Koyanagi Tsunekichi (Japanese: 小柳 常吉, born Keiji Takaishi (高石 桂治, Takaishi Keiji), August 1817 – March 23, 1858) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Ichihara District [ja], Kazusa Province (now Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture). His highest rank was ōzeki. He is the third wrestler from Chiba Prefecture to have been promoted to this rank and the first since Kimenzan Yoichiemon in 1813, 39 years earlier.[1]

Koyanagi Tsunekichi
小柳 常吉
Personal information
BornKeiji Takaishi
August, 1817
Ichihara District [ja], Kazusa Province, Japan
DiedMarch 23, 1858(1858-03-23) (aged 40)
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight155 kg (342 lb)
Career
StableŌnomatsu
Record153–67–90–30 draws/6 holds
DebutJanuary, 1835
Highest rankŌzeki (November, 1852)
RetiredJanuary 1856
Elder nameŌnomatsu
Championships5 (Makuuchi, unofficial)
* Up to date as of October 2023.

Career

edit

Little is known of Koyanagi's past before he became a wrestler. In 1827 he became apprentice to the then-ōzeki Ōnomatsu in Edo.[2] He was initially given the shikona, or ring name, Midorimatsu (緑松) but changed it in 1837 to inherit his final name of Koyanagi (小柳), which had previously been borne by his master.[2] Before being promoted to the makuuchi division, he was an inconsistent wrestler and regularly received promotions despite his results, thanks to his master's influence within the Sumo Association, and thanks to his obese physique,[3] which raised expectations that he would one day become a dominant competitor despite his poor results at the time. His techniques improved, however, and between 1843 and 1850 he won the equivalent of five championships. However, as the yūshō system was not introduced until 1909, these championship victories are now considered unofficial. In 1843, he obtained the patronage of the Tokushima Domain, but the latter did not renew its protection for the following years, leaving Koyanagi without an influential protector for the rest of his career.

In 1845, he made his debut in the san'yaku ranks with a promotion to komusubi. Nevertheless, he stagnated in the lower ranks of san'yaku for five years, as the top of the rankings at the time was occupied by consistent and successful wrestlers such as Tsurugizan and Kagamiiwa. In 1850, however, he was promoted to sekiwake and won the equivalent of his last championship in his inaugural tournament at that rank. In 1852 he reached the rank of ōzeki. That same year, his master died and Koyanagi led the stable as its highest-ranked wrestler. For more than three years, he held his position. In 1854, Western ships arrived at Uraga, Kanagawa and Koyanagi was sent with the Japanese delegation to welcome Commander Matthew C. Perry, wrestling with sailors in an exhibition tournament. As a result, Perry mentions him in his memoirs as "massive because his frame was covered with a mass of flesh".[3][4] Koyanagi was also involved in the first recorded boxing matches of Japan, being ordered to fight a boxer and a wrestler from the United States who accompanied Perry. There were three fought matches, using different martial arts' styles, before Perry and other spectators. Koyanagi reportedly won.[5][6]

In 1856, he retired as a wrestler and became an elder under the name Ōnomatsu, succeeding his master as the second generation of this name. Koyanagi died on March 23, 1858. His tomb is located in the Gyokusen-in temple of Kōtō, Tokyo, where wrestlers who used the Ōnomatsu name are buried (from the first to the fourth).[3]

In July 2021, the Ichihara, Chiba museum presented a collection of objects linked to Koyanagi, including clay menko in his effigy.[7]

Top division record

edit
  • The actual time the tournaments were held during the year in this period often varied.
Koyanagi Tsunekichi[8]
- Spring Summer
1837 Unknown East Jūryō #6
6–4
 
1838 East Jūryō #7
0–3
1d

 
East Jūryō #6
4–6
 
1839 East Jūryō #5
6–3
1d

 
East Jūryō #1
6–4
 
1840 East Maegashira #6
4–5–1
 
East Maegashira #3
3–4–3
 
1841 West Maegashira #2
2–1–2
5h

 
West Maegashira #2
4–1–3
 
1842 East Maegashira #2
4–2–1
2d

 
East Maegashira #2
4–2–4
 
1843 East Maegashira #2
6–1–2
1d

 
East Maegashira #2
7–0–2
1d
Unofficial

 
1844 East Maegashira #1
1–0–9
 
East Maegashira #1
6–3–1
 
1845 East Maegashira #1
5–1–3
1d

 
East Komusubi #1
6–1–3
 
1846 East Komusubi #1
0–0–10
 
East Komusubi #1
4–0–5
1h

 
1847 East Komusubi #1
6–1–2
1d
Unofficial

 
East Komusubi #1
8–1–1
Unofficial

 
1848 East Komusubi #1
4–3–1
2d

 
East Komusubi #1
7–1–1
2d
Unofficial

 
1849 East Komusubi #1
5–0–5
 
East Komusubi #1
6–1–2
1d

 
1850 East Sekiwake #1
6–0–2
2d
Unofficial

 
East Sekiwake #1
4–2–2
2d

 
1851 East Sekiwake #1
2–1–1
1d

 
East Sekiwake #1
4–1–1
4d

 
1852 East Sekiwake #1
3–2–2
3d

 
East Ōzeki #1
5–2–1
2d

 
1853 East Ōzeki #1
5–3–1
1d

 
East Ōzeki #1
5–1–2
2d

 
1854 East Ōzeki #1
3–3–4
 
East Ōzeki #1
2–4–3
1d

 
1855 East Ōzeki #1
0–0–10
 
Unknown
1856 East Ōzeki #1
Retired
0–0–10
x
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: MakuuchiJūryōMakushitaSandanmeJonidanJonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: YokozunaŌzekiSekiwakeKomusubiMaegashira

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

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Wrestlers from Chiba Prefecture by rank". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b "小柳常吉". Digital Edition Japanese Name Encyclopedia (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 October 2023 – via Kotobank encyclopedia.
  3. ^ a b c "玉泉院 (東京都江東区)~訪問:平成27年9月16日~阿武松代々墓" (in Japanese). Gyokusen-in temple (Koto). 17 August 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Perry in Japan: a visual history". Brown University Library Center for Digital Scholarship. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ^ ボクシングの伝来と協会の歴史 – 第二章 ペリー提督によって日本に伝来 (in Japanese). Japan Pro Boxing Association. 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  6. ^ Shun Kasahara, The University of Tokyo (Spring 2009). "Perry Visits Japan: a visual history – The Sumo Won Perry's Heart". Brown University Library. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  7. ^ "幕末の名大関「小柳常吉」関連展示「泥めんこ」など!~本物を見る喜びを体感!7月30日まで!~". Ichihara City. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Koyanagi Tsunekichi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference.

Further reading

edit