Ukrainian-Born An Seishōkin Becomes Top Sumo Star—His Journey Starts with Curiosity

“No worries, no worries.”

“I will continue to strive even further, so as not to bring shame to the name of ōzeki.”

His words when receiving the messenger announcing his promotion were simple, just like Aranishiki (21) himself.

“When my ōzeki promotion was almost confirmed, my master, Anjigawa Oyakata (former sekiwake Aminishiki), told me, ‘Come up with your own greeting!’ and left me to it (laughs). I don’t really know much about four-character idioms, so in the end I consulted with my master and we decided together.”

Recalling that time, Aranishiki sticks out his tongue and shyly smiles. Since his promotion last November, he’s been busy with greeting rounds, media appearances, and the start of winter tours held across the country.

As the new ōzeki, Aranishiki has drawn fans’ attention, following a grueling daily tour schedule. Though young, his fatigue was likely at its peak. When reporters visited at the end of last year, he fell ill during morning practice and had to rush to a nearby hospital. Yet, ignoring the worries of those around him, he returned to the preparation room in about an hour.

“I just had a little stomachache, so I’m fine. No worries, no worries.”

During his childhood in Ukraine, Aranishiki first learned about sumo.

“My mother, who always drove me to and from the dojo, happened to be late one day. I thought, ‘Why not try sumo practice after wrestling?’ on a whim. And I got hooked (laughs).”

Training at the Anjigawa stable initially focused on basics like shiko (leg stomps), push-ups, and sliding steps to build a physique suitable for a rikishi. Anjigawa Oyakata explains:

“When Aranishiki does sliding steps, his upper body leans forward almost parallel to the ground. That’s connected to his sumo, which takes advantage of his strength in the forward-leaning posture.”

During his free time at the stable, he repeatedly watched DVDs of matches borrowed from his master. At 182 cm and around 140 kg, he is relatively small for a makuuchi wrestler, so he even watches videos while eating. Aranishiki continues:

“My master gives me tons of DVDs—from older wrestlers to those active today. I use them as reference.”

He is wholly dedicated to sumo.

“My goal for 2026? Rather than focusing on this year, my ultimate goal is further up—yokozuna. I want to get there as soon as possible.”

This year, we hope he will make a strong run as ōzeki and anticipate the first Ukrainian yokozuna.

The January 8 issue of FRIDAY (Jan. 23) and the premium edition FRIDAY GOLD feature many behind-the-scenes stories, including Aranishiki’s struggles before joining Anjigawa stable and the surprisingly unexpected singers he likes to sing at karaoke, along with his handwritten Japanese autograph and rare photos.

For detailed content and multiple photos, see here ↓

From the January 23, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”