Director: Yuya TEARMI

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Genre: Sports / Documentary

Theatrical Release in Japan: 2027
[2026 / Color / HD / 16:9 / 5.1ch / Approx. 90 min. / Japanese with English subtitles]

 

[Tagline]

Takasago Stable—a renowned and prestigious stable in the world of sumo. It is a “family” that transcends the bonds of blood.

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[Synopsis]

While sumo is growing in popularity overseas, it faces a severe shortage of new wrestlers. The number of new apprentices, which exceeded 1,000 in the 1990s, has plummeted to about 500 today.

 

The prestigious Takasago Stable boasts a 150-year history.

Takasago Oyakata, a stable master and a native of Mongolia who has become a naturalized Japanese citizen, is working tirelessly to recruit new apprentices. The master engages with “young people struggling at a crossroads in their lives” and, as someone entrusted with their futures, confronts his own responsibilities head-on.

 

In Aomori, a 19-year-old who had already secured a job cannot bring himself to give up his dream of stepping onto the dohyo. In Toyama, a high school student has continued to compete on the dohyo despite suffering from severe asthma. Expensive medical treatment is essential for him to continue sumo. Amid offers from universities, the wishes of the young man, his mother, and his coach begin to diverge.

 

Facing these prospective new apprentices—who will become his “family”—is former Ōzeki Asanoyama, who has himself experienced both glory and setbacks. Even after losing his status due to past mistakes and being forced off the ring again by a serious injury, he strives to get back on his feet. On the path to his comeback, he finds himself now in the role of “the one who sets an example for the young apprentices.”

 

This story is not merely a chronicle of the history of the sumo world or a record of its victories and defeats. In this film, set in the traditional world of sumo—which runs counter to the “information society” and “freedom of choice” enjoyed by today’s youth—we explore the questions: “What burdens do the wrestlers carry, how do they make decisions, and how do they come to accept their lives as their own?”