Death of Akebono
This past week, we learned of the passing of Akebono. He was 54 years old. Known as Chad Rowan, he was recruited by former Takamiyama to join his Azumazeki-beya in 1988. His maezumo class famously included Takanohana and Wakanohana, both of whom rose to the rank of Yokozuna and with whom he shared one of the sports’ greatest rivalries.
As I’ve noted before, my introduction to the sport of sumo was from late-night highlight digests, broadcast by ESPN. Akebono and this great rivalry with Takanohana and Wakanohana were featured prominently. When the Olympics came to Japan, he performed a dohyo-iri during the opening ceremony. The IOC remembered his life by posting a video from that event.
After his sumo career, he shifted into K-1, MMA, and professional wrestling. Due to health issues, he returned to Japan and maintained a quiet presence, occasionally featuring in social media updates from guys like Konishiki and Hama.
I encourage everyone to check out this montage, put together by Nikkan Sports. It features photos from early in his sumo career, his climb through the ranks, his reign as Yokozuna, retirement, and his post-sumo life. An ad may pop up, click the Japanese character for, “To close,” 閉. The opposite character is “Open,” 開. Note the difference in the central radical. The radical kind of looks like an open door in the character for “open” and a closed door in the character for “closed”.
Closure of Miyagino-beya
Speaking of closure, Miyagino-beya was officially closed and its wrestlers and staff transferred to Isegahama-beya. Keiko has started up again under the new arrangements. This is intended to be a temporary solution as Hakuho is prepped to re-open the Miyagino stable at some point in the future. We’ll give updates as we hear what the Isegahama-ichimon have to report to the Kyokai in the reports they are expected to provide after each tournament.
Jungyo Reaches Kanto Region
The Jungyo tour has been hopping around the Tokyo region for the past few days. Kirishima rejoined the tour after his earlier injury-induced absence. Mid-tour, the Kyokai will host a Kanjin sumo event at Kokugikan on Tuesday, 4/16. This will be a special fund-raising event for victims of the Noto-peninsula earthquake on New Year’s Day. Some tickets are still available and there’s an English webpage to buy tickets, here. As a bonus, it looks like you get a commemorative zabuton for the express purpose of NOT throwing.
NYC Sumo+Sushi
Tickets are available for Konishiki’s Sumo+Sushi tour in NYC. He will be there in June, from the 14th to the 16th. Benton is the vendor providing food. I’ll be eager to hear feedback from folks who attend the NYC event!
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Akebono, a man whose dreams came true! Now he has moved to the upper floor stable…
Here is a hawaiian style farewell to him: https://youtu.be/w9O5gWktvtk?feature=shared
Thanks to Andy for text and links, the nikkan sports ‚collage‘ is very beautiful!
Man…..only 54. That’s so unfortunate.
This is why Kanreki Dohyō-iri is so a rare sight to see.
Some of those guys really are burning their life candle by both of their ends.
It‘s Sumo lifestyle. When they are twenty and above, they know what they do to their body and health. To ghastly bulk up real children, as it seems to be common nowadays, is quite a sin.
The sumo lifestyle does seem to have an impact but in Akebono’s case I am pretty sure that he was doing lucha libre in Mexico when he took ill.
they also have to stay in the sumo association to do a Kanreki Dohyō-iri, which rules out a lot of the living candidates
Kitanofuji did his as a civilian, no?
Ah, I stand corrected.
I think there was a hope that Akebono would make it and Asashoryu would be his tanimochi but 1) health and 2) massive tattoos had me think that it would never happen. But I would not be surprised at all if Wakanohana does one.
Thank you so much Andy! Especially for the Nikkan Sports Montage -that was lovely!
Also to “justme”, the youtube of the “Farewell” is beautiful – thank you!
Thanks for the kanji lesson! Until now I couldn’t come up with a way of memorizing the difference between the two. Somehow, my brain processed the center radical in “to close” like a person walking :)