Asashōryū Akinori is a Mongolian former professional sumo wrestler (rikishi). He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan, and in January 2003 he became the first Mongolian to reach sumo's highest rank. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005, he became the first wrestler to win all six official tournaments (honbasho) in a single year. Over his entire career, he won 25 top division tournament championships, placing him fourth on the all-time list.
Asashōryū in the ring during the May 2009 sumo tournament
Yokozuna Asashoryu original tegata (handprint & signature)
Performing the dohyō-iri in 2004
Asashōryū receives the Prime Minister's Award for winning the May 2005 tournament.
Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (dohyō) or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet.
A sumo match (tori-kumi) between yokozuna Asashōryū (left) and komusubi Kotoshōgiku in January 2008
Haniwa sumo wrestler
Sumo match in Tokyo c. 1890s
Sumo wrestling scene c. 1851