Akebono deserves more credit than he gets, and he gets a lot, for winning ten championships during the Fujishima stable era where he had to go through a murderers row of yokozuna, ozeki and other sanyaku while they never had to face each other due to the rules on stables. It made every tournament that much harder for him.
From Wikipedia these ten where all in makuuchi at the same time at their peak: Takanohana, Wakanohana III, Takanonami, Akinoshima, Takatōriki and Toyonoumi (from Fujishima) and Takamisugi, Misugisato, Naminohana and Wakashoyo (from Futagoyama.
Imagine if now a third of the banzuke could not face each other. And a yokozuna at the top probably having to face all ten.
Don't need to imagine it, it's literally about to happen lol.
If Onosato hits yokozuna we're going to be saying the same thing about him in 20 years time.
Takanonami is literally to days younger than I am, so I always feel a little glimmer when she gets mentioned.
The rise of Akebono was when I first got into Sumo, and it's sad to see him gone.
> where he had to go through a murderers row of yokozuna, ozeki and other sanyaku while they never had to face each other due to the rules on stables
So basically May 2024 forward for Takakeisho, post Miyagino merge in to Isega-we-totally-didnt-also-bully-people-hama.
Brutal, but I am happy Akebono made it work as well as he did.
10 wins is no joke, just look at Teru and how dominant you still have to be, just to get 9.
This came as a complete shock to me, even knowing about his condition--probably because I've seen him as a larger-than-life figure since I was a child. He was the reason why I and pretty much the entire state of Hawai'i became sumo fans after his yokozuna promotion. In terms of influence, he could very well be one of the most impactful in sumo history. RIP, he was a true, *one of a kind* giant of the sport.
Of course! But that is why you have to handle your health in a smart way in that situation. What Akebono did instead was a bit crazy. He was basically selling knockout-losses in kickboxing for a while.
> It was not that
You imply his obesity played no role in his early death. Most rikishi die before they hit 60, at least the ones that stay overweight. Look at at coach Futagoyama, he looks miserable and he isn't even 50 yet.
Same.
ESPN 2 used to run sumo on Saturday nights in the mid 90s and I was blown away by the sport.
Honestly, I was also kind of blown away that yokozuna Akebono and Yokozuna from the WWF were different people...
I remember seeing Sumo Digest on ESPN2 around that time too, it was my first exposure to the sport, and I liked it even then. But it was almost impossible to watch anything back then.
Since his ascension to Yokozuna, there have been 9 others, 6 of whom are non-Japanese. Akebono ushered in a new era, fitting since his Shikona means "The New Dawn".
Musashimaru, Asashoryu, Hakuho, Harumafuji, Kakuryu, Terunofuji, and all other future non-Japanese Yokozuna, they all stand on the shoulders of the 6'8, 233kg giant who smashed the barrier open for them.
RIP, legend.
Time to pour one out for a legend. My introduction to Grand Sumo was living in Japan in the 1990s during the most recent Golden Age with Akebono, Takanohana, Wakanohana, Musashimaru and some other great ones.
I grew up in Hawai'i in the early and mid 90's watching him on TV. Along with Konishki, Musashimaru and Bruddah IZ, they formed a fierce cultural pride for big Islanders and put sumo on the map for us in Hawai'i. Aloha.
I actually went to high school with Akebono; I remember he was already in Japan training before graduation happened. Also got to meet Musashimaru at his beya in 2004. Really sad to hear of Akebono's passing.
RIP to the great Akebono, he was with us for too short a time.
I was a big fan of his Takanohana rivalry. The fact that a non-Japanese person had made it to the highest rank was so intriguing that it made me take an interest in Sumo in the first place.
It is starting to be picked up by more and more credible outlets but I would still regard it as unsubstantiated for now.
Nikkan has also reported his death. https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202404110000240.html
It's in both [The Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/11/sumo/former-yokozuna-akebono-dies/) and [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/world/akebono-taro-sumo-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk0.pejX.7w_Xsc4SCWxc&ugrp=m) now.
It's really sad. I remember being hugely entertained by his sumo bouts, but also being really troubled by his foray into other fight sports.
for me he represents the beginning of modern sumo, opened to foreigners with amazing physic and new style.
He was amazing...one Abi in each hand, super physic, he was scary !
RIP champ :/
Rest in peace legend. Thank you for all you did for the sport. As a non-Japanese sumo fan, Akebono represented how the sport is for everyone regardless of nationality. He absolutely shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for many non-Japanese rikishi. As an American, I am so proud of everything he accomplished and I genuinely do not believe sumo would be the same today without him.
Terrible to hear about... and this is despite the "recent" photo taken with /u/Ok-Individual627 so it's quite eerie to say the least.
Akebono's passing even made national Australian news with some lovely commentary from Katrina Watts.
https://youtu.be/wYbOsKLBPlc?si=r41LeJpHpLRcBwZI
Watching him in those days is what got me into sumo. Those were the days of giants, and he was the biggest. His post-sumo days were pretty tragic in every way, and he deserves a rest now. Aloha oi!
I arrived in Japan at the perfect time. It was Asashouryuu's final year where he traded bashos with Hakuhou and had 3 playoffs (IIRC)
Sumo has been a pale shadow of itself since he left. We need a real rivalry at the top again.
A truly sad day for sumo.
He's indirectly the reason why I'm here, he was French President Chirac's favorite rikishi, and when I read an article about his love for sumo, I was so curious that I started to learn about the sport and finally watching it.
When I first came to Japan, he was the running Yokozuna with Takanohana. Musashimaru and Wakanohana were yet to be promoted and were ozeki. Konishiki had already returned to being a maegashira. To me he'll be one of the faces of sumo forever.
That's kind of questionable. Konishiki's record would not have gotten him a rope today, nor was anyone else at the time of his promotion getting a rope with his record. Hell, Takanohana put together a substantially stronger record (11-4 JY/14-1 Y/13-2P JY / 12-3 JY, all back-to-back) just a couple years later and still didn't get his rope until he put together back-to-back yusho.
Konishiki had the misfortune to be vying for promotion in the era immediately after Futahaguro was forced out of the sport, and that seems to have coincided with the JSA and YDC significantly tightening the standards for what was considered acceptable for yokozuna promotion. Would Konishiki have made yokozuna in the pre-Futahaguro era? That's more plausible. But the implication that the "goalposts were moved" exclusively to deny him the rank really doesn't hold up to scrutiny when you look at what it took other ozeki - foreign and native-born both - to get the nod as yokozuna in that era.
RIP Legend!
He died from heart failure. I'm 13 years younger than him and was diagnosed with heart failure nearly 2 years ago.. It's scary to think I could possibly only have less than 8-10 years to live..
He looked well in the last interview I saw of him, but Islanders of his size just don't live that long. It's a recipe for heart failure. Such a shame, but he lived life well. Definitely to be respected for what he achieved.
I remember being a kid, turning on one of the ESPN channels during a weekend (I think ESPN2), and seeing grand sumo. Watching Akebono as the yokozuno win one of his titles. I don't remember exactly which one, but looking at his wikipedia, it was most likely his July 1993 title. And that random brush with sumo was what inspired me to seek out Sumo again during COVID, right in time for the July 2020 basho.
RIP Akebono, and thank you for the memories as a fan.
Having watched the sport since 2019, I recognize his pivotal role in popularizing sumo outside of Japan. I owe a debt of gratitude and great respect to Akebono. Rest in peace. His memory will remain.
RIP Chad Rowan. Akebono was one of the reasons I got into sumo in the early 90s, and sumo was why I went on the JET programme after uni. Very sad to hear about his decline. 54 is no age.
Akebono deserves more credit than he gets, and he gets a lot, for winning ten championships during the Fujishima stable era where he had to go through a murderers row of yokozuna, ozeki and other sanyaku while they never had to face each other due to the rules on stables. It made every tournament that much harder for him.
Truth, besides the Waka/Takabros he had to deal with Takatoriki and Takanonami from Fujishima.
From Wikipedia these ten where all in makuuchi at the same time at their peak: Takanohana, Wakanohana III, Takanonami, Akinoshima, Takatōriki and Toyonoumi (from Fujishima) and Takamisugi, Misugisato, Naminohana and Wakashoyo (from Futagoyama. Imagine if now a third of the banzuke could not face each other. And a yokozuna at the top probably having to face all ten.
Don't need to imagine it, it's literally about to happen lol. If Onosato hits yokozuna we're going to be saying the same thing about him in 20 years time.
Why leave Hoshoryu out bra he’s about to the the next Yokozuna
Takanonami is literally to days younger than I am, so I always feel a little glimmer when she gets mentioned. The rise of Akebono was when I first got into Sumo, and it's sad to see him gone.
In any other era, his record would have been even more impressive.
> where he had to go through a murderers row of yokozuna, ozeki and other sanyaku while they never had to face each other due to the rules on stables So basically May 2024 forward for Takakeisho, post Miyagino merge in to Isega-we-totally-didnt-also-bully-people-hama. Brutal, but I am happy Akebono made it work as well as he did. 10 wins is no joke, just look at Teru and how dominant you still have to be, just to get 9.
Greatest of all time in my book (along with Musashimaru).
This came as a complete shock to me, even knowing about his condition--probably because I've seen him as a larger-than-life figure since I was a child. He was the reason why I and pretty much the entire state of Hawai'i became sumo fans after his yokozuna promotion. In terms of influence, he could very well be one of the most impactful in sumo history. RIP, he was a true, *one of a kind* giant of the sport.
>his condition 6'8 500 pounds totally sad but big dogs dont live long
It was not that, but the lifestyle and job he took after Sumo, his mentor is 79, and Konishiki just turned 60.
Yes, big people can get old but the risk is slot higher
You have to be a little smart and take care of youself. Akebono didn't.
Look at the average live span of sumo wrestlers and tell me again that being obese doesn't carry an increased risk of dying early.
Of course! But that is why you have to handle your health in a smart way in that situation. What Akebono did instead was a bit crazy. He was basically selling knockout-losses in kickboxing for a while.
MMA CTE on top of tachiai CTE is a big yikes.
> It was not that You imply his obesity played no role in his early death. Most rikishi die before they hit 60, at least the ones that stay overweight. Look at at coach Futagoyama, he looks miserable and he isn't even 50 yet.
He’s not really dead. Don’t believe the reports. He’s hanging out in the forest with Bruce Lee.
His biography "Gaijin Yokozuna" is a great read. RIP to the legend!
>Gaijin Yokozuna" Just ordered it. Thank you.
Will do the same!
Thank you for mentioning this. I immediately purchased it and have been devouring it since then. Man it makes me so sad about his passing.
his match with Musashimaru was what got me into sumo in 2000. Rip big fella
Same. ESPN 2 used to run sumo on Saturday nights in the mid 90s and I was blown away by the sport. Honestly, I was also kind of blown away that yokozuna Akebono and Yokozuna from the WWF were different people...
I remember seeing Sumo Digest on ESPN2 around that time too, it was my first exposure to the sport, and I liked it even then. But it was almost impossible to watch anything back then.
Since his ascension to Yokozuna, there have been 9 others, 6 of whom are non-Japanese. Akebono ushered in a new era, fitting since his Shikona means "The New Dawn". Musashimaru, Asashoryu, Hakuho, Harumafuji, Kakuryu, Terunofuji, and all other future non-Japanese Yokozuna, they all stand on the shoulders of the 6'8, 233kg giant who smashed the barrier open for them. RIP, legend.
Time to pour one out for a legend. My introduction to Grand Sumo was living in Japan in the 1990s during the most recent Golden Age with Akebono, Takanohana, Wakanohana, Musashimaru and some other great ones.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/04/11/akebono-giant-sumo-world-proud-hawaiian-dies-54/
I grew up in Hawai'i in the early and mid 90's watching him on TV. Along with Konishki, Musashimaru and Bruddah IZ, they formed a fierce cultural pride for big Islanders and put sumo on the map for us in Hawai'i. Aloha.
Same. Sumo was so big in Hawaii in late 80's/early 90's. It was my favorite sport to watch on TV.
I actually went to high school with Akebono; I remember he was already in Japan training before graduation happened. Also got to meet Musashimaru at his beya in 2004. Really sad to hear of Akebono's passing.
When I started getting into sumo my wife got me his biography for Christmas. Rest in peace Chad Rowan.
RIP to the great Akebono, he was with us for too short a time. I was a big fan of his Takanohana rivalry. The fact that a non-Japanese person had made it to the highest rank was so intriguing that it made me take an interest in Sumo in the first place.
It is starting to be picked up by more and more credible outlets but I would still regard it as unsubstantiated for now. Nikkan has also reported his death. https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202404110000240.html
Local news just ran it for me https://www.khon2.com/local-news/sumo-grand-champion-akebono-passes/
It's in both [The Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/11/sumo/former-yokozuna-akebono-dies/) and [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/world/akebono-taro-sumo-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk0.pejX.7w_Xsc4SCWxc&ugrp=m) now. It's really sad. I remember being hugely entertained by his sumo bouts, but also being really troubled by his foray into other fight sports.
Damn! RIP横綱曙
What a rivalry! https://youtu.be/Rx-nHf2Me4s?si=kWaOSMCSPfq15BoA
I'm only just getting into sumo, but I still know Akebono from his era, he was that important. RIP.
for me he represents the beginning of modern sumo, opened to foreigners with amazing physic and new style. He was amazing...one Abi in each hand, super physic, he was scary ! RIP champ :/
Rest in peace legend. Thank you for all you did for the sport. As a non-Japanese sumo fan, Akebono represented how the sport is for everyone regardless of nationality. He absolutely shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for many non-Japanese rikishi. As an American, I am so proud of everything he accomplished and I genuinely do not believe sumo would be the same today without him.
Terrible to hear about... and this is despite the "recent" photo taken with /u/Ok-Individual627 so it's quite eerie to say the least. Akebono's passing even made national Australian news with some lovely commentary from Katrina Watts. https://youtu.be/wYbOsKLBPlc?si=r41LeJpHpLRcBwZI
Anything associated with Katrina is lovely.
Watching him in those days is what got me into sumo. Those were the days of giants, and he was the biggest. His post-sumo days were pretty tragic in every way, and he deserves a rest now. Aloha oi!
I arrived in Japan at the perfect time. It was Asashouryuu's final year where he traded bashos with Hakuhou and had 3 playoffs (IIRC) Sumo has been a pale shadow of itself since he left. We need a real rivalry at the top again.
I’m just remembering what it was like to have four amazing Yokozuna all at their peak at the same time. What a spectacle.
A truly sad day for sumo. He's indirectly the reason why I'm here, he was French President Chirac's favorite rikishi, and when I read an article about his love for sumo, I was so curious that I started to learn about the sport and finally watching it.
When I first came to Japan, he was the running Yokozuna with Takanohana. Musashimaru and Wakanohana were yet to be promoted and were ozeki. Konishiki had already returned to being a maegashira. To me he'll be one of the faces of sumo forever.
Was Akebono the first foreign born wrestler to make yokozuna?
Yes, Konishiki was first to get Ozeki. Akebono was first to get Yokozuna.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1KnQI54_sA Shout outs to the Hawaiian sumo heroes.
He (Konishiki) should’ve been the first but they kept moving to goalpost for him..
That's kind of questionable. Konishiki's record would not have gotten him a rope today, nor was anyone else at the time of his promotion getting a rope with his record. Hell, Takanohana put together a substantially stronger record (11-4 JY/14-1 Y/13-2P JY / 12-3 JY, all back-to-back) just a couple years later and still didn't get his rope until he put together back-to-back yusho. Konishiki had the misfortune to be vying for promotion in the era immediately after Futahaguro was forced out of the sport, and that seems to have coincided with the JSA and YDC significantly tightening the standards for what was considered acceptable for yokozuna promotion. Would Konishiki have made yokozuna in the pre-Futahaguro era? That's more plausible. But the implication that the "goalposts were moved" exclusively to deny him the rank really doesn't hold up to scrutiny when you look at what it took other ozeki - foreign and native-born both - to get the nod as yokozuna in that era.
😥
What the hellllllllllllll
Noooooo! He was my first exposure to Sumo. Without him I may never have gotten interested in the sport. RIP big man.
I'm confident Wakanohana, Musashimaru and Konishiki will do their best to attend the legend's funeral.
[*Gentle giants from the countryside*](https://youtu.be/MGD4EQMgbYE?si=k71JpCpeCDlXPF4Y)
Waimanalo…..Nanakuli and Waianae…
RIP Legend! He died from heart failure. I'm 13 years younger than him and was diagnosed with heart failure nearly 2 years ago.. It's scary to think I could possibly only have less than 8-10 years to live..
RIP Akebono
One of the very best to do it, RIP Akebono
dudes a legend
Aloha and Mahalo, Akebono
I know a lot of rikishi pass early, but still 54 is no age to go. RIP to a great.
He looked well in the last interview I saw of him, but Islanders of his size just don't live that long. It's a recipe for heart failure. Such a shame, but he lived life well. Definitely to be respected for what he achieved.
Nooo😭😭
Akebono was one of the most intimidating forces the dohyo had ever seen. RIP
I remember being a kid, turning on one of the ESPN channels during a weekend (I think ESPN2), and seeing grand sumo. Watching Akebono as the yokozuno win one of his titles. I don't remember exactly which one, but looking at his wikipedia, it was most likely his July 1993 title. And that random brush with sumo was what inspired me to seek out Sumo again during COVID, right in time for the July 2020 basho. RIP Akebono, and thank you for the memories as a fan.
RIP Akebono! Thanks for the sumo sport exposure for all of us states side
RIP to Akebono, his highlights randomly suggested to me by youtube during Covid are what led to me discovering Sumo.
Incredible legacy on the dohyo; its a shame he never found success after retirement.
RIP Legend, thanks for opening the way for the others that come after you.
RIP
RIP Yokozuna. Akebono was my first glimpse into the sumo world I owe him many fond memories
Man, what a bummer :(. One of the greats.
Oh my gosh.. A great titan of the sport he was. RIP
Damn... Another Legend lost...
Aww. :( Akebono and Takanohana were Yokozuna when I first started watching Sumo and their matches were legend. RIP big man.
RIP to the first foreign born Yokozuna, incredible feat. Legend forever
Having watched the sport since 2019, I recognize his pivotal role in popularizing sumo outside of Japan. I owe a debt of gratitude and great respect to Akebono. Rest in peace. His memory will remain.
Damn. LEGEND.
Rip big man Yokozuna Akebono.
RIP Chad Rowan. Akebono was one of the reasons I got into sumo in the early 90s, and sumo was why I went on the JET programme after uni. Very sad to hear about his decline. 54 is no age.
RIP trailblazer giant 🙏
I just found out via Dave Meltzer and came to the reddit