Three Sumō Wrestlers: Onogawa, Seimiyama, and Yatsugamine 1790s

This is Katsukawa Shunko’s woodblock print of ‘Three Sumō Wrestlers: Onogawa, Seimiyama, and Yatsugamine.’ Shunko was a member of the Katsukawa school of ukiyo-e artists during the Edo period. Sumo wrestlers in Edo Japan were not just athletes; they were celebrities, figures of immense cultural significance. Their matches were spectacles, imbued with ritual and tradition. The wrestlers themselves were symbols of strength, discipline, and national pride. This print gives us a glimpse into the celebrity culture of the time, and we can see how the wrestlers are depicted with a certain level of reverence and respect. What I find interesting about this print is the depiction of masculinity and strength. How do these depictions differ from or mirror the period in which they were produced? How does popular culture shape our understanding and expectations of gender and physicality?