Pop Japan

Takanohana Koji is a Japanese former sumo wrestler, debuting in 1988 and retiring only in 2003 with the record 794-262-201. At 17 years old, he was the youngest ever to reach the top division, breaking multiple age-related records. His rivalry with Akebono Taro lead to the rise in popularity of Sumo as a sport in the 90s. He was notable for being the 65th man in history to reach ‘yokozuna’, the highest rank in sumo, and his record of 22 tournament championships set the record as the sixth highest total ever. His retirement was regarded as the end of an era. 

Photo by: Gio la Gamb. Licensed under Creative Commons.  

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