Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 3.djvu/95

Rh times. The Emperor also gave to Yoshida a "war fan" having inscribed on it the legend ichimi-seifu ("one taste pure wind," signifying that there is only one perfect style of wrestling), and to this day the umpire, still a representative of the Yoshida family, may be seen carrying the sacred fan as he steps into the ring. With the Tsukasa-ke rests the sole right of conferring upon the great champion of the era, the man who has remained undefeated for six years consecutively, the badge of premiership, a girdle formed of two thick strands of white straw, finely plaited, with tapering ends and short streamers suspended from it—a facsimile, in short, of the rope festooned over the lintels of houses at New Year's time. It is not known when the badge of supremacy took this form, but the wrestlers' records show that there have been only seventeen premier champions since history began to be written. The holder of the coveted distinction at present is Oozutsu Manyemon, who has achieved the unparalleled feat of conquering all comers for nine consecutive years. It is the champion's privilege to perform a solitary pantomime in the ring at intervals during the period—ten days—of a performance. This dohyo-iri, as it is called, is a stately and ceremonious business. First stalks in a "dew-remover" (tsuyu-harai), carrying a bow. Tsuyu-harai is the name given to the vassal marching in advance of a nobleman to clear away every obstruction, even dew-drops; and the