Tachiyama Mineemon

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 太刀山 峯右衞門 Tachiyama Mineemon


realname = Kyuhachi Makise
dateofbirth = birth date|1877|8|15
placeofbirth = Toyama, Japan
dateofdeath = death date and age|1941|3|4|1877|8|15
height = height|meters=1.88
weight = convert|150|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Tomozuna
rank =
record =211-30-73(11 draws)
debut = May, 1900
highestrank = Yokozuna (February, 1911)
retireddate = January, 1918
yushos = 11 (Makuuchi)
goldstars =
update = July 2007

Tachiyama Mineemon (太刀山 峯右衞門, August 15 1877 - April 3 1941) was a sumo wrestler from Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 22nd Yokozuna. He was well known for his extreme strength and skill. He won 99 out of 100 matches from 1909 to 1916 (not counting draws), and also won eleven top division tournament championships (two of them unofficial).

Career

Tachiyama joined Tomozuna stable at the insistence of Taisuke Itagaki and Tsugumichi Saigo. [cite web|url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/ozumo_joho_kyoku/yomu/004/039.html|title=板垣退助までも勧誘に乗り出した有望力士|language=Japanese|publisher=Japan Sumo Association|accessdate=2008-07-09] However, he was so strong that most of the wrestlers in the stable weren't able to practice with him. Therefore, Hitachiyama Taniemon became his practical coach. He was promoted to "yokozuna" in February 1911.

His most feared skill was "tsuki", or pushing. [cite web|url=http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/288.html|title=Tachiyama Mineemon|publisher=National Diet Library|date=2004|accessdate=2008-04-17] On the 3rd day of June 1910 tournament, "komusubi" Kohitachi Yoshitaro flew over spectators by Tachiyama's thrust and then fell on the 4th line of seats. Kohitachi was wounded and left the tournament. Tachiyama is reported to have waved a shell weighing convert|400|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on with one arm. [cite web|url=http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/19030101.htm|title=太刀山 峯右エ門|language=Japanese|accessdate=2008-06-05] He was, however, good on the "mawashi" as well.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

Much taller and stronger than his contemporaries, Tachiyama never had a losing record "(make-koshi)" in his eighteen year career, and whilst at the "yokozuna" rank lost only three bouts. He once won 43 bouts in a row, lost one to Nishinoumi Kajirō II, then won another 56 in a row. If he had not lost that match (which he later admitted was deliberate, to help out his rival "yokozuna" who was struggling at the time), he would have set an all time record of 100 consecutive wins. As it stands, his second streak of 56 bouts, which began on the 9th day of the January 1912 tournament, is the fourth best in history after Futabayama, Tanikaze and Umegatani I.

His run ended on the 8th day of May 1916 tournament, when he was finally defeated by Tochigiyama Moriya. On the final day of January 1917 tournament, he was defeated by Ōnishiki Uichirō. Tochigiyama and Ōnishiki were pupils of Hitachiyama. After this second loss, he retired.

In 1917, he said to wrestlers, "I give one bale of rice if you can walk around a "Dohyo" shouldering me." A boy, who hadn't made his debut of the professional sumo yet, acceded to his request. He failed at the first attempt but achieved at the 2nd attempt. [cite web|url=http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/19260101.htm|title=玉錦 三右エ門|language=Japanese|accessdate=2008-05-19] After about 15 years, the boy became "yokozuna" Tamanishiki San'emon.

His style of "dohyo-iri" ("yokozuna" ring entering ceremony) came to be known as "shiranui" after it was imitated by later "yokozuna" Haguroyama. However, he insisted that his style was Unryū Kyūkichi's style. [cite web | author= | title=The 11th Yokozuna Shiranui Koemon| publisher=Sumo Fan Magazine | language= English | url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_12/Rikishi_of_Old.htm| date=| accessdate=2007-10-09]

His sheer strength and physical presence drew comparisons with the legendary Raiden, [cite book|author=Newton, Clyde|title=Dynamic Sumo|publisher=Kodansha|year=1994|pages=57|id=ISBN 4-7700-1802-9] but also meant he was perhaps less popular with the general public than his predecessors Hitachiyama and Umegantani II.

After retiring from active competition he was briefly an elder of the Sumo Association under the name Azumazeki, but he left the sumo world in May 1919. He became the first "yokozuna" to perform "kanreki dohyō-iri", in 1937.

Top division record

"*Two championships before establishment of yusho system in 1909 aren't admitted officially
"*There was no fusensho system until March 1927
"*All top division wrestlers were usually absent on the 10th day until 1909

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers
*List of sumo tournament winners
*List of Yokozuna