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Wakanohana
 "I was scared to death whenever I faced Akebono or Musashimaru...
I was worried that my ribs might break and pierce my heart."
An understandable sentiment from a mere mortal but, surprisingly, this is a quote from former top-ranking sumo wrestler, Wakanohana. In his recently published autobiography,
Dokuhaku (Strong Spirit), the retired yokozuna confides that he was "scared of wrestling" and often thought: "Today I might end up dying."
On the day Wakanohana entered his father' training stable, Futagoyama, in February 1988, he made his first will. He debuted at 17, weighing a mere 100kg and standing 177cm tall. Even at his peak 131kg and 181cm, his physique was small compared to the average 153 and 185 of his opponents. But he and his younger brother, Takanohana, overcame their physical disadvantages, emphasizing speed and agility over size. The brothers quickly rose through the ranks to the top yokozuna position, creating a sumo sensation dubbed "Waka-Taka fever" by the media. At a time when the sport's popularity was waning (following match-rigging rumors and other scandals), everyone pinned their hopes on the charismatic siblings to revive the national sport.
At 27, Young Flower (a direct translation of his fighting name) was a yokozuna paragon, married to the beautiful Mihoko and having three children. All was rosy. Then, under the constant glare of media attention, things started to crumble.
When the January 1999 basho (tournament) started, the media reported that Wakanohana had extramarital affairs with a woman in Fukuoka and speculated on a divorce. Wakanohana then left his wife, bought his mistress a car, and the two were seen publicly together until he dumped her in favor of Asahi TV sports presenter Momoko Kawakita. This lasted a few weeks before he returned to the lady in Fukuoka - amid reports she was threatening to release intimate photos and tape recordings to the press, a move that would certainly have ended any of his secret aspirations to be a TV sports presenter.
Intermingled with this were allegations of match-rigging when Wakanohana unexpectedly lost to Chiyotaikai, who subsequently went on to win the tournament.
Wakanohana returned to his wife and announced his retirement in March 2000, saying he would follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle and become an
oyakata (sumo elder and trainer). A month later the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) presented him with JY70 million for distinguished service but probably quickly regretted this when Wakanohana publicly declared his intentions of becoming a TV sports presenter. This raised a few eyebrows among the strict JSA, who prohibit anything other than sumo activities and breathing for all members.
Shortly after his official danpatsu (retirement ceremony), The Weekly Post ran a story alleging huge losses on the stock market ($10 million) that had forced Wakanohana to borrow from supporters - he is currently suing for libel, but the newspaper is standing by its story.
The ultimate insult, in the eyes of the JSA, came when the ex-yokozuna hosted an official dinner at a Kobe hotel without their permission. Inevitably the two parted company acrimoniously and irrevocably.
At present Wakanohana appears in two TV commercials, promotes his book and commentates on various sports, but not sumo. What the future holds for this charismatic
tarento is anyone's guess. He could follow other retired sumo wrestlers into pro wrestling, or expand one of his hobbies: According to close friends he hankers after a career as a race car driver, but this would involve some serious dieting. Catherine Frances
Catherine Frances
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