Sumo wrestling is a huge part of Japanese culture. As such a popular sport in Japan, there is harsh competition to earn a spot as a sumo wrestler, formally titled “rikishi”. In order to start training as a sumo wrestler, one needs to be accepted into a sumo stable. According to the Japanese Sumo Association, a minimum height of 167cm and minimum weight of 67kg are required to become a sumo wrestler. The maximum age limit is 23 for newcomers, and only one foreigner recruit is allowed to join a stable. Additionally, university graduates who achieved a certain level in sumo amateur competitions, or people the Sumo Association has decided are suitable, may be accepted until the age of 25 years old.
Israeli athlete Yarden Yatkovski has been diligently training every day to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a sumo wrestler. However, with the current global pandemic as well as the mandatory military service required of all 18 years olds in Israel, Yarden has been experiencing countless setbacks on his path. In this interview, Yarden speaks of his current situation and asks for a chance to show his abilities to be accepted as a foreign recruit by a sumo stable.
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How a boy in Israel fell in love with Sumo
“When I was four years old, both my grandfathers used to watch sumo on Cable TV, and I would sit with them watching with amazement. The wrestlers were so big and powerful, I fell in love with the sport and ever since that day I have wanted to become a sumo wrestler.”
Unfortunately for young Yarden, his passion to become a sumo wrestler from a young age could not be fulfilled as Israel had no sumo classes or teachers. When Yarden’s parents looked for a sports activity to sign him to, they were told the closest sport to sumo available is Japanese jiu jitsu, and thus began his training.
Yarden had an innate athletic ability. By the age of 15, he was a jiu jitsu champion with 11 years of training under his belt. He also competed in horseback riding for 11 years. With his athletic ability Yarden was also a stellar handball player, becoming a professional at the age of 18.
“Training from such a young age made me diligent and tough. I loved getting up to train three times a day, and I realized the importance of not only getting hit, but hitting back even harder.”
Yarden continued his hard work into adulthood. As is the law in Israel, at the age of 18, Yarden was enlisted to the israeli army for his mandatory military service. Yarden fought to enlist as an “Expert Athlete” – a special status given by the Israeli army to professional athletes in order to help them maintain their abilities – and was able to simultaneously work as a professional handball athlete.
Although he understood that time was ticking for him to become a sumo wrestler, Yarden was required to stay in Israel and serve in the army, and for the next three years, he continued to train and keep up his athleticism through the sport of handball.
Harsh conditions with the pandemic
At the age of 21, Yarden was discharged from the army and immediately began to pursue his dream of becoming a rikishi.
“I was getting ready to fly to Japan in March 2020 with the money I had saved. However, the pandemic reached Israel in February 2020, and even though I had everything ready, on March 15th, 2020, Israel closed off the airport, and the whole world shut down international travel.”
Despite the pandemic shutting down all possibilities of reaching Japan in person, Yarden continued to persist towards his dream, studying Japanese with the help of a private Japanese teacher residing in Israel.
“I began making connections with as many people related to sumo in Japan as possible.”
With the help of his Japanese teacher, Yarden contacted all the sumo stables he could find online. The sumo stables he contacted were only able to see Yarden virtually, but they loved what they saw. However, Yarden had no luck with taking the first step towards his goal, as even though he was not yet 22, the only answer he received was that 23 is the limit and that “he is too old”.
But his age was not the only concern. The pandemic proved to be a formidable point of concern as well. The Sumo Association – worried about wrestlers becoming sick – created restrictions limiting movement, forbidding morning’s training sessions that were once open to the public, Japanese airports were closed to foriegn travelers, and Israel experienced shutdowns and movement restrictions.
The odds were all against him, but when most would falter, Yarden rolled his sleeves and worked harder than ever before, awaiting the end of the pandemic and a chance to be seen by a sumo stable master, who would be willing to take him on for sumo training.
“I quit my job as a handball athlete, and dedicated all of my time and focus to training in the sport of sumo.”
Yarden trains every single day. Every morning between 8am to 9:40am, he does basic sumo training at his parents’ garden, later he studies Japanese, and in the afternoon, he trains in the local gym. 4 months ago, Yarden contacted Olympic Bronze medalist Oren Smadja and practises judo at his school three times a week. Oren, who was quite impressed with Yarden, even tried to enlist him to his judo team, saying that in one year, Yarden can become an olympic medalist, but Yarden does not budge from his dream to become a sumo wrestler.
Using his creativity, he is able to find new ways to work on his skill.
“I found a sandbox at a playground near my house, so I cleaned the sand and prepared it so that I can train using something as close to a real sumo arena as possible.”
In addition to training with more effort than ever before, Yarden also made a change to his lifestyle, adopting the sumo training eating habits and eating substantially to reach his current weight of 137 kilograms. Everyday, after training on an empty stomach, Yarden prepares himself Chanko-Nabe for lunch from a recipe he found online, and eats a large dinner, before going to sleep early.
“I believe that in addition to my physical strength my willpower and determination are my strongest characteristics. I am confident that any sumo stable that would take a chance on me will receive much more than they expected.”
Yarden’s hopes for the future
Time is ticking for Yarden, as he is soon to turn 23 this year. Aware of this, Yarden hired Israel-Japan business expert Ms. Yifat Vered, a Komazawa university alumni (1999) and the founder of Japan-Israel Business Development & Consulting to help him reach his goal. Yifat utilized her 30 years of experience in Israel-Japan marketing, sales and business communication, to study the Sumo world and contacted the Japanese Sumo Association, as well as various sumo stables on Yarden's behalf, trying to persuade them to give Yarden a chance to come to Japan to meet them. On Yifat's advice, Yarden has written letters in Japanese, and created short movies showing his sumo training abilities, and is doing his best to appeal to as many people in Japan as possible.
Yarden, who like most Israelis has already received the Corona vaccination months ago, cannot reach Japan due to the Japanese government decision to ban foreigners from entering Japan. But Yarden is already preparing for the day the ban is lifted.
Contact was made with a former Israeli ambassador with links to the world of sumo, emails were sent to Japanese journalists, former sumo wrestlers and anyone who might assist. Contact was also made with the Israeli embassy in Japan, as well as the Japanese embassy in Israel, who is willing to ask for a visiting visa to Japan on Yarden’s behalf, with the condition he receives an invitation letter to see him in person from one of the sumo stables in Japan. Unfortunately, the Japanese Sumo Association’s restrictions on sumo stables meeting outsiders, means he thus-far was unable to receive such an invitation letter.
“All I want is one chance to display my heart and skill. Sumo has been my dream since I was 4, and there is no way I will ever give it up.”
