20 Facts About Raiden Tameemon

Raiden Tameemon, born Seki Tarokichi, was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Tomi, Nagano Prefecture.

Raiden Tameemon is considered one of the greatest rikishi in history, although he was never promoted to yokozuna.

Raiden Tameemon is said to have possessed great physical strength even in childhood.

When Raiden Tameemon was 17, the Urakaze-beya stablemaster noticed him when he came through the area while on jungyo with his wrestlers.

Raiden Tameemon was especially impressed with the young man's physique, which was extraordinary at the time.

Young Raiden Tameemon was 1.97 meters tall, which was three head lengths taller than most of his contemporaries.

When Urakaze Kazuki invited him to Edo and started training him, it turned out that Raiden Tameemon possessed not only the body of a giant, but a talent for sumo wrestling.

Raiden Tameemon was especially talented in oshi-sumo techniques and was able to move at a high speed considering his size.

Soon Raiden Tameemon left his stable and unofficially joined Isenoumi-beya, where yokozuna Tanikaze became his coach.

In 1789, the shikona "Raiden Tameemon", which means "thunder bolt", appeared in the banzuke ranking, although Raiden Tameemon did not have his debut until fall 1790.

Raiden Tameemon was ranked as a sekiwake, as was common practice then.

Raiden Tameemon had the best record in the basho without a defeat.

Between November 1793 and April 1800, Raiden Tameemon finished with the best record in all tournaments he participated in, ahead of the other great fighters of his time, Tanikaze and Onogawa.

Raiden Tameemon's longest winning streaks were eleven consecutive tournaments, or 44 bouts.

Raiden Tameemon's championships are regarded as unofficial by the Japan Sumo Association, as before the current yusho system was established in 1909, there was no prize given for individual performances in tournaments.

Finally, in spring 1811, Raiden Tameemon retired from sumo at the age of 43.

Raiden Tameemon became chairman of the sumo association of Izumo Province, where his sponsor daimyo resided.

When Raiden Tameemon was still an active wrestler, his home village's residents built monuments honoring his parents.

Raiden Tameemon himself contributed a sake barrel made of stone in memory of his father.

Raiden Tameemon's sponsor, Daimyo Matsudaira Harusato, was a descendant of Yuki Hideyasu, a son of Tokugawa Ieyasu.