Ōkido Moriemon (Japanese: 大木戸 森右衛門, November 2, 1878 – November 7, 1930) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 23rd yokozuna. He was the second yokozuna to be recognised from Osaka sumo, and the only yokozuna who spent his whole active career in this city.
| Ōkido Moriemon | |
|---|---|
| 大木戸 森右衛門 | |
 Ōkido, circa 1912 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Uchida Mitsuzō November 2, 1878 Higashinada-ku, Kōbe, Hyōgo, Japan |
| Died | November 7, 1930 (aged 52) |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 125 kg (276 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Minato |
| Record | 143-20-22-10draws (Makuuchi) |
| Debut | September 1899 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (December 1912) |
| Retired | January 1914 |
| Elder name | Minato |
| Championships | 10 (Osaka makuuchi, unofficial) |
| * Up to date as of August 2008. | |
Early life and career
editHis real name was Uchida Mitsuzō (内田 光蔵). Uchida was born into a family that had been in the sake barrel manufacturing business for generations.[1] He began to be interested in sumo as a child and participated in children sumo events, reaching the rank of ōzeki in these competitions.[2] Around 18 years-old, he participated in amateur sumo competitions while working in the Onohama Shipyards.[2] During the Sino-Japanese War, he served in Taiwan where he met professional wrestlers from the Osaka-sumo Association. After the war, he joined Minato stable.[2][3] He began his professional career in September 1899, under the shikona, or ring name, of Ōkido (大城戸) and knew a rapid ascent in the ranking. Upon promotion to makushita, he changed the spelling of his shikona to Ōkido (大木戸). Between January 1908 and May 1909, he recorded 28 consecutive wins without a single draw or hold, a rarity at the time. In 1904, at the rank of komusubi, he won a bout against Osaka yokozuna Wakashima. From that point, his popularity soared and he became sekiwake in May 1938 and then ōzeki, a rank he held for ten tournaments.[2]
Yokozuna promotion
editBeing in good grace in Tokyo sumo, thanks to his friendship with yokozuna Hitachiyama, Ōkido thought for a time to move to Tokyo to continue wrestling. Hitachiyama had contributed to his quick rise in the ranks by training him.[3] However, Osaka-sumo already lost yokozuna Wakashima, who retired due to injury in 1907, and Osaka-sumo chairman and patrons heavily insisted that Ōkido stayed in Osaka-sumo.[2] At this time the Osaka Sumo Association attempted to promote him to yokozuna, looking for the support of Tokyo's Yoshida family. After the refusal of Tokyo Sumo Association, the Osaka Sumo Association arbitrarily granted the yokozuna license on January 5, 1910. The turmoil that ensued saw both sumo associations cut ties. Later, the relations between the two associations were rebuilt and Ōkido was awarded an official yokozuna licence by the Tokyo association in December 1912.[2]
Retirement and death
editŌkido was past his prime when he was promoted to yokozuna. Later, it was found he suffered from cerebral hemorrhage. After three months of treatment at the Kure Mutual Aid Hospital, he returned to Osaka, but he was paralyzed and could not continue to wrestle, so he retired at the end of February 1914 and became head coach of his stable under the name of Minato. After his retirement he became chairman of the Osaka Sumo Association, but his health did not improve and he was unable to go to work, so he resigned in 1930. He died on October 7, 1930.[2] The current Japan Sumo Association includes Ōkido, and four other wrestlers from the Osaka Association, in its list of past yokozuna.[4] In his hometown, a modest stone marks his birthplace and achievements.[1][5]
Fighting style
editHe had a strong two-handed thrust, usually sending his opponents into a two-handed thrust, and even when he was in a four-way right hand, he had the advantage of hanging and throwing.[2] At his prime, he was considered the only rikishi who could compete with Wakashima Gonshirō, the first officially recognized yokozuna in Osaka-sumo.[3] He was the only ōzeki-ranked wrestler to defeat Wakashima twice in the main tournament of the Osaka Sumo Tournament.
Osaka sumo top division record
edit- Osaka sumo existed independently for many years before merging with Tokyo sumo in 1926. 1–2 tournaments were held yearly, though the actual time they were held was often erratic.
| First | Second | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | West Maegashira #6 6–3 |
West Maegashira #1 6–2–1 |
||||
| 1904 | West Komusubi 8–0–1 1d Unofficial |
West Sekiwake 8–0–1 1h Unofficial |
||||
| 1905 | West Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial |
West Ōzeki 6–1–1 2d |
||||
| 1906 | West Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial |
West Ōzeki 8–1–1 Unofficial |
||||
| 1907 | East Ōzeki 3–1–4 2h |
East Ōzeki 7–0–2 1h |
||||
| 1908 | East Ōzeki 7–2–1 |
East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial |
||||
| 1909 | East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial |
East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial |
||||
| 1910 | East Yokozuna 6–2–1 1d |
East Yokozuna 8–1–1 Unofficial |
||||
| 1911 | East Yokozuna 7–1–1 1d Unofficial |
East Yokozuna 6–2–2 |
||||
| 1912 | East Yokozuna 7–1–1 1d |
Not held | ||||
| 1913 | East Yokozuna 5–3–2 |
Sat out | ||||
| 1914 | Retired – |
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) |
||||||
*Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded in Osaka sumo before its merger with Tokyo sumo, and the unofficial championship above are historically conferred. For more information, see yūshō.
References
edit- ^ a b "Monument of the birthplace of Ōkido Moriemon". Higashinada Ward website (Kobe-city) (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Atsuo Tsubota. "Biographies of Yokozuna (19th to 25th)" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 27 June 2002. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "23rd Yokozuna Ōkido Moriemon - Time-Line". Ozumo databse (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "The turbulent life of Hyogo's only yokozuna". Kobe Shimbun (in Japanese). 4 January 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ Japan Sumo Association [@sumokyokai] (2 March 2014). "The two associations broke up, but they reconciled, and two years later, in 1912, Okido was formally licensed as a yokozuna. A monument to the birth of the 23rd yokozuna Moriemon Okido is located in Gohyakuchi Park in Uozaki, Higashinada Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. #sumo" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ 横綱力士幕内星取表 (in Japanese).
See also
edit