Minanogawa Tōzō

{{short description|Japanese sumo wrestler}} {{hatnote|In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Minanogawa.}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | native_name = 男女ノ川登三 | name = Minanogawa Tōzō | image = Minanogawa.jpg | birth_name = Sakata Tomojiro | birth_date = {{birth date|1903|9|17}} | birth_place = Ibaraki, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|1971|1|20|1903|9|17}} | height = {{height|meters=1.91}} | weight = {{convert|146|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Takasago, Sadogatake | rank = | record = 294-155-34-1draw | debut = January 1924 | highestrank = Yokozuna (January 1936) | retireddate = January 1942 | eldername = Minanogawa | yushos = 2 (Makuuchi)<br/>1 (Sandanme) | prizes = | goldstars = 2 (Tsunenohana, Tamanishiki) | update = June 2020 }}

{{nihongo|'''Minanogawa Tōzō'''|男女ノ川登三||September 17, 1903 – January 20, 1971|lead=yes}}, also known as {{nihongo|'''Asashio Kyojiro'''|朝潮供次郎}}, was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tsukuba, Ibaraki. He was the sport's 34th ''yokozuna''.

==Career== He was born {{nihongo|Sakata Tomojiro|坂田供次郎}}. He had lost his father in the Russo-Japanese War at the age of two, and worked as a labourer to support his mother.<ref name="kurodaone">{{cite web|author=Kuroda, Joe|title=Rikishi of Old Minanogawa Tozo Part 1|publisher=Sumo Fan Magazine|url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_8/Rikishi_of_Old.htm|date=August 2006|accessdate=2008-06-13}}</ref> Already {{height|meters=1.82}} tall at the age of 15, very large for Japanese youths in his time, he was spotted by Takasago stable's Akutsugawa.<ref name="kurodaone"/> He made his debut in January 1924 and reached the second highest ''jūryō'' division after only six tournaments in January 1927. He initially relied on pushing techniques, or ''oshi-sumo'', but began to develop a more rounded technique after being given instruction by former ''sekiwake'' Kiyosegawa.<ref name="kurodaone"/>

He was promoted to the top ''makuuchi'' division in January 1928. In 1929 Akutsugawa, the wrestler who had discovered him, retired and encouraged him to join his newly established Sadogatake stable.<ref name="kurodaone"/> However Takasago's stablemaster, the former ''ōzeki'' Asashio Tarō II, did not want his promising ''rikishi'' to leave and even changed Minanogawa's ''shikona'' to his own of Asashio to obligate him to stay. Eventually a compromise was worked out and Minanogawa divided his time between the two stables.<ref name="kurodaone"/>

He made ''komusubi'' in January 1930, and had two consecutive runner-up scores in October 1930 and January 1931, the second from the third highest ''sekiwake'' rank. Along with the lean and handsome Musashiyama he was one of the most popular men in sumo in this time.<ref name="kurodaone"/> However, in 1931 he suffered a series of knee injuries, and in 1932 was caught up in the Shunjuen Incident, when a number of top division wrestlers went on an unprecedented strike. Minanogawa was out of the Japan Sumo Association for four tournaments and he and his followers held a number of their own rival tournaments with knockout rounds.<ref name="kurodaone"/>

He returned to the Sumo Association in 1933 and immediately took his first tournament championship with an unbeaten record, defeating Musashiyama, Shimizugawa and ''yokozuna'' Tamanishiki, all of whom had stayed with the Association during the strike.<ref name="kurodaone"/> He reverted to the Minanogawa ring name and won his second championship in January 1934. This earned him promotion to ''ōzeki''. He was promoted to ''yokozuna'' after a 9–2 runner-up score in January 1936, just one tournament after Musashiyama, and it was suggested that the double promotion was as a result of a deal between the Takasago and Dewanoumi factions.<ref name="kurodaone"/>

Although his record at ''yokozuna'' rank was not as bad as Musashiyama, who managed only one ''kachi-koshi'' winning score as a grand champion, Minanogawa was unable to win any further championships, and was overshadowed by Tamanishiki and the dominant Futabayama. He was never able to beat Futabayama as a ''yokozuna'' and had only one win over Tamanishiki. In May 1938 he could win only six out of 13 bouts, and became one of the very few ''yokozuna'' to compete in a full tournament and turn in a ''make-koshi'' losing score. By the start of 1941 he was 37 years old and suffering from injuries, and he wanted to retire, but was asked to stay on until Maedayama or Akinoumi were ready to replace him.<ref name="kurodatwo">{{cite web|author=Kuroda, Joe|title=Rikishi of Old Minanogawa Tozo Part 2|publisher=Sumo Fan Magazine|url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_9/Rikishi_of_Old.htm|date=October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-13}}</ref> He eventually retired in January 1942, a tournament in which Akinoumi produced a strong 13–2 record.<ref name="kurodatwo"/>

==Retirement from sumo== [[File:Retirement ceremony from Minanogawa Scan10053.JPG|thumb|right|Minanogawa (second from right) during his retirement ceremony at Yasukuni Shrine, May 2, 1942]] Minanogawa had been able to stay in sumo as an elder due to his ''yokozuna'' ranking, but he had lost interest in sumo.<ref name="kurodatwo"/> He had recently married and started a family, and had also done a law and economics degree at Waseda University.<ref name="kurodatwo"/> He decided to resign from the Sumo Association (an irreversible decision) and run for election to parliament. However he lost badly and used up most of his severance pay from the Sumo Association.<ref name="kurodatwo"/> He also lost money through gambling. He tried a succession of unsuccessful jobs and even had a bit part in a 1958 Hollywood film called ''The Barbarian and the Geisha.''<ref name="kurodatwo"/> He was eventually divorced from his wife and separated from his children, and in his later years was confined to a rest home and reliant on hand outs from fans and sumo officials.<ref name="kurodatwo"/> He died in 1971, largely forgotten by the general public.

==Career record== *''In 1927 Tokyo and Osaka sumo merged and four tournaments a year in Tokyo and other locations began to be held.'' {{Sumo record box start 1875-1926|Minanogawa Tōzō<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Minanogawa Tozo Rikishi Information| publisher=Sumo Reference| url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=Minanogawa&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1| date= | accessdate=2013-06-11}}</ref> }} {{Sumo record year start|1924}} {{Basho|maezumou}} {{Basho|jk|16||4|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1925}} {{Basho|jo|30||5|1}} {{Basho|sa|48||5|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1926}} {{Basho|sa|12|w|6|0<br>Champion}} {{Basho|ma|10||4|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}} {{Sumo record box start 1927-1932}} {{Sumo record year start|1927}} {{Basho|j|8|e|5|1}} {{Basho|j|8|e|4|5}} {{Basho|j|1|e|5|5|1}} {{Basho|j|6|e|9|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1928}} {{Basho|m|14|w|6|5}} {{Basho|m|13|e|8|3}} {{Basho|m|10|e|7|4}} {{Basho|m|10|e|5|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1929}} {{Basho|m|4|w|5|5<br>1d}} {{Basho|m|4|w|9|2||j}} {{Basho|m|2|w|6|5}} {{Basho|m|2|w|8|3||j}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1930}} {{Basho|k|1|w|8|3}} {{Basho|k|1|w|6|5}} {{Basho|m|1|w|6|5|||*}} {{Basho|m|1|w|9|2||j}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1931}} {{Basho|s|1|e|9|2||j}} {{Basho|s|1|e|8|3}} {{Basho|s|1|w|0|0|11}} {{Basho|s|1|w|1|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1932}} {{Basho|m|3|e||}} {{Basho|note|'''Seceded'''}} {{Basho|note|'''Seceded'''}} {{Basho|note|'''Seceded'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}} {{Sumo record box start 1933-1952}} {{Sumo record year start|1933}} {{Basho|m|||11|0||y|*}} {{Basho|k|1|w|8|3}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1934}} {{Basho|s|1|w|9|2||y}} {{Basho|o|2|w|5|6}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1935}} {{Basho|o|2|w|9|2}} {{Basho|o|1|w|8|3}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1936}} {{Basho|o|1|e|9|2||j}} {{Basho|yo|2|e|6|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1937}} {{Basho|y|1|w|7|4}} {{Basho|y|1|w|0|0|13}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1938}} {{Basho|yo|2|w|7|6}} {{Basho|y|2|e|6|7}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1939}} {{Basho|y|2|e|11|2}} {{Basho|y|1|w|9|6}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1940}} {{Basho|y|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|y|1|w|10|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1941}} {{Basho|y|1|e|10|5}} {{Basho|y|1|e|2|4|9}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1942}} {{Basho|intai|rank=y|tozai=w|r-no=1|win=9|loss=6}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end 1930-1946}} *Minanogawa, along with many others, was expelled from the Sumo Association for striking. He was allowed to return to the top division for the 1933 Spring tournament but unranked. He still managed to take the championship.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070704145333/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_yokozuna/minanogawa.html Japan Sumo Association profile]

{{Yokozuna box | previous = Musashiyama Takeshi | number = 34th | active = 1936–1942 | next = Futabayama Sadaji}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minanogawa, Tozo}} Category:1903 births Category:1971 deaths Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Ibaraki Prefecture Category:Yokozuna Category:Japanese sportsperson-politicians Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen Category:Takasago stable sumo wrestlers