Yokozuna Akebono retirement ceremony

Yokozuna Akebono Retirement Ceremony: Topknot cutting ceremony Part 1/3 (Danpatsu-shiki)

At 1:15 pm, they laid red carpets on the sumo ring and podium.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker was escorted to the sumo ring by Azumazeki and Akebono.

moment of silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

Before the ceremony began, everyone was asked to stand up for a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

Akebono helps U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker climb up to the ring. — Akebono helps U.S. Ambassador Howard Baker step up to the ring.

Howard H. Baker, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, gives a short speech in English with Akebono at his side.

Ambassador Baker gave a short congratulatory message in English, later repeated in Japanese by the announcer. Among the things he said was, “Most U.S. Ambassadors to Japan only serve three or four years, but Akebono has served with distinction at sumo’s highest rank for eight years” and “when Akebono announced that he would retire, Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote to him to praise him for ‘his contribution to strengthening the bonds of friendship between the United States and Japan’ and for his exemplary service as a ‘model ambassador of goodwill to Japan’.”

After his speech, Ambassador Baker shakes Akebono's hand. — After his speech, Ambassador Baker shook Akebono’s hand.

The French Ambassador to Japan, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, also gave a speech (in Japanese) on behalf of President Chirac who is a great fan of sumo. After his speech, he shook Akebono’s hand. When he later cut Akebono’s topknot, he used a pair of scissors given by President Chirac.

The U.S. Ambassador does the honors of being the first to snip some strands of Akebono's topknot. He then applauded and smiled. — The U.S. Ambassador does the honors of being the first to snip some strands of Akebono’s topknot. He then applauded and smiled. The referee standing on the left held the tray for the scissors and directed each person for cutting the topknot.

The lower level of the arena was full of people. However, the upper level remained nearly empty. The Kokugikan seats 11,000 people, but attendance on this day must have been around half. I also noticed quite a few foreigners in the audience, many seemed to have come from the U.S. bases.

Over 300 people were to scheduled to help cut off Akebono's topknot

Over 300 people were to scheduled to help cut off the topknot. They were mainly company presidents, supporters, celebrities, relatives, friends, and fellow sumo wrestlers. But no women of course, not even his mother. The process took about 90 minutes.

During a trip to Hawai’i earlier, Akebono actually sat on the lawn of his mom’s house and let her cut off some of his hair. So the first snip was actually done by his mom. Yes, there are ways to get around silly rules.

The Governor of Hawai’i, Ben Cayetano, could not make it to the retirement ceremony (but he did visit Japan soon afterward with tourist officials to try and get more tourists to visit Hawai’i in the wake of the terrorist attacks). Instead, the announcer read the Governor’s message in Japanese which proclaimed Sept. 29 to be Akebono Day.