By BILL WATANABE
I was introduced to the world of sumo when I was a student in Tokyo way back in 1968. I had the opportunity to see a Grand Sumo (the top level of sumo wrestling) tournament in the large stadium in Tokyo.
I’ll never forget seeing one of the all-time greats — a competitor called Taiho, who seemed bigger than life, majestic even — as he entered the sumo ring with golden skin that seemed to glow under the lights. He was big but not flabby and moved skillfully — and showed why sumo is more than just big bodies wearing big jock straps.
Recently, while my wife and I were sequestered at home during the COVID epidemic, we became avid watchers of Grand Sumo highlights on the NHK channel. Grand Sumo tournaments last 15 days and one’s performance in the competition will determine if a sumo wrestler is promoted or demoted for the next tournament.
At that time, the GOAT of sumo (named Hakuho) was competing and showing the world why he was the best of the best, often going undefeated by winning all 15 bouts and a championship. Hakuho won an amazing record of 34 Grand Tournaments; the next highest is 32 tournament victories by Taiho.
My wife has become a sumo devotee – sometimes watching sumo in the long version with a lot of the ceremonial movements and posturing that takes place – and then the actual competition action can be over in a few seconds! Watching Grand Sumo highlights during the 15-day tournaments has become one of our cherished and enjoyable “together” times.
An exciting newcomer to Grand Sumo has appeared – a 22-year old Ukrainian competitor named Aonishiki. He is big but not oversized (about 145 kg or about 310 lbs), at least by sumo standards. But he is very strong, agile, and seems to have innate skills and techniques for overpowering much bigger opponents who are more experienced combatants.
In November 2025, Aonishiki won the 15-day Grand Sumo Tournament held in Fukuoka and became only the second Caucasian wrestler to win the tournament. In the following month of December, Aonishiki was promoted to ozeki – the second-highest ranking in the highest level of sumo competition. Aonishiki joins three other Caucasians who in the thousand-year history of sumo rose to the prestigious rank of ozeki.
Now if he can continue to be successful, he would be poised to become first Caucasian to become a yokozuna, the highest — grand champion level of sumo. Becoming a yokozuna is like winning the Grand Slam in golf or tennis – it marks the extremely rare achievement of attaining the highest level of sumo competition. Aonishiki is currently recovering from an injury, but when he returns, there will be great anticipation on how high he can go!
It is a bit odd to reflect that where I cheered for Japanese baseball players playing in the major leagues just because they were Japanese, I now find myself cheering for a white guy competing in Grand Sumo just because he is white!
Bill Watanabe writes from Silverlake near Downtown Los Angeles and can be contacted at ybwatanabe@gmail.com. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.