Daimon Kinoshita - 三代目若乃花土俵入り ((3rd Generation) Wakanohana Masaru Ring-Entering Ceremony)

A beautiful woodblock print by Daimon Kinoshita: 三代目若乃花土俵入り (3rd Generation Wakanohana Masaru Ring-Entering Ceremony). The 66th Yokozuna is shown in a poised stance, his powerful frame wrapped with the sacred white tsuna (綱) rope, from which hang zigzagging shide (紙垂) streamers. Kinoshita captures Wakanohana’s solemn presence within the dohyō, against a striking blue backdrop that enhances the ceremonial weight of the moment. 💪🎌

• Year & Edition: 1985 onward · Published by 京都版画院 (Kyoto Hanga-In). Carved by 木島重男 (Kishima Shigeo). Printed by 板倉秀継 (Itakura Hidetsugu). Margin inscriptions include “不許按製” (rights), 財団法人 日本相撲協会 (Japan Sumo Association), and copyright seals, with Kinoshita’s “Daimon” and edition seals below.
  
• Medium: Woodblock.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet W: 27.00 cm × H: 41.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Wonderfully stored; strong, beautiful colours, paper crisp & intact.
  
• Notes: Wakanohana Masaru (花田虎上, b. 1971), eldest son of the famed Hanada dynasty, rose to Yokozuna in 1998. Alongside his younger brother Takanohana Kōji (貴乃花光司), he became part of the first brother pair in history to both achieve sumo’s highest rank. Celebrated for his versatility, Wakanohana earned six Gino-sho (技能賞, Technique Prizes) during his career, cementing his reputation as a master technician. Daimon Kinoshita comments on his website (www.daimon-e.sakura.ne.jp): 「第６６代横綱。」(66th Yokozuna).

About the Artist

Born in Hokkaidō in 1946, Daimon Kinoshita is Japan’s foremost contemporary artist of sumo nishiki-e (錦絵). Since 1985 he has worked closely with the Japan Sumo Association, using authentic Edo-period ukiyo-e techniques and the traditional hanmoto system of artist, carver, and printer. His woodblock prints bring Yokozuna, Ōzeki, and rikishi to life in bold ceremonial portraits, often depicting the dohyō-iri (土俵入り) ring-entrance with mica (kirazuri) details that echo Edo traditions. Sold at the Kokugikan arena and presented to visiting dignitaries, Kinoshita’s works combine beauty, craft, and cultural significance, keeping the art of nishiki-e alive in the modern age. [ ← View All Works by Daimon Kinoshita]