Illustration of Powerful Professional Sumo Wrestlers in Japan (Dainihon Ōzumō Yūriki Sekitori Kagami)
Painted by Utgawa Kuniteru II 1867 (Keiō 3) Tokyo Shiryō Collection 587-C3

This nishiki-e print contains the names, the domains they belonged to, and heights of 97 sumo wrestlers who were active from the early Edo period till the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate, in addition to the portraits of 105 people. Consisting of 6 panels, this nishiki-e work enables us to understand almost everything about the famous sumo wrestlers in the Edo period.


Along with the names of sumō wrestlers, the names of gods and people of myths are written in this work.
"Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters)" describes that Takemikazuchi-no-kami and Takeminakata-no-kami competed with their strength to acquire the province. "Chronicles of Japan (Nihon-shoki)" has a legend that Taima-no-Kehaya had a fight with Nomi-no-Sukune in the age of the Emperor Suinin. These two tales are said to be the origin of sumō wrestling.
Therefore, the names of gods can be found in "Honchō Sumō no Hajime (occurrence of sumō of our country)" of this picture. This work allows us to become familiar with the history of sumō wrestling in addition to the names of sumō wrestlers.

Print