Akebono

Akebono (born May 8, 1969, Waimanalo, Hawaii, U.S.—died April 2024, Tokyo, Japan) was an American-born Japanese sumo wrestler, who, in January 1993, became the first non-Japanese person to be elevated to yokozuna (grand champion) status, the highest rank in professional sumo.

Rowan grew up on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and entered college there on a basketball scholarship. In less than a year he had dropped out of school because he had arguments with his coach and found his classes boring. Setting aside a natural interest in language and culture, he took his father’s advice and in 1988 agreed to meet fellow Hawaiian Jesse Kuhaulua, who had become a sumo stablemaster in Japan. Before retiring from sumo competition in 1984, Kuhaulua (under the name Takamiyama) had set a series of virtually unbeatable records as an ozeki (junior champion), the second-highest sumo rank. He persuaded Rowan to join his stable.

During his first six months in Japan, Rowan was so homesick that he cried almost every night, and his Japanese was so poor that he could not mix easily with his stablemates. However, during practice Rowan showed amazing strength but had difficulty maintaining his balance because of his towering height (6 feet 8 inches [204 cm]) and enormous weight (roughly 500 pounds [about 225 kg]). With persistence he gradually developed the techniques and skills required for his professional debut in March 1988, taking the name Akebono (“Dawn”). He breezed through sumo’s lower ranks and junior division, setting performance records along the way. At first, after he had been promoted to the senior division (makuuchi) in 1990, successes were mixed with challenges: he had a mediocre tournament record in 1991, his first full year at that level.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.

SIGN UP

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Britannica Quiz

Sports Quiz

Akebono’s fortunes turned around dramatically in 1992. In May he won his first tournament championship, and he was elevated to ozeki rank. He won again in the November tournament and followed it with a second consecutive championship at the January 1993 tournament. Following that victory, he was promoted to yokozuna, a feat no one before him had accomplished in just 30 competitions.

Akebono won four of his next eight tournaments in 1993–94 and finished with excellent records in the other four. By mid-1994, however, injuries had begun to plague him, and he was forced to miss an increasing number of tournaments. Despite those setbacks, he kept returning to the dohyō (sumo ring), and by the time he retired in 2001 he had won 11 championships and had amassed a highly respectable total of 566 victories against 198 losses at the makuuchi level—including a 432–122 record as a yokozuna. In addition, Akebono was awarded four Outstanding Performance and two Fighting Spirit prizes, and although he failed to capture an elusive zenshō-yūshō (a perfect record of 15 victories in a single tournament), he did achieve a 14–1 mark on four occasions.

Fame did not significantly alter Akebono’s lifestyle. He continued to like popular and classical music, watch samurai movies, and shy away from crowds whenever possible. He knew, however, that he had to maintain the dignity and decorum expected of a yokozuna. Akebono still expressed pride in being an American, but he became increasingly drawn to his adopted country; in 1996 he became a Japanese citizen, officially changing his name to Akebono Tarō.

Following his retirement, Akebono remained as a coach for two years in his former stable before beginning to participate in professional kickboxing and mixed martial arts competitions. He also worked at times as a professional wrestler. In 2024 Akebono died of heart failure.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

SUBSCRIBE