Those of us who lived through Hawaii’s golden age of sumo launched by Akebono are surely stunned by the death of Chad Rowan, just 54. After all, it was Rowan, as Akebono, who broke through cultural barriers as the first-ever foreign-born yokozuna (grand champion) in Japan’s revered sport of sumo. He would pave the path for other Hawaii-born champions, Konishiki and Musashimaru.

Akebono fueled a sumo craze in Hawaii starting in the 1990s and years after. The pride of Waimanalo, of Hawaii, of Japan, will be remembered.