▁of ▁the ▁courses . ▁Additionally , ▁a ▁special ▁ret irement ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁following ▁his ▁run , ▁con cluding ▁with ▁his ▁friends ▁and ▁fellow ▁compet itors ▁throwing ▁him ▁into ▁a ▁water ▁pit , ▁mirror ing ▁his ▁total ▁victory ▁celebr ations ▁in ▁S as u ke ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁retired ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁he ▁had ▁competed ▁in ▁ 2 6 ▁versions ▁of ▁S as u ke . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁appearance ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Nag ano ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁United ▁States ▁appearance ▁at ▁the ▁Ch ib i - Pa ▁Festival ▁in ▁West ▁Pal m ▁Beach , ▁Florida . ▁ ▁Music ▁career ▁ ▁Album ▁ ▁Nag ano ▁released ▁his ▁first ▁album ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁S as u ke ▁appearances ▁This ▁list ▁shows ▁all ▁the ▁compet itions ▁Nag ano ▁participated ▁in , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁contest ant ▁number , ▁and ▁the ▁stage ▁and ▁obst acle ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁elimin ated . ▁ ▁* ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 0 th ▁Compet ition , ▁the ▁contest ant ▁numbers ▁r anged ▁from ▁ 9 0 1 ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁to ▁show ▁that ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁compet itors ▁have ▁attempted ▁S as u ke . ▁Thus , ▁rather ▁than ▁ 9 9 , ▁Nag ano ' s ▁contest ant ▁number ▁was ▁ 9 9 9 . ▁Similarly , ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Compet ition , ▁the ▁numbers ▁ran ▁from ▁