1957 Tawara 5 Set

    Description:  This is a nice set printed in 1957.  The "Tawara" series of menko produced by the Marushyou Gangu Company are quite confusing as they made around 6 sets of cards between 1957 and 1965 with identical backs.  This particular set has the light green back and some menko from this set have blank backs.  There is no rank information on the front of the menko so it's a challenge to figure out what set they belong to.  One nice feature of the "Tawara" sets is they typically feature a lot of low ranking rikishi.  A good menko to keep an eye out for is the Yokozuna Kagamisato card as this was one of his last menko produced before he retired.  There seems to be a bromide set as well produced with the green backs.

    Company: Marushyou                                    Availability: Scarce

    Card Size: 2.0" X 4.00"                                   Card Material: Thin, Paper Stock

    # of Cards: 12+                                               Packaging: Sheets

   Key Cards:  Yokozuna Kagamisato,  Any low ranking rikishi

  Winner Stamp Description: Unknown

   Front Design:  Most of the menko show the Rikishi in various poses or action shots against a solid color background.  Some menko have the rikishi in their kesho-mawashi as well.  Shikona is vertical.

   Back Design:  The rikishi's statistics are printed vertically on the back with tawara on the top and left.  A Gu-Choki-Pa is on the bottom right with a 5 digit fighting number on the bottom.  Backs are printed in green ink.

Kagamisato
Banzuke Checklist					Numerical Checklist
Rank	Shikona	Fighting  #			Rank	Shikona	Fighting #
Yokozuna	Kagamisato	24103			Ozeki	Asashio/Hajimayama(M)	81004
Yokozuna	Tochinshiki/Matsunobori(O)-Bromide	19002			Maegashira	Naruyama	81004
Ozeki	Asashio	Blank			Sekiwake	Tokitsuyama-Yellow	63700
Ozeki	Asashio/Hajimayama(M)	81004			Maegashira	Tokinishiki	31005
Sekiwake	Tokitsuyama-Purple	Blank			Yokozuna	Kagamisato	24103
Sekiwake	Tokitsuyama-Yellow	63700			Yokozuna	Tochinshiki/Matsunobori(O)-Bromide	19002
Komusubi					Ozeki	Asashio	Blank
Maegashira	Tokinishiki	31005			Sekiwake	Tokitsuyama-Purple	Blank
Maegashira	Yasome	Blank			Maegashira	Yasome	Blank
Maegashira	Tamanoumi-Kesho Mawashi	Blank			Maegashira	Tamanoumi-Kesho Mawashi	Blank
Maegashira	Osegawa	Blank			Maegashira	Osegawa	Blank
Maegashira	Tamanoumi	Blank			Maegashira	Tamanoumi	Blank
Maegashira	Naruyama	81004