Wakanosato handed Hokutoriki his first loss of the tournament Sunday to create a six-way tie for the lead at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
Sekiwake Wakanosato got his right hand on the belt of Hokutoriki after the face off at Ryogoku Kokugikan and forced the top maegashira to the edge before getting both arms around his opponent and lifting him out over the straw ridge.
Both wrestlers stand at 7-1 in the 15-day meet and are tied for the lead with Asashoryu and lower-ranked grapplers Kokkai, Kinkaiyama and Futeno.
In the day's final bout, grand champion Asashoryu barely broke a sweat in a one-sided win over No. 4 maegashira Tokitsuumi.
Asashoryu, who appeared to injure his right leg in Saturday's win over Takamisakari, showed no sign of pain when he shoved Tokitsuumi down seconds after the face off to improve to 7-1. Tokitsuumi fell to 5-3.
Asashoryu, who won the Spring tourney with a perfect 15-0 record, went 35-0 before being upset by Hokutoriki on Friday.
In other major bouts, ozeki Kaio stayed in the hunt when he deployed a textbook right-arm throw to send Miyabiyama sprawling to the dirt.
Kaio is one win off the pace at 6-2, while struggling komusubi Miyabiyama dropped to 1-7.