Umegatani Totaro (born 1845)

## Umegatani Totaro

Umegatani Totaro - 梅ヶ谷 藤太郎 (born February 9, 1845 - June 15, 1928) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Shiwa, Chikuzen. He made his debut in March 1871 and last wrestled for Tamagaki stable. He reached the makuuchi division in December 1874 and has nine top division championships. He was the 15th yokozuna and he retired in May 1885.

## **Early Life**

Totaro Koe was born in the village of Shiwa in Chikuzen Province (modern day Fukuoka Prefecture). Ever since he was a child, Koe was immensely strong and was able to pull a quern-stone. At the age of seven, he was taken to watch Osaka Sumo and he was introduced to Minato stable.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

After the Meiji Restoration, Koe joined Minato stable and made his professional debut for Osaka Sumo in 1863 under the shikona "Umegatani Totaro" (梅ヶ谷 藤太郎). He was promoted to ozeki in 1870. He wasn't content with the rank and so gave it up. He transferred to Tokyo sumo in December 1870, and began his career over again from the bottom of the rankings. He was reached juryo in November 1871 and after three years in juryo, he was promoted to makuuchi in December 1874.

### **Makuuchi Career**

In his first top division tournament, Umegatani produced a yusho-equivalent record (the yusho system was not established until 1909). He won 58 bouts in a row from January 1876 to January 1881. It is the fourth best record of consecutive victories behind Futabayama, Tanikaze and Hakuho. During his streak, he was promoted to ozeki in January 1879 and had already won the equivalent of four top division championships.

### **Ozeki Career**

From May 1880 to May 1881, Umegatani continued his dominant streak and won three consecutive tournaments. After sitting out of the January 1882 tournament, he returned in May 1882 and claimed his eighth championship. In January 1884, he won the equivalent of his ninth yusho and was awarded the yokozuna license after the tournament.

### **Yokozuna Career**

He was awarded a yokozuna licence in February 1884, receiving it simultaneously from both the Osaka and Tokyo based organisations. Emperor Meiji took pleasure in seeing his bout on March 10, 1884. The event helped to make sumo more famous among the people of Japan. He won 116 bouts and lost only 6 bouts in the top makuuchi division. He achieved a winning average of 95.1, the highest record among yokozuna, though could not surpass ozeki Raiden. He was not a particularly large wrestler but was remarkably strong.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

After his retirement he remained in the sumo world as a coach under the name Ikazuchi Oyakata. He established Ikazuchi stable and took in his adopted son Otojiro who also rose to the rank of yokozuna. He helped to raise funds for the building of the first Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium in 1909. It is said that when asked by a potential backer what he had in the way of collateral, simply showing his muscles was enough to clinch the deal.

### **Death**

He lived until the age of eighty-three, making him the longest-lived yokozuna of all time. He outlived his son Umegatani II, and is one of very few yokozuna to have died of old age.

## **Fighting Style**

Umegatani was a yotsu-sumo wrestler who prefers grappling to pushing and thrusting techniques. He favored a hidari-yotsu (right hand outside, left hand inside) position when gripping his opponent's mawashi (belt). He was fond of employing hazuoshi (pushing up with hands under opponent's armpits) as well as tsuppari (a series of rapid thrusts to the chest).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 151-13-78-22d-2a/188 (28 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 116-6-78-18d-2a/142 (22 basho)
* **Juryo:** 35-7-4d/46 (6 basho)

### **Championships**

* 9 Unofficial **Makuuchi** Championships
	+ 1st (December 1874)
	+ 2nd (January 1877)
	+ 3rd (June 1877)
	+ 4th (December 1877)
	+ 5th (May 1880)
	+ 6th (January 1881)
	+ 7th (May 1881)
	+ 8th (May 1882)
	+ 9th (January 1884)

### **Achievements**

* **Record:** **2nd** best top division win ratios all time (95.1%)
* **Record:** **4th** most consecutive wins (58 consecutive wins)

## **Sources**

* Umegatani Totaro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Umegatani Totaro Rikishi Information