And then the Mongolians move to Japan to dominate the sumo world.
The first foreign born champion was in 1993 (from the US), and since then there have been 11 more who have made it to champion rank. 4 have been Japanese (2 in the 90s and then a gap til 2017 and then 2025), 1 more was American, and the other 6 were Mongolian. And that’s despite the fact that each training stable is limited to one foreigner only.
Yeah, first guy was Akebono, followed by Musashimaru, both from Hawaii (although Musashimaru was born in American Samoa). Not too many mainlanders join sumo, although there have been a few over the years.
And then the Mongolians move to Japan to dominate the sumo world.
The first foreign born champion was in 1993 (from the US), and since then there have been 11 more who have made it to champion rank. 4 have been Japanese (2 in the 90s and then a gap til 2017 and then 2025), 1 more was American, and the other 6 were Mongolian. And that’s despite the fact that each training stable is limited to one foreigner only.
Was this the American Musashimaru Kōyō?
Yeah, first guy was Akebono, followed by Musashimaru, both from Hawaii (although Musashimaru was born in American Samoa). Not too many mainlanders join sumo, although there have been a few over the years.
https://sumowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_American_Sumo_Wrestlers