The first graduate of Meiji University to have a major impact in professional sumo, he quickly moved up the ranks, progressing through jūryō in just two tournaments and reaching the top makuuchi division in January 1987.

Tochinowaka remained in the top division for 76 tournaments, winning six special prizes and earning four gold stars for defeating yokozuna.

He was utterly unable to defeat Musashimaru, losing to him 23 times in 23 meetings, and he also lost all 14 bouts he contested with Chiyonofuji.

In 2009 Kasugano passed on his Tochinowaka shikona to Lee Dae Won, a Korean born wrestler with Japanese citizenship, who reached juryo in September 2010 and makuuchi in May 2011.

[5] In October 2011 he was severely reprimanded by the Sumo Association for beating Tochinoshin and two other wrestlers with a golf club after they repeatedly broke stable rules on curfews and wearing Western style clothes instead of kimono in public.

[7] In December 2019 his department ordered Takagenji to take part in an exhibition while suffering from influenza, which prompted the Sumo Association's board to announce that in future affected wrestlers would be kept in isolation instead.

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