Who was the strongest and mightiest Sumo wrestlers in Japan throughout the Meiji and Taisho eras? This is the favorite topic of conversation among sumo fans, and it especially offers a favorite topic to them at a time when Grand Champion Futabayama was miserably defeated by Sakuranishiki, ninth in the maegashira rank, and Champion Akinoumi, predestined to be a grand champion in the near future, was vanquished by Futasegawa, seventh in the "maegashira" rank, on Friday, the middle day of the present 15-day semi-annual wrestling tournament at the Kokugikan Amphitheater at Ryogoku. Nobody had ever been able to say who was the strongest champion in comparison with Futabayama, no present day champion, because the time separating wrestlers during these eras from the present defies such a comparison.
    Hitachiyama, grand champion, on general consent, was the strongest in the opinion of Kosho Ikoma, noted commentator on sumo wrestling in his article printed in the Hochi. After making an elaborate study and careful scrutiny of the wrestling art and technique characteristic of great wrestlers during Meiji and Taisho and at present, Ikoma comes to this conclusion. Why was Hitachiyama so great? The commentator puts down his decision on the basis of Hitachiyama's strength and mastery in defying the 'invincible' Tachiyama, second strongest, whose notorious art known as "teppo", or gun charge, was so formidable that no wrestler of those days could withstand it. Tachiyama, also grand champion, comes second. Umegatani II, another grand champion, and Futabayama, the present champion and center of popularity, are both third rank, judging from comments of most experts on the wrestling art. Both Tachiyama and Umegatani were equally popular with Hitachiyama at the time  wrestling was at the height of glory during the Meiji Era. Just below them come Araiwa, Kunimiyama, Komagatake, all champions,  and Nishinoumi II, grand champion, all of the Meiji Era and Onishiki, Tochigiyama, Odori, all grand champions, Tsushimanada, Kyushuzan, both champions, and others during the Taisho Era. Tachiyama, the invincible, died about a month ago, and Onishiki also passed away recently. Except Araiwa, who is a retired wrestler, no sumo champion of the Meiji Era above mentioned survives.
    Tachiyama, during his heyday, was a terror to his opponents. His "gun charge" with two hands against the breast of his opponent knew no defeat. Nobody except Hitachiyama could bear his furious onset. Finally, his favorite technique was prohibited by the Japan Wrestling Association, but he was still insurmountable.
    If Tachiyama were in the ring today to be matched with Futabayama, Ikoma asserts, the latter could hardly withstand the former's one shot of gun charge fired against the breast, although Futabayama's lower back and hip construction is as solid as iron. Futabayama might bear the first shot of "teppo", but it would be absolutely impossible to withstand a series of gun charges one after the other. Futabayama would defeat Tachiyama by other tactics.
    Tachiyama became a professional sumo wrestler at the age of 24 and rose to the pinnacle 11 years later when he won the position of grand champion. He stood six feet two and weighed 296 pounds in 1916 when he was 40 years old. In that year, he was defeated by Tochigiyama, and in the following year was beaten by Onishiki. Knowing his honor, he retired from his profession, closing his chapter of sumo wrestling for 17 years.
    Hitachiyama stood five feet seven and weighed 336 pounds. He had a splendid construction rarely excelled by any other wrestler, and, when he went into the ring, there was something really attractive to the spectators. After overriding the ring for 16 years, Hitachiyama retired in 1913 to become the managing director of the wrestling association. In character and strength, he was second to none, and in this respect, he was the greatest wrestler in history. Tachiyama, the greatest rival of Hitachiyama, really admired the immeasurable strength of Hitachiyama and said that when Hitachiyama remained solid in the ring, an opponent would be exhausted when the former thrust his strong left arm under his opponent's right hand  and grasped his waist band. The enemy, however strong, could hardly withstand his belly strength. Tanikaze, the first sumo grand champion before the Meiji Era, is venerated by the name "god of sumo", but even Tanikaze might not have been able to overmatch Hitachiyama.
    Generally speaking, Futabayama would not be an equal rival to Hitachiyama, Ikoma says, but the former might be able to defeat the latter by his skillful foot work.
    Turning to Umegatani, Ikoma says he was one of the most grotesque looking sumo champions, weighing 336 pounds while standing only five feet four. However, his wrestling technique was in strict conformity with prescribed form of sumo wrestling, and in this respect his wrestling was ideal.