Step inside the Musashigawa stable. Feel the history. This isn’t just any sumo stable. It’s Musashigawabeya. Established in April 2013 it’s a branch from the original Musashigawa stable. That older stable was founded by the legendary yokozuna Mienoumi in 1981. It’s now known as Fujishima stable.
Musashigawabeya is special. It’s only the second sumo stable founded by a foreign-born wrestler. The first was Takamiyama’s Azumazeki stable. Think about that. A foreign wrestler building his own legacy in the heart of Japan. This is the legacy of Musashimaru the 67th yokozuna. He took on the elder name of his former coach to create Musashigawabeya.
The stable started small. Just four wrestlers. But it grew. By May 2019 there were nineteen. In January 2023 there were sixteen. Musashigawabeya has seen its share of success. It was home to Musashikuni. He reached the makushita division. There was also Ichiro Young also known as Wakaichiro a half Japanese half African-American wrestler.
Musashigawabeya’s location adds to its charm. It’s in Edogawa Ward. A ten-minute walk from Shin-Koiwa Station on the Sobu Line. Imagine the wrestlers walking those same streets. Training hard. Preparing for the next tournament.
Sadly morning practice is not open to the public. This is to protect the wrestlers’ health. However the stable continues its mission. To train wrestlers and achieve the top title of Yokozuna. To uphold sumo culture and Japanese traditions. It’s a place where history and tradition meet. A place where dreams are forged in sweat and determination. A place of honor and respect. That is Musashigawabeya. A place of legends. A place of the future.