Hitachiiwa Eitaro

Hitachiiwa Eitaro - 常陸岩 英太郎 (born March 9, 1900 - July 21, 1957) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Chuo, Tokyo. He made his debut in May 1917 and wrestled for Dewanoumi stable. He reached the makuuchi division in May 1923 and has 1 top division championship. His highest rank was ozeki and he retired in March 1931.

## **Early Life**

Eitaro Sakurai was born in Nihonbashi ward in Tokyo (currently Chuo ward) as the second eldest son of a tempura shop owner. After graduating from elementary school, he worked at a liquor store, but was introduced to Dewanoumi stable by a doctor who was visiting liquor store.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in May 1917 and was given the shikona "Hitachiiwa" (常陸岩). He was promoted to sandanme in May 1919 and makushita in May 1920. After two years in makushita, he was promoted to juryo in May 1922.

### **Juryo Career**

Shortly after promotion to juryo, his stablemaster (the 19th yokozuna Hitachiyama) died in June of the same year, making Hitachiiwa the last sekitori he produced. Hitachiiwa won the juryo yusho with an 8-1 record in January 1923 and was promoted to makuuchi in May 1923.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Hitachiiwa steadily climbed up the ranks and was promoted to sekiwake in May 1925, however, he sat out of this tournament and was demoted back down to the maegashira ranks. In January 1926, at the rank of maegashira 2, he finished as runner-up to yokozuna Tsunenohana with a fine 10–1 record. After two consecutive runner-up performances in January and March 1927, he was promoted to ozeki in May 1927.

### **Ozeki Career**

In January 1928, he won his only top division yusho, or championship, but it caused great controversy. On Day 10, he scored a win by default (fusensho) against Nishinoumi Kajiro III, who was a no-show for the bout. His rival for the championship, veteran maegashira and former sekiwake Misugiiso, had won all his bouts in actual fights but was then defeated by strong komusubi Tamanishiki (later yokozuna) on the 11th day. At the end of the tournament they both had 10–1 records, as Hitachiiwa had defeated yokozuna Miyagiyama on the final day. Hitachiiwa and Misugiiso were too far apart in rank to have been paired against each other during the tournament, and as there was no playoff system in place at that time, Hitachiiwa, in the higher ozeki rank was awarded the yusho. Many people sympathized with Misugiiso as it had cost him his only chance to win a championship. Misugiiso was only able to win two more bouts in his career and retired a year later. The controversy gathered around the system of keeping score for matches won by default as one wrestler does not appear for their scheduled fight (fusensho). At the time, only in the last two days of a tournament could a win by default be accepted, and there was no formal announcement (kachi-nanori) of the winner by default, so both wrestlers would be scored as not appearing for the match. In the following tournament in March 1928, the modern system was established where the winner by default was officially scored as a win and not a no-show, as it was in the past.

Hitachiiwa fell ill after the dispute and was unable to capitalise on his win, sitting out the March 1928 tournament. He was unable to record consistently good results in his following career and was never in contention for another championship. He retired in March 1931.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

He remained in the sumo world as an elder, under the name Sakaigawa (境川), and worked as a coach in Dewanoumi stable. He also wrote sumo reviews in a newspaper.

### **Death**

He died on July 21, 1957, at the age of 57 due to angina.

## **Fighting Style**

Hitachiiwa 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). His most common kimarite was yoritaoshi (crush out) and yorikiri (force out).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 190-93-47-3d-3a/288 (37 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 147-74-47-3d-3a/226 (25 basho)
* **Juryo:** 11-3/14 (2 basho)
* **Makushita:** 13-7/20 (4 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 7-3/10 (2 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 7-3/10 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 3-2/5 (1 basho)
* **Shinjo:** 2-1/3 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 1 **Makuuchi** Championship (January 1928)
* 1 **Juryo** Championship (January 1923)

## **Gallery**

Hitachiiwa Eitaro - (Retrieved from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai)
## **Sources**

* Hitachiiwa Eitaro Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Hitachiiwa Eitaro Rikishi Information