A Ukrainian rises in the traditional world of sumo

In sumo’s Summer Basho at the brand-new IG Arena in Nagoya in July, all eyes were initially on Onosato, the first Japanese yokozuna in eight years, but the tournament ended in a major upset victory by a lower-ranked maegashira, Kotoshoho. Amid this drama, it was the Ukrainian-born maegashira Aonishiki who really inspired the crowd with a remarkable run, defeating ōzeki and yokozuna wrestlers and remaining in contention for the title until the very end. At the same time as the political world saw the rise of the “Japanese First” party Sanseito in July’s Upper House election, in the traditional world of sumo, the half-century history of accepting foreign wrestlers was truly on show.

The 21-year-old Aonishiki, known affectionately as “Danya,” was born Danylo Yavhusishyn in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, in 2004. He started judo at the age of 6 and discovered sumo at the age of 7, training in wrestling as well as sumo. In 2019, he made his first visit to Japan as a member of the Ukrainian team at the Junior World Sumo Championships in Osaka, where he placed third in the middleweight division. Impressed by the strength of the 15-year-old, who still had a youthful innocence about him, Arata Yamanaka, who was then the captain of the Kansai University Sumo Club (and is now a staff member at Kansai University), approached him and said hello.

The two continued to communicate on social media until February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Yavhusishyn had already been accepted into a national university, but as he would not be able to leave the country once he turned 18, he decided to flee to Germany, where his parents were living. His passion for sumo wrestling remained strong. One message he sent to Yamanaka — “If I don’t go now, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life” — prompted his Japanese friend to make arrangements to accommodate him. In April, Yavhusishyn landed in Japan and stayed with Yamanaka’s family. He attended language school during the day and trained with the Kansai University Sumo Club at night. His sights were set firmly on entering the world of professional sumo wrestling.

“Grand sumo” refers to professional events organized by the Japan Sumo Association, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. In addition to six 15-day tournaments held annually, the association also holds other events such as regional tours. There are currently about 600 sumo wrestlers, divided into six divisions. The matches broadcast on television are mainly those of the highest division, makuuchi. There are 42 maku-uchi wrestlers, led by the yokozuna, and currently 10 are foreign-born. Wrestlers belong to one of the 45 sumo stables, but there is a rule that each stable can have at most one foreign-born wrestler. For Yavhusishyn, finding a stable was his first and most important task.

The stable that he finally connected with was the newly established Ajigawa. The stable head had never considered accepting a foreign wrestler, but when he met Yavhusishyn he became captivated. Thus, Yavhusishyn made his debut in sumo under his new ring name of Aonishiki Arata, which combined the blue (ao) of the Ukrainian flag with the first name of his friend Yamanaka. He embarked on rigorous training, not only in technique but also in etiquette. He had to learn Japanese as well as the sport’s unique customs. As he shared meals and lodging with his peers, he made remarkable progress.

His debut bout as Aonishiki was in September 2023. From there, he won at a rapid pace, climbing the rankings. In a record-tying nine tournaments, he achieved promotion to the makuuchi division. There is no classification by weight in sumo wrestling, so larger physiques are advantageous. European wrestlers tend to be large and powerful, but Aonishiki stands at 182 centimeters tall and weighs a modest 138 kilograms, making him a technically skilled wrestler rather than a physically imposing one. He has been able to secure victories over yokozuna and ozeki opponents with advanced techniques such as uchi-musō (grabbing the knee of his opponent’s outside leg with his upper hand and twisting him down). In the three tournaments since his promotion to the top division, he has achieved an impressive record of 11 wins and four losses, winning the Fighting Spirit Prize and the Technique Prize in each tournament.

Aonishiki speaks fluent Japanese in television interviews, and his kimono and topknot suit him well. His topknot is somewhat unique — and not just because his hair is brown. Sumo wrestlers’ topknots are usually bent to the right, but Aonishiki wears his to the left. The style was first adopted by the Hawaiian wrestler Takamiyama, and then other Hawaiians like Konishiki and Musashimaru followed suit. Aonishiki also adopted the left-curved topknot when he heard about this precedent. Although he has said “there is no particular significance to it,” it seems likely a gesture of respect toward the pioneering foreign sumo wrestlers who blazed a trail before him.

It is often said that “there is money buried in the ring,” but with the diversification of professional sports and the weakening of the yen, sumo wrestling can scarcely be called lucrative. While basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter are provided, wrestlers receive only a small stipend until they are promoted to the sekitori level (the top two divisions), and there are many outdated traditions that persist. It can be difficult to draw the line between training, hazing and bullying. With the declining birthrate, there are many challenges to sustaining sumo wrestling.

Yet at the same time, sumo bouts will be held in London in October and in Paris next June as part of the sport’s first overseas tour in 12 years. As both a sport and a “living cultural treasure,” it has the potential to grow its popularity globally.

“I may have used up all my luck just to get here, but I would be happy if my performance in the ring can bring courage and hope to my hometown during the war,” said the Japanese-speaking, kimono-clad Aonishiki. He has secured promotion to the sanyaku ranks (the three below yokozuna) for the next tournament — and it is still just three years since he arrived from Ukraine. At a time of growing suspicion of foreigners, his achievements give courage and hope as examples of the potential of cross-cultural exchange.

大相撲で注目されるウクライナ出身力士、安青錦（あおにしき）。戦禍を避け18歳で来日し、大相撲に入門。破竹の勢いで番付を上り、初土俵からわずか3年にして大関、横綱を破り、優勝まであと一歩の活躍を見せた。ヨーロッパ出身力士としては小柄ながら、内無双など高度な技で好角家を唸らせる技巧派である。

愛称はダーニャ。大相撲で活躍のきっかけは、2019年に大阪で開催された世界ジュニア相撲選手権。関西大学相撲部主将の山中新大が当時15歳のダーニャに声をかけた。山中のサポートで戦禍のウクライナから来日、山中家に下宿しながらダーニャは関西大学で稽古を積み、安治川部屋へ入門。安青錦の四股名でデビューする。

相撲部屋で力士たちと寝食を共にし、髷（まげ）が結えるころには日本語も板に付いた。「自分が勝つことが戦禍の故郷に希望になれば」と安青錦は語る。「日本人ファースト」という排外的な思想が広がるなか、関西大学相撲部から贈られた化粧まわしを締めた安青錦の姿は、私たちにも勇気と希望を与えてくれる。

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