Jinmaku Kyugoro

Jinmaku Kyugoro - 陣幕 久五郎 (born June 4, 1829 - October 21, 1903) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Higashi, Izumo. He made his debut in November 1850 and wrestled for Hidenoyama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1858 and has five top division championships. He was the 12th yokozuna and he retired in November 1867.

## **Early Life**

Shintaro Ishigura was born to a farmer in the village of Higashi in Izumo province (modern Izumo, Shimane). In 1847, he became a pupil of wrestler Hatsushio Kyugoro in Onomichi, Hiroshima. When Hatsushio died in 1848 he moved to Osaka and became a pupil of Asahiyama Shirouemon, fighting his first bout in 1850. He worked under Tokushima Domain and moved to Matsue Domain and then Satsuma Domain.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

In 1850 he moved to Edo (now modern day Tokyo) and joined Hidenoyama stable, subsequently becoming a pupil of Hidenoyama Raigoro, the 9th yokozuna. He made his professional debut in November 1850 at the second highest juryo division and was given the shikona "Jinmaku Kyugoro" (陣幕 久五郎). In November 1857, he produced a 7-1-1draw record at the rank of juryo 2 and was promoted to makuuchi in January 1858.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He won the equivalent of his first tournament championship in February 1861 from the maegashira ranks, emerging undefeated with nine wins (though this was before the championship system established in 1909). He was promoted to sekiwake in July 1863 and won the equivalent of his second yusho in November 1865. A year later, he was promoted to ozeki in November 1866.

### **Ozeki Career**

In his ozeki debut, Jinmaku won the equivalent of his third championship and in the following April 1867 tournament, he won his fourth championship. He won his fifth and final championship in November 1867, having won three consecutive championships since his ozeki debut.

### **Yokozuna Career**

In January 1867, he was initially awarded a yokozuna licence by the House of Gojo and not the Tokyo-based House of Yoshida Tsukasa. He was awarded an official yokozuna licence in July 1867 but the November 1867 tournament became his last tournament. Jinmaku won 87 bouts and lost only 5 bouts in the top makuuchi division. All his defeats came when he was ranked as a maegashira and sekiwake. He is the only wrestler to have never lost a bout as a yokozuna. His winning percentage reached 94.6.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

On December 25, 1867, he saw the beginnings of national strife and sent a letter to Saigo Takamori. He escaped from Edo and moved to Kyoto. The Boshin War began in January 1868 and he protected his master Shimazu Tadayoshi from harm. After this, he left Tokyo Sumo and served as the president of Osaka Sumo. He left the sumo world in September 1880 and became a businessman. He died on October 21, 1903, at the age of 74.

### **Yokozuna Monument**

In 1900 Jinmaku erected the Yokozuna Rikishi Memorial Monument in the grounds of the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in the Koto ward of Tokyo. It was the culmination of a lengthy personal project to properly acknowledge all his fellow yokozuna. For the first time, Akashi Shiganosuke, Ayagawa Goroji and Maruyama Gondazaemon were recognized as the first three yokozuna.

## **Fighting Style**

Jinmaku was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored yori, or forcing techniques.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 94-6-63-18d-3a/121 (20 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 87-5-63-17d-3a/112 (19 basho)
* **Juryo:** 7-1-1d/9 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 5 Unofficial **Makuuchi** Championships
	+ 1st (February 1861)
	+ 2nd (November 1865)
	+ 3rd (November 1866)
	+ 4th (March 1867)
	+ 5th (November 1867)

### **Achievements**

* **Record:** **4th** best top division win ratios all time (94.6%)

## **Gallery**

Jinmaku during his time as Osaka Sumo's president
## **Sources**

* Jinmaku Kyugoro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Jinmaku Kyugoro Rikishi Information