Tanikaze Kajinosuke

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 谷風 梶之助
Tanikaze Kajinosuke


realname = 金子 与四郎
Kaneko Yoshiro
dateofbirth = birth date|1750|9|8
placeofbirth = Wakabayashi, Sendai, Japan
dateofdeath =death date and age|1795|2|27|1750|9|8
height = convert|1.89|m|ftin|abbr=on|lk=on
weight = convert|169|kg|lb st|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Isenoumi
record = 258-14-112
debut = April 1769
highestrank = Yokozuna (November 1789)
yushos = 21 (unofficial)
update = July 2007nihongo|Kajinosuke Tanikaze|谷風梶之助|Tanikaze Kajinosuke|September 8, 1750 – February 27, 1795 was a sumo wrestler in Japan in the Tokugawa era, and the first to be awarded the title of Yokozuna within his own lifetime. He achieved great fame and won 21 tournament championships. He was also the coach of Raiden Tameemon.

Early career

He was born in Sendai with Yoshiro (与四郎) as his infant name. He made his debut in sumo in 1769 when he was 19. With a height of 189 cm and a weight of 169 kg, he was extremely large in comparison with most Japanese men of his era.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

He debuted as ozeki but it was "Kanban ozeki", or Guest ozeki, due to his size. However, he was promoted to ozeki by his real strength in March 1781. From October 1777 until February 1786, he lost only one bout. This was to Onogawa in February 1782. He recorded the longest run of consecutive victories in sumo bouts, with 63. [ [http://web.telia.com/~u85811045/rensho.htm Consecutive Wins (1757-)] ] This record remained unbroken for about 150 years, until Futabayama in 1938.

Yokozuna

On November 19, 1789 he became one of the first two sumo wrestlers to be allowed to perform a "Yokozuna Dohyo-iri" (a special ring entrance ceremony for the yokozuna alone, rather than entering as part of a parade of the top ranked wrestlers). Both he and Onogawa were granted a special so-called Yokozuna license simultaneously in that year. Officially he is recorded as being the 4th Yokozuna in sumo history. However, as the first three (see list of Yokozuna) were awarded the title posthumously, if indeed they existed at all, he can be said to the one of the first two real holders of the title. [cite web | author= Kuroda, Joe | title=Yokozuna Comparison
publisher=sumofanmag.com | language=English | url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_5/Yokozuna3.htm| month=February | year=2006| accessdate=2007-06-25]

He was still an active wrestler when he died at the age of 44 of influenza. He was on another winning streak of 35 bouts at his death. In the top makuuchi division, Tanikaze won 258 bouts and lost only 14 bouts, achieving a winning percentage of 94.9.

Tanikaze was a very popular "rikishi." Unlike other wrestlers of his day, many "nishikie" (woodblock print based) portraits and images of him participating in bouts still remain.

Top division record

"*1-2 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 "*Result of the 7th day of the April 1769 tournament is unknown
"*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 yokozuna

External links

*ja icon [http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/17690402.htm Tanikaze Kajinosuke Tournament Results]