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Episode 576 – The Kings of the Ring, Part 3
This week: after Taiho, the floodgates open as more non-Japanese rikishi begin to enter the sport. One of them, Takamiyama, has a good but not great career. But two of the rikishi he recruits to train under him after retirement–Konishiki Yasokichi and Akebono Taro–will change sumo forever.
Sources
Panek, Mark. Gaijin Yokozuna: An Autobiography of Chad Rowan
Culyer, P.L. Sumo: From Rite to Sport
Benjamin, David. Sumo: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to Japan’s National Sport
An excellent article on Konishiki’s career by Chris Gould of Sumo Fan Magazine
New York Times coverage of the scandal around Konishiki’s remarks on potential yokozuna promotion
SumoDB entries for Takamiyama and Konishiki, for the stat nerds among you
Images
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9839" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main-186x300.webp" alt="" width="186" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main-186x300.webp 186w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main.webp 223w" sizes="(max-width: 186px) 100vw, 186px" />Takamiyama in his keshomawashi, a sort of formal outfit worn during ceremonies.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9844" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso-199x300.webp" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso-199x300.webp 199w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso.webp 299w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Takamiyama with the tennohai–the emperor’s cup–after winning in the top division July 1972 tournament.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9842" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1.jpg 330w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Azumasekibeya in 2014. After Takamiyama’s death, the stable eventually closed; now its wrestlers are part of Hakkakubeya.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9840" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki-220x300.webp" alt="" width="220" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki-220x300.webp 220w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki.webp 383w" sizes="(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px" />Konishiki in his early sumo days, shortly after coming to Japan.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9841" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki-199x300.webp" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki-199x300.webp 199w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki.webp 256w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Konishiki (left) and Takamiyama (right) shortly after Konishiki was recruited to Takasagobeya by the sekiwake.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9843" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111-171x300.webp" alt="" width="171" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111-171x300.webp 171w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111.webp 270w" sizes="(max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px" />Konishiki as an ozeki in his keshomawashi.
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This week: after Taiho, the floodgates open as more non-Japanese rikishi begin to enter the sport. One of them, Takamiyama, has a good but not great career. But two of the rikishi he recruits to train under him after retirement–Konishiki Yasokichi and Akebono Taro–will change sumo forever.
Sources
Panek, Mark. Gaijin Yokozuna: An Autobiography of Chad Rowan
Culyer, P.L. Sumo: From Rite to Sport
Benjamin, David. Sumo: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to Japan’s National Sport
An excellent article on Konishiki’s career by Chris Gould of Sumo Fan Magazine
New York Times coverage of the scandal around Konishiki’s remarks on potential yokozuna promotion
SumoDB entries for Takamiyama and Konishiki, for the stat nerds among you
Images
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9839" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main-186x300.webp" alt="" width="186" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main-186x300.webp 186w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-main.webp 223w" sizes="(max-width: 186px) 100vw, 186px" />Takamiyama in his keshomawashi, a sort of formal outfit worn during ceremonies.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9844" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso-199x300.webp" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso-199x300.webp 199w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyamayuso.webp 299w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Takamiyama with the tennohai–the emperor’s cup–after winning in the top division July 1972 tournament.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9842" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Azumazeki_stable_2014_1.jpg 330w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Azumasekibeya in 2014. After Takamiyama’s death, the stable eventually closed; now its wrestlers are part of Hakkakubeya.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9840" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki-220x300.webp" alt="" width="220" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki-220x300.webp 220w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/young_Konishiki.webp 383w" sizes="(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px" />Konishiki in his early sumo days, shortly after coming to Japan.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9841" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki-199x300.webp" alt="" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki-199x300.webp 199w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Takamiyama-Konishiki.webp 256w" sizes="(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Konishiki (left) and Takamiyama (right) shortly after Konishiki was recruited to Takasagobeya by the sekiwake.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9843" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111-171x300.webp" alt="" width="171" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111-171x300.webp 171w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konishiki111.webp 270w" sizes="(max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px" />Konishiki as an ozeki in his keshomawashi.