Akebono towered over his Japanese opponents. Kazuhiro Nogi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Remembering Taro Akebono

Taro Akebono, a Hawaii-born wrestler who became sumo’s first foreign-born yokozuna, or grand champion sumo wrestler, died this month at 54.

When he became Japan’s 64th yokozuna in 1993, he shattered a cultural ceiling: The council that awards the title had previously maintained that no foreigner could possess the requisite dignity to hold it. Akebono would go on to gain acceptance and popularity in part because people appreciated his devotion to the sport.

Akebono won a total of 11 grand championships. His success drove a resurgence in sumo’s popularity, and set the stage for an era during which foreign-born wrestlers dominated its top levels.