Features
[ODDS and EVENS] Konishiki Receives Gift of Life for Christmas
Former sumo wrestler Konishiki, who was battling serious health issues, had a successful kidney transplant on December 4. His wife was the organ donor.
Christmas arrived early for former ozeki Konishiki, a popular sumo wrestler in the 1980s and '90s: The gift of life.
And Konishiki's story is a reminder that small (and big) acts of kindness reaffirm our shared humanity.
Konishiki, who turns 61 on December 31, needed a kidney transplant. For months, the Hawaiian native's health was deteriorating.
At a news conference on Monday, December 23 at Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, he described how bad his condition was.
"I was told [by my doctor], 'You'll die if you get on a plane,' and my heart was only functioning at about 15 percent," Konishiki was quoted as saying by Nikkan Sports on the day he was discharged from the hospital.
Coming to grips with the reality of kidney failure and his desire to remain an active sumo ambassador forced Konishiki to make an important decision: to receive a kidney transplant.
But from whom?
The love of his life, his wife Chie, became the organ donor.
"Now most of my work is doing sumo shows overseas," Konishiki said, according to Nikkan Sports. "If I start getting dialysis, I won't be able to work. My wife always told me to have a transplant operation. She is not 'by my side,' but 'in my life.' I am grateful to my wife, [and] I will give her lots of love."
Konishiki Battles Health Problems
Konishiki, who competed along with fellow stars Chiyonofuji, Takanohana, Wakanohana and Akebono, among others during a dynamic era for Japan's national sport, topped the scales at 287 kg (633 pounds) during his career. At the time, he was the heaviest rikishi of all time.
Since his retirement in November 1997, Konishiki has lost a considerable amount of weight. He currently weighs about 150 kg. But he has not been immune to health problems, having been diagnosed with glomerulopathy.
The University of Miami Health System website provides an overview of glomerular diseases. "[They] affect the glomeruli — the tiny blood vessels that filter blood in your kidneys," reads a portion of the reference page. "When glomeruli are damaged, it disrupts the balance of protein, waste, acids, and other substances in your blood." Chronic kidney failure can occur because of this health problem.
Konishiki has had kidney problems for eight years, according to various media reports. Recognizing the gravity of this life-threatening problem, he had a comprehensive medical checkup in August 2024 to determine if he could receive an organ transplant.
And he received the OK to proceed with a transplant.
Before Konishiki's procedure took place on December 4 in Kamakura, he and his wife, who is 48, were already aware that former yokozuna Musashimaru had received a kidney transplant from his wife Masami in April 2017.
And when Musashimaru found out he needed a transplant, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser quoted him later as saying, "My wife right away said she would donate one of hers. She didn't even hesitate."
Musashimaru's Successful Surgery was a Precedent
Seven years later, Konishiki's wife recalled her husband's health challenges over the years.
"When I met him, he weighed 280 kg and was sick all the time," she said at the Kamakura news conference, according to Yahoo Japan.
But their point of reference (Musashimaru) offered a positive outlook.
Dr Kazunari Tanabe, who operated on the former yokozuna, provided valuable consultation to Chie as she familiarized herself with the process of becoming a donor.
The doctor has handled more than 2,000 kidney transplants over the past four decades and he was an important resource for her.
"I consulted him all the time and he listened to me," Chie said of Dr Tanabe, according to Nikkan Sports. "If it had not been for that, I might not have done it."
In early December, Konishiki's surgery was successful, Dr Keita Okubo, the head of the kidney transplant surgery department at Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, told reporters on December 23.
"He is large and his heart does not function well, so we carefully performed the surgery and he was discharged from the hospital today," Dr Okubo was quoted as saying by Nikkan Sports. "From now on, he will have to continue to take immunosuppressant drugs, but he will be able to lead a healthy life."
Dr Tanabe, the primary surgeon, hopes Konishiki's story will raise awareness for others.
"One of the main messages of the surgery is that even former sumo wrestlers and people of extremely large physiques can undergo the procedure without worry," Dr Tanabe told the news conference, TV Asahi reported.
Future Goals for Konishiki
Konishiki, a winner of three Emperor's Cups (one apiece in 1989, 1991 and '92) during his long career, remains committed to continuing his work as a sumo ambassador.
A popular TV personality and musician in his post-retirement years, he possesses an admirable sense of duty to sumo, a sport he began to learn when he moved to Japan in 1982.
"Starting in 2019, I've done more than 100 sumo shows abroad to tell the world about sumo," he pointed out in Kamakura, according to Nikkan Sports.
And he's already looking ahead to 2025: "Next year, I want more people overseas to know the good culture of sumo."
Now, Konishiki also wants to raise awareness about kidney transplants.
"Sumo wrestlers are sick and injured," he told the news conference, Nikkan Sports reported. "I was taking a mess of painkillers, and it [affected] my kidneys. [And] I want to tell people who are suffering that they should have surgery."
Recuperating from a momentous event in his life, a cheerful Konishiki expressed optimism about his future and gratitude to his wife.
"Now I can live until the age of 99.9. I'm feeling better too," Konishiki was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
He added: "I've had a Christmas present (the kidney transplant), so I might not be getting another one. I'm thankful to my wife."
Mele Kalikimaka ("Merry Christmas" in Hawaiian) to one and all!
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
