Tenryū Saburō

Tenryū Saburō, (November 1, 1903 – August 20, 1989) born Saburō Wakuta in the Hamana District, Shizuoka Prefecture (now Hamamatsu) was a professional sumo wrestler of the Dewanoumi stable. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was the ringleader of the Shunjuen Incident, in which many wrestlers went on strike.

Tenryū Saburō
天竜 三郎
Personal information
BornSaburō Wakuta
(1903-11-01)November 1, 1903
Hamana District, Shizuoka Prefecture
Japan Japan
DiedAugust 20, 1989(1989-08-20) (aged 85)
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1+12 in)
Weight116 kg (256 lb)
Career
StableDewanoumi
Record171-85-18-6 draws
DebutMay 1920
Highest rankSekiwake (May 1930)
RetiredJanuary 1932
Championships2 (Jūryō, Sandanme)

History

Born the third son of a farmer,[1] Tenryū was known as an intellectual.[2] He was a student in the electrical department of Kawate Technical School when he decided to enroll in professional sumo.[3] He was spotted by former yokozuna Hitachiyama and joined the Dewanoumi stable. He began his career in 1920, under the shikona, or ring name Mikatagahara (三方ヶ原), after a battle near his hometown. He entered the makuuchi division in May 1928 and was promoted to sekiwake in May 1930. He was a rival of Musashiyama[1] and was popular because of his techniques and handsomeness.[2]

The Shunjuen Incident

Tenryū (left) and Ōnosato Mansuke (right) after they cut off their ōichōmage

Tenryū became one of the leader of the Shunjuen Incident that broke out on January 6, 1932. One day after the January banzuke release, 32 Dewanoumi ichimon (clan) wrestlers gathered at a Chinese restaurant named Shunjuen, located in Tokyo's Oimachi district. They demanded full scale reforms from the Japan Sumo Association to improve the wrestlers living conditions. Subsequently, a number of sekitori from a non-Dewanoumi ichimon, including then sekiwake Minanogawa, joined the protest. The Association was faced with an unprecedented crisis never before seen in the history of professional sumo and responded quickly to the group's demands, but their responses were considered to be half-hearted and lacking in substance, and eventually, the negotiations collapsed.[1]
Some theories attribute the launch of the strike due to Tenryū's bitterness from being passed over for ōzeki promotion in favor of his rival.[1] Musashiyama was in fact promoted before Tenryū (from komusubi straight to ōzeki) in the January 1932 tournament while Tenryū remained sekiwake for six consecutive tournament despite having a winning record in each.
Just like his comrade Ōnosato Mansuke, Tenryū cut off his ōichōmage top knot [4] and founded with the secessionists the Kansai Sumo Association (Kansai Kakuryoku Kyokai, 関西角力協会) in which he devoted himself as a director.[2] Due to financial problems, the association was however dissolved at the end of 1937.

Later life

Tenryū did not returned in the Japan Sumo Association and worked for a time as secretary and assistant to a Cabinet Minister of then Japanese-occupied Manchuria. There, he established the Manchuria Sumo Association, and helped promote sumo by organizing tournaments and developing young rikishi. In 1939, he invited teachers of Japanese martial arts to Manchuria. He discovered the Aiki-Budo of Morihei Ueshiba and became his student the same day.[1] In subsequent years, he became popular as a sumo commentator on TBS[5] for his dry and acerbic style.[2]

He was invited as an advisor by the Japan Sumo Association and was given a special certificate by the Yoshida family for his sumo-related work in Manchuria.[1] In 1957, the reforms Tenryū had supported were implemented as a norm in professional sumo due to the National Diet implementing the reform.[6] He died on August 20, 1989, at the age of 85.

Career record

Tenryū Saburō[7]
- Spring Summer
1920 (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #18
005
 
1921 East Jonokuchi #11
122
 
East Jonokuchi #9
22
1d

 
1922 East Jonidan #26
41
 
West Sandanme #27
13
1d

 
1923 East Sandanme #40
63
1d

 
East Sandanme #18
42
 
1924 East Sandanme #4
40
1d
Championship

 
East Makushita #14
42
 
1925 East Makushita #3
33
 
West Makushita #5
23
1d

 
1926 West Makushita #9
42
 
West Makushita #5
24
 
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira
- Spring
Haru basho, Tokyo
March
Sangatsu basho, varied
Summer
Natsu basho, Tokyo
October
Jūgatsu basho, varied
1927 East Makushita #19
51
 
East Makushita #19
51
 
East Jūryō #10
33
 
West Jūryō #10
65
 
1928 East Jūryō #10
101
Championship

 
East Jūryō #2
74
 
West Maegashira #13
92
 
West Maegashira #13
83
 
1929 East Maegashira #2
0011
 
East Maegashira #2
65
 
East Maegashira #6
83
 
East Maegashira #6
65
 
1930 East Maegashira #1
74
 
East Maegashira #1
101
 
East Sekiwake
64
 
East Sekiwake
83
 
1931 West Sekiwake
83
 
West Sekiwake
83
 
East Sekiwake
65
 
East Sekiwake
83
 
1932 West Sekiwake #1
Retired
00
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

See also

References

  1. Kuroda, Joe. "Rikishi of Old: Tenryu Saburo and Shunjuen Incident". Sumo FanMag. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  2. "List of rikishi from the Dewanoumi stable! Major sekitori of the Dewanoumi stable from the past to the present - Part3". Sumo Guide Magazine. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. "Tenryū Saburō". Kotobank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  4. "Onosato Mansuke". Sumo Rikishi database. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  5. "32 wrestlers cut their hair bun and holed up in a restaurant......What is the "Shunjuen Incident" that caused a stir in sumo wrestling 90 years ago?" (in Japanese). Bunshun Magazine. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  6. "26th Diet Session, House of Representatives, Committee on Education, No. 15, April 3, 1957" (in Japanese). Japanese National Diet. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. "Tenryu Saburo Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
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