Sumo Scene / Grand Sumo Wrestlers Demonstrate Japan’s National Sport at Olympics, Show Internalization of Sport

By Kuniyuki Kamimura / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer

12:59 JST, February 18, 2026

The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are currently in full swing in Italy. Watching this “festival of snow and ice” every four years brings back vivid memories of scenes from 28 years ago.

In February 1998, Japan hosted the Winter Olympics in Nagano, the first time the country had hosted the event for 26 years. It provided a golden opportunity to showcase Japanese culture to the rest of the world. Sumo, Japan’s national sport, was chosen for the occasion.

During the opening ceremony, makuuchi division sumo wrestlers, clad in crest-bearing kimono and holding placards representing teams from each country and region, led the entrance processions.

The highlight was a performance of a ring entering ceremony by yokozuna. The spectacular scene featured Hawaii-born yokozuna Akebono, who performed a truly magnificent Unryu-style ring entering ceremony while battling the cold winds blowing through the venue.

As a matter of fact, the highly important role of performing the ceremony was originally scheduled to be performed by then east yokozuna Takanohana. The rank is the highest in the banzuke ranking. At the time, Takanohana’s popularity was at its peak, but he had pulled out halfway through the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in January due to poor health.

Sumo tradition denies wrestlers who miss a tournament the chance to take center-stage at other events, so executives at the Japan Sumo Association refused to allow Takanohana to participate in the Olympics. The role fell to Akebono, the western yokozuna, as his replacement.

In hindsight, my personal impression is that it may have been a good idea to allow Akebono to perform the ring entering ceremony as it symbolized the internationalization of the world of grand sumo.

Among the sumo wrestlers at the time, Musashimaru, also from Hawaii, served as an usher for the U.S. team and Kyokushuzan from Mongolia served as an usher for a march by his home country’s team. The Japanese team was led by Wakanohana, the elder brother of Takanohana, who was specially assigned to the role on behalf of Takanohana.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, sumo wrestlers were unfortunately unable to join the event because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to seeing what kind of role sumo wrestlers will play the next time that Japan hosts the Olympics.

— Kamimura is a sumo expert.