is a stable

Heya

In sumo wrestling, a heya , usually translated into English as stable, is an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. All wrestlers in professional sumo must belong to one. There are currently 49 heya , all but four of which belong to one of five ichimon...

 of sumo

Sumo

is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...

 wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It is located at Higashi–Komagata, Sumida, Tokyo

Sumida, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It calls itself Sumida City in English.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 240,296 and a density of 17,480 persons per km²...

. It was founded in April 1986 by the Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

an born Takamiyama of the Takasago stable

Takasago stable

is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....

. Azumazeki's first sekitori

Sekitori

A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...

 was Akebono

Akebono Taro

is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...

, also from Hawaii, in 1990, who subsequently reached the yokozuna rank. A total of nine foreign born wrestlers have fought for the stable: seven from the US, one from Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 and one (still active as of May 2008) from China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. As of April 2008 it had 15 sumo wrestlers.

Azumazeki Oyakata reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 in June 2009 and was succeeded by Ushiomaru who announced his retirement after the May tournament.

Azumazeki Daigoro - oyakata

• Former sekiwake Takamiyama 1984-2009
• Former maegashira Ushiomaru 2009-

Former wrestlers

• Akebono
  Akebono Taro
  is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
  
   the 64th Yokozuna 1988-2001
• Daiki, aka Percy Kipapa, former juryo 10, from Hawaii, 1991-98
• Takamishu aka Taylor Wiley, former makushita 2, from Hawaii, 1987-89
• Takamio, aka John Feleunga, former makushita 2, from Hawaii, 1986-97
• Ozora, aka Troy Talaimatai, former makushita 13, from Hawaii, 1989-95
• Hidenokuni aka Nathan Strange, former jonidan 93, first wrestler from Europe, 1989-90

External links

• Azumazeki stable page at Japan Sumo Association (English) (Japanese)
• Article on Azumazeki stable