Onogawa Kisaburō

was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Ōtsu, Ōmi Province (now Shiga Prefecture). He was the sport's 5th yokozuna. Along with Tanikaze, Onogawa was the first to be given a yokozuna licence during his lifetime. He is described as a leading figure of sumo during the Kansei era.

Career His real name was . When he was 14 years old, he became a pupil of Kusazuri Iwanosuke (草摺岩之助) in Osaka-sumo, and took the shikona, or ring name. The following year, he was adopted by his master, Onogawa Saisuke (小野川才助), and stepped in the ring for the first time in May of 1772. Onogawa became a rival of Tanikaze and was popular with the public, although in reality he was quite far behind his rival and won only seven tournament titles to Tanikaze's 21. In November 1789, the Yoshida family certified both Onogawa and Tanikaze as yokozuna in a ceremony which was also featured the introduction of the yokozuna dohyō-iri ceremony and the first appearance of the yokozuna 's belt. At the time however, the belt was closer to a shimenawa rope than the current tsuna. Onogawa was however past his prime and did not participate in many tournaments anymore. He broke his shoulder during training in March 1794, and his retirement was hastened by the sudden death of Tanikaze.

A popular story holds that Onogawa studied jujutsu with renowned Kyūshin Ryū Sōke Inugami Gunbei after being thrown down twice in a casual match with that master outside a teahouse. Sekiwake Onogawa Kisaburō (left) and Tanikaze Kajinosuke (right) are given shimenawa belts representing their future status of yokozuna. They are the first wrestlers in sumo history to be given this status in their lifetime. Another story tells that, after Onogawa became an official rikishi of the lord of the Kurume domain, he exterminated the ghosts that plagued the lord's domain at night by his boldness, as depicted in an ukiyo-e woodblock print produced by Yoshitoshi in his series on the 'One Hundred Ghost Stories of China and Japan'.

Fighting style Onogawa was much shorter than Tanikaze at only but he had a speedy, crowd pleasing sumo style which helped him overcome his small physique. Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded before the 1909 summer tournament, and the unofficial championships above are historically conferred. For more information, see yūshō.