Akashi Shiganosuke
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| Personal data | |
|---|---|
| real name | Akashi Shiganosuke |
| Born | around 1600 |
| place of birth | Tochigi prefecture? |
| Died | around 1649 |
| Career | |
| Heya | ? |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna |
Akashi Shiganosuke ( Japanese 明石 志 賀 之 助 ; * around 1600 in Tochigi Prefecture (?); † around 1649 ) was a legendary sumo wrestler whose historical existence is not certain, but who is considered the first yokozuna .
Akashi is said to have received the title of yokozuna for the first time, but it is said that it was only awarded posthumously . According to one of several legends, Akashi is also considered to be the inventor of the tsuna , the thick rope around the waist, which is still the symbol of the grandmaster's dignity today, by wearing it as a symbol of respect for the tennō . Against this, however, there are no known depictions of wrestlers with tsuna from this period. The earliest such pictures show the yokozuna after 1789.
Since the records in sumo do not begin until later, the dates of life and even the mere existence of Akashis are not proven. At least his alleged height of 2.30 m should be rather improbable for a medieval Japanese, especially since the height of his compatriots at that time averaged 1.57 m. Nevertheless, he is still officially listed as the first yokozuna by the Japanese Sumo Association .
Web links
- The first yokozuna - the story of the highest rank in sumo , article in Sumo Fan Magazine
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Akashi, Shiganosuke |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 明石 志 賀 之 助 (Japanese) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | legendary first yokozuna |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1600 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | unsure: Tochigi Prefecture |
| DATE OF DEATH | around 1649 |