Harukawa Eichō (Shunsai Eishō). Portrait of the sumo wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (黒柳松次郎) / Ōban, 1818-44.

Artist: Harukawa Eichō (春川栄昌) (Japanese, fl. 1818-1844)
Signed: 春斎 英笑画 (Shunsai Eishō ga)
Publisher: Moriya Jihei (森屋治兵衛) (Japanese, fl. c. 1797–1886); Marks 353
Media: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper; Vertical ōban, 385 × 261 mm
Date: 1818–1844

This print was sold to me with the following description:  “Ikkansai EISHO (fl. c. early 19th). A portrait of the wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro, ring name Kumagatake Inosuke. Eisho was a pupil of Eishi. Published c. 1820s by Uoya Eikichi. Signed Shunsai Eisho ga.”

As a result of my joint efforts with my late sister Elena, we have identified the following so far:

The artis is mentioned in The Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints, 2005, Vol 2; p. 438 under the name of Harukawa Eichō. From this source, we learned that the artist was active from about 1818 till 1844 and was a print designer in Kyoto. He was a student first of Harukawa Goshichi and later studied in Edo (Tokyo) with Keisai Eisen, when he assumed the art name ‘Eichō’. Other names: Shunsai.

The Japanese web page dedicated to Harukawa Eichō provides more details: The artist lived from the 4th year of Tenmei ( 1784 ) to the first year of Kaei ( 1848 ). He was a student of Harukawa Goshichi, Kikukawa Eizan, and Keisai Eisen. His popular name was Kamenosuke. He was from Kyoto. He took “gagō” (artistic names) of Eishō when he was a student of Harukawa Goshichi; later, when he became a student of Kikukawa Eizan and Keisai Eisen, he took the name of Kikukawa Eichō. The artist was mostly known for his bijinga (beautiful women) prints and kanazōshi illustrations. Nothing is said anywhere about his sumo prints, though a reference to another Kyushu sumo wrestler portrait has been found.

The sumo wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro is also a somewhat obscure figure: information about his life and career is quite inconsistent. It may have so happened that two different persons were combined.

Wikipedia page about Aoi Aso Jinja, a Shinto shrine in Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto prefecture, tells us the following:

Kuroki Matsujiro (黒木松次郎) was born in the village of Itsuki in Kuma district, Kumamoto prefecture, island of Kyushu in Bunka era, 4^th year (1807). Since from his childhood he was blessed by great physique and tough strength. He had affection for sumo. At the age of 18 he became a sumo student of Kumamoto Shimakawa Ikuhei and took the name of Toyama Hidekichi (遠山日出吉). At the age of 23 (1830), he entered sumo stables in Kyoto, mastered the art of taming of young horses, and his talents improved.

At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro of Hirado domain in Hizen province, also from Kyushu island. After that, he changed his name and became Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (黒柳松次郎 – as on the print).

In 1847 (Bunka era, 4th year) he distinguished himself by advancing to the first grade, and at the age of 32 he was promoted to ozeki level, becoming sekitori. After changing his name to Kuma-ga-take Inosuke (熊ヶ嶽猪之介 / くまがたけいのすけ) he displayed further efforts, and became one of the strongmen that fermented sumo wrestling in Edo.　

In 1853 (Kaei era, 6th year) he retired and returned to his village, becoming an employee as a strongman of Sagara domain (相良藩), and worked hard as instructor of the sumo training hall to train successors until 1855 (Ansei era, 2nd year) when he passed away at the age of 48.

Even today Kuma-ga-take’s home exists in Itsukimura (his native village). Also, on those grounds a descendant of Kuma-ga-take runs minshuku (guest house) that bears the name of “The Kuroki Pension (lodging) “, and tourists come to visit from various parts of Japan.

In 2015, tenth month, within the borders of Aoi Aso Shrine there was built a gravestone publicly honoring Kuma-ga-take Inosuke, sumo wrestler from Edo / of Edo period.