Posted on: Saturday, October 2, 2004
Cutting of top knot ends ties to Hawai'i
| • | The Last Sumotori |
By Mina Hall
Special to The Advertiser
TOKYO — The career of Musashimaru, who went from playing football at Wai'anae to the highest level in the centuries-old sport of sumo, officially came to an end today in Japan.
Before a crowd of about 10,000 in the same Ryogoku Kokugikan ring where Musashimaru won half his titles, about 200 friends, family, contemporaries and sponsors took turns cutting off the traditional top knot in a ritual that symbolically concluded his sumo career.
"I don't have any tears left and I never cry," said Musashimaru, who became the 67th yokozuna, and only the second foreign-born grand champion.
But as his stablemaster Musashigawa made the final cut, tears rolled down his face.
"I was thinking about all the long years of practice," he said.
Among those doing the cutting were former Hawai'i sumotori, Saleva'a Atisanoe (Konishiki), and Eric Gaspar ( Koryu), as well as current sumotori Musoyama and Wakanoyama.
After getting his first haircut in more than 15 years, Musashimaru said, "My head feels a couple pounds lighter. Now, I want to get my body lighter."
Musashimaru, whose competitive weight was about 520 pounds, said he would want to get down to "200 kilos," or about 440 pounds.
During his final ring entrance ceremony, Musashimaru was flanked by ozeki (champion) Musoyama, who served as sword bearer, and sekiwake Miyabiyama, who served as sweeper.
The final snip of the scissors before a nationwide television audience marked the end of 40 years of competitive Hawai'i sumotori in the sport of emperors.
More and more the stables have looked to Asia and Europe, notably Mongolia, to fill the maximum one spot per stable that the Japan Sumo Association now permits.
Born Fiamalu Penitani, Musashimaru, 33, joined sumo at the age of 18 after growing up in Hawai'i.
The Samoan-born yokozuna won 12 Emperor's Cups over his illustrious career and was the most successful foreign wrestler in Japan's ancient sport.
Along with Konishiki and fellow grand champion Akebono, Musashimaru was part of a wave of Hawai'i sumotori that dominated sumo in the 1990s.
The title of yokozuna is more than a sports achievement — it is considered a mark of honor, and its holders are held up to very high standards.
Musashimaru attained the yokozuna rank after the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in 1999. His 12 titles are sixth-best on the all-time list.
After breaking into sumo in 1991, Musashimaru made steady progress in moving up the ranks.
In 1992, Musashimaru was promoted to sekiwake, or junior champion. Two years later, he was promoted to ozeki.
In 1999, he became the 67th yokozuna. The year before, Akebono, or Waimanalo's Chad Rowan, became the first foreign-born yokozuna.
But after five years and 27 tournaments, a wrist injury forced Musashimaru to retire. As yokozuna, there is pressure to win, or retire as to not dishonor the title.
