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At that time I had come home to Okinawa for winter vacation, but I remember returning to Tokyo with an impression of that picture still fresh in my mind. Fortunately I had a friend, a sturdy shodan (1st degree black belt) in judo, who also practiced karate, from whom I found out more about that impressive photograph.

The sumo wrestler was named Satonishiki and the other man was Mr. Nagamine Shoshin, a local master of karate. My friend explained that Nagamine Sensei was a policeman and one of the most prominent martial artists in Okinawa. Although this was my first time to hear the name of Nagamine Shoshin I already knew of his physique from the photo at Matayoshi’s studio. I also learned that the sumo wrestler Satonishiki was ranked in the top ten by the monthly magazine Baseball World. At that time, headline articles and pictorials of sumo wrestlers were featured in this popular magazine, issued by Baseball Magazine Company.

The physical contrast between Nagamine Shoshin and Satonishiki was obvious from that photo. However, being neither an expert of physical education nor familiar with karate or sumo, I was uncertain who was the stronger of the two. Admiring that photograph at the Matayoshi Photo studio, I still remember to this day how impressed I was by it.