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Thread: Tegata collection

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    Default Tegata collection

    Hello all,

    I thought I'd try to spark a little interest in this forum by sharing some images of my tegata collection. I don't have a lot (11 as of right now and none of mine are active sumotori) but I hope everyone enjoys seeing what I do have. For those who don't know tegata are autographed hand prints on paper boards called shikishi that are made by professional sumotori. Only the highest ranked rikishi make them and they are given out as gifts to loyal fans and club members and on special occasions. The hand prints are usually either red or black and the signature is in black ink. They sometimes have various hanko of the rikishi's name, his rank, or a special event. Part of a young rikishi's training is shodo or how o use the brush. Many rikishi have very artistic autographs. Sometimes the shikishi board will be printed with something as well. Although I don't have any, a very rare type of tegata is on paper and it s displayed on a scroll. These will have a kanji written by one of the gyoji (referees) along side of the tegata. Tegata are a very interesting autograph because it also shows biometric feature of the wrestling star, the hand print. It is becoming popular with American athletes to make their own tegata and a quick search on ebay shows some by Michael Jordan for sale.

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    Here we have a lower ranked wrestler helping a higher ranked wrestler as he makes his tegata.

    Anyway, over the next few days I'll reply to this post. In the reply I'll have an image of the tegata and a short write-up on the rikishi.

    Cheers,
    Chris
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Kyokushuzan Noboru

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    This is one of the first few tegata I got. It is from one of the first Mongolian rikishi Kyokushuzan. Kyokushuzan's highest rank in sumo was Komusubi, sumo's 4th highest rank. Kyokushuzan helped pioneer the Mongolian invasion into pro-sumo and actively sought to get Mongolians into the sport at the highest level. Clearly it worked as the current three Yokozuna (Hakuho, Harumafuji and Kakuryu) and the most recently retired Yokozuna (Asashoryu) are all Mongolians. Like most Mongolian rikishi Kyokushuzan practiced Mongolian wrestling as a youth before going to Japan.

    After retirement Kyokushuzan became a politician in Mongolia. This tegata was made for a charity auction. I can't remember where the money went but it was something to do with helping impoverished kids in Mongolia. I thought the Japanese and Mongolian postage stamps in the corners made this tegata pretty cool.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Chiyotaikai Ryuji

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    So this is the first tegata I ever got. It is from the famous Ozeki Chiyotaikai. Chiyotaikai was a staple of Grand Sumo for the better part of a decade between 1999-2009. He was the longest serving Ozeki with 65 consecutive honbasho. His style of sumo was aggressive and he favored tsuppari, the repeated open hand slapping. The first time I went to Tokyo in 2001 I got to go to a honbasho at the Kokugikan (sumo stadium in Tokyo) in Ryogoku and I saw Chiyotaikai live. He was fast and powerful. His style of sumo has represented the ideal style of sumo to me since seeing him in person. I purchased one of his tegata at the stadium but it was a machine printed one. I wanted the real thing so when this one came up I grabbed it.

    Chiyotaikai retired in Jan. 2010 and has since been a coach at Kokonoe beya. His toshiyori or elder name is Sanoyama Oyakata.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Asashio Taro IV

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    This tegata is from the fourth man to carry the name Asashio Taro. Asashio was an Ozeki ranked rikishi from the late 70's into the late 80's. As an Ozeki he had a fairly mediocre career winning one championship and then barely posting a winning record to keep himself from demotion. The first two Asashio were both Ozeki ranked and the third was the 46th Yokozuna. While he certainly lived up to his namesake by making the rank of Ozeki his biggest success and eventual downfall was his coaching career after he retired from the dohyo.

    Asashio IV would become the stable master of Wakamatsu beya a stable related to the one he wrestled for Takasago. As the head of Wakamatsu beya he coached the famous (infamous?) Mongolian Yokozuna Asashoryu. His own Wakamatsu beya would merge with his former stable Takasago beya and Asashio would become the master of the Takasago beya just like the 2nd and 3rd Asashio before him. From 2000 to 2008 he would hold the position of Director of the Japan Sumo Association. But his greatest triumph as a coach would be his downfall. Asashoryu caused numerous scandals in the sport, including drunken brawls and being AWOL for local basho (spending time in Mongolia playing soccer instead). Takasago's inability to control his wrestler got him demoted within the Association.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Hokutenyu Katsuhiko

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    Here we have the tegata from a very powerful and popular Ozeki ranked rikishi Hokutenyu. He was active as a wrestler from 1976 to 1990 and he spent 44 consecutive honbasho at the rank of Ozeki making him the fourth longest serving Ozeki. Hokutenyu was very popular with the ladies and was considered very handsome in his prime. Hokutenyu had two rivals during his career; Yokozuna Chiyonofuji and the Hawaiian born Ozeki Konishiki. Hokutenyu's brother entered sumo in the Kokonoe beya the same stable his rival Chiyonofuji wrestled for. There was an incident of physical abuse to Hokutenyu's brother that made him leave sumo. Hokutenyu blamed the Yokozuna so his rivalry in the dohyo was personal.

    After retirement Hokutenyu started his own stable Hatachiyama beya. In 2006 Hatachiyama Oyakata would suffer a stroke and soon after die from cancer of the kidneys at the young age of 45. His sumotori would transfer to Kitanoumi beya.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

  7. #6
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    Default

    Hello Chris,

    I do not have a collection of tegata, for my interest in sumo really concerns the type of training that sumotori do. When I was younger, I occasionally attended tournaments and knew people connected with the old Takasago Beya. So my three tegata are by Takamiyama, Konishiki and Mitoizumi. Do you have these? If not, I will give them to you (assuming you ever come to Japan, for I have no plans to visit the US in the immediate future).

    Best wishes,

    PAG
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

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    Default

    Prof. Goldsbury,

    That is a very kind offer thank you. Next time I make it out to Japan I will try to get outside of the Kanto area and maybe we can meet. Takamiyama is of course an American favorite along with Konishiki. Mitoizumi was always awesome to watch before the match when he made it rain with salt on the dohyo. I think at one point he was supposed to head Takasago beya but that eventually fell through which is why Asashio ended up merging it with Wakamatsu beya.

    One of my training partners and I have always enjoyed putting on mawashi and doing some ama sumo after Daito ryu training. This year we have decided to work with the US Sumo Federation and start Maryland's first formal sumo club. We are scheduling our first training class the 23rd of this month. Not sure if we will produce any world class wrestlers but it should be fun none the less. Shiko training has been one of my staple exercises for close to a decade but here in the last couple months I've really increased the number I do daily in preparation for sumo class.

    Today ended up being very busy so I didn't get as many tegata posted. I'll try for a couple more tomorrow.

    Cheers,
    Chris
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

  9. #8
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    Default

    Hello Chris,

    Yes, Mitoizumi was ticked off once by the Sumo Federation for the amount of salt he used to throw over the dohyo, but I do not think it made any difference.
    Have you been as far south as Hiroshima?

    Best wishes,

    PAG
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

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    Prof. Goldsbury,

    All of my travels in Japan so far have been centered around Tokyo. I've been as far north as Kashima City in Ibaraki to pray at the shrine, as far east as Katsuura City in Chiba and as far south as Kamakura in Kanagawa. There is so much to see and do just in Tokyo alone it can be overwhelming. Most of my time spent in Japan has been in the dojo so I haven't seen a fraction of what I want to see. I would love to get south. I did a lot of my undergrad work focusing on the Bakumatsu and the Southwestern War so it would be great to tour the region. I think my next trip will have more time for site seeing and maybe only a few days in the dojo. My wife wants to come too so that will limit the time in training anyway.

    Cheers,
    Chris
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Konishiki Yasokichi VI

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    This is my last Ozeki ranked rikishi's tegata before I get into Yokozuna and this is a big one; Konishiki. Konishiki is one of the most famous and popular sumotori outside of Japan. He was the first non-Japanese to make the rank of Ozeki. Konishiki was born in Hawaii to Samoan parents. He was scouted by local Hawaiian hero and first non-Japanese rikishi to win a honbasho, Takamiyama. Konishiki was active as a rikishi from 1982 until 1997 and he has the distinction of being the heaviest sumotori in history at 633 lbs. or 287 kg! To reach the rank of Yokozuna a wrestler must win two consecutive honbasho. At that point the Yokozuna Deliberation Council will meet to see if the rikishi should be promoted to sumo's highest rank. When Konishiki won two basho Ina row the council met but decided not to promote because they did not know if a foreigner had the dignity and cultural understanding to hold this coveted title. They decided to wait and see if Konishiki could win a third honbasho in a row. There was a media backlash and Konishiki wasn't able to give his full attention to his training and turned in a mediocre performance the next basho. Konishiki was never able to string together two more consecutive wins so was never considered for Yokozuna again in his career. He still remained a fan favorite.

    After he retired Konishiki became an actor and musician. His musical style mixes island with rap. He is also a skilled ukulele player which is very cool to me since I enjoy playing ukulele too. Konishiki has raised funds for disaster relief and runs a charity to allow underprivileged Hawaiian children experience Japanese culture.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Wajima Hiroshi 54th Yokozuma

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    So I will start off my Yokozuna tegata collection with the earliest tegata and one of the more controversial Yokozuna, Wajima. Wajima was the 54th Yokozuna in sumo history with a solid career as a wrestler. He won 14 honbasho during his career between 1970 and 1981. Of the 71 Yokozuna there have only been seven with better records than Wajima. He is also the only collegiate rikishi to make it to the rank of Yokozuna. He is also the only rikishi to make it to the highest rank and never take a shikona, a ring name. His who career he fought under his given name. Even as a Yokozuna he was a bit of an outsider and would spend time with yakuza gangsters and stay in much more luxurious places than is common for the Spartan sumotori, even of his rank. Where things got dicey for him though was after he retired from the dohyo.

    After his retirement he purchased stock in the Japan Sumo Federation and became an elder. The rules of who is eligible to purchase sumo stock are very strict with only salaried rikishi being eligible and the stocks can never leave the Federation. This helps insure that people who have never been involved in the sport can't just buy their way into it. Anyway, he took over Hanakago beya but he wasn't much of a coach and the stable suffered. He also had marital troubles that ended in bitter divorce. While his stable and personal life were collapsing his finances were too. Wajima had a chain of chankonabe (the rich stew rikishi eat daily) restaurants that failed and he went deeply in debt. It turned out he used his shares in the Federation as collateral on a loan. This got him banned from the Federation. To pay his debts Wajima became a professional wrestler for two years. He later became a coach for a Japanese gridiron football team in the X-League. Wajima had a successful career as a rikishi but post retirement he was a somewhat tragic figure in the sport's history.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Kitanoumi Toshimitsu 55th Yokozuna

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    Now we will move on to one of the great Yokozuna who was more successful both in the dohyo and after (although he has some smaller shake ups recently) Kitanoumi. Kitanoumi was the most successful Yokozuna during the 1970's and his career stretched from 1967 as a 13 year old middle school student until 1985 when we wrestled in the new Kokugikan stadium. Kitanoumi won a remarkable 24 championships with only four Yokozuna posting more. His records are rather extensive and many have only been beat in very recent years. Because of his dominance he wasn't that popular with sumo fans. He remained in excellent health throughout his career and almost never missed a honbasho for any reason. For these reasons he took the excitement away from the sport a little. If he showed up he'd likely win or make runner-up. In the 1970's his only real rival was the less consistent Wajima. It wasn't until the 1980's when the young Yokozuna Chiyonofuji started to wrestle that Kitanoumi had a serious rival. His last honbasho he won was May 1984 when he posted a perfect 15-0 record. He was convinced to stay in the sport until the new Kokugikan stadium was complete in 1985. After three days in the January 1985 tournament he retired. He was Yokozuna for 63 honbasho, one of him many records.

    After retirement he was honored by the Japan Sumo Federation by being allowed to remain as an elder but to use his shikona or fighting name. This had only been done once before for the great Taiho. Every other rikishi who had remained as an elder had to take a toshiyori or elder name. He eventually became the head of the Federation as the chairman in 2002. During his tenure professional sumo has faced several scandals and the interest in the sport has been waning in favor of baseball, basketball and other western sports. During his tenure there were troubles with the then Yokozuna Asashoryu, the murder of a junior wrestler by his coach, drug use among rikishi and match fixing. Kitanoumi would resign as chairman in 2008 and then as one of the directors in 2011. However, like a rising phoenix he has resumed his position of chairman as of 2012.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Onokuni Yasushi 62nd Yokozuna

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    Just like life, sumo and Yokozuna are subject to ebb and flow and the next tegata is from one of those ebbing Yokozuna, Onokuni. Onokuni's Yokozuna career started out very promising. He posted a 40-5 win ratio tied with Wakanohana II for best win record to the rank of Yokozuna. During those three tournaments he would win one honbasho with a perfect 15-0 record and be runner-up in the following two which earned him his Yokozuna title. After reaching the highest rank Onokuni would only win one more honbasho for a career high of only two. The rest of his career he was plagued with injury and illness and his weight skyrocketed to 448 lbs or about 203 kg. He became the first Yokozuna to post a makekoshi or losing record of 7-8 in a basho. While he offered to resign the Federation refused his resignation. After numerous missed basho and many mediocre records he finally retired at age 28, the second youngest Yokozuna to retire from the sport.

    After retirement Onokuni took the elder name Shibatayama Oyakata and opened his own stable. According to Wiki he is an avid baker and published a cookbook on baking cakes as well as an autobiography.
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Default Asahifuji Seiya 63rd Yokozuna

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    Besides the Hanada brother dynasts, Asahifuji was the last Japanese Yokozuna before the sports highest rank became dominated by Hawaiian and Mongolian wrestlers. He was another Yokozuna plagued with injury and illness including shoulder troubles and pancreatic disease. Asahifuji had, at the time, the fast rise into sumo's highest ranks. As a child his father was an avid ama-sumo (amateur sumo) competitor and the family had their own dohyo in their garden. Asahifuji spent much of his youth fighting in ama-sumo which is what helped him reach the top ranks so fast. He turned in four championship wins in his 11 year career but only one of those was at the rank of Yokozuna. Illness and injury kept him from being in top form.

    After he retired he took over Ajigawa beya and eventually acquired the prestigious elder name Isegahama Oyakata. He subsequently changed his stable name to Isegahama beya. Asahifuji's greatest accomplishment thus far as an elder has been coaching the Mongolian Yokozuna Haramafuji (formerly Ama). Asahifuji reportedly told Haramafuji, "If you are content with being ozeki then it is all over. You do not become a yokozuna just by wanting to be a yokozuna."
    Christopher Covington

    Daito-ryu aikijujutsu
    Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu heiho

    All views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the arts I practice, the teachers and people I train with or any dojo I train in.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kendoguy9 View Post
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    This is my last Ozeki ranked rikishi's tegata before I get into Yokozuna and this is a big one; Konishiki. Konishiki is one of the most famous and popular sumotori outside of Japan. He was the first non-Japanese to make the rank of Ozeki. Konishiki was born in Hawaii to Samoan parents. He was scouted by local Hawaiian hero and first non-Japanese rikishi to win a honbasho, Takamiyama. Konishiki was active as a rikishi from 1982 until 1997 and he has the distinction of being the heaviest sumotori in history at 633 lbs. or 287 kg! To reach the rank of Yokozuna a wrestler must win two consecutive honbasho. At that point the Yokozuna Deliberation Council will meet to see if the rikishi should be promoted to sumo's highest rank. When Konishiki won two basho Ina row the council met but decided not to promote because they did not know if a foreigner had the dignity and cultural understanding to hold this coveted title. They decided to wait and see if Konishiki could win a third honbasho in a row. There was a media backlash and Konishiki wasn't able to give his full attention to his training and turned in a mediocre performance the next basho. Konishiki was never able to string together two more consecutive wins so was never considered for Yokozuna again in his career. He still remained a fan favorite.

    After he retired Konishiki became an actor and musician. His musical style mixes island with rap. He is also a skilled ukulele player which is very cool to me since I enjoy playing ukulele too. Konishiki has raised funds for disaster relief and runs a charity to allow underprivileged Hawaiian children experience Japanese culture.
    Thank you for sharing. Unfortunately for Konishiki's yokozuna hopes, he never was able to win two tournaments in a row in the top division.

    http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=1287
    Nullius in verba

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