Maruyama Gondazaemon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maruyama Gondazaemon |
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| 丸山 権太左衛門 | |
Statue of Maruyama in Tome, Miyagi
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| Personal information | |
| Born | 芳賀 銀太夫 Haga Gindayu December 23, 1713 Mutsu Province, Japan |
| Died | November 14, 1749 (aged 35) |
| Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 166 kg (366 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Nanatsumori stable |
| Debut | c. Genbun |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (August 1749) |
| * Up to date as of September 2007. | |
Maruyama Gondazaemon (Japanese: 丸山 権太左衛門, December 23, 1713 – November 14, 1749) was a famous Japanese sumo wrestler. He is officially known as the third yokozuna. A yokozuna is the highest rank a sumo wrestler can achieve.
His real name was Haga Gindayu (芳賀 銀太夫). Maruyama was born in what is now Miyagi Prefecture.
Maruyama Gondazaemon's Sumo Career
Maruyama began his sumo journey at a young age. When he was just 17, he moved to Edo (which is now Tokyo). There, he trained under a coach named Nanatsumori Oriemon (七ツ森折右衛門).
Maruyama was a very large and strong wrestler. He stood 197 centimeters (about 6 feet 5 inches) tall. He weighed 166 kilograms (about 366 pounds). These measurements made him a powerful opponent in the sumo ring.
After training in Edo, he traveled to Osaka to compete. In 1737, he made his debut in Osaka sumo. He started at a high rank called ōzeki. People say that Maruyama lost only two matches in his entire career. This shows how incredibly skilled and dominant he was.
Becoming a Yokozuna
Maruyama Gondazaemon was known as a very strong wrestler. However, during his time, the official yokozuna title was not given out in the same way it is today. There was no formal license for it.
In August 1749, a respected sumo family, the Yoshida Tsukasa, accepted him as their student. This was a great honor. Even though it didn't officially make him a yokozuna back then, it showed his high standing.
There are stories that Maruyama wore a special black-and-white rope. This rope was different from the traditional shimenawa rope that yokozuna wear today. But some experts believe it might have been an early version of the shimenawa.
Later Recognition
Maruyama Gondazaemon died on November 14, 1749. He was still an active sumo wrestler at the time. He passed away in Nagasaki, possibly due to an illness. His grave is located in Nagasaki. Today, a statue honoring him stands in Yoneyama, Tome, Miyagi.
It was more than 150 years after his death that Maruyama was officially recognized. Another yokozuna named Jinmaku created a formal list of past yokozuna. He added Maruyama as the third yokozuna on this important list.
Because he lived so long ago, there are no detailed records of his matches or ranks. Modern sumo uses official lists called banzuke and keeps detailed tournament records. These did not exist during Maruyama's time.
See also
- Glossary of sumo terms
- List of yokozuna
- List of past sumo wrestlers
