Kuniriki Komagatake

was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tōda (now Wakuya), Miyagi Prefecture. He wrestled for Izutsu stable and achieved the rank of ōzeki before dying while as an active wrestler in April 1914.

History Born on December 13, 1880, in Miyagi Prefecture, he was introduced to sumo by Izutsu (yokozuna Nishinoumi Kajirō) when a group led by Konishiki and Asashio Tarō came on a tour in his hometown in 1897. He was promoted in juryō in the January 1902 tournament, and in May 1903 he entered the makuuchi division. Komagatake had a rivalry with Tachiyama Mineemon since their joint makushita debut. Their matches are said to have been particularly popular, to the point that their period of rivalry gave its name to this era, therefore known as the "Koma-Tachi era". Komagatake was promoted to komusubi in January 1905 and sekiwake in May of the same year. He later earned the nickname , meaning 'Enma's salted fish' after a Japanese saying comparing bitter grins to the difficult face of Enma, who chewed on a bug as if he had tasted salted fish. A stone monument was also erected in the Great Temple Sakuragaoka in Sendai.

Fighting style Komagatake was popular for his dynamic wrestling. He made advantage of his muscular and tall body and was good at throwing and thrusting techniques.

Top Division Record