Sumo Wrestling

Published May 01, 2025 Updated May 01, 2025

Traditional Japanese Sumo Wrestling playing cards with photograph of different wrestler on each card.

1970 JapanSportsNintendo
Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s

Japanese Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association with a colour photograph of a different wrestler on each card, whose name or ceremonial rank appears beneath in Japanese script, such as “Dragon King”. The more successful wrestlers were featured as the J, Q or K. The reverse is an artist’s impression of a sumo dohyō (the arena in which sumo wrestling bouts take place).

Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s
Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, c.1970s

Above: traditional Sumo Wrestling playing cards published by Japan Sumo Association, manufactured by Nintendo, early to mid-1970s. The Joker is a senior referee.

avatar
33 Articles

By Jon Randall

Australia • Member since May 28, 2020 • Contact

From 6 or 7 years of age I enjoyed playing cards with my family, and still enjoy a variety of games today with various groups and individuals. I contribute my competitive nature to enjoying games … it’s not that I like to win, I dislike losing! I was barely 10 years old when my great Uncle left me a small collection of playing cards and that was the starting point of my collecting. The competitive streak in me helped develop me into a competitive swimmer that sent me to various places around the world, including a 6 year stint in the US, where for much of that time I was at university. I’ve always enjoyed car boots flea markets, yard sales, charity shops etc., and my eye would never miss a pack of playing cards. Even after my swimming career finished I coached at a high level for many years and continued enjoying the discovery of some great finds around the world. For decades my collection continued to grow, despite selling a portion of it via eBay over the years. It wasn’t until post 2010 that I realised, mostly due to correspondence with Australian friends, that there were so many single playing card collectors. This intrigued me. I had so many packs of cards at home that I made the bold decision to share a good number with singles collectors, and subsequently listed around 7000 for sale on eBay. That did make a dent in my collection, but there’s still around 30,000 packs taking up quite a bit of space at home. Crazy? Yes, but I’ve seen bigger hoards a few times! There’s so many I surprise myself finding packs I forgot I had when I look in a box I’d not seen in a while.

My eBay IDs if you’d like to look are “worldwide_playing_cards” & “playing_cards_world

Related Articles

1970 ViVa Bourg

ViVa Bourg

A distinctive deck of cards for a specific promotion.

1970 Dancing

Dancing

“Dancing” playing cards manufactured by Nintendo for Torii Dance School, Osaka.

1985 Morinaga Hakuho playing cards

Morinaga Hakuho playing cards

Artistic playing cards attributed to Morinaga Hakuho and printed by Nintendo, c.1985.

1978 Banjo Cards

Banjo Cards

Images of the peg heads from 4-string banjos from Akira Tsumura’s renowned collection.

1955 Kyoto Souvenir Deck

Kyoto Souvenir Deck

Kyoto Souvenir playing cards by Nintendo aimed at the up and coming tourist industry, 1950s.

1971 Seiko fashion cards

Seiko fashion cards

Men's and ladies fashion playing cards published for the Seiko Corporation by Nintendo, Japan, 1971....

1960 Nippon Beer

Nippon Beer

Nippon Beer brewery playing cards published by Nintendo, Japan, 1960s.

1978 Suzuki playing cards

Suzuki playing cards

Suzuki playing cards produced by Nintendo, Japan, 1978.

1972 Loco Jumbo playing cards

Loco Jumbo playing cards

54 different colour photographs of steam locomotives from around the world.

1985 Crazyrider playing cards

Crazyrider playing cards

Stylised portrayal of rock musicians from the 1980s.

1970 Unimol playing cards

Unimol playing cards

Advertising pack for a pharmaceutical company, with brightly coloured courts.

1973 Laser Clay playing cards

Laser Clay playing cards

Pack promoting the Laser Clay Shooting System created by Nintendo in 1973.

1979 Back to Country

Back to Country

Advertising playing cards for a Japanese fashion house, with reversed colours.

1979 Ainu culture

Ainu culture

A terrific deck of cards made by Nintendo c.1979 with original designs on every card showing the Ain...

1970 Akadama Honey Wine by Nintendo

Akadama Honey Wine by Nintendo

Suntory Akadama Honey Wine playing cards manufactured by Nintendo, Japan, c.1970.

Japanese Kurofuda 黑札

Japanese Kurofuda 黑札

The name means “Black cards”, which is especially true of you look at the suit of batons. The horse...

Akahachi

Akahachi

After Mekuri games such as Unsun Karuta and Tenshô Karuta were banned by the authorities, especially...

Kabufuda

Kabufuda

Kabufuda playing cards manufactured by Nintendo, Japan

2008 Hanafuda Flower Cards

Hanafuda Flower Cards

Japanese Flower Cards (Hanafuda) made by Nintendo, Japan, 2008.

Japanese Playing Cards

Japanese Playing Cards

Japanese playing cards include: 'Awase' or 'matching pairs' cards and Portuguese or Spanish-derived ...