| Description | Autographed handprint or tegata of sumo wrestler Kotoshogika Kazuhiro.
In Japan Sumo wrestlers give out their autograph as handprints created with red or black ink. This centuries old tradition is called a tegata and is a symbol of a wrestler's power or legacy. Only wrestlers in the top two divisions are allowed to make them (sekitori) and they are perhaps the most sought-after items amongst fans of sumo.
Originals aren't actually sold in merchandise stores but instead made for sponsors, supporters and friends. Collectors can pay huge sums for those from the legendary wrestlers of the 1700s or 1800s.
This is an original tegata created by the Sumo wrestler Kotoshogika Kazuhiro. He was promoted to the second highest rank of ozeki in 2011 and in 2016 he became the first Japanese-born wrestler in ten years to win a top-division tournament. |