UTEI, Enba II (intro.); Utagawa Kuniyasu I (illus.).

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Shijuhatte sekitori kagami ("A Mirror of 48 Wrestling Moves"). First edition of this compendium of winning sumo moves (kimarite). These are accompanied by illustrations of other scenes from a match, including the ring-entering ceremony, the foot-stomping (shiko), and the initial charge (tachi-ai). We have traced only four institutional copies: the National Diet Library of Japan, Mukyukai Kannarai Bunko, The University of Hawai'i, and Leiden University.The first written records of sumo are found in the Kojiki and the Nihon shoki. Supposedly, during the 8th century a set of 48 winning moves were codified, split into 12 examples each of throws, trips, twists, and backwards body drops. However, as 48 was often used to signify a large, unspecified amount, more than 48 moves have been allowed over history. The sumo federation currently permits 82. This work details many techniques that remain famous to this day, such as the sukuinage "beltless arm throw", tsumatori "rear ankle pick", and the katasukashi "under-shoulder swing down". The expressive illustrations were provided by Utagawa Kuniyasu I, a member of the famous Utagawa school of ukiyo-e artists.

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