Takanohana Reflects on First Photo and Life with New Wife

Although Takanohana has almost stopped watching sumo broadcasts, he still wakes up at 4 a.m. and continues to practice shiko.

 

Takanohana Koji, known as the “Great Yokozuna of the Heisei Era,” retired from the Japan Sumo Association in 2018. Last August, he made headlines by remarrying a woman he had been romantically involved with during his teenage years. Almost a year later, on June 1, he established the “Takanohana General Incorporated Association” to share the philosophy and physical theories he developed through sumo, and held a social gathering. The woman he married was someone he had been seriously dating when he was 17 during his sumo career in the Juryo division. The first report on their relationship was in the January 5-12, 1990 issue of “FRIDAY.”

“Do I remember that day? Of course, I do. I never imagined that, having just moved up to Juryo, I would be photographed by a tabloid magazine. I didn’t realize I was being photographed until the article came out, but looking back, there was a car that looked suspiciously like it was involved. And of course, FRIDAY’s headline was quite flashy, ‘The Night of the Love Match’ or something like that (laughs). From that day on, I started living a life where I had to keep an eye on everything around me, 360 degrees (laughs).” 

In an article published in *FRIDAY*, it detailed the romantic date of the then 17-year-old prodigy Takahanada (then his shikona) and his first love, a woman one year older known as A. Takahanada, who was heralded as a future yokozuna, was featured in a detailed report about their date.

 

“Mastering his ‘twofold strategy’ with perseverance. Takahanada executed a ‘love lift’ on an 18-year-old beauty that night.”

 

In November 1989, after achieving an 8-7 winning record at the Kyushu tournament, Takahanada was spotted in Yokohama in December, dressed in jeans, a leather half-coat, and with his long hair slicked back and casually tied. He had come to visit A, who was attending a high school in Tokyo, and was nurturing their relationship.

 

After spending about two hours at A’s home, the couple, aged 17 and 18, lingered at the entrance for 40 minutes, chatting. They then bought canned coffee from a vending machine and continued their farewells for another two hours. They walked together, shoulder to shoulder, between A’s home and the station, and a photo captured a moment where Takahanada lifted A in a manner reminiscent of his wrestling moves, as they said their goodbyes.

At the time, they had been dating for two months. Kenko-san (now known as Noriko Fujita), who was the landlady of their shared apartment, commented to this magazine, “I didn’t know at all, but since they’re dating, I hope they have an open and cheerful relationship. However, it does seem a bit early to have a specific girlfriend.”

 

Takanohana’s relationship with A didn’t work out. Later, he announced his engagement to Rie Miyazawa (51), with whom he hit it off after meeting during a sports newspaper interview. However, this engagement was broken off just two months later. In 1995, having risen to the rank of Yokozuna, he had a surprise marriage with Keiko Kono (59), a former announcer at Fuji TV. They ended their 23-year marriage in 2018. 

 

After going through two separations, the former grand sumo champion had resolved to live his life alone. However, his connection with A, whose first romance was reported by “FRIDAY” about 34 years ago, was rekindled in March 2023 through an interview article with Takanohana. Remarkably, A, who had lost her husband about six years prior, ended up remarrying Takanohana.

 

Now, a year has passed since this unexpected reunion of the romance that didn’t come to fruition at age 17. Takanohana reveals:

 

“I am happy now. When I wake up in the morning, my wife makes breakfast for me. For the first time at this age, I’ve discovered that a world like that from TV dramas actually exists.”

 

He reflects on what his strict master, Oyakata Futagoyama, said when he was photographed on a date with A at 17. He also contemplates how he feels about his past separations from Rie Miyazawa and Keiko Kono. Why did Takanohana, who had resolved to live alone, end up remarrying A?

 

In the premium edition of FRIDAY GOLD, his deeper thoughts about his brother,  Wakanohana Masaru, his mother, Noriko Fujita, and the disciples he mentored, as well as his future plans, are detailed.