
*
Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of yokozuna External links
* [http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_6/Rikishi_of_Old.htm Article on Akashi Shiganosuke]
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