Konishiki Yasokichi I

Konishiki Yasokichi I (小錦八十吉, November 21, 1866 – October 22, 1914) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Musha District, Kazusa Province. He was the sport's 17th yokozuna.

This article is about the 19th century yokozuna. For the ōzeki of the 20th century, see Konishiki Yasokichi.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Konishiki.

Konishiki Yasokichi
小錦 八十吉
Personal information
Born	Iwai Yasokichi (1866-11-21)November 21, 1866 Musha District, Kazusa, Japan
Died	October 22, 1914(1914-10-22) (aged 47)
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	128 kg (282 lb)
Career
Stable	Takasago
Record	119-24-101 9draws-7holds(Makuuchi)
Debut	May, 1883
Highest rank	Yokozuna (March 1896)
Retired	January, 1901
Championships	7 (Makuuchi, unofficial)
* Up to date as of October 2007.

Career

His real name was Iwai Yasokichi (岩井 八十吉). Konishiki made his professional debut in May 1883 and reached the top makuuchi division in May 1888. He won 39 bouts in a row after his makuuchi debut. Konishiki was promoted to ōzeki in May 1890, and awarded a yokozuna licence by the house of Yoshida Tsukasa in March 1896. He was somewhat weak on technical skills, but had great speed.

Around the time of his promotion to yokozuna, his stablemaster Takasago Uragoro suffered an illness, and so Konishiki took care of him. In spite of his amazing debut, he did not have the best record in any tournaments as yokozuna. On April 8, 1900, his stablemaster died. Konishiki was absent from the next tournament and retired in January 1901. In the top makuuchi division, he won 119 bouts and lost 24 bouts, recording a winning percentage of 83.2.

The Hawaiian born ōzeki Konishiki Yasokichi was named after him. Ōzeki Konishiki was actually the 6th Konishiki, and three wrestlers named Konishiki have been promoted to the top makuuchi division.

Top division record

Konishiki[1]

-	Spring	Summer
1888	x	West Maegashira #9 8–0–1 1h Unofficial
1889	West Maegashira #1 7–0–1 1d 1h Unofficial	West Komusubi 7–0–1 1d 1h
1890	West Komusubi 8–0–2 Unofficial	East Ōzeki 1–0–9
1891	East Ōzeki 8–0–1 1d Unofficial	Sat out
1892	East Ōzeki 1–1–8	East Ōzeki 8–0–1 1h Unofficial
1893	East Ōzeki 7–2–1	East Ōzeki 7–0–3 Unofficial
1894	East Ōzeki 5–2–3	Sat out
1895	East Ōzeki 8–1–1 Unofficial	Sat out
1896	East Ōzeki 7–1–2	East Yokozuna 8–1–1
1897	East Yokozuna 5–3–1 1h	East Yokozuna 6–2–1-1draw
1898	East Yokozuna 3–3–1 3d	East Yokozuna 3–1–4 2h
1899	East Yokozuna 6–2–1 1d	East Yokozuna 1–2–7
1900	East Yokozuna 5–3–1 1d	Sat out
1901	East Yokozuna Retired 0–0
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions Key:d=Draw(s) (引分);   h=Hold(s) (預り) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

*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.

See also

• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• List of yokozuna

References

1. "Konishiki Yasokichi Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2007-10-05.

Preceded by Nishinoumi Kajirō I	17th Yokozuna 1896–1901	Succeeded by Ōzutsu Man'emon
Yokozuna is not a successive rank, and more than one wrestler can hold the title at once