In November 2002 he tore a tendon in his left wrist, an injury which proved to be career-ending.
Forced to withdraw from that tournament, the chronic problem restricted him to just a handful of appearances in the whole of 2003.
Overshadowed by new yokozuna Asashōryū, he entered the July tournament but pulled out after just six days.
He did not compete again until November, when after suffering his fourth defeat on the seventh day, he announced his retirement.
In an interview on November 16, 2003, he revealed that he had also injured his neck while playing American football in high school and had been unable to move his left shoulder properly.
He was the last Hawaiian wrestler in sumo, ending a dynasty that began with Takamiyama in 1964 and at one point in 1996 saw four from the island ranked in the top division.
During his career he had won a total of twelve top division championships, one more than Akebono, and also won over 700 top division bouts, one of only six wrestlers to have achieved that feat to date.
He officially retired on October 2, 2004, when he had his danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony, at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan.

Musashimaru has remained in the sumo world as an oyakata, or coach.
He did not initially acquire a permanent elder (toshiyori) name, going instead under the name of Musashimaru Oyakata, which as a former yokozuna he was entitled to do for a period of five years after retirement.
In October 2008 he began using the name Furiwake, and he then switched to the Ōshima kabu of the former ozeki Asahikuni in August 2012.
In December 2012 it was announced that he would inherit the prestigious Musashigawa name upon his old stablemaster's retirement in February 2013, at which time he opened his own stable of wrestlers, Musashigawa.
This is not to be confused with the stable he fought out of as an active wrestler, which has since been renamed Fujishima stable.
The stable has 19 wrestlers as of May 2018, including his nephew, who is in the makushita division and the highest ranking member of the stable.

He appeared alongside Brad Pitt (who was playing his personal assistant) in two commercials for Softbank, a Japanese mobile phone company, in July 2009.
They were directed by Spike Jonze.
In November 2002 he tore a tendon in his left wrist, an injury which proved to be career-ending. Forced to withdraw from that tournament, the chronic problem restricted him to just a handful of appearances in the whole of 2003. Overshadowed by new yokozuna Asashōryū, he entered the July tournament but pulled out after just six days. He did not compete again until November, when after suffering his fourth defeat on the seventh day, he announced his retirement. In an interview on November 16, 2003, he revealed that he had also injured his neck while playing American football in high school and had been unable to move his left shoulder properly. He was the last Hawaiian wrestler in sumo, ending a dynasty that began with Takamiyama in 1964 and at one point in 1996 saw four from the island ranked in the top division. During his career he had won a total of twelve top division championships, one more than Akebono, and also won over 700 top division bouts, one of only six wrestlers to have achieved that feat to date. He officially retired on October 2, 2004, when he had his danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony, at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan.
Musashimaru has remained in the sumo world as an oyakata, or coach. He did not initially acquire a permanent elder (toshiyori) name, going instead under the name of Musashimaru Oyakata, which as a former yokozuna he was entitled to do for a period of five years after retirement. In October 2008 he began using the name Furiwake, and he then switched to the Ōshima kabu of the former ozeki Asahikuni in August 2012. In December 2012 it was announced that he would inherit the prestigious Musashigawa name upon his old stablemaster's retirement in February 2013, at which time he opened his own stable of wrestlers, Musashigawa. This is not to be confused with the stable he fought out of as an active wrestler, which has since been renamed Fujishima stable. The stable has 19 wrestlers as of May 2018, including his nephew, who is in the makushita division and the highest ranking member of the stable.
He appeared alongside Brad Pitt (who was playing his personal assistant) in two commercials for Softbank, a Japanese mobile phone company, in July 2009. They were directed by Spike Jonze.
Musashimaru Kōyō