SUITA, Osaka Prefecture—A Ukrainian teenager’s flight from war and step toward fulfilling a sumo dream may not have been possible had he not been so “cool” on the dohyo.

Another key person in the equation was Arata Yamanaka, the 23-year-old captain of the sumo club at Kansai University here.

In early October at the university’s sumo gym, Yamanaka was engaged in a grueling “butsukari-geiko” training session in which two wrestlers take turns pushing each other from one end of the ring to the other.

His opponent was Danylo Yavhusishin, 18, a baby-faced wrestler who is 180 centimeters tall and weighs 120 kilograms.

Steam could be seen rising from the wrestlers’ shoulders in the chilly dojo.

It was Yamanaka who offered shelter in Japan to Yavhusishin, nicknamed Danya, after Russia started bombing around his hometown in Ukraine.

The two met at a world junior sumo tournament held in Sakai, also in Osaka Prefecture, in 2019.

Danya placed third in the event, and Yamanaka was so impressed by the Ukrainian’s cool techniques that he started a conversation with him.

They kept in touch through social media, including Instagram.

Danya peppered Yamanaka with questions in English about sumo, asking how he trained and how the rankings of professional wrestlers were determined for grand sumo tournaments.

Yamanaka could feel how much his Ukrainian friend loved the ancient sport.

But their casual exchanges were disrupted on Feb. 24 last year, when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Yamanaka, who lives in Kobe, immediately sent a message to Danya to see if he was all right. Danya replied that he was fine.

Shortly afterward, however, Yamanaka learned that Russian forces were bombing around the midwestern city of Vinnytsia where Danya was living with his father.

Danya sought temporary refuge in the German city of Dusseldorf, where his mother was working as a cleaner. His father had to remain in Ukraine.

In March, Yamanaka received a message from Danya, who asked if it would be possible for him to stay in Japan. He also opened up about his dream of becoming a professional sumo wrestler in Japan.

The Japanese student gained his parents’ consent to take in the Ukrainian and encouraged Danya to get a visa.

Yamanaka also gained permission from Kansai University to let Danya practice at the sumo club’s dojo.

Danya landed in Japan in April and started to live with Yamanaka at an apartment owned by Yamanaka’s family.

Although he mainly focused on improving his sumo skills, Danya sometimes poured out his feelings, saying he felt lonely living away from his family.

Yamanaka and his parents went to great lengths to help Danya overcome his feelings of loneliness. They ate meals together and took him on trips.

The Yamanakas also covered much of the expenses for his stay in Japan.

Soon, Danya started calling them his Japanese family.

On Nov. 17, about eight months after Danya came to Japan, his parents visited him. The Ukrainian family spent about two weeks by themselves.

After seeing his parents off at an airport, Danya hid his face and cried.

Seeing his friend shaking and sobbing, Yamanaka thought that beneath Danya’s constant smile was an 18-year-old desperately trying his best to live alone in a foreign country.

Danya’s parents came to Japan also to celebrate a new chapter in their son’s life.

Yamanaka had consulted with the manager of a sumo club at Hotoku Gakuen Senior High School in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, where he graduated.

Through the club, arrangements were made for Danya to join the Ajigawa sumo stable.

Half a month after his parents returned to Europe, Danya was accompanied by his “Japanese family” to the stable in in Tokyo’s Koto Ward.

When asked what his goal in the sumo world was, Danya, without hesitation and in a powerful tone, said, “Sekitori,” referring to sumo wrestlers ranked in the sport’s top two divisions.

When Yamanaka parted with Danya, they shook hands with a firm grip.

“He is like a little brother to me,” Yamanaka said.

After graduation, Yamanaka plans to work at the university and serve as a coach for the sumo club.

“It is our family’s dream to see Danya fighting a bout at the grand sumo tournament,” he added.