Career
He was the sport"s 29th yokozuna. He was the last yokozuna in Osaka sumo. In the fall of 1909, he joined Dewanoumi stable.
He made his professional debut in June 1910.
However, he was punched by Kyushuzan Juro and escaped from Tokyo sumo in May 1912. He didn"t abandon the idea of becoming a wrestler and moved to Osaka sumo.
In March 1921, he fought against wrestlers in Tokyo sumo and defeated sekiwake Genjiyama, ōzeki Tsunenohana, yokozuna Ōnishiki and Kyushuzan. Around this time he reconciled with Kyushuzan.
After winning two consecutive championships, he was awarded a yokozuna licence.
He was absent from two tournaments in 1923 due to a phlegmon on his right hand"s middle finger. In 1927, Osaka Sumo Association disbanded and its wrestlers merged with Tokyo sumo. At that time, Osaka sumo"s level was very low and he was not considered not to be strong enough.
However, he felt he had to save the honor of Osaka sumo as yokozuna.
The first of these, in January 1927, was the first tournament to be held under the auspices of the Dai Nihon Ozumo Kyokai (now the Japan Sumo Association). Considering that he had been retained as a yokozuna simply because there was no precedent for demoting one and to allow Osaka sumo to save face, it was regarded as a sensational result.
After his retirement, he became the 6th head coach of Shibatayama stable. The stable was closed after his death.
Afterward, the 62nd yokozuna Ōnokuni became the 12th holder of the Shibatayama name and he opened the modern Shibatayama stable.
Osaka sumo existed independently for many years before merging with Tokyo sumo in 1926. 1-2 tournaments were held yearly, though the actual time they were held was often erratic. *Championships for the best record in a tournament were not recognized or awarded in Osaka sumo before its merger with Tokyo sumo, and the unofficial championships above are historically conferred.
Foreign more information, see yūshō.
In 1927 Tokyo and Osaka sumo merged and four tournaments a year in Tokyo and other locations began to be held.