Photo/Illutration Aonishiki wins the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after defeating yokozuna Hoshoryu. (Kengo Hiyoshi)

Ukrainian Aonishiki is filled with gratitude toward his Japanese “family” who helped him to enter the sumo world, win his first championship and gain promotion to ozeki.

The family consists of Arata Yamanaka, 26, and his parents.

Yamanaka, who now serves as a coach for the Kansai University sumo team, remembers being stunned when he first met Aonishiki, who back then went by his birth name, Danylo Yavhusishin.

The two first met in 2019 in Osaka, where the world junior sumo tournament was being held.

Not only was Yamanaka impressed by Aonishiki’s strong lower body and solid sumo skills, but also by how he acted outside the dohyo. On one occasion, he consoled an opponent after a bout who cried over his defeat.

Yamanaka ran into the Ukrainian on his way to the restroom and asked in English his age. 

When Aonishiki replied, “15,” Yamanaka was stunned because while he was only in his third year of junior high school, he competed against opponents in senior high school. Aonishiki still managed to end up in third place.

Yamanaka learned his name through the tournament pamphlet and found him on Instagram, setting off a string of communication.

When it came to sumo, Aonishiki was full of questions for Yamanaka, such as how practice was conducted in Japan, why the “mawashi,” or ceremonial belt worn by wrestlers, differed in color depending on their rank as well as how sumo wrestlers climbed the ladder.

Yamanaka collected information over the internet and sent a video of sumo training by himself and others.

RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE 

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a worried Yamanaka posted to social media asking how Aonishiki was.

Yamanaka learned that the young wrestler had evacuated to Germany and was interested in coming to Japan.

Aonishiki said it was difficult to find a proper sumo training facility in Germany, and he also revealed that he dreamt about becoming a sumo wrestler in Japan.

Yamanaka’s parents agreed to serve as guarantors and he also cooperated in obtaining the proper visa for Aonishiki, who arrived at Kansai International Airport in April 2022.

Aonishiki began participating in sumo practice with the Kansai University team and lived with Yamanaka at his home in Kobe.

They talked sumo during meals and before going to sleep at night.

Yamanaka recalls Aonishiki researching the technique of sumo wrestlers like the third Wakanohana, a yokozuna, and Wakatakakage, who were both slightly built like himself, shorter and weighing about 140 kilograms. 

“He really loves sumo,” Yamanaka said. “Because I was an only child, I felt like I suddenly had a younger brother.”

But Yamanaka said he never talked about the war with Aonishiki.

“I heard that he couldn’t continue university because of the war and that he came to Japan to pursue his dream while living away from his family,” Yamanaka said.

He added that he never mentioned the war because he often saw a sad look on Aonishiki’s face and did not want to further get him down.

SURPRISE RING NAME

Through the sumo coach of the senior high school Yamanaka graduated from, Aonishiki joined the Ajigawa stable.

He had another surprise for Yamanaka when he announced his ring name, Aonishiki Arata.

Aonishiki had kept secret until the formal announcement that he had decided to use Yamanaka’s own given name.

Yamanaka and his parents watched the final day’s bouts of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on TV at their home on Nov. 23, when the sekiwake won his first Emperor's Cup, beating yokozuna Hoshoryu in a playoff. 

“I am so happy I don’t have the words to express my feelings,” Yamanaka said. “I feel he really made the effort because he accomplished the incredible task of winning the championship after only about three years since coming to Japan.”

Related News