Nevertheless, he fought in the top division off and on for ten years and his record of 346 wins there is the best amongst maegashira only wrestlers.

At the peak of his career he wore an outlandish bright yellow mawashi and would enliven the preliminaries by throwing the purifying salt in a manner that resembled an American football player scoring a touchdown.

Eventually he was instructed by the Japan Sumo Association to tone these antics down and in his later years on the dohyō wore a black mawashi and was much more subdued.

[6] Asanowaka was of a short build for a sumo wrestler and had limited technique, relying heavily on slap-downs and henka.

[1] Asanowaka married in February 2000 and his wife gave birth to a baby girl in September of that year.

[8] Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi