Back in April I wrote about these flash-card type of menko that had math equations on the back for kids to solve and as a way, I am assuming, to get kids more engaged in math. Here is another set I came across during the COVID days of browsing auction sites. Interestingly, all the math-back menko that I own are from 1941. Not sure why this is. It may be that the same company produced all math-back menko and found success in the math theme. Maybe there was some cultural phenomenon going on that made these type of backs more appealing to the kids and several companies hopped on board. Not sure we'll ever know. Definitely a pretty cool piece of Japanese history for sure.
This set captures the great Yokozuna Futabayama as well as many of the top-ranked wrestlers of the era. Hard to believe that soon after this set was released, Japan would drag the United States into World War II which would ultimate cease menko production for the next 5 years until the war ended.
Here is a shout out to all the teachers out there fighting through this pandemic continuing to educate our kids and keeping them engaged in important school subjects. Thanks especially to Fuji!
Prewar sumo cards are awesome! These are like little pieces of art. Each one with different faces. Thanks for the support. It hasn't been the ideal situation... but I do think teachers are going to walk away from this situation with a bunch of new tools in the toolbox. I'm grateful for that. That being said... I'm counting down the days to Thanksgiving Break. Four more days!
ReplyDeleteYeah buddy! Almost there with Thanksgiving....well deserved for you especially!
DeleteI'm constantly surprised when you post about a sumo set from the late 30's or early 40's. I wonder if there are baseball card sets from the same time period that aren't cataloged or recognized as such?
ReplyDeleteThere are still a ton of menko across all genres that still haven't been catalogued, baseball included. It is a constant struggle to keep up my book with the latest checklists. Some gorgeous pre-war sumo menko out there still waiting to be discovered!
DeleteThis set looks awfully familiar, I can't quite put my finger on why that is though :)
ReplyDeleteAll the pre-war menko R-series menko are starting to look the same. If it wasn't for my book, I'd confuse myself all the time.
DeleteThose are awesome. I share NPB Card Guy's view, I don't know of any baseball menko sets from the late 30s/early 40s, it seems they just appeared in the late 20s, then disappeared from the early 30s to late 40s. Interesting that the Sumo ones continued production. I wonder if this might have had to do with the changing political climate at the time - Sumo was a Japanese sport which fit comfortably with the nationalist messaging of the government, while baseball was an American sport whose promotion (such as through making cards) might have been discouraged. Its an intersting question.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think it has to do with nationalism....but the great Futabayama also had a lot to do with it. He was a national hero which drove the sport even through the war. Cards stopped being made because of the war effort and paper was needed for more important things. Right after the war, though, baseball menko were all the rage due to the Occupation. It wasn't until 1952 when the Occupation ended that sumo regained its popularity.
DeleteLove this set--thanks for posting! Can you ID the Futabayama card in the pics for me? always wanted to see one....
ReplyDeleteFutabayama is 50x50. This is a pretty great set.
DeleteSo amazing---one of the all-time greats (I believe he would have won 30+(maybe as many as 40) Yusho had they had 6 Basho per year as they do today! You must be thrilled to have these wonderful Menkos..
DeleteHe would have had many more as well had the war not interrupted training and the basho schedule.
Delete