Retirement caps hectic week
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Read the four-part Advertiser series on Akebono's career
By Mina Hall
Special to The Advertiser
TOKYO — Only one day after his official retirement ceremony, Hawai'i sumo wrestler Chad Rowan will try to relax, if he can.
Associated Press
"It's been 13 years since I've had a vacation. I think I'm going to take a couple of weeks off and sleep," said the wrestler known as Akebono who became the first foreign-born yokozuna in the centuries-old sport of sumo.
Hawai'i-born sumo wrestler Akebono, Chad Rowan of Waimanalo, hoisted his 15-month-old son, Cody, as he entered the ring for the last time as yokozuna.
Akebono took almost eight months to organize his own retirement ceremony, and was out nearly 18 hours yesterday for the big event.
"There's so much to do," he said. "I've only been sleeping a couple hours each night for the whole week."
Unlike tournaments that are arranged by the Japan Sumo Association, a retirement ceremony must be organized by the retiring wrestler.
The proceeds of the event go to the wrestler, so it is up to him to make it successful. Akebono went to sponsors to thank them for their support and to invite them to the ceremony.
"It's been exhausting," he said. "In sumo, you may get up on the ring and fight by yourself. But you need the support of your family and stable. I'm grateful that I've had so much help."
Yesterday, after performing the yokozuna ring entering ceremony for the last time, his attendants removed the white belt from his waist.
He has carried the heavy responsibility of wearing the tsuna for more than eight years.
"It's a bit of a relief," he said. "Hopefully, I can put it on again when I'm 65."
If a yokozuna lives to be 65, he has the chance to perform the ceremony again.
The belt itself weighs about 30 pounds. But the pressure of wearing it can be a heavy burden.
As a sumo coach once explained: "The white belt, like the title itself, can never be tarnished."
For Akebono, without the tsuna, it's a chance to live a normal life. "Now I can have more time with my family," he said.
More than 320 people lined up to snip a few strands of hair for his hair-cutting ceremony.
Tears streamed down the big wrestler's cheeks as one by one, friends, family members, celebrities, coaches and wrestlers came up to him to make a cut and congratulate him on a glorious career.
Konishiki, who retired and went through the same ceremony in 1998, explained: "The ceremony takes over two hours so you have lots of time to think back on your life. So many memories go through your mind while you sit there. It's very emotional and very hard to stop the tears."
After the last and final cut by his stablemaster, Azumazeki (Jesse Kuhaulua), Akebono wiped his eyes, stood up, and together with Azumazeki, bowed to all four sides of the arena.
"When I was active, I thought sumo was hard; it was tiring, and it hurt," he told the crowd at Kokugikan in Ryogoku. "But since I've retired, I've had time to look back and I realized that sumo was a lot of fun. From now, I will do my best to train younger wrestlers."
Following the event, a grand party was held at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel. More than 1,000 guests attended that was broadcast live on television.
Fellow yokozuna Takanohana admired Akebono's new short hair.
"It's sad to see him without a topknot, but he looks good. ... I'll be lonely without him. He was a great rival."
Akebono still is unsure about his future.
He has gone from yokozuna Akebono to Akebono Oyakata (coach). Because he has not yet acquired an elder name or toshiyori, as a former yokozuna, he is permitted to stay in the sumo association for five years using his wrestling name. However, if he is unable to acquire a toshiyori name (it could cost as much as $4 million to buy one) after five years, he will have to leave sumo.
Because there are only 105 elder names, it can be difficult to obtain one. His stable master, Azumazeki Oyakata, owns the Azumazeki name and could pass it on, but he doesn't reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 for another eight years.
"I would like to stay in sumo," Akebono said. "It's something that I know a lot about. I'd like to pass on my knowledge."
Akebono already has taken on coaching at Azumazeki-beya and could become a successful coach.
As a young wrestler said:
"He is a very good coach. I feel lucky to be receiving help from a former yokozuna. He is like a living legend."
Could there be another Rowan in the ring one day? His 15-month-old son, Cody, made his ring debut yesterday during the ceremony. "There aren't many Hawai'i guys left. (Musashimaru is the only active wrestler from Hawai'i left.) If my son wanted to join, I wouldn't stop him. Sumo isn't just about winning and losing. You can learn a lot about life from the sport. I'm glad I had the chance to do it."
