Asanosho Hajime

Asanosho Hajime - 朝乃翔 嚆矢 (born December 23, 1969) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Odawara, Kanagawa. He made his debut in March 1992 and wrestled for Wakamatsu stable. He reached the makuuchi division in March 1995 and has one kinboshi. His highest rank was maegashira 2 and he retired in January 2002.

## **Early Life**

Ozawa played volleyball at junior high school and was also a shotputter. He began sumo in high school, and competed for the sumo club at Kinki University. Upon graduation he was accepted by the Wakamatsu stable run by fellow Kinki University alumni, the former ozeki Asashio.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

He made his professional debut in March 1992, and was given makushita tsukedashi status because of his collegiate sumo experience, allowing him to begin at the bottom of the third highest makushita division. After six straight winning records from his debut, he was promoted to juryo in March 1993.

### **Juryo Career**

Upon promotion to juryo he changed hi shikona from his family name to "Asasoyo" (朝相洋). He produced a solid 9-6 record in his sekitori debut, but he suffered an injury in his second tournament and as a result he fell back down to makushita. After demotion back to the unsalaried ranks, he reverted his shikona back to his surname. He was promoted back to juryo in May 1994 and changed his shikona to "Asanosho" (朝乃翔). He posted five consecutive winning records in his return and was promoted to makuuchi in March 1995.

### **Makuuchi Career**

Asanosho never managed to win a special prize in his top division career, and was unable to reach the san'yaku ranks, peaking at maegashira 2 in March 1997. In this tournament he had his first and only win over a yokozuna, defeating Akebono in the pair's first ever meeting. However he fell just short of a majority of wins with a 7–8 record. He returned to maegashira 2 in September 1999 but again scored 7–8. He fought in 32 makuuchi tournaments, with a record of 213 wins against 248 losses, with 19 injury absences. He was demoted from makuuchi after the May 2000 tournament and was forced to withdraw from the following tournament in July with a herniated disc after fighting just one match, which saw him fall to makushita.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

After suffering a recurrence of his herniated disc injury which sent him down to the sandanme division, Asanosho was beginning to make a comeback and climb the makushita division when he suffered a detached retina, missing the November 2001 tournament. He decided to retire and his last tournament on the banzuke was in January 2002.

He did not own stock in the Japan Sumo Association but was able to stay temporarily under the jun-toshiyori system, using his fighting shikona as his elder name. In September 2003 he switched to the Wakamatsu name, changing to Sanoyama when Wakamatsu was needed by his retiring former stablemate Asanowaka in April 2005. In August 2005 he switched to Sekinoto when the former Fukunohana turned 65 and retired, and in February 2007 he changed to Oshiogawa. In August 2007 that name was needed by the former Wakatoba so he changed to Wakafuji. However, in January 2008 the owner of the Wakafuji name, Otsukasa lent it to his former stablemate Yotsukasa and Asanosho was forced to leave sumo, as no other elder names were available.

He later worked in general sales at a logistics company in Osaka, and he has been a coach in local amateur sumo. In March 2018 he was appointed as a hyogiin or outside voter in the Sumo Association, although he has no oyakata status.

## **Fighting Style**

Asanosho was well known for his attacking tsuppari style, using a series of rapid thrusts to the opponent's chest to force them out of the dohyo. When fighting on the mawashi or belt his favored grip was hidari-yotsu, a left hand outside, right hand inside position. His most common winning kimarite were oshidashi (push out), tsukidashi (thrust out) and hatakikomi (slap down).

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 332-335-73/663 (60 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 213-248-19/460 (32 basho)
* **Juryo:** 53-47-20/98 (8 basho)
* **Makushita:** 60-39-27/98 (18 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 6-1-7/7 (2 basho)

## **Shikona History**

* Ozawa Hajime (1992.03 - 1993.01)
* Asasoyo Hajime (1993.03 - 1993.09)
* Ozawa Hajime (1993.11 - 1994.03)
* Asanosho Hajime (1994.05 - 2002.01)

## **Gallery**

### **JSA Profile Pictures and Tegata**

Asanosho Hajime- 1998 (Retrieved from the JSA)Asanosho's tegataAsasoyo's tegata
### **Career Overview**

Asanosho gets recruited into Wakamatsu stable (c. 1992)Asanosho battles Tokitsunada in Juryo (c. 1993)Asanosho after promotion to Makuuchi (c. 1995)Asanosho serves as Yokozuna Akebono's sword bearerAsanosho (c. 1997)Asanosho battles his opponent (c. 1998)Woodblock painting of AsanoshoAsanosho announces his retirement (c. 2002)Asanosho's retirement ceremony pamphlet (c. 2002)
## **Sources**

* Asanosho Hajime Japanese WIkipedia Article
* Asanosho Hajime Rikishi Information