Career
His highest rank was sekiwake. Tsurugamine began his professional career in June 1947. He was a light but extremely skilful wrestler.
His ten sanshō (special prizes) for Technique remain a record to this day.
He also earned ten kinboshi (gold stars) for defeating yokozuna. He had an exceptionally long top division career, which lasted fourteen years from March 1953 to his retirement in July 1967 at the age of thirty eight.
His best result was in January 1956 when he lost only one bout and took part in a playoff for the tournament championship with yokozuna Kagamisato. Following his retirement from active sumo Tsurugamine became an elder of the Sumo Association under the toshiyori name of Kimigahama, and set up his own Kimigahama stable.
However, he really coveted the stock of his old Izutsu stable, but was unable to come to agreement with the widow of the previous holder.
In 1977 he was able to purchase the stock from ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji and became head coach of the renamed Izutsu stable. He also oversaw the promotion of Kirishima to ōzeki in 1990. In 1994 he reached the mandatory retirement age and passed on ownership of the stable to Sakahoko.
He died of blood poisoning in May 2006 at the age of seventy seven.
The Kyushu tournament was first held in 1957, and the Nagoya tournament in 1958.