Hawaiian Konishiki arrives in Japan during the height of the Japanese economic boom. He has no money and no understanding of the Japanese culture or language, but he begins training in sumo.

Konishiki becomes the most dominant sumo wrestler of the time and in fear of his stardom, institutions try to discourage his path to Yokozuna.

Despite the effort to limit foreign influence in Japan's national sport, there is no denying the excitement around the Hawaiian sumo stars.