Debut November 1830 Died August 20, 1854 Retired January 1844 Makuuchi rank Yokozuna | Name Shiranui Dakuemon Height 1.76 m Role Sumo wrestler Weight 135 kg | |
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Record 48-15-65
3draws-2holds-1no result
(Makuuchi) Highest rank Yokozuna (November 1840) Championships 1 (Makuuchi, unofficial) Stable Urakaze stable (1830–1844) Similar People Ayagawa Goroji, Sakaigawa Namiemon, Maruyama Gondazaemon, Umegatani Totaro I, Akashi Shiganosuke | ||
Shiranui Dakuemon (不知火 諾右衛門, October 1801 – August 20, 1854; aka Shiranui Nagiemon) was a sumo wrestler from Uto, Kumamoto, Japan. He was the sport's 8th yokozuna. He was the coach of Shiranui Kōemon.
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Early life
He married early, at the age of 19, and had two sons. In 1823, he got into an argument with the head of his village. Forgetting his own strength, he pushed the village head too harshly. The village head fell to the floor and was knocked unconscious. Knowing the trouble this would cause him, he escaped from his hometown, leaving his family.
Professional sumo career
He entered Osaka sumo and made his debut in May 1824. He didn't find much success in Osaka sumo and transferred to Edo sumo in November 1830. He was promoted to ōzeki in March 1839. He won only one tournament in February 1840 with an 8-0-2 record.
He wasn't a particularly strong wrestler, but around the end of the Edo period the awarding of a yokozuna licence had less to do with ability and more to do with the influence of one's backers. Shiranui was simply lucky to have powerful patrons. The actual date he was awarded the title is obscure, but the date is officially recognized as being in November 1840. His name was not written on the banzuke for the next tournament in January 1841 and he was absent from the November 1841 tournament for unknown reasons. He was demoted to sekiwake in February 1842. At that time, yokozuna was not a rank but a title. He is the only former yokozuna to be demoted from the ozeki rank. In the top makuuchi division, Shiranui won 48 bouts and lost 15 bouts, recording a winning percentage of 76.2.
Retirement from sumo
He retired from an active wrestler after the January 1844 tournament. He stayed in sumo as an elder after his retirement, and was known as Minato Oyakata. The name of the Shiranui yokozuna dohyō-iri (the yokozuna ring entering ceremony) came from not him but from the 11th yokozuna Shiranui Kōemon, who he trained.
Top division record
*Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded before the 1909 summer tournament and the above unofficial championships are historically conferred. For more information see yūshō.