Kitazakura did not reach the top "makuuchi" division until July 2001 when he was in his thirtieth year, after winning the "jūryō" championship in May 2001. The 86 tournaments it took him to get there was the fourth slowest ever at the time (now the eighth slowest as of 2016). He never managed to become a "makuuchi" regular, spending 48 of his 60 "sekitori" tournaments in "jūryō", but he was very popular with the tournament crowds, due to his adoption of Mitoizumi's trademark salt throwing routine in the pre-bout rituals. He was also renowned for his sheer eagerness to fight, forever imploring his opponent to start battle before the allotted time was up.