Background
He was born in Obihiro, the son of a lorry driver.
He was born in Obihiro, the son of a lorry driver.
His highest rank was maegashira 3. After retirement he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He took over as head coach at Isenoumi stable, when former head coach Fujinokawa reached mandatory retirement age in September 2011.
At school he was a soccer goalkeeper.
He made his professional debut in May 1981, recruited by Isenoumi stable. He had been using his family name of Kuga as his ring name, but upon his promotion he was given the shikona of Kitakachidoki, or "northern battle-cry," a reference to his Hokkaidō birthplace in the north of the country.
He did not establish himself as a top division regular until 1991. He never managed to reach a sanyaku rank, his highest position in the banzuke being maegashira 3 in March 1994.
His final appearance in the top division was in May 1998, although he continued to compete in the juryo division for two years after that.
His demotion meant there were no longer any Hokkaidō natives in the top division, a remarkable decline considering that in the early 1990s there were three yokozuna (Chiyonofuji, Hokutoumi, and Onokuni) from Hokkaidō on the banzuke. After a poor 5–10 record in July 2000, and facing certain demotion to the unsalaried makushita division, Kitakachidoki announced his retirement at the age of thirty four. He had fought in 1438 matches across 117 tournaments.
On 22 August 2000 he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association, acquiring the vacant elder name of Katsunora Oyakata.
He worked as a coach at Isenoumi stable, and in September 2011 he took over as head of the stable when his old boss, former sekiwake Fujinokawa, reached the mandatory retirement age of 65. Now known as Isenoumi Oyakata, he oversaw the promotion of Ikioi to the top division in 2012.
His most common winning kimarite or technique was yori-kiri or force out, where he preferred a right hand inside grip (migi-yotsu) on his opponent"s mawashi or belt. He was also fond of hip throws like sukui nage (scoop throw) and uwate nage (overarm throw).
He was only of average height and weight for the top division but had a notably muscular frame as he was a keen weight-lifter.