1959 Blue Tawara 5 Set

    Description:  This is a nice set printed in 1959.  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 blue-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 Wakanohana card as this was one of his earlier Yokozuna menko.  There is an identical set to this with brown backs, the 1959 Brown Tawara 5 Set. 

    Company: Marushyou                                    Availability: Scarce

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

    # of Cards: 13+                                               Packaging: Sheets

   Key Cards:  Yokozuna Wakanohana I,  Juryo Otayama

  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 blue-green ink.

Wakanohana
Banzuke Checklist					Numerical Checklist
Rank	Shikona	Fighting  #			Rank	Shikona	Fighting #
Yokozuna	Wakanohana	90205			Yokozuna	Wakanohana	90205
Yokozuna	Asashio	24103			Juryo	Otayama	90205
Ozeki					Maegashira	Ohikari	81004
Sekiwake	Tochihikari	56001			Maegashira	Wakasugiyama	81004
Komusubi	Kitabayama	63700			Maegashira	Kanenohana	80205
Maegashira	Wakamisugi	19002			Maegashira	Tsurugamine	71500
Maegashira	Ohikari	81004			Komusubi	Kitabayama	63700
Maegashira	Tsurugamine	71500			Maegashira	Hanenishiki	63700
Maegashira	Kanenohana	80205			Maegashira	Oikawa	63700
Maegashira	Tokitsuyama	37800			Sekiwake	Tochihikari	56001
Maegashira	Wakamaeda	19002			Maegashira	Tokitsuyama	37800
Maegashira	Hanenishiki	63700			Yokozuna	Asashio	24103
Maegashira	Wakasugiyama	81004			Maegashira	Wakamisugi	19002
Maegashira	Oikawa	63700			Maegashira	Wakamaeda	19002
Juryo	Otayama	90205