Unryu Kyukichi

Unryu Kyukichi - 雲龍 久吉 (born September 1822 - June 15, 1890) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Yamato, Chikugo. He made his debut in November 1847 and last wrestled for Oitekaze stable. He reached the makuuchi division in February 1852 and has seven top division championships. He was the 10th yokozuna and he retired in February 1865.

## **Early Life**

He was born Shiozuka Kyukichi (塩塚 久吉) in modern day Yanagawa, Fukuoka, but would later change his name to Sato Kitaro (佐藤 喜太郎). His family was involved in the farming and fishing industry, however, he lost his parents and grandmother due to a pandemic in 1833. Since he was the eldest son, he raised his remaining siblings. He was later recommended by a former Kyoto Sumo wrestler and the president of a local amateur sumo organization to join professional sumo.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He joined Osaka Sumo's Jinmaku stable in 1846, but soon transferred to Edo Sumo's Oitekaze stable. He was given the shikona "Unryu Kyukichi" (雲龍 久吉 - it can also be read Unryu Hisakichi), and made his Edo Sumo debut in November 1847 at the juryo division. After four years in juryo, he was promoted to makuuchi in February 1852.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Unryu was a strong wrestler at the beginning of his career. He had the equivalent of four consecutive championships upon entering the top makuuchidivision (those this was before the championship system established in 1909). On the occasion of Matthew C. Perry's visit to Japan, he had an opportunity to display his wrestling prowess in a tournament Perry and his military advisors attended. He was promoted to ozeki in January 1858.

### **Ozeki Career**

At the time of his ozeki promotion, he had already won the equivalent of six championships, but was not as dominant as he was in his pre-ozeki career. He was on a four year yusho drought (even though the championship system was not established until 1909), nevertheless, he was awarded the yokozuna license in 1861.

### **Yokozuna Career**

He was awarded a yokozuna license in September 1861, but by that time he had already passed his peak and was unable to win a significant number of bouts after that. He still managed to win the equivalent of his seventh and final top division championship in November 1862. In the top makuuchi division, he won 127 bouts and lost 32 bouts, recording a winning percentage of 79.9.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

After his retirement in February 1865, he remained in the sumo world as an elder. He was the chairman (fudegashira) of Tokyo sumo in the early Meiji period, and he acquired a reputation for honesty.

He died on June 15, 1890, at the age of 67.

The name of one style of yokozuna dohyo-iri (ring entering ceremony) came from him. His ritual dance was said to be beautiful but it isn't proven that he performed the ritual dance in the Unryu style. His style is said to have been imitated by Tachiyama Mineemon, but Tachiyama's style is called shiranui style now. This was due to sumo scholar Kozo Hikoyama, who without researching properly, labelled Tachiyama's style as being that of Shiranui Koemon, whereas it was in fact created by Unryu. Hikoyama was such an authority that no one contradicted him, and the Shiranui name has stuck.

## **Fighting Style**

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

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 140-37-55-16d-7a/200 (29 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 127-32-55-15d-5a/179 (26 basho)
* **Juryo:** 13-5-1d-2a/21 (3 basho)

### **Championships**

* 7 Unofficial **Makuuchi** Championships
	+ 1st (February 1852)
	+ 2nd (November 1852)
	+ 3rd (February 1853)
	+ 4th (November 1853)
	+ 5th (November 1856)
	+ 6th (November 1857)
	+ 7th (November 1862)

## **Gallery**

Woodblock print of Unryu by Utagawa Kunisada II, 1864
## **Sources**

* Unryu Kyukichi Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Unryu Kyukichi Rikishi Information