FUKUOKA - The memory of his late stablemaster is fueling Asanoyama as the former ozeki eyes a return to the second highest rank while steadily working his way up from the fourth division in the sumo pyramid -- for an unprecedented second time.
The 32-year-old from Toyama Prefecture, who was in the title race until the penultimate day of September's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, said Sunday he is ready to challenge the current top rankers as No. 1 maegashira at the upcoming Kyushu meet.
"My rank won't rise unless I beat wrestlers above me," Asanoyama said at the lodging of his Takasago stable in Fukuoka where he is readying himself for the 15-day tournament starting this weekend.
"I'm aiming for more than a winning record. I want to end the last meet of the year in a positive manner and enjoy a good New Year."
Monday marked the third anniversary of the death of his former stablemaster Takasago, who was a former ozeki himself as Asashio in the 1980s.
"He told me to drive forward so many times. When I was on a losing run during a meet, he came to me and said, 'Let's go eat, drink sake. These will help clear your mind,'" Asanoyama recalled.
After winning promotion to ozeki ahead of the July 2020 basho, Asanoyama saw his stablemaster reach his retirement age of 65 in December. Just seven months later, however, the youngster was handed a six-meet suspension for breaching the Japan Sumo Association's coronavirus safety rules.
Asanoyama returned to the raised ring in the fourth-tier sandanme in July 2022 and stormed his way back up to his current rank of No. 1 maegashira in March 2024, when he went 9-6.
But a right knee injury ruled him out of competing on his return to the fourth highest rank of komusubi in May before he ruptured the ligament in his opposite knee in July to find himself back down in sandanme.
He was not done, however, and the one-time Emperor's Cup winner this January became the first wrestler to return to the top-tier makuuchi division after dropping down to the fourth tier on two different occasions.
After making history by recovering from the setbacks, a big tournament this month would allow Asanoyama to kick-start what at one stage seemed an improbable return to ozeki, the rank at which his old stablemaster fought for a full six years.
"I want to return to ozeki," Asanoyama said. "I want to have good bouts of sumo and send the wins (to my stablemaster). I'll be giving my best for the rest of my sumo career."
