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Yay, my favourite gyoji! Typically a new writer takes over when he becomes a fully-fledged Makuuchi-kaku. Yonosuke had the rank for almost eight years, but until recently he was still officiating Juryo bouts, so poor Yodo had to carry on writing. By the way, Kimura Yonosuke was the gyoji in the bout 23 years ago which saw Asanokiri's mawashi come loose. Kimura Yodo's reign began and ended with some unusual banzuke - his first, 2007 Kyushu, included a blank space due to the sudden retirement of Tokitsuumi, who had to take over Tokitsukaze-beya in a hurry after the hazing scandal. His last, 2023 Hatsu, saw a single Yokozuna and Ozeki for the first time in 125 years, plus four Sekiwake and four Komusubi for the first time in 61 years. Nikkan offers some comparative shots, this one from Kimura Yodo's last creation: And this from Kimura Yonosuke's debut:

The papers are full of stories from the past to fill the hole of the canceled basho, jiji with rare kimarite in makuuchi and Nikkan with famous headlines. Today the story of THE hansoku loss from day 7 Natsu 20 years ago, after 83 years again: losing the loose mawashi means losing the bout - article 16 of bout regulations. forums search= Asanokiri was the one to show his private parts in a bout against Chiyohakuho. The video linked in the database is NOT from that bout: http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=485&b=200005 oo The shimpan cried out "The mawashi, mawashi! It's visible, visible!". Ex-Takanosato as head shimpan explained: "The front bag (zen fukuro, mawashi-part) of the east rikishi fell off and therefore we give the win to the west rikishi." It was live on NHK BS, but not from a visible angle. Still, the story was spread around the world by Reuters. After that, Asanokiri had to buy a longer mawashi to avoid a recurrence. The case before that: juryo Otokojima lost his mawashi against ms Tomonoyama on day 3 of the 1917 Natsu basho. http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=3588&b=191705 (no kimarite listed then)

Mawashi-falling-off hansoku loss at the 2000 Natsu basho day 7 by sandanme Asanokiri against Chiyohakuho, after 83 years again: juryo Otokojima lost his against ms Tomonoyama on day 3 of the 1917 Natsu basho. http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20140121/sum14012113300002-n3.html

Just to illustrate how "deep" these correspondents are, read this, on the same page: Yes indeed. I happened to be in Japan when it happened. Asanokiri was in Jonidan, which of course is "heavily watched" and even "televised" in Japan. And it HAD to be an "important match", since it was lower Jonidan. What happened was his mawashi fell off, but his penis was nowhere in sight, since it didn't fall all the way off. The rest is all true. Gimme another break, Moshe. BTW, Asanokiri (Wakamatsu) retired two Basho later, citing this article. "It ruined my life. This 'important' column is 'heavily read' and 'televised'. My life became a living hell, and my penis is 'beet red'. " BTW again, the writer's name is J.A. Getzlaff, I kid you not. He getz a big laff from me, that's for sure. http://dir.salon.com/travel/planet/2000/05...sumo/index.html

Or with Asanokiri... but for other reasons.

Not sure if this is the most recent non-hairpull disqualification, but... In a May 2000 Sandanme match (day 7), wrestler Asanokiri was embarrassed during a match with Chiyohakuho. Linky

I remember a Sandanme guy Asanokiri losing by a loose Mawashi about two or three years ago. Was Chiyohakuho his opponent on that day? Sounds like a very clever way to win...

Didn't Asanokiri claimed that his "accident" happened because he shortened his mawashi when he lost weight and then did not lengthen it when he regained weight? Read here.

Only if the owner of the sideburns would follow close by as already told. I'm absolutely positive I saw an excellent image of that famous Takanohana vs. Takamiyama bout somewhere only few weeks ago but can't find it right now. Probably in some book... Video I haven't seen. On Sunday Buyuzan's mawashi opened and I think it touched the ground but the gyoji didn't react. Only a full unravelment of mawashi (fujomake, morodashi) and an exposure of reproductive organs (How's that for an euphemism?) results in immediate loss. Few years ago Oshima-beya's sandanme rikishi Asanokiri suffered that and got his fifteen minutes of fame. I believe it was the only sumo related news that year in Finnish newspapers. :'-( I would've provided a link for more information but banzuke.com's search engine seems to be off duty now.

But that would NOT go unnoticed in the press :-D Asanokiri really made a name for himself losing a bout that way :-)