Kunimiyama Etsukichi

Kunimiyama Etsukichi (Japanese: 國見山 悦吉, born Etsukichi Matsushita (松下 悦吉, Matsushita Etsukichi), March 28, 1876 – September 25, 1924) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tosa District, Kōchi (now Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture).[1] He reached the rank of ōzeki in May 1905 and was the first wrestler to be promoted at that rank since Yahatayama, 14 years earlier. He was also the last ōzeki from his prefecture until the promotion of Tamanishiki in May 1930, 25 years later.[2]

Kunimiyama Etsukichi
國見山 悦吉
Personal information
BornEtsukichi Matsushita
(1876-03-28)March 28, 1876
Tosa District, Kōchi, Japan
DiedSeptember 25, 1924(1924-09-25) (aged 48)
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight132 kg (291 lb; 20.8 st)
Career
StableTomozuna
Record125-30-91-26 draws/5 holds
DebutJune, 1895
Highest rankŌzeki (May, 1905)
RetiredMay, 1912
Elder nameHanaregoma
Championships2 (Makuuchi, unofficial)
* Up to date as of 14 August 2023.

History

Kunimiyama worked at a coal mine in Ehime Prefecture on the same island as his original prefecture (Shikoku). There, he was spotted by Itagaki Taisuke, an influential politician and renowned sumo patron, due to his size and strength. Taisuke persuaded him to become a professional wrestler (rikishi) and he joined Tomozuna stable in January 1895, under former maegashira Kaizan, who was also from Kōchi Prefecture. He initially started to wrestle under the shikona, or ring name, Kagamigawa (鏡川) but later changed it to Kunimiyama (國見山) to evoke respectively both a river and a mountain in his home prefecture.

Kunimiyama was known for his large, well-proportioned physique, and was strong against smaller wrestlers and would rarely lose to lower-ranked wrestlers.[3] He achieved san'yaku status for the 1902 tournaments, only three years after his debut in the makuuchi division. In his stable, he was joined and quickly outclassed by Tachiyama, even though the latter became a professional wrestler 5 years after Kunimiyama. Kunimiyama won his first tournament in 1903 with the rank of sekiwake. However, the yūshō system was not introduced until 1909, and his championships are today considered unofficial. His championship victory nevertheless resulted in his promotion to ōzeki, the second-highest rank in sumo. He was promoted along Araiwa for the 1905 summer tournament. Kunimiyama held this position for 7 years, notably winning a second tournament in 1907. In May 1908, he dislocated his knee, resulting in a growing number of draws. Nevertheless, during the June 1910 tournament, he ended second place just behind the tournament winner Tachiyama. During his career, many commentators speculated about Kunimiyama's possible promotion to the rank of yokozuna, but this promotion was definitively dropped due to his knee injury.[4]

After retiring as a wrestler in June 1912, Kunimiyama remained in the Tokyo Sumo Association as an elder in his stable, assuming the name Hanaregoma. In November 1917, a fire broke out at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan and Hanaregoma, who was on guard duty at the time, tried to help extinguish the fire. Kunimiyama suffered severe burns and fell into a coma, being taken to a nearby hospital where he steadily recovered and was praised after his discharge.

Legacy

The Kunimiyama shikona is considered a legacy in Tomozuna stable and within the Tastunami-Isegahama ichimon, or clan. Several wrestlers have inherited this shikona, notably in Isegahama stable.[5] The last use of the Kunimiyama shikona was in May 1985, when Korean wrestler Ki-Ju Kim was given the ring name to help him build a comeback after falling from makushita to sandanme. Ki-Ju Kim was at the time the first Korean to enter professional sumo. Kunimiyama however retired in 1988, after five consecutive losing record caused by injuries.[6]

Top Division Record

                                                     

Kunimiyama Etsukichi[1]
- Spring Summer
1899 West Jūryō #8
61
1d

 
West Jūryō #2
80
1d

 
1900 West Maegashira #6
341
2d

 
West Maegashira #6
019
 
1901 West Maegashira #7
521
1d-1h

 
East Maegashira #3
721
 
1902East Komusubi #1
424
 
East Komusubi #1
502
2d-2h

 
1903 East Sekiwake #1
811
 
East Sekiwake #1
721
 
1904East Sekiwake #1
621
1d

 
East Sekiwake #1
414
1d

 
1905 East Sekiwake #1
901
Unofficial

 
East Ōzeki #1
405
1h

 
1906East Ōzeki #1
721
 
East Ōzeki #1
504
1d

 
1907East Ōzeki #1
613
Unofficial

 
East Ōzeki #1
422
1d-1h

 
1908East Ōzeki #1
611
2d

 
East Ōzeki #1
217
 
1909West Ōzeki #1
0010
 
East Haridashi Ōzeki
32
5d

 
1910East Haridashi Ōzeki
204
4d

 
East Haridashi Ōzeki
71
2d

 
1911East Haridashi Ōzeki
208
 
West Ōzeki #1
0010
 
1912East Ōzeki #1
52
2d-1h

 
West Ōzeki #1
Retired
0010
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 championships that are labelled "unofficial" are historically conferred. For more information see yūshō.

See also

References

  1. "Kunimiyama Etsukichi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  2. "Wrestlers from Kochi Prefecture by rank". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  3. Atsuo Tsubota. "國見山 悦吉" (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  4. "高知県出身の力士一覧!過去から現在、高知の主な関取を網羅しました". Sumo Guide Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. "Kunimiyama Shikona Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  6. "Kunimiyama (Kim-Ju Kim) Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
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