Akebono Taro (曙太郎, born May 8 1969 as Chad Haaheo Rowan) is a former Sumo wrestler. Born in Hawaii, Akebono became the first non-Japanese wrestler ever to reach yokozuna, the highest rank in Sumo, on January 27, 1993.
Akebono was chosen to represent Japan at the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He retired after winning 11 championships and became Akebono oyakata (trainer/parent) at the Azumazeki stable. In 2003, he retired from sumo entirely and is currently a K-1 fighter in Japan.
Pop-punk band The McRackins wrote a song about him on their album "Comic Books and Bubblegum".