Sumo-e, Ukiyo-e prints of Sumo Wrestler, "Musashigawa" Toeing the Mark in Ryogoku

From the Edo period through the Meiji period, ukiyoe print (called ""nishikie"") which was introduced a technique of polychrome into were popular. The nishikie print was preferred to the people of that time as a news medium and as collection picture of the actor and athlete. There were many motifs to the nishikie print, such as a Kabuki actor, a beautiful woman, the scenery. Sumoe depicts a figure and the action of the popular sumo wrestler, was popular with the then common people.　This picture depicts an action of Musashigawa Daijiro and Ryogoku Kajinosuke who were in the middle of the Meiji period.　The top of Musashigawa Daijiro was the west fourth maegashira, he was from current Chichibu District, Saitama. The top of Ryogoku Kajinosuke was the west 16th maegashira, he was from current Yuki City, Ibaraki.