Takanohana was the biggest Japanese star of 1990s sumo. A yokozuna who won 22 top-division championships, he headlined the decade’s defining rivalry with the Hawaiian yokozuna Akebono, retired in 2003, and later worked as a stablemaster training the next generation.
22 championships. Takanohana won 22 top-division yusho, the engine of his status as the face of 1990s sumo.
Yokozuna rank. He reached sumo’s highest rank, framing his dominance through the decade.
Sumo family. Son of ozeki Takanohana the elder and brother of yokozuna Wakanohana — the only brothers in the modern era to both hold the top rank.
The Akebono rivalry. His bouts with the Hawaiian-born yokozuna Akebono were the headline matchups of the 1990s.
Life after retirement. He retired in 2003 and stayed in sumo as a stablemaster, training young wrestlers.
Who was Takanohana?
Takanohana stood at the center of Japanese sumo in the 1990s. He reached yokozuna, the sport’s highest rank, and went on to claim 22 top-division championships (yusho) — a total that made him the face of sumo for a generation of Japanese fans.
A family forged in sumo
Takanohana did not arrive at the top rank by accident. His father, the elder Takanohana, had reached ozeki, sumo’s second-highest rank. His older brother Wakanohana climbed further, also earning promotion to yokozuna.
That makes the two brothers the only pair in the modern era to both hold the top rank. Sumo families produce plenty of fathers and sons, but two brothers reaching the rope is a distinction the family alone carries.
The Akebono rivalry
The matchup that defined the decade was Takanohana against his rival Akebono, the Hawaiian-born yokozuna. Each time the two squared off at a honbasho, the bout sat at the top of the card — the Japanese champion against the imposing foreign yokozuna.
Their bouts framed the bigger story of 1990s sumo: the rise of international wrestlers at the top of a deeply traditional Japanese sport, with Takanohana cast as the home standard-bearer.
Career snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Top rank | Yokozuna |
| Top-division championships (yusho) | 22 |
| Family | Son of ozeki Takanohana (the elder); brother of yokozuna Wakanohana |
| Defining rival | Yokozuna Akebono |
| Retired | 2003 |
| After retirement | Stablemaster |
After the dohyo
Takanohana retired from active competition in 2003. He stayed inside the sumo world as a stablemaster, taking on the work of training the next generation of wrestlers.
That second chapter kept his name in sumo long after his championship runs ended.
Why he still matters
The 1990s in sumo belong to Takanohana. The 22 championships, the brother who reached the rope beside him, and the rivalry with Akebono fold into a single figure who carried Japanese sumo through the decade and handed it on.
Frequently asked questions
How many championships did Takanohana win?
Takanohana won 22 top-division championships (yusho) during his career. That total places him among the most decorated yokozuna of the modern era and was the engine of his status as the face of 1990s sumo.
Was Takanohana a yokozuna?
Yes. Takanohana reached yokozuna, sumo’s highest rank. He is most associated with that rank because it framed his dominance through the 1990s and his rivalry with the Hawaiian yokozuna Akebono.
Who was Takanohana’s brother?
His older brother was Wakanohana, who also reached yokozuna. The pair are the only brothers in the modern era to both hold sumo’s top rank, a milestone that gave their family an outsized place in the sport’s history.
Who was Takanohana’s father?
His father was the elder Takanohana, an ozeki — sumo’s second-highest rank. The family lineage is a core part of his story: the son of an ozeki who, alongside his brother, climbed one rung higher to yokozuna.
Who was Takanohana’s biggest rival?
His defining rival was the Hawaiian-born yokozuna Akebono. Their matchups were the headline bouts of 1990s sumo, pitting Takanohana’s technique against Akebono’s imposing size and framing a debate about Japanese versus foreign wrestlers at the top.
When did Takanohana retire?
Takanohana retired in 2003. He stayed in sumo as a stablemaster, taking on the work of training young wrestlers and passing on what he had learned across his career as a yokozuna.
