Photo/Illutration Aonishiki tosses salt in the sumo ring before the playoff with Hoshoryu in Fukuoka's Hakata Ward in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Nov. 23. (Masaru Komiyaji)

Viewers of the TV broadcasts of the Grand Sumo Tournaments—the official professional competitions of Japan’s national sport—cannot miss seeing the massive suspended roof hovering above the ring.

A closer look at this hanging structure, known as the “yakata,” reveals four large tassels ("fusa") dangling from its corners, each in a distinct color: red ("aka"), white ("shiro"), black ("kuro") and blue ("ao").

Historians note that in old Japanese, these were the only four recognized color categories. Over time, the words have acquired meanings that extend far beyond color, deeply rooted in cultural history.

For instance, the phrase “aka no tanin”—literally “a red stranger”—refers to someone with whom you have no connection, shared history or mutual acquaintances.

The word shiro appears in “shirajirashii,” describing a transparent, insincere compliment. A scheming local magistrate, the stock villain of Japanese period dramas, is often labeled “haraguroi,” meaning “black-bellied.”

And ao surfaces in “ao-nisai,” a derogatory term for a young, inexperienced man—a “greenhorn.”

Young he may be, but his skill is anything but immature.

At just 21, a wrestler who incorporated one of the colors of his native Ukraine’s flag into his ring name electrified the crowd at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, the 15-day competition held every November in Fukuoka, which concluded on Nov. 23.

Aonishiki’s dazzling performance culminated in his first championship.

In the playoff against yokozuna Hoshoryu, he deftly evaded the champion’s thrust, slipped behind him and forced the highest-ranked wrestler to his knees in a graceful display of power and technique.

His victory over ozeki Kotozakura in the regulation bout on the final day was equally commanding.

The sight of Aonishiki embracing his attendant in the “hanamichi”—the pathway wrestlers use to enter and exit the arena—brought a lump to my throat.

Born Yavhusishyn Danylo, Aonishiki came to Japan alone in 2022, following a single tenuous connection, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today, his homeland is under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to accept a disadvantageous peace proposal, facing what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called “one of the most difficult moments in our history.”

Aonishiki has every reason to worry about the future of his country. Yet, in the ring-entering ceremony on Nov. 23, he wore a “kesho mawashi”—an elaborate ceremonial apron—emblazoned with a sunflower, Ukraine’s national symbol.

His promotion to ozeki, the second-highest rank after yokozuna, seems all but assured. Still, Aonishiki declares, “I want to aim one notch higher on the ranking chart.”

May he achieve that lofty aspiration—and someday return in triumph to a peaceful homeland. One can only hope that such a day will come.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 24

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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