Musashimaru

	Sumo Wrestler Date of Birth: May 2 1971 Birthplace: Samoa
	Photo © 2001 Kjeld Duits

Musashimaru is considered one of the great Sumo wrestlers of all time. At his heaviest "Moose" or "Maru" weighs over 230 kg. At 1.91m the giant man towers over most Japanese.

Born as Fiamalu Penitani in Samoa, his parents moved to Hawaii when he was 10 years old. In high school he played football and was a Greco-Roman wrestler. Former Montreal Olympics gold-medal wrestler Date Jiichiro recruited Penitani and persuaded him to move to Japan in 1989 at the tender age of 18. This was at the time that fellow Hawaiian Konishiki was a very popular Ozeki (champion) and the Sumo world was finally opening up to foreign athletes.

Even so, the stablemaster (oyakata) of Musashigawa-beya accepted the enormous Hawaiian with great reservation. Sumo life is extremely demanding on the lowest wrestlers who are pratically slaves for the higher ranking wrestlers in the stable. Even Japanese athletes have a hard time. The language barrier makes it hell for foreign-born athletes who can't speak the language yet.

Penitani adopted the name Musashimaru in September of 1989 and joined the professional Juryo ranks in July 1991. By November he was already promoted to the top Makuuchi division. The following May he made it to the upper Sanyaku ranks. Two years later he became an Ozeki.

Even though he set a record 52 consecutive tournaments (basho) without a loss, he was not able to get the consecutive championships that are required to become a Yokozuna (Grand Champion) At this time no foreign Sumo wrestler (rikishi) had ever attained the highest rank of Yokuzuna and it was generally accepted it would never happen. Other foreign rikishi, like Konishiki, Akebono and Azumazeki had only gotten as far as Ozeki.

In 1993 however, the unbelievable happened when the irresistable Akebono became the first foreign-born rikishi ever to become a Yokuzuna. Japan was both shocked and eleated and the way seemed clear for Musashimaru. It would take however until 1999 before he was finally able to grab the Grand Championship. One year earlier he had given up drinking and lost around 10 kg. Thinner, he was able to win four tournaments that year.

buy at Amazon	RECOMMENDED READING
	The Big Book of Sumo : History, Practice, Ritual, Fight ($13.96) by Mina Hall

Information for Web Masters and Image Researchers

This image is from a large selection of photographs of Japan and the Japanese. They are available for licensing.

  Set up an assignment

[  suggestions/requests ]

Suggest an entry!
Need information about someone?
Biography outdated?