長谷川義起 Yoshioki Hasegawa 1934
My father spent a year in Tokyo immediately after the war as a US Army censor. My parents subsequently lived in Japan on four occasions. My father was a Fulbright professor in 1956-1957, served as science attache for the US embassy 1959-1961 and as a visiting physics professor twice in the 1970's. They also visited for shorter periods many times over the years. Both were loathe to visit Yasukuni Shrine for the reasons set out in a Wikipedia article about controversies surrounding the religious establishment.
I learned recently that the Yasukuni shrine has a sumo dohyo and in front of the rebuilt shitaku beya, now a seminar room & multi-purpose structure (靖国神社 啓照館), there is a 1934 statue by 長谷川義起 Yoshioki Hasegawa (1891-1974) of a pair of sumo wrestlers locked in a yotsuzumo battle.
The main, lengthy entrance/approach to the Sanctuary of Yasukuni Shrine starts at Waseda-dori near the intersection with Route 302 (Yasukuni-dori).
I discovered another entrance across the street from the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres building that runs between the shrine's Noh stage and the Yashukan Museum. By heading straight along this path, one can reach the 啓照館 Keishōkan without engaging in the approach to the sanctuary.
So, while I visited the shrine precincts, I did not engage in the religious portion of the establishment. I am trying to clothe my visit to the precincts as artistic with no religious engagement with the controversial aspects of the locale.
I fear I may be over elaborating my points.
Anyway, here are some photos of the sculpture. One of the combatants bears a resemblance to the recently retired Georgian wrestler, Tochinoshin.
The sculptor 長谷川義起 Yoshioki Hasegawa (1891-1974) created the work in (昭和九年五月建) May 1934.
Commissioned by 大日本相撲奨勵會. [Grand Japan Sumo Enthusiasts]