Koji Takanohana Reveals Surprising Bond with Late Taro Akebono

The first Grand Sumo tournament of the year concluded with Ozeki Hoshoryu’s victory. Additionally, Tochinoshima has secured his promotion to Yokozuna with this result.

Going back 32 years, after the 1993 New Year’s tournament, a new Yokozuna was born. It was the 64th Yokozuna, Taro Akebono, who passed away on April 6 of last year due to heart failure at a hospital in Tokyo. Akebono continued to lead the sumo world as a Yokozuna until his retirement in January 2001.

Akebono’s greatest rival was the 65th Yokozuna, Kōji Takanohana. Takanohana, who fought fierce battles against Akebono from the 1990s to the early 2000s, has shared his thoughts and some little-known episodes about Akebono. (The following are all Takanohana’s statements.)

Enduring even the Spartan-like training

In 1988, we entered together, and at the time, I was 15 years old, while Akebono-san was four years older. During our time at the sumo training school, we called each other “Chad” and “Koji.” My Dōki, Akebono-san, my older brother Katsu-san (former Wakanohana), and I all became yokozuna, while Kaio became an ozeki, and we, “Hana no 63-gumi,” who produced 11 wrestlers in the juryo division, helped elevate the sumo scene during the Heisei era.

Back in the training school days, Akebono-san’s Japanese was still broken, and he wasn’t used to sumo stew, making a face at the smell of natto. However, within six months, he was able to handle daily conversations with ease, and although it took some time, he also became able to eat natto.

At that time, Spartan-style training was the norm, and getting hit with bamboo swords or bats was a common occurrence. The 130 of us in the same class had been reduced to less than half after five years—this was a harsh world. Akebono-san, coming from a southern island with a completely different language and culture, must have endured all of this desperately.

During his time in Hawaii, Akebono was a basketball player with excellent physical attributes and high athletic ability, which caught the attention of NBA scouts. However, at that time, he was still unaccustomed to sumo, and there were areas where he could be exploited.

The Tokozeki stable, where Akebono belonged, was known for its intense training, and Akebono himself was very diligent in his studies. He made remarkable progress. With his height over 2 meters and his weight exceeding 200 kg, Akebono’s massive frame made it difficult to find an angle or position to counter his attacks. When he applied his favorite thrusting push technique, I was blown off the ring.

If I could get inside and grapple, it would be sumo, but over time, Akebono became better at grappling as well. Facing him at the tachiai felt like rushing toward a big Hawaiian wave, and if I misjudged even the smallest detail, I would be quickly thrown down.