CemeteryTomi · JP
Grave of Sumo wrestler Raiden
In the quiet countryside of Tomi, Nagano Prefecture, a weathered stone grave marks the spiritual homeland of Raiden Tameemon (1767–1825), widely regarded as the most dominant sumo wrestler in Japanese history. With a career record of 254 wins and just 10 losses—a staggering 96.2% win rate that no rikishi has ever surpassed—Raiden was a legendary figure whose name still commands respect in the sumo world. This grave, located in the village where he was born, is one of four sites across Japan associated with the great ozeki, and holds a unique place in local lore and national sumo heritage. According to tradition, Raiden died far from home in 1825 in the town of Usui (now part of Sakura, Chiba Prefecture), and his topknot was brought back to his birthplace here in Tomi and buried in this grave. The stone shows visible signs of chipping—locals once believed that taking fragments of the gravestone would bless their children with strength and their businesses with prosperity, a testament to the extraordinary devotion this wrestler inspired even across two centuries.