Sumo: 1st stable run by foreign-born elder to shut its doors

Mar 13, 2021 | News On Japan

Mar 13, 2021 (Kyodo) - The Azumazeki stable, sumo's first to be opened by a foreign-born sumo elder, former sekiwake Takamiyama, and home to the sport's first foreign yokozuna, Akebono, will close its doors and merge with the Hakkaku stable, the Japan Sumo Association announced Friday.

After a trailblazing career that saw him become the first foreign-born grand tournament winner, the Hawaiian native Takamiyama opened his own stable in 1986. Upon reaching mandatory retirement age, stablemaster Azumazeki was succeeded by his protege Ushiomaru in 2009, but the stable's second head died at 41 in December 2019.

Former komusubi Takamisakari, who has been running the stable on an interim basis, will move to the stable run by association president Hakkaku and his six wrestlers.

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