Ōkido Moriemon

Ōkido Moriemon (Japanese: 大木戸 森右衛門, November 2, 1878 – November 7, 1930) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 23rd yokozuna. He was the second yokozuna to be recognised from Osaka sumo, and the only yokozuna who spent his whole active career in the city.

Ōkido Moriemon
大木戸 森右衛門
Ōkido, circa 1912
Personal information
Born	Uchida Mitsuzō November 2, 1878 Hyōgo, Japan
Died	November 7, 1930 (aged 52)
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	125 kg (276 lb)
Career
Stable	Minato
Record	143-20-22-10draws (Makuuchi)
Debut	September 1899
Highest rank	Yokozuna (December 1912)
Retired	January 1914
Championships	10 (Osaka makuuchi, unofficial)
* Up to date as of August 2008.

Career

His real name was Uchida Mitsuzō (内田 光蔵). Okido made his debut in Osaka sumo in September 1899. Between January 1908 and May 1909, he recorded 28 consecutive wins without a single draw or hold, a rarity at the time. At this time the Osaka Sumo Association attempted to promote him to yokozuna, but Ōkido's friendship with Tokyo sumo's Hitachiyama, who was not well liked in Osaka, derailed this.

In January 1910, he was finally promoted to yokozuna by the Osaka Sumo Association, but without the agreement of Tokyo sumo association and the house of Yoshida Tsukasa. The house of Yoshida became very angry and the Osaka Sumo Association apologized to the house. He was awarded a yokozuna licence officially by the Tokyo association in December 1912.

However, he suffered from cerebral hemorrhage and retired from active sumo in January 1914.

Osaka sumo top division record

• Osaka sumo existed independently for many years before merging with Tokyo sumo in 1926. 1–2 tournaments were held yearly, though the actual time they were held was often erratic.

Ōkido Moriemon[1]

	First	Second
1903	West Maegashira #6 6–3	West Maegashira #1 6–2–1
1904	West Komusubi 8–0–1 1d Unofficial	West Sekiwake 8–0–1 1h Unofficial
1905	West Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial	West Ōzeki 6–1–1 2d
1906	West Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial	West Ōzeki 8–1–1 Unofficial
1907	East Ōzeki 3–1–4 2h	East Ōzeki 7–0–2 1h
1908	East Ōzeki 7–2–1	East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial
1909	East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial	East Ōzeki 9–0–1 Unofficial
1910	East Yokozuna 6–2–1 1d	East Yokozuna 8–1–1 Unofficial
1911	East Yokozuna 7–1–1 1d Unofficial	East Yokozuna 6–2–2
1912	East Yokozuna 7–1–1 1d	Not held
1913	East Yokozuna 5–3–2	Sat out
1914	Retired –
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 in Osaka sumo before its merger with Tokyo sumo, and the unofficial championship above are historically conferred. For more information, see yūshō.

References

1. 横綱力士幕内星取表 (in Japanese).

See also

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