At the foot of Mt. Kurikoma, on the border of Akita and Miyagi,
lies the remote, snowy village of Hanayamamura.
It was here, in 1885,
that Yujiro Sugawara was born as the second son of a farmer.

From an early age, he loved sumo dearly.

While helping with farmwork,
Yujiro poured his heart into the local children’s sumo,
with a passion that would later shape his life.

His hometown, Hanayamamura, now rests beneath Lake Hanayama.

After graduating elementary school, Yujiro set off to Sendai on foot,
carrying only three 10-sen coins and the determination to survive.

He was taken in by a kimono wholesaler
in Sendai and began working as an apprentice.

By day, he worked hard;
by night, he attended night school, thanks to his master’s kindness.

Those days of learning amid hardship became the foundation of Yujiro’s life.

In 1899, he relocated to Tokyo.

He joined Suzuki Shoko,
a long-established textile wholesaler,
where his tireless work ethic and friendly nature earned
the trust of others.
Eventually, he became the store’s head clerk
and its defining figure.

In 1913, Yujiro became independent
and established “Sugawara Kogyo” in Kanda Konyacho.

His bold and generous spirit won people over,
and before long, his business flourished.

Yet all this time, “sumo” remained Yujiro’s passion,
and he began designing and selling sumo mawashi.

He became closely involved with many sumo-related
organizations such as the Japan Sumo Association
and was granted free access (“kido-gomen”)
to the world of professional sumo.

For Yujiro, nothing brought greater joy
or pride than a life with sumo.

But times changed drastically.

War. Defeat. Social upheaval.

Yujiro’s compassionate nature,
once his greatest strength, came at a cost.
Gradually, Sugawara Kogyo fell into hardship.

It also began losing ground in the sumo mawashi market.

The person who would turn things around was Etsuzo Sugawara
(his daughter Hiroko’s husband and adopted son-in-law).

Etsuzo joined Sugawara Kogyo in 1947.

In 1950, he started “Sanpuku Shoten”
(now Sanpuku Shoji Co., Ltd.) to lead the company into a new era.

The name, “Sanpuku” (three blessings) reflected Yujiro’s wish
that the company, all suppliers, and customers involved in business
would all prosper together.

Etsuzo’s independence was not due to conflict or division.

Instead, Yujiro warmly supported Etsuzo’s challenge.

At the time, Etsuzo had a young child
and a wife expecting another.

It was not the best moment to start a business.

Winter in Tokyo.

Every day, he rode his scooter through the cold to visit customers.

“This cold is nothing compared to the battlefield,” he would say.

And so he kept on going.

In time, Sanpuku restored its business with
the Japan Sumo Association
and once again expanded its sales network
for sumo mawashi across Japan.

What had nearly been lost was won back through persistence
and hard work.

Those efforts became the foundation of Sanpuku.

Since then, Sanpuku has continued to support the world
of sumo—not only by providing sumo equipment,
but also by contributing to the development
of the sport through projects such
as the creation of indoor dohyo.

Today, as sumo attracts growing interest around the world,
people travel from overseas
to Sanpuku in search of authentic mawashi.

What began as a youth’s love of sumo
has been passed down through generations
and beyond Japan’s borders.

Today, our challenge is to strengthen the manufacturing system
so that this tradition can continue into the future.

Yujiro Sugawara spent his later years in Kanda, Tokyo.
He passed away on July 14, 1959,
at the age of seventy-four, surrounded by family.

His life was never easy.

Yet his values and determination remain
at the heart of Sanpuku today.

In 2025, the Japan Sumo Association celebrated its centennial.

On this memorable occasion,
Sanpuku was honored to be invited to take part.

It all began with a young boy’s love of sumo.

With three 10-sen coins in his hand, he set out on a journey.

His determination endured through every hardship.

More than a century later, that journey continues,
as Yujiro’s unwavering spirit shapes the world of sumo.