Sadogatake stable
Kotonishiki remained in the sumo world as a coach, initially at Sadogatake stable and later at the affiliated Oguruma stable. For many years he was unable to acquire a permanent "toshiyori" or elder name. For the first two years of his retirement he had "jun-toshiyori" status and was known as Kotonishiki Oyakata. When that expired he borrowed the Wakamatsu name in 2002 and then the Takenawa name in 2003. From July 2007 until January 2009 he borrowed Kaiō's Asakayama name. He then used Kisenosato's "toshiyori kabu" of Araiso. In September 2009 he switched to the Hidenoyama "kabu" vacated by the retiring Hasegawa, now owned by "ōzeki" Kotoshōgiku. In January 2014 he switched to yet another "kabu" (owned by Yoshikaze) and was known as Nakamura until January 2016, when he finally acquired a permanent elder name, Asahiyama, and started the Asahiyama stable in June 2016.