Asashio Tarō I

Asashio Tarō I (朝汐 太郎, November 28, 1864 – August 26, 1920) was a sumo wrestler from Ehime Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki.

Asashio Taro
朝汐 太郎
Personal information
Born	増原太 郎吉 Tarokichi Masuhara 1864 Uwa, Ehime Prefecture
Died	August 26, 1920(1920-08-26) (aged 55)
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight	102 kg (225 lb; 16 st 1 lb)
Career
Stable	Oshiogawa → Takasago
Record	144-78-103 32 draws-12 holds (Makuuchi)
Debut	1883
Highest rank	Ozeki (May, 1898)
Retired	January, 1908
Elder name	Sanoyama
Championships	2 (Makuuchi, unofficial)
* Up to date as of Nov 4, 2022.

Asashio Tarō I, ukiyo-e 1901

Career

In 1881, at the age of 17, he entered Osaka sumo's Oshiogawa stable, and took part to his first tournament in 1883 under the name of Asashio. Unsatisfied, Tarokichi moved to Tokyo in 1889 and was recruited by the Takasago stable to join Tokyo sumo . In Tokyo sumo, he debuted in January 1890 as a Juryo.

He was promoted to sekiwake in January 1893 and served as such for 11 consecutive tournaments (five years), when the tournaments were dominated by Nishinoumi and Konishiki. He was finally promoted to ozeki in May 1898 and was given a kesho-mawashi decorated with the Date family crest, "Bamboo and Sparrow," by Date Munenari, the former lord of the Uwajima Domain. Asashio served as an ōzeki for 5 years (10 tournaments) until January 1903. In 1900, he participated in a local tour in Ehime Prefecture, and a performance was also held in his hometown of Yawatahama. He participated in the cooperation of wealthy local merchants to build an earthen bridge. The bridge came to be called "Asashio Bridge" and although the river and bridge are gone, the name of the place is still associated with Asashio Bridge in current Osaka.

In January 1903, Asashio lost his rank of ozeki. In December 1904, he was granted a one-day yokozuna license and permitted to do a dohyo-iri by the Yoshida Tsukasa family, in recognition of his many years of service as an ozeki.

Retirement

He retired at the age of 43. After his retirement, he assumed the name of Sanoyama. He first founded his own stable but disbanded it and returned to his original Takasago stable as a coach, where he notably recruited Komota Chokichi and passed down his shikona to him. He died in old age on August 26, 1920.

Top division record

Asashio I

-	Spring	Summer
1890	West Jūryō #1 6–2–1 1d	East Maegashira #10 5–2–1 2d
1891	East Maegashira #3 6–2–1 1d	East Maegashira #2 1–2–6
1892	East Maegashira #3 6–2–1	East Maegashira #1 5–1–1
1893	East Sekiwake #1 7–1–1 1d	East Sekiwake #1 7–1–1
1894	East Sekiwake #1 2–5–1 1d	Sekiwake #1 8–1–1 1d Unofficial
1895	East Sekiwake #1 6–1–1	Sat out
1896	East Sekiwake #1 4–3–1 1d	East Sekiwake #2 7–2–1
1897	East Sekiwake #2 6–2–1 1d	East Sekiwake #1 5–2–1 1d
1898	East Sekiwake #1 4–0–5	Ōzeki #1 7–1–1 1d Unofficial
1899	East Ōzeki #1 6–1–1 1d	East Ōzeki #1 5–3–1 1d
1900	East Ōzeki #1 5–1–2 2d	East Ōzeki #1 3–4–2 1d
1901	East Ōzeki #1 0–2–8	West Ōzeki #2 5–2–1 2d
1902	West Ōzeki #2 2–5–1 2d	West Ōzeki #2 6–1–1 2d
1903	West Ōzeki #2 4–4–1 1d	West Sekiwake #1 4–4–1 1d
1904	West Komusubi #1 2–5–1 2d	East Komusubi #1 5–3–2
1905	Sat out	East Maegashira #1 1–0–8 1d
1906	West Komusubi #1 1–5–1 3d	West Maegashira #4 1–3–6
1907	West Maegashira #6 2–5–1 1d	Sat out
1908	Sat out	West Maegashira Retired 0–0
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions Key:d=Draw(s) (引分);   h=Hold(s) (預り) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

*Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded before the 1909 summer tournament and the above unofficial championships are historically conferred. For more information see yūshō.